Everybody knows you simply cannot climb in the Adirondacks in winter, except when mother nature has gone bat shit crazy and is tossin' loads randomly and without any discernible purpose but to make me sad.
Adam and I went and checked out Murph's new spot in Pottersville called Friedman's Reality or Hogwarts. In conclusion, it's rad.
It's got probably as many boulders as McKenzie, if not more, but there aren't as many lines on each boulder as McKenzie. Some boulders are a heartbreaking mix of perfect size, awesome pitch, no holds (the Adirondack's favorite trick) but most have at least one to five solid lines.
There are a few lines that need mentioning and a few boulders that will be area classics, as long as the access doesn't get destroyed: it's hanging on a thread right now, someone should alert the DEA of a possible meth lab at the top of the hill. I don't know if it's actually a meth lab, but it's near awesome boulders, so they must leave.
By the Meth Lab, there is one. Massive. Boulder. It's about 25-30 feet tall (not an exaggeration) overhung over a flat landing and with two obvious lines up the tallest part. One line is a meandering criss crossing crack line that shouldn't be too hard, but it's long and REALLY tall, and the other has potential to be another classic, hard, Adirondack highball.
I must say, if access is secured this place will be about double the size of Snowy, and with lines on par with the highest grade climbs in the Dacks. Really, the only thing holding it back is the access. The approach is short and easy, the boulders are many and rad, and the people are sketchy and reclusive (and maybe addicted to meth). If we get a few more days of sun, I might head back up there to get me some FAlalalalas.
Consider this your Merry Christmahannakwanzakah. And a happy new years.
Sorry for the lack of pictures
-WB
