Adirondack Lowdown - Part 1: Snowy Mountain Boulders

A few years back, when my friends and I were just beginning to dabble in the strange world of Adirondack Bouldering, we had heard rumors of a place of particular mystique. Talk of massive boulders, wonderland-esque features and one, game-changing word: huecos. Surely, such a place could not exist anywhere near us. But the topos in Adirondack ROCK told us otherwise, and soon we jetted out towards Snowy Mountain, unsure of what we would find.

The first thing one is struck by when approaching the boulders is the scale of Snowy Mountain. It is massive. From Rt. 30, you can make out the summit cliff and slide, and as a rock climber that kind of stuff just gets you antsy.

In the woods, a small boulderfield of 6 or 7 rocks makes up the majority of the climbing, but those few boulders pack a plethora of quality problems. The starting place for most newcomers is the Coitus Boulder, and rightfully so. Here, you can find one of the most classic V6's in the Adirondacks, Coitus - V6. Picture perfect technical moves through crimps and huecos and an exciting finish, it's hard to resist this aesthetic line.

Other problems of note include IHOPP - V7 and Never Been to Hueco - V7. These problems alone make Snowy Mountain a destination for any moderate climber, but one boulder in particular sets the area apart from everywhere else... the Cave Boulder.

Words fail to describe the strangeness of this block. It's almost like stepping inside the hollow inside of a boulder and climbing out the cracked shell that remains. The features require a certain form of climbing you won't find elsewhere, and most problems end in an exciting mantle-press top out.

Although small, Snowy Mountain offers a delightful break from hard Adirondack Gneiss, and allow the Northeast climber to play around on huecos, something every climber dreams of. Although my friends and I feel we have climbed out most of Snowy Mountain, there are a few elusive problems that I'd like to return to, and something tells me there are more boulders hidden on that hillside.

LOWDOWN

Name: Snowy Mountain Boulders

Location: Snowy Mountain, Indian Lake, NY

Trailhead: Off of Route 30, see Adirondack ROCK for specifics

Climbing Seasons: Late Spring through Early Fall

Rock Type: Softer, small-grain gneiss

Features: Sandy hueco pockets, fins, crimps and sloping top-outs

Climb Difficulty: Moderate-Hard, (V5-8)

Best Climbs: Cat in the Hat - V2, Coitus - V6, Insomnia - V6, IHOPP - V7, Never Been to Hueco - V7, The Cure - V8, Never Left Hueco - V8

This storm has left the Northeast looking pretty damp, but there is a little hope for climbing this weekend. If anyone would like to join, and has a car, and is psyched on either Lost City, Pottersville or anywhere else, you know what to do. (Leave a comment...)

Also, any ideas for the next ADK Lowdown post?

-WB