Recent content by MrOysterhead

I ice climbed at Pitchoff today, and there didn't appear to be any evidence of avalanche activity in the pass. there were, however, quite large snowbanks on either side of the road, and the DOT was using two frontloaders to move snow much of the day on Rt 73, causing traffic to be reduced to...

Hey ya'll, I've been out of the 'dacks and out of touch since the beginning of June (a month in Wyoming followed by a week in Vermont). Any developments in the 'dacks this summer that I should know about before I head up there on the 8th? How are the bears (we'll be carrying cannisters)...

Trip just got bagged d/t illness - damn sick people. We're gonna go down Saturday morning - objectives TBA. Thanks for the beta anyway. Where do you ice climb around Rochester? Thats where I'm from - going home for part of Spring break in 2 weeks. peace Oysterhead

Haha the problem here is that I suck at reading maps :D Actually not really, but I just took a quick look and saw that the South Fork was what drained from the E cirque of the Dix Range. We're going in the standard way - I believe we're going to camp by Lillypad Pond. Did you rope up...

Anyone been up in the Dix range since the last major dump (this weekend)?? How deep is the snow? What condition was it in? We're heading in the South Fork of the Bouqet, hitting up the Great Slide on E. Dix and then heading over to S. Dix, Macomb (maybe), and Hough (maybe). Should be a good...

There used to be a group of hardcore locals from Lake Placid that skiied the Dyke every winter. This winter has been really low on snow so it may be super icy. We're attempting the Dyke this coming weekend and I'll post a report on the snow conditions. peace Oysterhead

Kevin - I agree with you, it is apples and oranges when my ice climbing example is used. but its not in a situation where I may be climbing a route in the ADKs (like the North Face of Gothics) or in the Whites (like Huntington) - I may elect not to carry snowshoes due to the nature of the...

My two cents - To those of you who are diehard snowshoe users - how much/often do you practice more advanced climbing techniques? On many routes in the Northeast in the winter, when I'm already carrying a rope, pro, ice axes, and other gear, snowshoes are just too much weight. On many larger...

The slide in question I BELIEVE is the dirty, long angle slab you can see on the extreme left of the picture. I believe the climbing in the area you're looking at Mavs is all 5th class - definetly worth exploring for me in a few years when I have more solid trad skills. peace Oysterhead

For both of you and anyone else who cares - this was indeed the route that Old Mountain Phelps used to guide clients to the summit (going up the slide - not going up the headwall of the gorge). I'd second the idea of bringing a rope, some webbing, and the other technical gear you'd need for a...

9 Truck - I don't have any personal experience in the gorge itself, but when I was geting beta for a trip in there everyone I talked to said it was very thick and the views were limited. The ADK Rock and Ice Guide describes them as being "overgrown" and "more trouble then they are worth."...

If by 'The Ribbon slide' you mean True North (it's the slide on the North Face of Gothics that is climber's left on the main North Face) then all you should need are crampons and a mountaineering axe. peace Oysterhead

What are people's thoughts on a route for these peaks this weekend? I'm going to be starting from South Meadow at around 5am Saturday. Would it be better to just to up the Van trail to Marcy, then down to Lake Tear? Or would it be better to go over to Lake Colden then up to Lake Tear? Does...

ridgewalker - I owned a pair of those a few years ago. I found that after one or two multi-day backpacking trips in the Adirondacks the cords were totally dusted. I replaced them with 4 or 5 mm cord from EMS and that outlasted the gaiters. I tied a knot in each end of the cord then melted it...

My friends and I spent several hours exploring the area last Memorial Day weekend. Pictures can be found here - http://community.webshots.com/album/268964324Sukacl - LINK HAS BEEN FIXED We spent maybe an hour going into some of the houses in the ghost town and walking around there. I WOULD...