TR - The Adirondack Slab-A-Thon (Long, in need of an editor)

[IAN69NDIGO]

We had a plan, about six of them. We did not have much time, sleep would
be sacrificed. We ARE NOT great climbers. We are good climbers we like to
have fun, adventure is important, alcohol is good, sex is never as available as
one would like.
So we decided to do Rogers Rock, Moxham Dome, Chapel Pond Slabs, and
Poke-O Moonshine all in 24 hours. Of course the Adirondacks are five hours
away and we had to get back on Sunday for Father's day, so the whole thing did
not have a great time window. Chris is a graduating high school senior, his
finals are over so he had no school left last week. I am a high school teacher
without much to do last week either, so we shopped and packed the mini-van (a
loaner from his parents) and planned.
We had both done Rogers, I had been up it several times, Chris did it
once, barefoot because he lent his shoes to Christine while Becky was wearing
my slippers two sizes to big, that climb was disastrous - the four of us did
not get off until 1 am without headlamps. I have been up Chapel Pond several
times and Chris has gone up it once or twice so we were happy about that one.
I climbed Moxham once, but I followed some guy named Colin Murray who led a
5.10 variation to the LIzards Tongue. Way cool, but I slipped and bloodied up
my left knee on the approach. Neither of us have been to Poke-O. I thank all
the people who sent me info on the current conditions of the approach, and on
Catharsis itself.
We both drink very well.
So Friday we set the plan in motion. After discovering a place that had
1$ Margarita specials for lunch, I got a lift back to school where Chris picked
me up and we headed off for the Adirondacks. We arrive at our camp in Brant
Lake and proceed to steal a canoe. After securing it to the van, and also
tying on my huge Michigan J. stuffed Frog we headed over to Rogers Rock State
campground. Arriving at eight we set up camp and proceeded to try and get some
sleep before the climb. Right. At 8:30 we got up lit our pipes (tobacco -
seriously) and split one of the quart bottles of Mississippi Mud. You have to
see this beer to believe it. The idea was that beer would help us sleep. Not.
We woke (got) up at 11:30 and drove down to the boat put in. Loaded the canoe,
tied on the frog and off we went. Lots of fun, beautiful, though very muggy
night, full of stars. Began caoeing at 12 am. When we arrived at the slab we
put on our head lamps and hiked to the beginning of Little Fingers Direct.
WATERFALL!! There was about two inches of water running down the crack and
getting the face wet as well. No turning back now. Very cautiously and very
carefully I made the first few unprotected moves until I got some pro in.
Felt better. Hands are soaked, feet are soaked, but that crack is right there
running straight up for 400 feet, and those feet are smearing anyway! I do not
think I have been so scared on a lead in my life (maybe Shockley's first time)
but I was also having a blast. It was wet and totally dark out except for our
headlamps and the stars. Lots of fun. The first two pitches went by pretty
easile once I got a rythym going - finger lock, foot into the depression,
weight it, go, repeat - much freakier when wet. The crux came on the third
pitch, doing the traverse past the 5.7 veritcal direct part. Wet, I think this
was just as hard, it took me awhile to get through. When I reached the belay I
put Chris on and he proceeded to climb, I was using a hip belay as I have found
they save time on slabs, probably was a stupid idea here. Chris slipped and
fell at the crux, i broke the fall properly, but the fucker hurt my back!
Lesson learnt, when in doubt ATC, munter hitch etc.
We got off of those rappels in record time, back to the canoe and back to
the van by 3:30, definitely the quickest I have done Rogers. On to Moxham.
It took us about an hour and a half to get to the pull of for Moxham Dome.
On the way over we guzzled water from the cooler, and Chris cut up pepperoni
and pepper jack cheese for us, yummy! When we exited the car we noticed it was
not nearly as war as it had been at 12 am. I put on a long sleeve shirt,
shorts (my pnats were soaked from Rogers) and a fleece vest. The hike in is
steep, short, and through a swamp. I was sweating by the time we reached the
slab.
We had a route in mind, True Grit. We never reached it. LET THIS BE A
WARNING TO THOSE WHO THINK THEY KNOW BETTER - THE BUGS ARE BAD THIS SUMMER.
MUCH WORSE THAN I HAVE SEEN THEM IN FIVE YEARS OF GUIDING IN THE ADIRONDACKS.
Those mother fuckers had us so pissed off within a few minutes that we decided
to just start up the slab where we were. Chris led the first pitch, a steep
slab with lots of moss, little protection and lots of bugs. Climbing was
scary, Chris got real spooked. Belaying was almost impossible, gnats and
mosquitos were chewing my neck and ears, and hands, and legs. The same thing
was happening to Chris. He was getting scared and annoyed and more than a
little pissed off. He reached a point of no further going, but hated his belay
possibilites so downclimed to a better stance. Cursing and yelling we were
both getting thoroughly chewed and dejected. I started up and now it was my
turn to slip. Credit to Coady (his last name and common moniker) I could not
get up that slab my first two tries, finally I got to his first piece, removed
it and slid down again. At least now I was able to start the climb a bit
further over. I reached Chris, who was in a pissy mood by now, and led on. My
next pitch had some runout friction on 5.6-5.7 stuff, some trapsing through
bushes ( I am less proud of the skill it took to do that!) and a dyno to the
safety of some bushes which I anchored off of (so technically we used aid on
this one - grabbing the bushes, instead of slinging them from a stance - did I
mention the lichen?) The bugs were not getting any better and we were far from
happy. The next pitch I led was a traverse underneath a large flap. I went
way out right on semi-protected stuff untill I could go through the flap and
back left to a belay. Crossing through the eyebrow was scary as I was pulling
on huge loose blocks which would have chopped my rope had they pulled out. I
finished the third pitch, brought up Coady, we rapped off (we were near the top
after three full rope lengths, though one was a traverse) and got the fuck
outta dodge.
Chris was all for sleeping, but I felt fine so it was back in the van and
onto the Northway. On the way we stopped of at Kindred Spirits to say hi to
Rick and Christine and to buy some bug dope. To my surprise they were
remodeling the store and Rick had a lame leg that he had injured in North
Carolina doing some forestry work. Hasn't climbed for months, I felt bad. I
bought some Green Ban, and used the bathroom then away we went. Half an hour
later I realized I had left the bug dope in the bathroom. Oh well, the bugs are
never as bad in the middle of the day as they are at dawn and dusk, right? It
was 9am.
At exit 29 I woke Chris up and told him I was not sure if I felt like
doing Poke-O and Chapel. I would much rather just do Chapel, and go for all
four on a day when we had started at 6am after actually sleeping. I had all
sort of reasons, excuses, rationalizations, but the truth is I was scared of
trying to do a climb I had not done before, with run outs longer than Chapel (I
had heard) with an approach that might still be hell after the ice storm, after
I had done a wet climb and a shitty buggy climb. Coady was in agreement with
me before I got my first excuse out. That was the best part of the climb -
being able to tell him why I did not feel like going for it, and having him
understand and agree. Good partners are hard to find.
So we turned off at exit 30 and looked for the Gyro man. We had beaten
him there! So we slept in the van for two hours, though Chris was more tired
than I. I got up twice, once for a chicken gyro (after the van arrived) and
once for a Michigan Hot Dog. Some rain came, but it was a quick shower. After
waking Coady we drove up to Chapel and on the hike in passed a gorup of four
(two of each gender) who told us it was way too wet. Right.
We had chosen the Empress because Chris had only done the Regular, and I
love the friction runout above the crack at the top. Yes it was wet, but the
friction was great and there was enough dry rock available to make it good.
Four weeks ago there were about 60 people (including an annoying group of 34
doing three pitches of one climb, with people at each anchor guiding the
novices) all over the slab - today there was us.
Despite the sun and 75 degree weather, Coady wore long pants, and his
hooded track windbreaker (ironic he quit track to do more climbing this year)
apparently the bugs were still annoying him. They were definitely out there.
The climb was amazing, quick, beautiful, great views, empty, sweet moves, I put
in about one piece per pitch, not to be cocky, but because it felt right. That
is until the pitch with the crack, that kept me on my toes a little bit. The
rappel sucked, our ropes got wet and muddy and my figure eight spewed muddy
water in my face. We got off about four.
Drove to Split Rock Falls, clif jumped, swam, back to Noon Mark Diner,
scarfed and then back to camp. Note from Howie he was off in the woods some
where, he may be back tonite. Drink our second Mississippi Mud, smoke our
pipes, break into Howie's warm Honey Browns, and crash in the cabin. One hour
later Howie wakes us up with loud yells, drives us out the bar, and we finish
the day with pool and ice cold Molsens.
Like I said I have spent five summers as a backpacking and canoeing guide
in the Adirondacks, that 24 hour period may have been the best day of them all.

Addendum - Has anybody done anything similar to this in the Adirondacks? Four
slabs in a day - or something else? We were not looking to set a record, but
to have some fun, and we did.

I have about fifty bug bites behind my right ear and on my neck. The surface
is inflamed. Yuck. Another ten on my face. Blah. It was worth it.