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thedejongs
Nov 11, 2008, 7:03 PM
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Registered: Mar 8, 2005
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I'm considering a move there. Anybody want to give me the skinny on climbing/living in Albany, New York? I'd be moving from the Midwest (flat, although we've got relatively easy access to the Rockies in Colorado). I'd welcome any practical insight you might want to throw out there-- it's one thing to check out city-data and know that you're about an hour from the Gunks, but it's another thing to get the straight dope from someone who lives around there. Thanks.
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skellie
Nov 12, 2008, 11:49 PM
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Registered: Feb 8, 2008
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Hey,
I live in Troy, about 10 minutes from Albany. We're about equidistant from both the Gunks (90 min., 80 miles), and the Adirondacks (60-180min, 40-150 miles). Both are amazing world-class trad areas.
The gunks are touristy, easily accessible, and 2-3 ptiches in height.
The daks have a huuuuge variety, and tend to be less travelled. There are crags a 5 min. walk from parking, and there are crags deep in the woods that you swear no one's ever been to.
If you climb trad, this is really a good location.
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Guy03
Jan 20, 2009, 10:19 AM
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Registered: Jan 18, 2009
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Hello,
my name is Guy and own a home in albany, There is the albany indoor rock gym to train during the winter which has good indoor routes and is fairly large.. Also there are tons of areas right around albany that you can go climbing for instance like you said the gunks, also the adirondacks, and more places in Mass. and the surrounding area... Let me know what you decide on but you def will have tons of places to climb.
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nydominic
Jan 30, 2009, 6:53 PM
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Registered: Mar 7, 2003
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Ill through a few more in the pile. For gyms E-city over in Schenectady (15 mins from Albany) as well as AIR in Albany, though i personally prefer E-city.
Albany is not super close to anything but is sorta close to a whole bunch of spots.
Basically in every compass direction. The two biggies, already mentioned are the Gunks and the dacks. The the west is a great little (only 30 feet tall) cliff in the town of little falls. Wonderful top-roping and relaxed. Bring long slings for TR setups, or check out the sweet cracks by the train tracks.
To the east you have many options in western mass, from bouldering at great barrington, to rose ledge for good top roping.
Also not too far is all the CT traprock (Meriden + Ragged Mtn)
Hope this helps. It is where I learned to climb, and down in Baltimore now I am jealous of the opportunities presented by the area.
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desertwanderer81
Jan 30, 2009, 8:21 PM
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Registered: Sep 5, 2007
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thedejongs wrote: I'm considering a move there. Anybody want to give me the skinny on climbing/living in Albany, New York? I'd be moving from the Midwest (flat, although we've got relatively easy access to the Rockies in Colorado). I'd welcome any practical insight you might want to throw out there-- it's one thing to check out city-data and know that you're about an hour from the Gunks, but it's another thing to get the straight dope from someone who lives around there. Thanks.
Ha, in Albany, forget climbing, go caving ;)
http://www.caves.org/grotto/hhg/about.php are a good group of people, I've been caving with a few :)
As for climbing, I think the closest climbing that you can legally go to is probably in Lake George. (http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/New_York/Adirondack_park/Buck_Mountain/Stewarts_Ledge/) and ( http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/New_York/Adirondack_park/Roger_s_Rock/Roger_s_Rock/ ) Not a whole lot out there, but some fun stuff is definately to be had there :)
The single best climbing in the area is obviously the Gunks, which I miss very very much. Daks are also pretty decent. Out in Mass you have Rose Ledges http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Massachusetts/_Western__Mass/Rose_Ledges/ . Again a small place, but a nice fun intimate climbing area.
There is very very little sport in the northeast. Other than Rumney and the Poison Ivy Wall, I only know of like.....2 sport routes in the entire area. The first of which is really far away and the second kinda sucks.
Multi-pitch is fairly weak too. That's not to say it doesn't exist, but most people out there think of a 200' route as an extremely long route!
However there is a lot of comfortable single pitch trad and toproping to be had in pretty sterile enviroments.
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Adk
Jan 30, 2009, 9:04 PM
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Registered: Dec 2, 2006
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Everyone here did a great job. So I'll stay quite but don't forget to check the route lists here for NY in our database.
If you want to add more feel free to add them.
Dave
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