First time at the Gunks and I had to wake up and see the sunrise over the Hudson Valley. Makes the wall glow.

The route is Double Chin. I shoved the wrong size cam in there and was never able to retrieve (though I did try valiently, mind you).

Me somewhere on the first pitch of MINTY. A nice little start. The second pitch was the "minty" one.

Me & my kid. Sept 2005. The Gunks. Top rope and sore toes. LIFE IS SHORT. CLIMB WITH YOUR KID! Note: It's not actually Black Fly. It's a spot I know as the "Amphitheater". Black Fly is a little further down the trail, but I had to link this to a route or I couldn't post it.

Elise, who got me into climbing outdoors, following through the crux of p2 of Arrow. I like this route more every time I climb it.

A very interesting and fun route indeed. This is me at I think the first cruxy section. Awesome finger crack, but super strenuous for a sporto like me with crappy crack technique. Those fingerlocks felt great though.

My daugter Ashley and I have looked forward to this climb for a long time and waited until fall to do this climb just so the trees would be turning. We were the first ones on the route that day and started up the route when the sun was rising and there was still fog in the valley.

Eric warming up on CCK. Photo by John Maier while belaying.

Beautiful hand over hand monkey bar 5.9+/5.10- traverse over 200 ft of air at the Gunks, NY

Me loving life and the exposure up on the last pitch of High-E.

Me getting psyched before my first lead of the second pitch on High-E! YES

Thunder cracked and the rain came shortly after this picture was taken. The interesting lighting of this shot lead to a soaking rappel and an evening at the laundromat.

the dangler is not the most dificult route but at the end of the day it is one of the most scenic and enjoyable routes I did whilst at the gunks

Allison cruises Bunny, a fine long 5.3 at the Gunks.

Not sure of the route, but it was a cruise for Allison to second.

Two shots stitched together to give a better idea of the exposure on the CCK traverse. I led p2 and p3 of CCK on my third weekend of trad climbing. Credit for the photograph and "teaching me everything I know" goes to Eric Vaughn.

I'm transitioning up onto the flake, despite looking like I'm about to peel I'm really just getting my leg out from behind the rope. Photo by Eric Vaughn

I'm moving up the flake, getting ready for the hand traverse out. The flake was my favorite part of this pitch of CCK. Photo by Eric Vaughn.

I couldn't go to the Gunks and not do THE classic. We did the Strictly-Shockley linkup, I forgot to take my clothes off and climb in a swami belt... maybe next time though. Photo by Eric Vaughn

Denmark scopes out the flake moves above the traverse on the third pitch of CCK. Beautiful climbing like this makes me want to get back to the Gunks as soon as I can!

Here's what happens when a granite trained Alaskan goes to the gunks... a direct quote " Man I didn't know routes could be this good"

Photographer Chris Vultaggio pinks his first lead on trad gear - not an obvious choice but a stout one for sure. The dangler goes at about 5.10 and is, well, slightly exposed for a new leader... He rigged the camera setup and handed off the camera for this shot. Photo Credit: Colorado Mike

Bill Pierson making easy work of the Dangler. Photo Credit: Chris Vultaggio Studios.

Bill Pierson climbing the Dangler in NY's Gunks. Photo: Chris Vultaggio Studios.

Beautiful summer day - climbing with the crew from RPI Outing Club. What more is there to say?