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Routes : North America : United States : New York : Central : Little Falls : Moss Island

Moss Island

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About Moss Island:

The most popular area at Little Falls with climbs for everyone of every ability. Park under the Theodore S. Wind Bridge or drive in town and park. You’ll need to anyway for a permit unless you have a season pass. While in town locate the McDonalds and drive past its entrance (one way street). Turn right after its entrance on 167. Take your first left on Elizabeth Street-East Ramp and follow that street. This becomes South Ann Street. This crosses the Mohawk River and continues to a parking area near a hydro power plant.

Some long runners will be needed for some Top Rope set-ups. You can easily scramble up to set climbs on the east end of the outcrop as well as the island’s west end. There are many 3rd and 4th class descents as well.

Note: You must have a permit to climb on Moss Island. They can be obtained at the Town Hall or at the Fire Station, on weekends, $3 a day for permits (yearly permits are available for $20) and yes they have enforced this in recent history. A police officer comes to the island to check permits...he's a pretty nice guy so eschew the attitude.

The cliffs are composed of Precambrian granite basement like that of the Adirondacks. The black surface of the rock is a Manganese Oxide weathering rind and is not the true color of the unweathered rock. Some of the graffiti was covered with dark paint to match the surface of the rock and does affect the friction of certain routes. The afternoon sun does heat the very dark rock so this is a prime area for early spring climbing as well as late fall climbs. Climbing in late March with green grass below your feet is a common occurrence.
Approach: From the East (Albany) take Rt 90 to exit 29a. Approx time 1hr hour. From the West (Syracuse) take Rt 90 to exit 29a Approx time 1 hr 15 minutes After the toll booth drive about 2 miles to the City of Little Falls to get your permit at the Town Clerk or Fire Department (Main Street) The actual climbing is left of the big bridge (Wind Bridge) that crosses the Mohawk River.
Approach Time:
Latitude, Longitude: 43.04029, -74.85326
Access Issues: Permits are available at the Fire Station (weekends), or City Hall (Clerk's Office) weekdays.
Rock Type: Gneiss
Type of Climbing: Trad
Sun Aspect: All Day Sun
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Routes

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SequenceSequence numbers indicate the left (L) to right (R) order of the routes. Rating Route Difficulty Ascents
Average Rating = 3.00/5 A little hard one 5.10a 1
Average Rating = 0.00/5 All in the family 5.3 0
Average Rating = 0.00/5 All the Kings Men var. 3 of Tweedle Dee 5.4 0
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Appendix 5.5 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Awkwardness 5.3 1
Average Rating = 3.50/5 Beer Crack 5.8 5
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Black Beauty 5.7 3
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Bob King Traverse 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Bow Now, sometimes known as HJG Overhang 5.9 1
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Cane's Crack 5.5 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Chunky Chimbly 5.4 2
Average Rating = 2.00/5 Cool-Headed 5.3 2
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Cosmic Kink 5.10a 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Crummy Corner 5.3 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Curbar Edge 5.9 3
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Da Ma Was Here 5.3 1
Average Rating = 2.00/5 Dance On a Volcano 2
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Dancing Descent Route 0
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Danny's Demise 5.7 2
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Dark Star 5.8 2
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Days to Come 5.10c 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Dink's Delight 5.3 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Dogfish 5.10a 1
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Dogville 5.2 0
Average Rating = 2.00/5 Dripping Wonder 5.2 2
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Duck ramp 0
Average Rating = 2.50/5 Education Corner 5.3 2
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Fearsome Fern Flake 5.9 1
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Fern Crack 5.3 1
Average Rating = 2.50/5 Finger Frolic 5.9 2
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Flake Off 5.10b 3
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Fools Overture (1) 5.10a 3
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Forgotten Future 5.9 0
Average Rating = 0.00/5 FPJ Variation 5.10a 0
Average Rating = 5.00/5 Fred P. Jones (7) 5.11b 2
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Freddy Kreugar 5.11a 0
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Freddy Kreugar Direct 5.12a 1
Average Rating = 1.00/5 Goat Corner 5.1 1
Average Rating = 2.57/5 Goat Crack 5.2 11
Average Rating = 1.75/5 Goat Crap 5.3 6
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Gypsy 5.2 1
Average Rating = 2.67/5 Hand Jive 5.6 3
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Hang Man 5.4 0
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Humpty Dumpty var. 2 of Tweedle Dee 5.8 0
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Is this the way down? 0
Average Rating = 3.50/5 Jeff Loves Eileen (1) 5.4 16
Average Rating = 2.80/5 La Mouche 5.5 7
Average Rating = 3.00/5 Let's stand him on his head 5.1 1
Average Rating = 0.00/5 Little Feat 5.10b 1
Average Rating = 4.00/5 Looking Glass 5.10a 1
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Fred P. Jones
 		Fools Overture
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Forum Discussions (2)

  Subject Author Replies Last Post
With Replies Moss Island help vandal 1 Apr 08, 10:19 AM
With Replies OLd time climbin' Trad.titon 3 Jun 18, 6:10 PM

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