I'm interested in spending some weekends in the 'dacks to get away from Gunks crowds. Any recommendations on areas/routes 5.6 - 5.9 would be appreciated.

-- Dan Jopp (djopp@talon.net), March 02, 2000

Answers

Poke-O-Moonshine has Gamesmanship, 5.8, which I enjoyed a great deal. If you're solid at 5.10 (Dacks, which is really closer to 5.11-) my partner was a big fan of Fastest Gun, on the same cliff. I thought the offwidth on it was a horrorshow, though.

If you're willing to drive a couple of extra hours to dodge the Gunks crowds, North Conway is also very pretty, with less bugs and more pro. Cathedral has endless amounts of long clean black granite trad routes, eg. Thin Air (5.6), The Prow (5.7 A1), Funhouse (5.7), Pine Tree Eliminate (5.8), Book of Solemnity (5.9), and Airation (5.10).

Have fun...

-- Tim Triche, Jr. (jabbo@mindless.com), May 20, 2000.

As far as cathedral ledge goes... Airation is rated 5.11a Pinetree Elim. 5.8+ The Book of Solemnity 5.10a anyone planning on going there should check out the north end for single pitch cracks and try Recom'beast' 5.9 on the prow

-- Travis Zuber (t_rav@hotmail.com), June 27, 2002.