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(15 min) to the hiking trail along the summit ridge. To re-turn to the parking area, go right (north) and hike down to the junction with the trail that leads back to High Bank (right). You can make a much shorter descent of Giant by hiking left (south) and over the summit to the trail that descends to Chapel Pond. However, this op-tion requires a second vehicle.

4 East Face Direct 5.5 R 190' êêClimbs stepped slabs near the right end of the head-wall and right of the 4th-class ledges in the center of the headwall. An old piton high on the pitch is of unknown origin. Start: From the base of the slide, bypass a bulge by staying in the drainage area to the left, then hike up and right across slabs (2nd class) toward the steepest sec-tion of the headwall. Scramble alongside a drainage area that leads to a large left-facing corner at the right end of the headwall. Belay on a grassy ledge beneath the large corner with a shallow left-facing corner 5' to the right 602628,4890777.P1 5.5 R: Up and left over small overlaps to an 8'-tall right-facing corner. (V1) Up the corner to a ledge and traverse left to a shallow right-facing corner (optional belay). Up the corner (crux), or the face to the left, to a right-facing flake. Above the flake, the rock becomes low-angled and dirty. Up and left to a 3'-tall wall (fixed protection), then easy slab climbing up and right for 40' to a belay at a right-facing corner with a 2" crack. 190'V1 5.6 R: 20' up (5.6 R) to a horizontal (optional belay), then continue on clean rock and move left to a horizon-tal overlap. Past the overlap on easy slab to a belay at a horizontal crack (3").FA (V1) 2004, Ed Palen, Bob Hall, Sheila Matz

5 Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum 5.7 PG (5.4 R) 90' ê

Expect to find hollow holds and crumbly rock. Large nuts are recommended for protecting the hollow flakes.Start: Same as East Face Direct.P1 5.7 PG (5.4 R): Up the shallow left-facing corner—not the large corner to its left—for 20', then right across the face (crux) to hollow left-facing flakes. Up the flakes to a ledge, then up a short left-facing corner (fixed protection). Climb slab (5.4 R) to a fixed anchor. 90'FA Sep, 2005, Ed Palen, Bob Starinsky

6 Beanstalk 5.8 TR 70' êêClimb a black streak that is 30' right of the start of Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum. The brown streak to the left is 5.9. Fixed protection, 30' down and right of the Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum anchor, is used as a directional for this route.FA (TR) Sep, 2005, Ed Palen, Bob Starinsky

GoThicS MounTainLocation High Peaks Wilderness Area, accessed

from the Garden Trailhead or the Adirondack Mountain Reserve Trailhead

Summary A backcountry peak with large slides on every side.

7 5 2 14-5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13+ total

Gothics has the greatest expanse of technical alpine rock in the Adirondacks. The only other U.S. peak east of the Rockies that exceeds the potential for long mountain routes is Katahdin, Maine. Every side of Gothics has exposed rock. The hiking trails cling to the mountain in the narrow bands of trees that adorn the ridges. Compared to the other slides in the Adiron-dacks, those found on Gothics are both cleaner and steeper. On most slides, the climber needs to seek out the difficulty. On Gothics, however, technical climbing abounds, and the easy scrambles to the top are not obvious.

Gothics has a broad summit ridge with a sharp, minor summit to the south, Pyramid Peak, which is connected by a narrow ridge. Two southern cirques are located on either side of the narrow ridge: the South Face to the west and the Rainbow Slide to the east. The broad North Face sits on the opposite side of the mountain, directly beneath the ledges of the main sum-mit. The West Face of Gothics is visible from neigh-boring Saddleback Mountain and saw a couple of solo ascents by Craig Patterson in the 1960s.

Gothics Mountain noRTh FacEAspect Northwest

Height 1200'

Quality ê

Approach 3 hr, difficult

Summary The Nordwand of the Adirondacks, ominous in appearance but easier to approach and climb than expected. Features slab routes that ascend a complex face riddled with overlaps and moss-covered rock.

2 3 5-5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13+ total

This is the biggest, highest alpine face in the Adiron-dacks. The North Face of Gothics is a sought-after climb in summer conditions, matching its reputation as a winter route. Due to its northern aspect, the North Face is lichen-covered and often wet. Crisscrossing the center of the face are two historic routes for which similar technical difficulties (5.7 R) were reported. The face is filling in with vegetation, and the best line of as-cent is not necessarily that of the documented routes. The cleaner New Finger Slide is surpassing the older and more difficult routes in popularity. This recent slide is less difficult and provides a direct and interesting way to reach the summit 591417,4886691. Besides Old

Route, all of the North Face routes finish at the up-per right side of the face, which is notoriously wet and moss-covered.

The approach to the North Face is straightforward, as it follows a broad streambed, has modest elevation gain, and requires minimal bushwhacking. A 20'-tall slab that leans against the cliff—the Dugal Slab—and the right-rising corner-ramp on the right side are impor-tant landmarks from which to locate the starts of the routes.

DiREcTionS (MaP PaGE 470)Park at the Garden Trailhead (page 426), hike to Johns Brook Lodge, and take the Orebed Trail past the Orebed lean-to (2 hr). 15 min past the lean-to, and a few min-utes past a house-sized boulder next to the trail, you cross the stream from the North Face 590834,4888069. This is a significant streambed, and if you continue past it, the trail begins to climb abruptly. Turn left and follow the stream. Keep right at all branches and choose the major drainage area. After a half hour of rock hopping, you'll see the North Face, and the streambed divides into slide paths. Go left up a wide slide path with bare rock, then up a 3rd-class bulge in the slide path to ar-rive at the base of the North Face near the start of The Dugal at a 20'-tall slab leaning against the cliff—the Dugal Slab 591025,4887286.

Bob Starinsky follows Fee, Fie, Foe, Fum (5.7)on the first ascent. Photo by Ed Palen.

Karen Stolz and Steve Franck on North Face Direct (5.7-) in 1984, a route they described as having "big, thick, wet moss."

Photo by R.L. Stolz.

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DEScEnT oPTionSTo return by trail to the Johns Brook valley, hike west along the Range Trail to the Gothics-Saddleback Col and the upper junction of the Orebed Trail.

A second option is to return to the base of the North Face via the True North Slide, then hike back down the approach drainage area to the Orebed Trail. This is much quicker than hiking down the trail. This descent enters the drainage area below the face; thus, it is recommended that all gear be carried up the route. From the summit, hike east along the Range Trail for less than 5 min until the trail switchbacks to the south and drops over a ledge. At the switchback, leave the trail 591548,4886922 and follow a herd path that goes left (north), and slightly uphill, for 150' to the top of the North Face at its east edge—the North Ridge of

Gothics. Hike north, down and (skier's) right along the shrubs to a rock buttress; pass this on the right and continue down to the top of the slide, which is 200' be-low the buttress. Hike the moss-covered slide for 10 min until it becomes choked with shrubs and a narrow slide path drops down and left. Follow the slide on the left, which becomes a steep streambed, to the wide slide path with bare rock that you encountered on the approach to the North Face.

hiSToRYThe first mention of climbing on the North Face was Jim Goodwin's description of Old Route in Adirondac in 1948.10 Credit for the first ascent of the main face (Aug 1956) goes to Dick Pitman, Dick Lawrence, and Paul

10 Jim Goodwin, "Keene Valley Chapter," Adirondac 12, no. 6 (Nov–Dec 1948), p. 20.

ArmstrongMountain

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Lawrence, who had an epic day that involved a 2-hr bushwhack from the vicinity of the Gothics-Saddleback Col to the right side of the face. Their harrowing de-scription of the ascent involved 18 pitches of climbing and a near fall by the leader (Pitman) when, 100' out from a poor belay, his feet began to slip. 10 years later, Dugal Thomas and Molly McNutt climbed and reported in great detail The Dugal, a direct route up the center of the face. The Dugal encounters unprotected slabs, nu-merous overlaps, and a demanding section of moss-covered rock at the top of the face. In 1973, Tom Rose-crans and Ken Jackson climbed North Face Direct, a route that paralleled The Dugal to the right and began beneath a bolt of unknown origin that was 30' up the slab. At the right end of the face is a right-rising corner-ramp that may have been crossed by It'll Probably Be Mostly a Scramble (5.8; Aug 1, 1988; Butch Kinnon, Jeanne Kinnon). However, on Jun 16, 1990, the right margin of the North Face slid and made many of the features of this route unrecognizable. Shortly after the slide occurred, I Ain't a Marching Anymore and New Finger Slide were climbed. I Ain't a Marching Any-more appears to climb near the line of It'll Probably Be Mostly a Scramble and ascends the more challenging rock to the left of New Finger Slide. The 1990 slide is still obvious but has begun to grow in.

1 old Route 4th class 1200'Popular with winter climbers and skiers, as it follows low-angled slabs and tree-filled depressions to the ridge. Because it has grown in, this route is no longer a rock climb and cannot be recommended. However, it is still the path of least resistance up the North Face. Start: 200' left of the Dugal Slab and 50' left of a right-rising overlap at the base of the face, beneath low-angled 4th-class slabs that lead up to the minor, east summit of Gothics.Route Description: Climb up slabs (4th class) that are left of the overlap toward the large stand of trees left of the steeper main face. Go up and right through trees, then climb up dirty slabs to the top of the face near the low point of the ridge and left of the main summit. Battle the brush up and right to the Range Trail.

2 The Dugal 5.7 R 1200'Start: At the Dugal Slab, above the approach slide.Route Description: Up and left of the Dugal Slab, then up and right past a long horizontal overlap above the right-rising overlap near the base. Continue up, then over an overlap on the left that has clean white rock beneath it. Break through another overlap, then up and right through a vertical gash filled with vegetation. Above the gash is a low-angled band of vegetation that rises to the left. Climb up and right through the band of vegetation to an overlap beneath a long slab. Break the overlap, then up the slab (crux) to a horizontal over-lap. Break the overlap and continue up a higher slab to a small horizontal overlap. Traverse right beneath the overlap, then across overgrown slabs to low-angled rock and shrubs. Angle left through the shrubs to the rock ledges at the main summit.FA Jul 16, 1966, Dugal Thomas, Molly McNutt

3 north Face Direct 5.7- PG (5.6 R) 1200' êêThe top of this route is probably unclimbable in its cur-rent condition, and it is recommended to traverse over to New Finger Slide after P2. P1 climbs some of the smoothest and cleanest rock in the Adirondacks.Start: 250' right of the Dugal Slab and 50' left of the right-rising, left-facing corner-ramp, beneath an overlap 30' above the ground.P1 5.7- PG: Up to the overlap (small cam), then step left onto a steep slab (5.7-). Sustained friction climbing up and right past two bolts leads to the bottom of a right-facing corner that is left of a strip of moss and vegetation. Go right across the moss strip and up to a belay at an overlap. 190'P2 5.4 PG: Up the unprotected slab (5.2) above the belay to a steeper slab protected by a bolt. Above the slab, traverse right on a ledge to the left end of a large overlap and climb up a left-facing corner to a tree belay above the overlap. 190'P3 5.6 R: (V1) Make a left-rising traverse (dirty) and pass through a notch in an overlap to a belay. 180'P4 and above: Traverse left beneath the vertical gash filled with vegetation (climbed by The Dugal). Climb slabs that are interspersed with vertical cracks to a low-angled band of vegetation that rises to the left. Climb up and right through the band of vegetation to an overlap beneath a long slab (same as The Dugal). Traverse right beneath the overlap, then break through the overlap and climb up the slab past several shrub islands. Traverse right from the highest shrub island to avoid climbing the moss-covered slabs above. From the right margin of the face, climb up and left across moss-covered slabs and shrubs (same as The Dugal) to the rock ledges at the main summit. 640'V1 new Finger connector 5.2 G: This is the recom-mended finish to North Face Direct. Go right across an easy slab to a long left-facing corner. Climb over the corner at a right-rising crack that begins in a wide flare. Follow the crack until it ends, then continue right for 30' to a belay at the left end of a shrub ledge. This belay is directly above the crux pitch of New Finger Slide. history: Rosecrans and Jackson chose this line be-cause it would be one of the longest routes in the North-east. Beginning at the base of the face, they decided on a start that would ascend a clean, smooth slab that, surprisingly, had a mysterious bolt. The bolt had been reported as missing since the early 1990s and was re-cently replaced in order to restore this route's superb lower pitches.FA Oct 7, 1973, Tom Rosecrans, Ken Jackson

4 i ain't a Marching anymore 5.7 R 1200'Start: 300' right of the Dugal Slab, at the base of the right-rising, left-facing corner-ramp and beneath a slab with a large overlap 200' up.Route Description: Up poorly protected, overgrown slabs (crux) to the left end of an overlap (joining North Face Direct at the top of P2). Break the overlap on the left and continue up and right on easier slab (5.4) for two pitches. Up two additional pitches of flakes and corners (5.2–5.6) that stay left of the strip of vegetation and climb to a left-rising overlap. Break the overlap on

the left (5.6) and continue up moss-covered slabs until you can escape right to the right margin of the face. Climb up and left across moss-covered slabs and shrubs (same as The Dugal) to the rock ledges at the main summit. FA Jul 22, 1990, Peter Henner, Nancy Lawson

5 new Finger Slide 5.1 R 1200' êêMore difficult than Eagle Slide on Giant, New Finger Slide has a crux pitch of pure friction on clean rock. This is the recommended route for the North Face and a directissima to the summit of Gothics. Start: Same as I Ain't a Marching Anymore.Route Description: Up the corner-ramp, then right across a tree-covered ledge beneath an overgrown slab. Avoid climbing the overgrown slab by instead climbing a clean, narrow slide to the right that is sepa-rated from the main face by a tree island. Traverse to the right beneath the overgrown slab and tree island to an overlap. Climb the overlap (wet) and the narrow slide above to its top. Traverse left across the top of the tree island to the main face. The crux pitch is di-rectly above and is approached by traversing (left) out a vegetated crack until it widens to body-sized. Climb pure friction (crux) for 100' to a ledge. Above the ledge, the technical difficulties ease, and several 4th-class pitches ascend the right margin of the main face. At the top of the slide, make a hard move over an overlap; above this, step left and climb moss-covered slabs and shrubs (same as The Dugal) to the rock ledges at the main summit. FA Jun 26, 1990, Don Mellor, Janet Mellor, Bill Dodd

Gothics Mountain SouTh FacEAspect South

Height 600'

Quality êêêê

Approach 3 hr 30 min, difficult

Summary The most alluring alpine face in the Adiron-dacks, with excellent rock quality and routes of all difficulties.

3 2 5-5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13+ total

Gracing the steepest face on Gothics are some of the best alpine rock climbs in the Northeast. A tribute to the scouring power of glaciers, the South Face is a deep basin of sculpted rock, not the shattered rock that is commonly encountered at 4500' in the Northeast. The southern exposure enables the face to dry more quick-ly than the north side of the mountain. However, the vegetation at the top of the cliff will continue to seep for a couple of days after a rain.

DiREcTionS (MaP PaGE 470)Park at the AMR Trailhead (page 426), hike the Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake, and then up the Weld Trail to the summit of Pyramid Peak, reached at 3 hr. Pyramid Peak provides excellent views of the South Face of Gothics. An alternative approach from the Gar-den Trailhead (page 426) is longer, but offers camping and climbing to the main summit via the North Face.

You can reach the base of the climbs on the South

Jeremy Haas follows Tea and Biscuits (5.10a), belayed by Robert Livingston on the Piano Ledge. Photo by Rachel Sloan.

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Face either by a bushwhack from the Gothics-Pyramid Col or by rappelling South Face Direct.

Bushwhack to base: From the 30' section of level hiking trail in the Gothics-Pyramid Col, leave the trail 591449,4886359 and bushwhack west to a steep, tree-filled drainage area. Hike down the drainage area past one short downclimb to arrive at the base of the face (on the right side, near the start of Goodwin Route) within 30 min of the col.

Rappel to base: Locate a herd path on the Range Trail, 0.1 mile west of the main summit and before the open ledges of the minor summit to the west. The landmark for the start of the herd path is a permanently muddy hole on the trail 591191,4886514. Follow the herd path downhill for 5 min to an 80' slab above the South Face.

Scramble down the slab, then traverse (skier's) right across the top of the main face (very exposed) for 200'. Locate a tree 20' back from the top of the cliff with long rappel slings 591230,4886456. A 60-m rope is required to make three rappels down South Face Direct that end at a 3rd-class left-rising ramp (Original Route). Follow it down and (skier's) left to the base of the South Face near the start of Gothic Arch 591149,488619.

DEScEnT oPTionSDon't plan on returning to the base of this face. Carry out whatever gear you descend with.

hiSToRYThe South Face is home to one of the oldest techni-cal climbs in North America. Original Route climbs the striking crack (4th class) that cuts up and left across

the wall and involves 5th-class climbing to surmount the bulging rock above it. In 1955, Jim Goodwin made a solo ascent of the right side of the face as a detour while hiking the peak with a friend. Goodwin avoided the steep lower headwall (climbed by Gothic Arch) and climbed the longest stretch of rock on the face. More than a century after its original ascent, the South Face got a new look in the new millennium when Ed Palen and Vinny McClelland added four pitches of clean, well-protected face climbing on the steep central section of the face.

6 original Route 5.4 PG 400'You can easily see this left-leaning crack from Pyra-mid Peak. The crack is clean, but the slabs above it are moss-covered. Tea and Biscuits and South Face

Direct start partway up the crack.Start: From the base of the South Face, hike grassy slopes left and up to the beginning of the crack.Route Description: The lower portion of the crack is 3rd-class, and fixed protection marks the start at South Face Direct and again at Tea and Biscuits 50' higher. Near its end, the crack becomes 4th-class, and a step left onto a slab (crux) avoids the steep wall above. Con-tinue up the slabs (4th-class) past shrub ledges to the top of the face. Traverse right across the top of the face for 300' and locate the herd path to the Range Trail. history: This route was one of the earliest technical ascents in North America. A rope was carried, but there is no mention of its being used.FA Aug 20, 1896, Newell Martin, Milford Hathaway

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7 Tea and Biscuits 5.10a G 120' êêêA single-pitch route that begins at the left-leaning crack of Original Route and ends at the roof-capped ledge (Grand Piano Ledge) high on the wall. It can be ap-proached either by rappelling South Face Direct or bushwhacking to the base and starting up Original Route.Start: At the higher of the two belays, with fixed protec-tion, along the crack of Original Route. If you approach the climb by rappel, you'll need to angle the rappels to the left to reach the start.� P1 5.10a G: Climb past a low overlap to the steep slab (crux) with crystals. Continue toward the steepen-ing headwall and climb to a fixed anchor at the left end of the Grand Piano Ledge. 120'FA Oct, 2002, Ed Palen, Vinny McClelland

8 South Face Direct 5.10d G 260' êêêêEach pitch of this climb is unique, and the climbing gets progressively steeper. The Grand Piano Ledge is one of the most scenic and spacious belay ledges in the Adirondacks. Previously 5.10a, a hold broke near the top of P1 in 2013, making this considerably more difficult.Start: At fixed protection in the crack of Original Route that is 50' below the start of Tea and Biscuits. If you approach the climb by rappel, you'll need to angle the rappels to the left to reach the start.� P1 5.10d G: A sustained pitch of low-angled face climbing (fragile flakes) ascends to the left end of a narrow ledge below a steep headwall. Traverse right across the ledge to a fixed anchor. 90'� P2 5.9+ G: Climb nearly vertical rock up and left on positive holds to a thin traverse (right) and easier climbing up to the Grand Piano Ledge and a belay at a fixed anchor. 80'� P3 5.9 G: Step right (V1) and climb up a large boul-der to reach the lip of the roof. Over the roof on dimpled rock, then up an easy slab to the top of the cliff. Belay from a tree with fixed anchors. 90'V1 5.4 R: You can make an easier escape by travers-ing off the right end of the Grand Piano Ledge toward a tree island and unprotected climbing (5.4) up and left to a tree belay at the top of the cliff.FA (P1, P2) Oct, 2002, Ed Palen, Vinny McClellandFA (P3) 2004, Chris Hyson, Tom YandonFA (V1) Oct, 2002, Ed Palen, Vinny McClelland

9 Gothic arch 5.6 PG (5.2 X) 800' êêêAscends the longest line on the South Face; a fantastic alpine climb. Varied climbing and committing position with no fixed gear. The face has three distinct sections: the featured, high-angled slab at the bottom that ends at a vertical headwall; a middle section of low-angled friction that ends at trees; and a narrow slide with over-laps that ends beneath the hiking trail (same as Good-win Route). A 70-m rope is recommended.Start: Locate a 70'-tall arch at the base of the South Face and a continuous black streak that runs down the face and over the arch. Start at a short slab immedi-ately left of the left end of the arch.

P1 5.6 PG: Climb the slab to a vegetated ledge, then up and right to a spacious ledge with a wide crack on the right. 80'P2 5.5 PG: Ascend the wide crack, then traverse right on ledges (and across the black streak) and climb flakes toward the right end of a long headwall. Estab-lish a semihanging belay in the featured rock of the headwall. 200' P3 5.6 G (5.2 X): Climb the steep, pocketed face above the belay and onto a broad slab. Up the slab past a short, vertical crack (optional belay), then easy slab climbing (5.2 X) to a tree belay on the left side of a tree peninsula. 210'P4 5.4 PG: Step right and go up vegetation to the right of the tree peninsula to a slab beneath an overlap. Up the slab and belay at the overlap as for Goodwin Route. 150'P5 5.6 PG: Same as Goodwin Route. Step left and climb the overlap to a crack and then up to the next overlap. Move left 30', then up at a small flake and con-tinue to a third overlap. Climb the overlap, then move up and right to the trees for a belay. 80'P6 5.6 PG: Same as Goodwin Route. Up a slab to an overlap, then climb the overlap to a left-arching crack. Follow the crack left, then climb up and right to the top of the slide. Belay from trees, then bushwhack (50'–100') to the trail that connects Gothics and Pyra-mid Peak. 80'

10 Goodwin Route 5.6 PG 680' êClimbs the right edge of the South Face on low-angled slabs to the narrow slide with overlaps that ends be-neath the hiking trail. Gothic Arch joins this route for the last three pitches.Start: At the right side of the face, in a grassy meadow beneath a low-angled white slab left of the trees.P1 3rd class: Up the white slabs to a tree belay. 200'P2 3rd class: Up slabs to a belay that is 25' below a tall, black overhanging wall. 200'P3 5.4 PG: Traverse left beneath a vegetated ledge to a pocketed wall. Up the wall, then back right to a belay in vegetation. 60'P4 5.4 PG: Up a slab to an overlap, then left along the overlap to a belay. 60' P5 5.6 PG: Step left and climb the overlap to a crack and then up to the next overlap. Move left 30', then up at a small flake and continue to a third overlap. Climb the overlap, then move up and right to the trees for a belay. 80'P6 5.6 PG: Up a slab to an overlap, then climb the overlap to a left-arching crack. Follow the crack left, then climb up and right to the top of the slide. Belay from trees, then bushwhack (50'–100') to the trail that connects Gothics and Pyramid Peak. 80'history: P4 and P5, which were described by Butch and Jeanne Kinnon, make the route harder and more sustained than the easiest line, which is along the right margin of the upper slide. FA 1955, Jim GoodwinFA (P5, P6) Jul 18, 1991, Butch Kinnon, Jeanne Kinnon

Gothics Mountain RainBow SliDEAspect South

Height 600'

Quality êêê

Approach 4 hr, difficult

Summary Exceptional friction climbing on some of the cleanest and smoothest rock in the Adiron-dacks. Phenomenal views of Lower Ausable Lake and the Dix Range.

2 2 4-5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13+ total

The Rainbow Slide is the large expanse of rock that can be seen on Gothics when it is viewed from peaks to the southeast. Because hiking trails are found on the adjacent ridges, it is an often-admired wall that can be scoped out easily. Despite its visibility and proximity to popular hiking trails, little climbing has been reported on the Rainbow Slide. Two conditions that may have dissuaded climbers are the apparently long bush-whack up the drainage area and the overgrown ap-pearance of the upper face.

The slide has three sections: a low, clean slab (3rd-class); a steep center slab (where the routes are); and an upper face that has overgrown, low-angle slabs beneath a long, imposing roof. The routes on the cen-ter slab involve sustained friction climbing with decent protection. The rock is beautiful—clean, smooth, and golden in color.

DiREcTionS (MaP PaGE 470)Due to recent blowdown in the drainage area below the face, it is recommended to approach the Rainbow Slide from the col between Gothics and the minor sum-mit of Pyramid Peak. Park at the AMR Trailhead (page 426), hike the Lake Road to Lower Ausable Lake, and then up the Weld Trail to the summit of Pyramid. Hik-ing time from the trailhead to Pyramid is 3 hr. At the 30' section of level hiking trail in the Gothics-Pyramid col, locate a break in the vegetation (good views of the face) on the east side of the trail 591449,4886359. Sighting the col between Gothics and Armstrong, set a bearing of 30º and bushwhack past the 30'-tall trunk of a dead tree to a couch-sized boulder that is 100' from the trail. Continue on the 30º bearing for another 100' and change to a bearing of 60º. Follow one of several drainage areas that descend to a 100'-by-100' slab that is 30 min from the hiking trail 591595,4886487. From the bottom of the slab, traverse (skier's) left through woods for 200' to the left edge of the Rainbow Slide, where the slide becomes a streambed. Cross the slide and hike up and around a peninsula of trees to the left side of the steep center section of the Rainbow Slide 591735,4886707.

DEScEnT oPTionSThe recommended exit from the face is to scramble (3rd class) the clean slide up and right of the top of the routes. Follow the slide to its top, then traverse right across ledges before you enter the woods. A 10-min bushwhack up and right ends at the Range Trail. To re-turn to the Lake Road, hike east (right) along the Range Trail for 5 min to a junction with the trail that descends to Beaver Meadow Falls and St. Huberts on the right.

For parties that wish to climb more than one route, Pot of Gold can be rappelled from fixed anchors with two ropes. The top anchor is 100' left of the exit slide and above the beginning of the clean slabs that extend to the top of the face.

hiSToRYNewell Martin, a member of the Yale class of 1875, bridged the gap between hiking and mountaineering with his 3rd- and 4th-class scrambles of slides in the region. He is believed to have descended the Rainbow Slide with guide Charlie Beede in that time period.11 Jim Goodwin's 1938 traverse of Gothics was the first reported ascent of the Rainbow Slide. The traverse involved climbing the left side of the slide to the sum-mit, then descending the North Face. Craig Patterson and Ronald Dubay came next, with their ascent of Ted-dy's Trauma in 1965. Their multipitch route traversed beneath the center of the face before it ascended a committing slab left of center. Several old pitons can be found on the face, perhaps left by the first-ascent party. The remains of their lone belay bolt are still visible high on the face. Activity stalled for nearly 40 years until recently when two new routes were added—Over the Rainbow and, more recently, Pot of Gold.

11 James A. Goodwin, "Rock Climbing in the Adirondacks," in The Adirondack High Peaks and the Forty Sixers, ed. Grace Hudowalski (1970), pp. 142–43.

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G : R SOTHICS AINBOW LIDE11 Goodwin-Stanley Route (4th class)12 Teddy's Trauma (5.7-)13 Pot of Gold (5.7)14 Over the Rainbow (5.5+)

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11 Goodwin-Stanley Route 4th class 600'Start: At the highest vegetation on the left side of the steep center section of the Rainbow Slide.Route Description: Up moss-covered slabs left of the steep, clean slabs in the center of the face. Pass through trees and scramble up and right on the veg-etated slabs beneath the enormous right-rising roofs to a tree-covered ledge that is level with the right end of the roof. Traverse left toward the roof and beneath a ceiling. Follow a vegetated gash between the enor-mous roof and the ceiling, then up and right to a short wall. Climb it to the top of the face.history: The ascent was a section of the traverse of Gothics from Lower Ausable Lake to the Johns Brook valley. Later that day, Goodwin and Stanley descended the North Face to complete the traverse. FA 1938, Jim Goodwin, Edward Stanley

12 Teddy's Trauma 5.7- G (5.4 R) 360' êêêStart: From the highest vegetation on the left side of the face, hike downhill and right, beneath the steepest section of slab, to a belay below a long right-facing, right-leaning corner that begins 25' above the vegeta-tion.P1 5.5 PG: Up slabs to the right-facing corner, then follow it to a belay at its end. 150'P2 5.7- G (5.4 R): Climb up to a right-facing flake (pro-tection), then paddle up a 100' stretch of slab (harder for the first half) to a belay at an overlap (small cam and one anchor bolt). 130'P3 5.0 R: Up and right to a belay at a tree with a fixed anchor (same anchor as Pot of Gold). 80'history: The original ascent began at a low bulge at the base of the center section of the Rainbow Slide. The first-ascent party included Teddy, Patterson's dog, who couldn't send P1 (probably the low bulge). Teddy

would have been a wonder dog to free the crux pitch, which was a very bold lead involving a 100' runout of 5.7 friction. Trying to get the most out of a 120' rope, the first ascentionists placed a belay bolt (still visible) at the base of the crux slab and thankfully reached a belay at rope's end. Longer ropes, small cams, and sticky shoes have changed the seriousness of the route, but the quality still remains.FA Aug, 1965, Craig Patterson, Ronald Dubay

13 Pot of Gold 5.7 G 400' êêêêStart: From the highest vegetation on the left side of the face, hike downhill and right, beneath the steepest section of slab. Continue downhill and cross the low-angle slabs (2nd class) to the right side of the face and belay on a fern-covered ledge. P1 5.5 PG: Friction up a clean strip that cuts a slab covered in green lichen. Continue up left-facing over-laps, then move left over slabs to a ledge above a long overhang. Belay at a fixed anchor. 150'P2 5.7 G: Up edges above the anchor to the top of a left-arching overlap; over this, then up and left beneath a bulge. Over the bulge and continue past small over-laps to a belay at a fixed anchor in a scoop. 150'P3 4th class: Step left and up clean rock that is left of moss-covered slabs to a tree with fixed anchors. 100'FA Aug 30, 2007, Jeremy Haas, Tom Rosecrans,

Robert Livingston

14 over the Rainbow 5.5+ PG (5.4+ R) 400' êê

Start: Same as Pot of Gold.P1 5.4+ R: Friction up a clean strip that cuts a slab covered in green lichen (same as Pot of Gold). Con-tinue up left-facing overlaps, then step right and climb a clean, tan-colored slab to a belay (small cams) at a 10'-long overlap. 200'P2 5.5+ PG: Up and right for 25' to an overlap, then up another 25' to a second overlap. Up and left on flakes to a shallow right-facing corner and a third overlap. Work up and left across a moss strip to a tree. 200'FA Jul, 2004, Bob Hall, Sheila Matz, Ed Palen

Gothics Mountain wEST FacEThe West Face, approached by heading southeast from the Gothics-Saddleback col, has two historic routes that have now become too overgrown to rec-ommend (or even find). Green Streak: Portside (5.7 R; Aug 1965; Craig Patterson, solo) frictions up the left side of the slab with long runouts. Mountain Sunshine (5.6 G; Aug 1965; Craig Patterson, solo) ascends a long, clean crack system on the right side of the slab.

lowER wolFjaw cliFFLocation High Peaks Wilderness Area, accessed from

the Adirondack Mountain Reserve Trailhead

Aspect South

Height 150'

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Approach 2 hr 30 min, difficult

Summary A short bushwhack to a high cliff that has an incomplete route with good potential for more.

On the south face of Lower Wolfjaw, beneath the wood-ed summit, is a steep slab above the Wedge Brook Valley. Lots of unexplored, and steeper, rock is visible farther right of the slab. With few cracks and ledges, this is a challenging face with potential for hard friction climbs. The left side of the face has a higher base and a few ledges beneath a ceiling near the top of the cliff. Although Lower Wolfjaw Cliff is without a recommend-ed route, it is a pleasant setting with open, fern-covered slopes beneath a shield of clean rock.

hiSToRYOn a hike in the early 90s, DuBois noticed that the ex-posed rock on Lower Wolfjaw appeared to be more of a cliff than a low-angled slide. He bushwhacked in sev-eral times to explore the rock. Most of the cliff is steep and quite featureless, but the one incomplete route fol-lows a line of features up the more moderately-angled left side. Bushwhack explorers rarely encounter other people in their travels, but while the first ascent party was high on the route, they were surprised to see Ed Palen walk out of the woods to say hello.

DiREcTionSPark at the AMR Trailhead (page 426). From the park-ing area (0 hr 0 min), hike the Ausable Lake Road and, at 30 min, reach a footbridge and sign for Can-yon Bridge on the right. Cross the footbridge, and fol-low a trail marked with blue discs to Canyon Bridge. Cross Canyon Bridge, and follow the West River Trail upstream to its intersection with the Wedge Brook Trail, reached at 1 hr. Hike the Wedge Brook Trail and, at 2 hr, reach the intersection with a trail marked with red discs on the right. Follow the red-disc trail for 200' to a view of the cliff where the trail turns left (west). Leave the trail here 0593418,4888611, at 2 hr 10 min, head north, and traverse the mountainside past minor drainage areas and cliffbands. Arrive at fern-covered slopes beneath the left end of the cliff at 2 hr 30 min 0593479,4888813.

DEScEnT oPTionSRappel with two ropes from a fixed anchor.

11 Goodwin-Stanley Route (4th class)12 Teddy's Trauma (5.7-)13 Pot of Gold (5.7)14 Over the Rainbow (5.5+)

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