A DAY IN THE PARK // NOW & THEN I


n 2001, while cross country skiing across Deadwater Pond, Ed Palen saw a cliff in the distance. Suspecting not much would come of the discovery, he didn’t return until 2002 with climbing partner Bob Starinsky. Amazed at what they saw, the two climbers, among others, used car jacks, and pressure wash- ers, cleaning off almost two feet of moss and using the car jacks to pull trees from cracks on routes like “Space Cowboy,” an intimidat- ing ninety foot 5.7. Years later and a decade after it’s discovery, new routes are still being established and added to the cliff.


Recently a couple friends and I made the drive across the lake, touring south and catching the free Crown Point ferry while the bridge is being reconstructed. A break from the torrential downpours in the region was in the forecast and all we needed to get motivated.


With it’s quality climbs directly in the sun, and easy approach, Deadwater was the crag of choice, though standing at it’s base, our prospects weren’t looking good. The over- hang rock on the first pitch of Tombstone (5.10) was dripping with water. Rounding the corner and still soaked, we hopped on the “Bozemen Bullet,” the first route established in the area by Ed Palen and Bob Starinsky. An amazing 5.6 that climbs a steep face with nice movements to the prominent arete. It’s sandwiched between “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” and “Geronimo,” which are both 5.8’s worth exploration.


By the time all of us had run a lap, the rock was dry, the sun was breaking the clouds and to our surprise, Ed and Steve, the stone masters themselves, showed up and gave us a little history lesson on the area.


Additionally, all you’ll ever need to know about Adirondack climbing can be found in the latest version of Jim Lawyer and Jeremy Haas’ Adirondack Rock guidebook and at www.adirondackrock.com.


2011 MAY JUNE |


ABOVE // DREW KOFF CLIPPING PROTECTION ON BOZEMAN BULLET (5.6) climber MAGAZINEism | 15


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