Most Poke-O climbing routes to reopen

Every spring, the state Department of Environmental Conservation closes routes on popular rock-climbing cliffs where peregrine falcons are known to nest. Once it’s determined exactly where the falcons are nesting, some routes are reopened. Recently, DEC biologist Joe Racette said it has been confirmed that falcons are nesting on the Nose on Poke-o-Moonshine Mountain. As a result, fifty-four climbing routes in the vicinity will remain closed. But more than two hundred other routes on Poke-O will be open to climbers starting tomorrow (Thursday, April 28).

Racette said all routes on Moss Cliff in Wilmington Notch and the Upper and Lower Washbowl Cliffs near Chapel Pond will remain closed until further notice.

Click here to read a story that appeared in the Explorer about climbing Catharsis, a popular route on Poke-O Slab.

Following is a list of the closed routes on Poke-O. The numbers are the numbers of the routes found in the guidebook Adirondack Rock.

26  Garter

27  Varsity

28  Junior Varsity

29  The Snake

30  Roof of All Evil

31  Slime Line

32 Firing Line

33 Psychosis

34 Microwave

35 Creaking Wall

36  Blinded by Rainbows

37  Forget Bullet

38 Rattlesnake

39 Freedom Flight

40 Project

41  Remembering Youth

42 Sound System

43 Pillar

44 Autumn Flare

45 Katrina

46 Deuteronomy

47 Superstition Traverse

48 Spooks

49 The Howling

50 Salad Days

51 Climb Control To Major Bob

52 Pentecostal

53 Project

54 Verdon

55 Homecoming

56 Ukiah

57 Raindance

58 Libido

59 Snake Slide

60  Scorpion

63 Summer Break

64 Wild Blue

65 God’s Grace

66 Home Run Derby

67 Karmic Kickback

68 The FM

69 Nose Traverse

70 Sky Traverse

71 Silver Streak

72 Spectacular Rising Traverse

73 The Body Snatcher

75 The Snatch

76 Knights in Armor

77 Great Dihedral

78 Half Mile

79 Sea of Seams

80 C-Tips

81 Project

82 Mogster