Wall Face - Indian Pass shelter

[Chugach001]

Anyone know if there is still a shelter about 4 miles in - coming from the south side of Indian Pass? I remember from many years ago and hoping to go visit wallface in the next week or so.

Thanks!

 

[TEO]

Wallface Lean-to is 2.7 miles in from Upper Works. From the North, the Scott Clearing Lean-to is 3.8 miles in from the Loj.

 

[DSettahr]

There's also the Henderson Lean-to, which is very close, about a mile if I remember exactly, from Upper Works. Although it sounds like you'll probably want to go a bit further than that.

 

[Chugach001]

Excellent. Thanks guys.

 

[J.Dub]

Anyone know if there is still a shelter about 4 miles in - coming from the south side of Indian Pass? I remember from many years ago and hoping to go visit wallface in the next week or so.

Is somebody climbing The Diagonal...?

 

[Chugach001]

I was until the weather forecast went to hell. I'll probably reload and try again soon.

Have you climbed the diagonal - any beta? Wallface has quite a reputation.

 

[J.Dub]

Have you climbed the diagonal - any beta? Wallface has quite a reputation.

Not yet (I'm not quite leading 5.8's at this point), but the Diagonal is on my hit list, along with Whitney-Gilman. Those are two classics of the ADKs and Whites, respectively.

If you do make it out to Wallface, make sure to post up a trip report.

 

[leaf]

If you do make it out to Wallface, make sure to post up a trip report.

i second that.

 

[TCD]

I haven't climbed all of the Diagonal, but I've climbed No Man's. The biggest challenges are route finding on the approach and route finding on the lower pitches. The biggest dangers are loose rock and remoteness.

We did No Man's as a day trip from Upper Works. It was long (7 AM - 11 PM). We thrashed around for a while finding the way to the bottom of the route ("Diagonal Direct Start," as described in the old guidebook). Once we were climbing, I'm not sure we were on route all the time. The grade was about right, but we spent a little time puzzling. After 2-3 pitches we hit the bottom of the Diagonal ramp, so we did OK. Once you're on the ramp, you're good. I don't have any beta for the descent, because the two routes finish quite a ways apart, and No Man's has its own rap line. Have two ropes for long raps.

My advice would be to plan a nice full weekend, and pick one where the Sunday forecast is good. Get an early start Saturday, get in, make camp, work out the approach, maybe climb a couple pitches. Then you will have cleared up all the route finding issues, and you'll be good to go Sunday morning.

Also consult Adirondack Rock (current guidebook) for detail, if you haven't yet.

Have fun!

TCD

 

[cbcbd]

Attempted Diagonal twice and bailed twice - once from mosquitoes (seriously, it was bad. I counted 25 bites on one leg from shin-down) and we made it to the start of the ramp before calling it in. The other time we were underclothed and were getting hypothermic on the climb so we bailed from the end of the ramp.

I second on the oddness of the approach pitches. Each time we took some different way but always found the ramp. Pick a way and go, say I.

Take two ropes for the raps. There are bolts and slings around and you basically rap down the line for Lewis Elijah with the nice long free-hanging rap at the corner.

Also, if I were to attempt it again I'd simul the ramp to save time. It's only low 5th class with a harder move or two at the very end of it to get up to the ledge.

Have fun... still on the list

 

[Chugach001]

Thanks a bunch Redshorts. I was going in Thurs and Fri but the rain changed our plans. Appreciate you sprucing things up a bit for us. Make sure to leave plenty of firewood and a bottle of scotch for us.

Appreciate everyone's feedback. I saw the current Alpinist today and there is an article on Wallface.

 

[Chugach001]

The route was great - thanks for the beta. The whole trip delivered as promised; remote, high, wild and pretty straight forward.

Those blackflies are from hell.

I was very disappointed at the condition of the lean-to's. They are falling apart and will cost far more to fix than preventative maintenance would have cost. Redshorts - I saw your note and know how frustrated you must be. Now the state is broke and it'll end up being a replacement instead of a repair.