6 Reasons Why the Gunks are Ideal for Learning to Rock Climb

If this doesn't convince you to climb in the Gunks, then I don't know what will

Some climbing areas are more suitable for beginner rock climbers than others. Whether you're out at the cliff with friends or mentors or climbing with a professional climbing guide, the Gunks is definitely pretty beginner-friendly.

While I am still somewhat new to the area, I’ve noticed five big characteristics of the Gunks that make it ideal for learning to rock climb.

1.) The Approach is Minimal

Before you can go rock climbing, you have to approach the cliff. Fortunately, at the Gunks, the approach is short-lived and not very hard.

You can approach via the West Trapps trailhead or the East Trapps trailhead. The Western entrance involves hiking along a carriage road that parallels the base of the cliff. While this trail is relatively flat and easy, it requires you to walk the entirety of the cliff, which can be a slog, especially if your climbing objective is deeper down.

The Eastern entrance involves the Stairmaster, a steep stone staircase that spits you out a third of the way down the cliff. From there, you use the same carriage road to get to your climbing objective. The Stairmaster is significantly more physical than coming in from the West Trapps, but it’s faster and positions you in a better spot on the cliff.

2.) There is an Incredible Volume of Hyper-Moderate Terrain

I’ve never climbed anywhere that boasts the same amount of volume as the Gunks. Yes, I’ve been to some specific climbing walls where there is an independent route every few feet.

However, in terms of three-mile sections of uninterrupted cliff line with thousands of routes, the Gunks is the only place I’ve seen with that much volume.

Not to mention, hundreds of those routes are hyper-moderate (5.0-5.7) and perfect for beginner climbers experiencing the outdoors for the first time or budding trad climbers who want to learn to lead. The climbing route finder on the Mountain Project found 327 registered rock climbs ranging from 5.0 to 5.7 in the Gunks.

3.) Many Sections of the Cliff are Amendable to Ground Schooling and Top Roping

There are vast swaths of the cliff where you can practice different climbing skills (i.e., anchor building) or learn to use new devices or techniques on the ground. Learning and practicing new skills with two feet on the ground is the ideal way to learn without exposing yourself to injury or catastrophic accidents.

There is also a lot of accessible top rope climbing at the Gunks. This means there are sections of the cliff where you can set up top ropes without any lead climbing. In addition to the Gunks, the nearby Peterskill climbing area located in Minnewaska State Park is also ideal for top rope climbing.

That’s good because top rope climbing is relatively more straightforward and easier to learn than lead climbing. (Although it’s still massively important to know how to build strong anchors. Your life depends on it!)

4.) There is No Shortage of Beta About the Area

People have been climbing at the Gunks since the late 1930s and early 1940s. Since the first ascensionists began exploring the various cliff outcrops along the Gunks ridgeline, there’s been an incredible amount of information gathering.

Nowadays, you can find any information you might need about climbing in the Gunks. The internet is obviously a huge resource, especially websites like Mountain Project. There are also numerous guidebooks and even a digital guidebook app you can download to your phone.

Between all these resources, pretty much any climber can go to the Gunks and find suitable routes for their ability level.

5.) The Descents are Relatively Straightforward

The Gunks are unique in that there are many ways up the cliff and significantly fewer ways off the cliff. That’s because there is a prevailing traditional climbing ethic at the cliff. This ethic limits the amount of permanent rappel anchor systems that can be installed.

Therefore, after you top out, you have to walk off to one of the common descent trails. These include mostly hiking and some sections of steeper downclimbing. Otherwise, if you’re not walking off, you have to access one of the rappel stations to descend.

In the grand scheme of things, either option is pretty straightforward. The hiking and downclimbing are not too bad, and typically, the rap stations are pretty user-friendly. In addition, there’s no lack of information about how to get off in the various guidebooks or Gunks App. (I say that with a grain of salt because some climbers still seem to get themselves in trouble.)

6.) The Rock is High-Quality, and the Protection is Ample

If you are a beginner trad leader or new to the area, the good news is that many of the most classic routes have great rock and ample protection. However, to be clear, this doesn't mean that the Gunks are safe—rock climbing anywhere is dangerous, including the Gunks. It also doesn’t mean that you won’t feel sandbagged by the Gunks. Many climbers find climbing harder than the assigned difficulty grade.

However, if you like good, hard, reliable rock, appreciate some exposure and wild settings, and are solid with your decision-making and gear placements, there’s no better place to learn to climb and improve your skills than the Gunks.