Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain
A classic Adirondack climbing venue for multi-pitching and single pitch climbing
Climbing on Poke-O-Moonshine Mountain, or just Poke-O, feels considerably more adventurous than the Gunks. The local old-school climbing ethic is shrouded in tales of hard Adirondack climbing, the cliff is notoriously sandbagged, and there are fewer people out there.
All of this leads to an exciting and somewhat mysterious feeling when you are there. Combine that with excellent climbing and high-quality rock, and you begin to understand why Poke-O is one of the Dack’s most classic cliffs.
Ironically, however, Poke-O is not some secluded cliff way off in the backcountry. Instead, it displays itself in all its glory right off Interstate 87. Even better, the parking area is directly at the base of the cliff, with only a short approach (but somewhat steep) separating you from getting on the rock.
A Snapshot of Poke-O’s Main Face
The main face of Poke-O is upward of 400 feet tall
There are 164 fee routes, 38 variations, and 349 pitches on Poke-O’s main face (and many more around the different climbing zones)
Less than 25 routes are under 5.8. The majority of routes are in the 5.10 and 5.11, with many in the 5.12 range also
The climbing is characterized by crack climbing, steep face, and slab climbing without too many big roofs, bulges, or overlaps.
A Brief Climbing History of Poke-O
Climbing on Poke-O began in the late 1950s. A man by the name of John Turner went on a tear, opening up bold traditional routes along its main face. Two of his best lines, the FM (5.7+) and Gamesmanship (5.8), are some of crag’s best and most popular rock climbs to this day.
Throughout the 60s and 70s, visionary climbers like Geoff Smith continued to establish new traditional routes on Poke-O. Some of the routes were done on aid, but many of the best were free-climbed, like Fastest Gun (5.10a).
In the mid-1980s, a new climbing style emerged at Poke-O. Climbers recognized the potential for bolted rock climbs on Poke-O's steep vertical and slab walls. Many of the first bolted climbs were established from the ground up. Later, climbers began bolting new routes on rappel.
Bolted climbing on Poke-O remained in contention for almost a decade. All the while, Poke-0’s staunch traditional (and protective) climbers rebelled against the new bolts, chopping many of them.
Eventually, in the 90s, a truce between the old guard and new route developers was formed. Once the new route development style was confirmed, locals like Patrick Purcell and Gary Allan established some of the cliff’s best-bolted face climbs, many of which were 5.10 or harder.
Nowadays, thanks to the work ethic of Poke-O’s previous route developers and their bold climbing style, the cliff is a mixed-climbing playground. In a single day, you can sample some of the best traditional crack climbing the Dacks has to offer and then get your mind blown by stunning face climbing on well-bolted sport climbs.
Poke-O’s Classic Climbs
Poke-O-Moonshine is one of those cliffs where the sheer volume of the available climbing is overwhelming. There is so much to try! But let’s just focus on some of the classic multi-pitches.
The FM (5.7+)
The FM was one of the first John Turner routes on the cliff. At the time, Poke-O was thought to be unclimable. So, as climbers do, Turner and his partner, Hugh Tanton, set off to make sure.
Here’s an excerpt from the guidebook in Turner’s own words.
“We missed the key foothold on the second pitch and took aid from a sling. After that, everything went well, and we reached the top pleasantly surprised. I said to Hugh, “What do you think of that?” He replied, “All I can say is, fuck me!”
The FM is thrilling and exposed. It has several sections with spicy traverses and some poor protection. Fortunately, the belay stances are comfy, so you can relax between the heady climbing. The FM was and continues to be “the 5.7” on the cliff.
Gamesmanship (5.8)
Talk to any Adirondack rock climber about Gamesmanship, and they’ll confirm that it’s one of the best rock climbs in New York State. The route is full of excellent and sustained crack climbing that goes up the tallest section of the cliff.
If you are game for a challenge and want to try the bread and the butter of Adirondack 5.8 crack climbing, there’s no better route.
Bloody Mary ( 5.9)
The local climbing guidebook describes this route as “a masterpiece” because it was uncharacteristically bold at the time. The route spit off the first ascensionists twice in succession.
Eventually, they were able to tick the route on their third attempt. After the first ascent, Bloody Mary remained one of the most difficult climbs in the Dacks for over a decade.
Bloody Mary is long and continuous. It has some of the wildest 5.9 crack climbing on Poke-O. The bottomless stem box rock feature and arching crack on pitch two are a sight to behold. And the movement they create is spectacular.
Fastest Gun (5.10a)
Fastest Gun is one of the most sought-after rock climbs on the cliff. Every single pitch of the route is high-quality and demanding. On this route, you get awesome crack climbing in cracks of various sizes and an exciting finish.
Relocate any of the pitches to other crack climbing venues around the U.S., and they’d be mega-classic. Link them all together in succession, and you get a sense of what perfection is.
Interestingly, this route gets a lot of speed ascents (maybe because of its name, but also because of its direct line to the top and superb climbing). Local legend Patrick Purcell climbed the route ten times in succession in under 2.5 hours as a way to train to climb a big wall in Yosemite.
Don’t Just Listen to Me: Try Poke-O for Yourself
If you are a rock climber in New York, it’s customary to do a route on Poke-O. The mountain is super accessible, the setting is ideal, and the climbing is some of the best in the state. Plus, you never deal with crowds, and the approach is short.
And did I mention that the climbing is fantastic?
If you are an out-of-state climber, Poke-O is definitely worth putting on your tick list. As a stand-alone destination, Poke-O will not disappoint. But what makes the cliff even better is its vicinity to other classic climbing areas in the Dacks. Link a few days on Poke-O with a climb or two in Chapel Pond Pass, and you will get a great taste of upstate NY rock.
Is it gneiss ?
I'd rather go to the butternut pond XD