Sunday, March 22, 2020

Rock Climbing and Bouldering Near Saratoga Springs, NY (New) Lake George Region

One positive impact of the Corona Virus on Upstate New York rock climbing has been the fact driving around is still a legal past-time and the leafless trees do afford the ability to scout new areas and boulder problems / climbing routes.

While scouting around and taking pics of distance possibilities I decided to take a break and took two toddlers and the wife on bikes up the steep  Prospect Mountain / Veterans Memorial Highway in Lake George, NY.

 I parked at a cemetery near the closed-for-the-season highway by the work-access point. We still had to carry the bikes and trailers over a closed gate, but it was a short and steep ride (past the pond) to "The Narrows" vista parking lot.

This is a short drive from Saratoga Springs, NY, and there's an essentially unlimited amount of dynamited road-side choss to play on and top-rope / develop.

The summit has some rock, but the best actual boulder is in the Narrows' vista spot located at

Prospect Mountain Hwy
Lake Luzerne, NY 12846
43.421165, -73.732948

Lake George Bouldering, "Tango Block" at The Narrows Vista

We have been calling this the "Tango Block" and have applied a few names to the obvious sections for the sake of clarity when remembering from the couch.

The StreetView image is the Class 4 choss on the road-side, but the back side actually has potential for some easy and interesting moves. I am an old-school (early 90's) trad, rope solo and solo-aid climber so I don't really fixate on bouldering grades. I would go ahead and call these V0 or easier until there's a consensus.








"Redneck Riviera"

Redneck Riviera, Bouldering Propect Mountain Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)
Redneck Riviera, Bouldering Prospect Mountain Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)

"I Like Kite"

I Like Kite, Bouldering Prospect Mountain Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)
I Like Kite, Bouldering Prospect Mountain Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)


"Hachi Machi"


Hachi Machi, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)
Hachi Machi, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)


"Glyfada Girls"


Glyfada Girls, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)
Glyfada Girls, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)



"Whitey's on the Moon"

Whitey's on the Moon,, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)
Whitey's On the Moom, Bouldering Lake George (Jim Pavoldi)


South of the Narrows Vista and Tango Block is a dynamited choss pile with a ton of top-rope opportunity.

The road is closed now and free to hump up by foot or bike. During the tourist season there is a fee for driving to the summit. 

Good luck out there, stay healthy!

Jim