Climbing Video News: Rock Climbing on Prospect Mountain and the Rattlesnake Cobble, Lake George NY

Prospect mountain is famous or the Veterans' Memorial Highway and is actually a really nice place to spend the day especially with visitors or older family that still appreciate the summit (and a ride to the top).

One of my favorite parts of about scrambling in the Rattlesnake Cobble on Prospect is the fact that it was well explored by Wilton native and local legend (and Jim Pavoldi doppelganger) Seneca Ray Stoddard, who photographed these same rocks and caves with his stereoscope as early as 1860 referring to them as "The Hunters' Retreat, Rattlesnake Cobble, head of Lake George, NY"

Found it!

The Man, Seneca Ray Stoddard:

After about 40 trips over the years and trying to follow Seneca Ray's footsteps, I am finding that I am adopting his vibe, at least as far as beard-care goes. He was a cool character and I would be happy if our experiences on these beautiful rocks remain as a tribute to him.

I have written in the past about the bouldering at and near the Narrows Vista, the road-cuts, and the summit parking lot and summit itself (there's a natural and hidden route right off trail before the tourist summit!).

There's another climbing area (access might be less than authorized so I have kept it off of Mountain Project) that I have been haunting and call "Rattlesnake Cobble" and "The Gold Mine" and I believe is part of the feature known as Rattlesnake Cobble.

When the highway is closed, park near the cemetery and walk over I-87. Long before the gate house, you'll find an unpaved but well worn jeep trail on your right right after the bridge. Drop down to the water, straight past the block shack. Once coming to a T, you'll turn left and follow up the creek bed to another open-air stone structure with a roof passing some gunshot riddled car parts. Keep going right past the car target, and eventually you'll see the crag, the inviting overhanging crack corner of the Camp Kitchen boulder, and the long Ark boulder further down. Futher down that same trail, before descending, you'll find the Gold Mine blocks on your right.

The "Stoddard's Camp Kitchen Boulder" on Prospect Mountain, Rattlesnake Cobble is a popular fire pit below one of the most stereotypically attractive problems:

The Ark Boulder on Prospect Mountain, Rattlesnake Cobble is a long block with a nice V-Easy low traverse I have been calling "Hook or High Water" on the south side moving right to left and up the shark-fin to the summit, and "Back Stretch" on the north side up the wave leaning back toward the trail with a descent route directly opposite.

On the south side of the Ark Boulder is "Hook or High Water", V-Easy. Start on the right corner traversing left until you can grab the shark fin and pull up and over to the summit.

The north side of the Ark Boulder has the "Back Stretch", V-Easy and is a short and pleasant introduction.

Directly up from the first obvious problem is the wall, with a dirty slab hiding a short crack, "Joad, 5.6" (aka Joad Cressbeckler's Army of Wild Mountain Children) obscured by trees. There is a sketchy 4th class descent route past the blocky start to it's right.

"Joad" above has a dirty start, protected (barely) with a poorly slung corner out of frame left. The ledge with the massive tree affords protection and a re-belay for Lead Solo with an outwardly facing nut in the first horizontal and now that the crack has been exposed and cleaned almost a full rack of TCU's can be placed at will any where in the following crack. The top of the 5th class climbing has a now clean crack that accepts a stack of green, red, and gold Camalots for a bombproof anchor, or continue to the picnic glade and giant tree.

To the left of Joad, is a much cleaner corner and face , "Seneca Ray", 5.8 leading to the arete and before the needle-filled left descent route (be careful on these descent routes using them to set top-ropes, these will be by far the riskiest part of the day).

The face to the right has two bouldery starts before either easing (escaping) into the ramp or staying right on the face for "Flash in the Pan" 5.9 (I only cleaned tripe off the mandatory holds) an sharing a finish with Seneca Ray.

The steep start of "Flash in the Pan" with an undercling and long reach to a matched jug:

I have touched every inch of this cobble and the surrounding area has dozens of short but interesting cracks that will probably go as high-balls at some point and I will post a collage in another post.

"Seneca Ray" looks like choss from the trail and is difficult to protect. Be cautious with the rock here as hammer taps have responded with some concerning sounds, especially near the start and top. The first passive protection (I believe I used a well worn #3 wired hex whose numbers are long gone) blindly placed with a long reach) but later found it to be extremely suspect in an hourglass behind the corner of the first roof.

To the left of Seneca Ray, Flash in the Pan offers opportunities for more bouldery starts as well as potential for an option off to the right. Further left is a needle filled trench that can be used to set lines or for descent.

Further left from that, there's a currently abandoned project I have been calling "The Raven's Right" (?) as it's occupied and off limits (big active nest under the roof).

I have yet to climb some of the other shorter and steeper opportunities near the Raven's Right but there are a ton both left an right or Seneca Ray.

Moving back, past Flash and Joad and gaining some altitude with a bushwack past the very short wet and dirty cracks, you will uncover tons of shorter but nice cracks, some on boulders, that will assuredly go as highballs at some point...

"Bed Lode Block" is a V-Easy and the first introduction to the boulders of the couloir when approaching from the south via trail past the Ark. Some of the rotten holds have broken off, but it's a short easy diversion on the way to set top-ropes above the Bleed Off and Cap Rock.

"Bleed Off Block, 5.6"

Like an ad for Black Diamond, this is protected with a pink cam (outward pull at the bottom for a Lead Rope Solo), then a green in the horizontal, then a red, gold, and finally a blue to sew up widening crack. I have been planning on (but haven't sent) The Wave to the left wich is currently capped by a large rotten log.

"Cap Rock Block" 5.3 (V-Easy) has a great landing and a (now clean) confident top-out. Be careful with the loose arrowhead on the right, but otherwise a great easy line for beginners offering a variety of options and puzzle.