A fine route that gets surprisingly little traffic.  Not the place for a beginning 5.8 leader. 

  This is one of the first routes in the Nears. When the trail first hits the rock, look up and locate the huge Kansas City roof.  This route starts just a little bit left.  The upper part is obvious - a V-shaped corner about 10' high, leading to a roof.  The start is harder to locate - look for a long, leftward traverse into the V-corner.   

  P1: To reach this traverse, climb up easily to a stance below a small roof.  Clip the pin above, drop in a nut to back it up and then commit to the crux: a traverse up and left just above a small overhang.  This traverse is tenuous at best, and there's not much beyond the pin to protect you.  After finally reaching good holds, drop in a piece for your second and continue to traverse to the corner.  Then up and left to an anchor.  5.8 PG, 120'. 

  You can go up to the trees here but most people rap from the anchor.

Outer Space

Broken Sling

Saint Louis

Requiem

Le Plie

Le Space

Disneyland

Swing Time

Sling Time

G-String Giants

Inverted Layback

Layback

Wandering Stars Jude 13

Fat City Direct

Penn Station

G-String

Criss

The Hounds

Land of The Giants

Iron Cross

Yellow Ridge

Baskerville Terrace

Bumkey

Outer Space Direct

Generation Gap

Topeka

Te Dum

Infinite Space

Yellow Belly

Disney Point

Fat Stick Direct 5.10b

Dog-Stick-Ridge

Fat Stick

Kansas City

Wichita

Easy Rider

Criss Cross Direct

Grand Central

Gelsa

Alphonse

Independence

Squat Thrust

This is a surprisingly partial traverse of the Near Trapps. We still felt very close to the overlook when we topped out. Ten pitches take you from the foot of the cliff to the top of Gelsa via a lot of moderate climbing with a few routefinding and technical cruxes. Best climbed on low-traffic days because it intersects many popular routes. Don't forget the camera on this one. I don't know if anyone continues on past Gelsa but it's theoretically possible... 

  P1 5.8+ PG 80':   (Same as Outer Space) Starting from the high point/boulder pile/nose slab climb up and then slightly right around a bulge to an overhang with a protruding rectangular block. Crank up and clip a piton, then make a difficult traverse left on small holds and up to a thank god jug and then a horizontal with good gear. Traverse left 10 or so feet to notch and then up through, moving left again along hand rail past another notch to an awkward finish and belay at the prow.  

  P2 5.6 G 115':   Climb left and slightly up on lichen and ledges for 30 ft 5.5 PG. Step down a few moves to a finger horizontal below an overlap and make a long traverse left to a stance in the notch (on Broken Sling) in the overhangs. Climb through the notch and step left to make a belay.  

  P3 5.7 G 100':   Step down and lieback into a diagonal rail/jug. Place gear and make a reachy step left (crux) to  better holds. Move left and reverse the Disneyland pitch 2 traverse. There are some pumpy downclimb/traverse moves with great protection. Move left past flakes in the horizontal and keep moving left until you spot a wide open book. (Intersects Swing Time and Te Dum here). Make a belay on great gear in the open book.  

  P4 5.7 G 50':   Step down(or up, depending on where you make the belay) to a 10" sloping ledge with a few small, loose, blocks. Traverse left and around a nose and eventually make a step-across to large boulders above the Inverted Layback crux. Continue another 20' to spacious ledges on Layback. We used this as a nice break in the middle of the climb.  

  P5 5.2 G 40':   Climb left on an amazing and airy 5.2 traverse past a nose/arete to a semi-hanging belay on small ledges. 

  P6* 5.9 G/PG 75':   Traverse left past small nose on good horizontals to piton. Step down to disguised horizontal rift for feet and small edges for hands. Move left to the Alphonse corner. Continue left with hands on Alphonse's lower horizontal to Alphonse's optional belay on a small arete. From there you can spot the next belay: at an awkward rap station near questionable blocks on Yellow Belly. I chose to belay down and right of this on more solid rock.  

This is where things got interesting for us. After the piton, I continued left to a small horizontal (BD #00 and #000) below the ceiling. There are good high feet and good low hands but I couldn't figure it out and had to use 3 points of aid (including a sketchy #00 in poor rock that left me hanging by one lobe and another #00 that later pulled when my partner fell following the pitch) to get to a key "jug" and gear placement just right of the Alphonse corner and directly across from the foot crack of Alphonse's leftward traverse. This is the crux of the route and Dick Williams's guidebook clocks it at 5.9-. After studying the limited available beta in print I think that I missed a key horizontal about 10' down from the piton for feet. Would love to hear from others about their experiences with this pitch. The above beta is the best I can piece together from what I saw and the pictures we took. 

  P7 5.6 G 35':    Move left of the rap station along a horizontal and meet up with Yellow Ridge's 2nd pitch traverse and use its belay.  

  P8 5.7 PG, 70':   Climb the first part of Yellow Ridge's 3rd pitch to a stance at a piton on a small prow. Step down and left to slanting horizontals and make long step to a slab. Up the slab and left to a horizontal with many small flakes (careful what you pull on here). Move about 12' left and downclimb (follower risks a shitty fall here) just past the lichen to a ledge system. Move left to a tat belay on Baskerville.   

  Pitch 9 5.3 G, 120':   Diagonal up and left to a pin and then continue left following the path of least resistance for about 60' past chain anchor to where it seems convenient to diagonal down and left onto a ramp/slab. Downclimb a few "crux" moves to an easier ledge that leads to a gear belay in the massive right-facing corner of Gelsa. 

  Pitch 10 5.4 G, 110':   Climb the up and traverse left then up past a notch(crux) and continue to the top.

One of the 5.8 testpieces of the Gunks:  the "+" refers to the starting move (certainly harder than 5.8), and to the scary start of the 2nd pitch. 

  Although short, this climb is often done in 2 pitches to avoid rope drag. 

  This climb is easy to recognize - it is not far from where the trail brings you to the cliff, and is between the overhanging hand crack of Criss Cross Direct and the huge roof to the right of Disneyland.  Broken Sling starts at a left-facing arete just under a right-facing corner and roof. 

  P1: Locate an obvious boulder problem just right of a low roof.  A large jug about 10' up dares you to grab it.  The moves up through this are surprisingly tricky - you're definitely risking a twisted ankle or worse.  You can protect with a cam on the left (tough to place) or just go for it and place a piece from the big jug.  Borrow a crash pad or bring a beefy spotter.  Once your feet are on the jug all is well, but there's a lot more climbing ahead. 

  Above, move up to a small roof, turn it on the left, then climb up meandering towards a large alcove with a fixed anchor.  Belay here to avoid rope drag. 5.8+, 75'. 

  P2: Climb out right of the alcove.  A pin that once protected the traverse is gone now, so this part is hard to protect.  You can make a long reach straight up if you're tall, or, as most people do, quake right, up, and left on minimal pro to easier ground.  A bit more climbing leads to the top. 5.8 PG, 65'. 

  ...More details on P2 from Kurtz:  Belay on a small ledge 15 ft below the rap anchor (it's a better stance).  The first moves up a hollow flake aren't hard or scary but the pro is suspect until you can sling the anchor webbing (V2).  Traverse right (20+ ft) until you find enough holds to move up to the overhang. Then traverse all the way back left on good hands but minimal feet until you are beneath a weakness in the roof. Set a bomber piece here and go! Easier climbing above, to the clifftop. 

  V2: From the rap anchor at the start of P2, go straight up the flaring crack through an overhang (5.9+ PG).  This avoids the traverses on the regular route. 

  Walk along the cliff to climbers' right, then before the road, scramble back down to the cliff base.

Small crack climb with a couple overhangs and a couple slightly interesting moves.  It's a bit dirty but if nothing else is open, it provides some entertainment.

The most common way to start this route is by climbing the first pitch of Baskerville Terrace, and then climb directly into the crack that splits the orange bulge 50' right of pitch two of Fat City Direct. This crack is burly in its own right. After the crack you traverse to the left a couple feet to a piton, which can be backed up, then move up into the bulging face and do a lock-off move on razor edges to better holds and the Fat City bolted station.

 I heard stories of a hold breaking on this route making it harder, but after talking to some people who climbed it previously, seems that the "hard 12" grade still stands.

 There is also a last pitch that weaves up the overhangs, but i have not done it.

Mention Le Plie to climbers familiar with the Near Trapps and they will often groan.  It is known for its awkwardness, and is perhaps underappreciated.  It is one of the few climbs that are easier if you are short.  When I climbed it the other day, after the brief moment of disorientation and panic as I pulled the crux and squirmed on the cramped shelf, I had to laugh.  This climb is a trip, completely unlike any climb you'll ever find in a gym.  Do it, at least once.   

  Pitch 1:  Start at the thin vertical crack in the middle of the slab beneath a large chockstone.  Climb up to the top of the crack and then angle left to the left side of the chockstone.  Find a way to pull up onto the slanting, cramped shelf to the left of the chockstone (crux).  Somehow squirm left about 10-15 feet to a much more comfortable, easy ledge.  Traverse left another 15 feet or so on this easy ledge, to a rat's nest of slings.  I was told that many people simply rap here from the slings, but you shouldn't, because (a) the slings are total junk/faded/partially worn through, and (b) you still haven't finished the pitch!  From the rat's nest of slings, work your body up onto ANOTHER slanting, cramped shelf (easier than the first), worm your way to the left to a good stance and belay.  5.7-, 90 feet, much of it traversing. 

  Pitch 2:  This is a good, if short, pitch.  From the belay, move up and left on a great footrail to a notch in the small overhang, move above the overhang (nice 5.6 crux), and then traverse easily right until easy rock will take you to the top.  I think we may have traversed too far to the right, because when we headed up it was just a step or two to the bushes.  5.6, 70 feet, again much of it traversing.

Start as for Le Plie at the thin crack in the slab.  Climb up to the big block and get on top of it (either on the left or right of the block).  Instead of traversing left, traverse right across a blank looking, bulgy face below a roof.  You can either drop low and hand traverse on crimps before making a hard stand up move or stay high and balance your way across by using the crimps as feet.  Either method has a difficult move or two and there is no gear after the block until you finish the traverse.  Continue up into the Outer Space corner and finish by traversing left to the anchor.

The classic 5.6 route in the Nears.  Short approach and very popular. 

  Start about 30' left of Broken Sling, at a large open book capped by a roof.  There is a big tree near the start of the climb. 

  P1: Climb up the right face of the open book, angling up and right across the many horizontals, past several old fixed pins.  Make an awkward move around the nose to a cramped belay. 5.6, 45'. 

  P2: Move left and climb a steep corner to a roof, passing more old fixed pins.  A second belay is optional here, or traverse right under the roof and continue to the top. 5.5, 110'. 

  Pitches 1 and 2 may be combined, avoiding the cramped belay, but it's quite difficult to avoid severe rope drag if you do this, especially the first time.  Long runners, double ropes, and two-way radios are recommended if you want to do the climb in one pitch. 

  Walk climbers' right along the clifftop until just before the road, where you can easily scramble down to the base of the cliff and back to your packs.

This climb intersects and shares a belay with the popular moderate Te Dum; consider avoiding it on busy days. 

  P1 Climb the crack up to a roof, clip the slings for pro and step right to a stance.  Pull the roof out left (crux) to another stance, then continue up the broken left-facing corner system to a belay (75 feet, 5.10b). 

  P2 Up the corner and hand traverse left to a stance.  Pull the roof at a finger crack (crux) to an awkward stance, then make a wild traverse right under the blood orange roof and exit to the top (50 feet, 5.11-).

This toute shares the start of Swing Time. Start up the easy face until you are situated under the roof. Pull the roof and traverse right following the downward facing crack. After the crack turns vertical the difficulties ease.

This route is the link up of the start of G-String and the finish of Land of the Giants. It possesses quite a bit of climbing with several 5.7 cruxes after the initial 5.8 traverse crux. The route finding is a little bit tricky.

 Walk up the ramp to the base of the flaring off-width. Climb up and right to a horizontal crack below an overhang. Traverse right about 5 feet to gain good hands. At this point the book says to climb up the slab before traversing 10-12 feet right at a large horizontal. (I, however, continued to traverse right before climbing the right facing Gelsa corner for 5 feet.) No matter which route you take, you will find yourself at the base of a crack with several horizontal holds to its right. Continue to climb this crack/weakness up. You will eventually arrive at a small left facing corner 5-7 feet tall. Climb this and move around up and right to the bolted Fat City Direct

belay/rap-station. If you are using a 70m rope you can be lowered from here.

Unlike most Gunks routes, this one is harder than it looks.   

  Start on the left wall of the corner immediately left of Te Dum.  This is about 65' left of Disneyland. 

  P1: Climb up a deceptively difficult face with cracks.  About 60' up is the crux: a wild undercling right.  The only footholds are immediately under the flake, making the move far scarier for tall people.  Fortunately the crux is short.  Belay at a small stance under a roof after the crux. 5.9, 80'. 

  P2: Turn the roof on the right and climb easier ground to the top. 5.8, 60'. 

  Walk off to the right.

A fun route that will test your chimney and layback technique. 

  Start about 10' left of Inverted Layback at a left-facing chimney/corner with a big chockstone about 15' up.  This is about 75' left of Disneyland. 

  P1: Struggle to the top of the chockstone, climb up to the corner, and layback (what else?) up to a good belay ledge with a fixed anchor (slings and rings). 5.5, 60'. 

  P2: Climb up right to the airy arete, pass an overhang, and continue to the top. 5.4, 60'. 

  The climb can be done in one pitch without too much rope drag. To descend, walk climbers' right along the clifftop until it is possible, just before the road, to easily scramble down to the base.

First pitch: Angle up right and over first roof. Climb straight up to a large concave scoop. Enter the scoop and angle up left to the outer right corner of the second big roof. Up and walk right to the belay ledge.  

  Second pitch: Climb straight up to the second overhang. Continue to the top inches left of a corner facing left over the second overhang.

This is the best route in the Nears -- it weaves its way up an impossible-looking wave of rock at an accessible grade and on almost entirely natural pro. I believe it is typically done in two or three pitches (there is a bolted belay midcliff, but it makes for a spectacular single pitch -- just use lots of long runners. The Fat City wall is pretty obvious: 'Direct starts below a small roof with a hand crack in it. This area is before you reach the Birdland area.

 You get a good rest before the crux, then you must perform a difficult move up to an undercling, pull right of this, and then up to a cramped stance. The crux is pulling out of this small roof/corner and is very well-protected. Good rests follow. Later on, head right and tackle the incredibly exposed, wild, second crux (protected by a 25-year-old fixed pin). There are a couple tricks to make these moves easier -- such as climbing very low and not clipping the pin until you have the jug just next to it. It's only 5.9+ or easy 5.10, but it gets the heart going. After that, you're in Fat City.

 Descent: walk back to the road, climber's right.

Great climbing, gear, and rock!  This route deserves more attention.Climb the Grand Central dihedral to the large roof.  Make a slab traverse under the roof to a stance.  Move up to a horizontal and back left under a finger crack in a small roof.  Pull the roof (crux) and rejoin Grand Central where it traverses in from the left.  You can stop and belay at the regular P1 belay for Grand Central or easily top it out in one pitch since this is a much straighter line and rope drag isn’t an issue.

Follow a left sloping ramp up to a steep series of jugs which turns into slab above. Finish at the Gelsa pitch 1 belay to the left on a comfortable ledge with a tree.

1. Climb into the right-facing corner. This ends in a roof. Step left to a belay stance. 40 feet, 5.11a. 

  2. Climb up a left-facing corner, past a small roof, then straight up to the top. This pitch is very contrived. Moving two feet or so (literally) left or right of the line described in the guide - at the overhangs - lowers the grade dramatically. As per the guide: 40 feet, 5.10c.  

  I've done the first pitch 3 times, and it is always a grunt.

Start in a chimney formed by the right side of a huge block leaning against the cliff; the same as Dog-Stick-Ridge link-up. Climb the chimney to a ledge, then traverse out right through an open book/ finger crack. At the end of the crack, traverse left under the roof, then fire straight up the face.

If no one is climbing Gelsa, definitely take the opportunity to get on this route -- it has a lot of pleasant climbing in 30m.

 Start up Gelsa and instead of traversing left at the piton(s) 20' up, head straight up over a bulge at a right-leaning crack. Keep following the crack (carefully at first, there are some hollow blocks) up to an open book under orange rock, then step right onto a prominent nose. Climb up the crack above, then look for the bolted anchor on your right.

I can't believe this route isn't on here yet! what an amazing ground-breaking route. three distinct boulder problems, separated by good rests make up this route. each boulder problem is harder than the previous one. the final boulder problem revolves around the "iron cross" move, which seems so low-percentage, and when you stick the dyno after, your body goes almost completely horizontal. Amazing! all on traditional gear, and the FA was 1978!!! 

Perhaps the best 5.7 in the Gunks. 

  This climb is just a few minutes from the road - you'll pass Disneyland and a number of inside and outside corners.  Immediately past Yellow Ridge is the huge roof of Fat Stick.  The route is most easily recognized by the left-leaning offwidth crack about 15' off the deck. 

  P1: There are two ways to start.  On the right is a left-facing corner leading up to a small roof - you traverse left under the roof to the offwidth crack (5.7 and reasonably protected).  A more direct start traverses on thin holds (no protection) to the rib below the offwidth crack and then up.  This is 5.7 and scary but a good spot will keep you safe.   

  In either case, attack the offwidth above.  At a horizontal you can either traverse right out of the crack and climb the face or be like Fritz and power up the offwidth.  Both of these are about 5.7.  Most people choose the face. 

  Continue to a good ledge just above the offwidth, and belay here.  

  P2: Climb a corner to a roof about 20' above the good ledge.  Instead of pulling through the roof, traverse up and left about 50' to a another good ledge.  5.7, 120'. 

  P3: Make thin moves traversing to the left edge of the ledge, and climb up just right of the obvious ridge for about 10'.  Traverse left to the arete, passing a pin.  Follow this up past another old pin to a roof (fortunately much easier than it looks!) and then on to the top. 5.7, 80'. 

  From the top, walk climbers' right along the clifftop until it is possible to easily scramble back down to the base, just before the road.

Pitch 1: Climb up to the small overhang and move around left (awkward); or climb the slab on left up to this point (less protected).  Continue up into a small left facing corner. When the corner becomes right-facing move right to a crack (crux) and cruise up into an awesome open book with a small ledge. 

  Pitch 2: Climb the cracks in the right wall. Step right then back left and up to move overhangs. Then traverse far right and follow dirty corner to the top.  This pitch is only 5.5 but is very exciting.  There is a lot of traversing, so try to avoid placing too much gear and use long slings.

This is an old toprope line that recently saw a free lead ascent. Multiple, interesting cruxes and fantastic orange overhanging rock make this line definitely worth putting a toprope on, at least!

 Start the same as for Broken Sling, and climb to just the before the pitch 1 belay, then traverse out left on a hanging slab to access the left-facing corner, which is to the right of Squat Thrust's corner.

 Climb the left-facing corner to a roof, and continue straight up the corner/crack system to another roof, and pass it on the right. Move up to a great juggy horizontal and then climb through another easier roof just below and left of a small pitch pine tree. Climb easier ground to the top of the cliff.

Climb Outer Space and instead of continuing the final traverse left to the p1 anchor, look up at a weird roof feature. Grab a jug and do something. Arrive at a terrible anchor made of 7 nuts and 2 tricams. 2 of those nuts are just dangling out in space. 

Easy climbing to the only other obvious notch in the immediate roof left of Fat Stick.  Bang out a decent boulder problem to get into the notch.  After that head to the fixed rap through the fat stick traverse to the climbers right under a  larger roof. Or continue up the rest of P2 of Fat stick.

Goes up the left facing corner 15' to the right of Kansas. Climb up blocky 5.6 to a tricky bulge, and into a stance before traversing out right (crux) and then up to the trees. Avoid placing gear behind the loose block at the top of the dihedral.

An interesting route with several variations.  It is often described in 2 pitches, but it's much simpler to climb to the clifftop in one pitch.   

  Start just right of Inverted Layback at a 6"-wide crack on the left wall of a big dihedral.  This is about 55' left of Disneyland. 

  P1: Climb the face by the crack for 25' (V1).  When the crack flares, traverse up and right to an arete.  Move right and up (crux) to small stance and a tree (optional belay) in a clean dihedral.  From here, climb up and right, turning an easy roof on the right, and continue to the top. 5.7, 120'. 

  V1: The climb can also be started on the right wall of the initial corner, bypassing the wide crack. 

  Descend by an easy stroll, climber's right, back to the base.

Start up Outer Space for about 40 feet.  Rather than continue upwards, traverse left under the biggest roof in the chalked up horizontal.  Traverse for 20 feet (pumpy!) until you're under the roof at a spot where some seams run through it.  Get huge and climb through the roof - way fun.  Fixed anchors lie immediately above.

A wild climb with a fun overhang on the first pitch, and some exciting face moves and an awkward alcove on the second pitch. 

  Start about 20' right of Yellow Ridge, at a corner with a thin crack on the right face. 

  P1: Climb the thin crack and face to an overhang.    Turn the overhang on the left to an arete.  Climb a wide crack to a belay stance on the arete. 5.8, 70'.   

  P1 variation: The wide crack can be bypassed by traversing left, climbing a face, then moving back right above the wide section. 

  P2: Continue up the arete, then move left and up a thin face with poor pro to a cramped alcove below a roof.  Turn the roof on the left (crux, good pro) and continue to the top. 5.8+ PG, 90'.

This pitch is short, but action-filled. 

  Begin in the open book at the beginning of P2 of Disneyland.  At the top of the open book, instead of traversing right for Disneyland, head left.  Hand traverse out along the huge flake to the point on good holds, then up and slightly left to a not so good hold (crux).  From there, step right and climb easier rock to the top.

P1: 5.8 G-PG: Climb the open book/flakes/face to a stance below the V-notch in the overhang. Climb past notch (crux), then work your way up past an awkward move to the overhang, move left to a belay stance at a belay/rap-station (60 ft) 

  P2: 5.10b G (but see comments below): Climb the overhang directly above into the short left-facing corner (crux), exit right onto the face and continue up a bit right to a belay on the ledge below the left-facing corner (60 ft) 

  P3: 5.9+ PG-PG13: Climb face and corner above to the overhangs. Diagonal steeply up right, then straight to the top (60 ft)

This is a fun link-up of several different routes that includes an airy traverse to finish on the last pitch of Yellow Ridge. This last pitch of Dog-Stick-Ridge is one of the best pitches of 5.7 the Gunks has to offer! 

  P1 5.8: Start on The Hounds  and climb the chimney. Step right past an overhang and up to a right facing corner with a finger crack. Lieback the crack. Continue upward and to the right to belay in an alcove under a roof. 

  P2 5.7: Airy fun climbing! Make sure your follower has a camera and ask whoever is at the pitch three belay of Gelsa to take some pictures. Traverse right until you reach the arete. Move around the corner and onto the face to reach the last pitch of Yellow Ridge. Climb up the face and corner and through a notch in the roof above.

The first pitch of this route is a nice, deceptively hard 5.7.  Starting on the left side, climb an elegant arete to a notch in the roof above and pull through into the short open book above. Traverse left to a corner and belay; this is as far as most people go (a rap anchor is usually here).   

  The second pitch can either go up and left to Baskerville Terrace or up and right to Yellow Ridge:  Traverse left under the roof about 30' to an obstructive tree. Go up and right to link to the fantastic P3 of Yellow Ridge, or swing out left to link to P3 of Baskerville Terrace.

Climb easy 5.5-ish blocks to a pair of fixed pin anchors at the base of the roof crack.  From here, a series of jugs, underclings, slopers, and yes, even a few jams will get you to the lip of the roof.

Pitch 1: 5.3 G Climb past the flake to the overhang, move left up past the overhang and move up onto the slab. Step up and run it out to the top. (45 ft.) 

 I found that the crux is establishing yourself onto the slab.  The route has no traffic whatsoever and is entirely lichen-dominated; which is why this climb does not come recommended.  If the lichen is even remotely wet/hydrated, it makes this one of the saddest and hardest 5.3s

 Walk off down to the right of the climb.

A classis route that begins with a strenuous layback! Start 25' left of Criss, at a 10'-high right-facing corner with a hand crack that goes through the bulging overhang above the corner. This is about 30' right of Broken Sling.

 P1: Jam and layback up the crack, then climb straight up past a fixed pin and several small overhangs to a tiny stance and belay at a fixed anchor of three pitons with chains. A #.75 Camalot protects the bouldery moves up to the pin. 5.10a, 60'.

 P2: Seldom done these days. Move up and left past a small left-facing corner, then up past an overhang to another left-facing corner and a roof. Exit right and continue to the top. 120'.

A great climb with lots of variety. 

  Start about 20' left of Layback, at a clean corner with two cracks. 

  P1: Climb the easy corner to a roof.  Traverse 10' or so left around the roof (optional belay), work your way up 10 to 15' to a horizontal, then head back right around the nose. Above, a thin crack (crux) leads up.  The pro is a bit tricky to place.  Suddenly a big jug appears and you're up to a belay below the final overhang.  5.9, 120'. 

  P2: A short pitch through the overhang takes you to the top. 5.8, 40'.

Gelsa is THE classic 5.4 route in the Gunks.  The third-pitch corner is steep, exposed, and fun!  Don't pass this one up, even if you're climbing at a harder grade. 

  Start by a tree growing out and up from the base of the cliff (see first picture below), about 20' left of Fat City Direct, at a pile of boulders below a blocky crack. 

  P1: Climb the blocky crack up to an overhang at ~20 ft, and continue no further upwards! Instead, traverse left to a ledge and belay by a tree. 5.3, 45'. 

  P2: Continue traversing left (var) past an overhang and into an alcove (you'll be just above the bolts for Roseland), then back up right to a crack and a face.  Angle up left to a good ledge/alcove at the base of a huge, overhanging, right-facing corner, and make a belay on smaller gear here. 5.4, 60'. 

  Var: You can also diagonal up and left to the next belay, instead of traversing directly left.  You'll end up climbing a slab towards the belay alcove at 5.6 or so. 

  P3: The money pitch. Climb up right and up (or, up and right - either way works) and follow the steep, exposed corner to the top. 5.4, 90'. 

  Walk off to climbers' right, and look for an easy scramble back to the cliff base just before you reach the road. 

A very enjoyable 5.8 that gradually builds in difficulty as you move higher.  Usually done in 2 pitches; it can be done in one with careful attention to rope drag, which allows you to avoid the somewhat awkward belay below the crux notch. 

  P1: Climb the corner and face to a ledge, then step right and ascend the corner in the larger orange open book.  At the top, or slightly below it, traverse left to a notch and belay. (100 feet, 5.6) 

  P2: Move up right through the notch, then traverse right and up to the finish. (50 feet, 5.8) 

  Walk-off to climber's right.

Actual route starts about 15 ft right of Topeka and about 20ft right of Kansas City.  The climb meanders up and to the left. 

  As a fun alternative you can start the same as Topeka (5.6ish) and climb the flat left facing wall straight up to the first overhang before Topeka's roof and traverse right to continue on up and join Independence's finish and final moves (also possible to traverse right before the overhang for a slightly easier climb).   

  Surprisingly fun but short.

Start on Broken Sling until you get to the first roof, where you bust out left around the corner to a steep slab. Climb the slab to a small stance below a left-facing corner. From here you have to execute an awkward 5.10+ R boulder problem to get to the good rest stance on the ledge above. This boulder problem is decently protected by small cams, but if you fall, you will most likely slam into the slab below. Once at the upper stance, continue straight up an obvious right-facing corner to a small roof, make a move out right through the roof, and follow a right facing flake system to easier climbing.  

  I thought that the climbing was super fun and interesting for most of the climb, but the gear is hard to place well.

Next section, right-to-left: Gelsa to Moe (closure)

Description

Protection

Routes in a. Beginning of cliff to Gelsa