So, I am wondering - has anyone been down to the nears yet? How was this closure actually posted? How are climbers being notified?

Hey Aya et. al

My partner Dana Bartlett and I are headed to the Nears tomorrow.
We've decided to go ahead and respect the privacy of the land owner(s) and go up and over.
We'll be happy to report how it was (in terms of time and terrain) and also what the signs say.

Peace,
Dana

hiya
check out this address for the Mohonk Preserve's statement on the closure, and the falcon closure on the trapps cliff- climb safe!!!
http://www.mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?news




-hank-

Eenie Meenie to Nazgul? Isn't that about 50 feet?

Since this is an extremely serious subject, the encroachment of an area that is beloved by countless people, I suggest parties involved sit down together and stop using these forums- which is such a poor way to communicate and can only lead to miscommunication and anger. A mediator is a great way to get the conversation headed in the right direction in a safe environment.
Just me 2 cents.
Bryan

as a hopefully temporary work around a marked trail is now established to access the nears from the far side from the intersection of the millbrook blue trail where it intersects the first red trail at smedes cove.
take a left where the trail junction is and where you can see the orange survey tape leading down hill.
follow the orange survey tape on the trees, it will take you all the way to where the void climbs can be seen.
this really does not take long to get there and is a nice pleasant walk with nice views.

Just to get some clarification...and if it was clarified somewhere earlier and I missed it, I apologize...

In terms of bouldering, am I understanding this correctly that the Playground area is unaffected? And that the traditional access from the parking lot at the hairpin is off limits, so we would have to rap in?

Thanks in advance.

The hairpin parking has been off limits for many years. Many climbers were just too lazy or selfish to abide by the 1/2 hour limit. Now it is finally going to be enforced.

The approach options for the playground area aren't affected at all (unless you wanted to get there by walking from the South end of the nears). What coppertone says does apply for the overlook parking, only.

We decided that with the gorgeous weather and possible crowds, we would head to the far end of the Nears.

The new descent trail was clearly marked with orange tape. As the blue trail begins to descend, it veers up and to the right. Keep following that blue trail over the rock and it heads down again and the orange tape is on a tree on the left. There's not much of a foot trail (yet).

As you head west and down, there's a section where the tape heads north, while the gully heads southeast; looking into the gully, you can see the orange tape about 30' below. This caused some confusion as to where the trail was going or if there were multiple trails. I think if they don't want people cutting their own trails, there should be a more direct path through that section, it doesn't make much sense to wind up and around.

After that, there's a relatively steep scramble down; not uncommon in other areas like Rumney, but a little unexpected at the Gunks. It's not too long, but could get slick if it's wet.

I lost track of the time, it might have taken us as much as an hour to get to the Williams wall, but we stopped a few times to shed layers as the sun roasted us on the ridge, tie shoelaces, apply bandaids to some little ones, try to reason out why the marked trail was leading away from the gully, the bottleneck in the gully (that we created), so really I don't know how long it takes.