Climbed Midnight Cowboy on Thanksgiving weekend and had so much fun I thought I was at Poke-O. This made me think about other 5.9s that don't get the love of *** in any of the Williams guidebooks but were all so outstanding that I still vividly remember my first time on them, even if it's been years later.

Midnight Cowboy: a little big adventure, three distinctly different pitches with just enough serious climbing to make this a remarkable ascent. Thin unprotected slab climbing, a pumpy steep face, and a crescendo finish that's reminiscent of Thin Slabs Direct.

Friends and Lovers: two tough moves, one harder than it looks and the other is "not so bad" once you figure it out.

No Glow: I hate that 5.5ish section with no gear on the second pitch, but every other move on this climb is ridiculous. Finding and clipping the white pitons is harder than it should be, and once you pull above the roof there's another stinger move on brilliant white rock.

Proctoscope: Great crimping above small gear on that orange rock we all love.

Rock & Brew: Getting off the ground is hard, the spooky move into the crack is even harder.

Insuhlation: A wandering line of jugs up an improbable face, hidden in an alcove above an unnoticeable first pitch. This would get toproped all weekend if it was at the Mac Wall.

Not as much in the Nears, but I'll add:

Good Friday Climb: Great technical face climbing with small and finicky gear.

Easy Rider: A full-day traverse of the Nears from Outer Space to Yellow Ridge, the photo opportunities are remarkable. Do it on a summer afternoon for 7 hours of shade and lack of crowds, this climb crosses lots of popular routes and it a poor weekend choice.

I've heard great things about Traverse of the Clods, Cherokee, and Interiah but have not gotten around to either of them. Your thoughts? Post up!

I followed Traverse of the Clods this fall.. If you like exposure have at it. definitely exciting. bring a good 2nd.

I'd like to get on Casablanca.. that looks like a fun roof. done it?

Casablanca's "nine-ness" is debated by some, but at that grade it's so much better than Jean. The roof is huge and the easier climbing below is a lot of fun. Second pitch is not worth the effort, as it's very dirty and a walkoff down the Escape Hatch is needed.

Sounds like you're not looking for hidden gems, exactly, just climbs with less than three stars that maybe should have three? If that's the question then I think Apoplexy should have three stars. Not an unnoticed climb by any means but still so great.

I thought the Nose/Filipina linkup was a great 5.9, very exciting and worth more than one star... oh wait, I see Dick gives the link-up two, which is prbably about right.

Climbs I've given extra *star* power to in my book: Lower Eaves, BB Route (8+ but that crux is hard as any 9), Land's End (gets love and an R rating (pitch 2 even gets a star)), Beatle Brow Bulge (10a a.k.a 9+ awesome jungle gym), Obstacle Delusion (I'd give that a + or 10a also and since the line is blurring I'll add Insuhlation's Teeny Face variation, though that is fully 5.10), Bonnie's Direct Finish, and Wegetables but everyone knows the last two are great.

Also, Friends and Lovers gets a "sharky" designation in my book and just my 2 cents but
Casablanca is not nearly the climb Jean is.

I'll nominate a chimney line at Peterskill that's not in the guidebook. It's described on MP.com as "Dorsal Fin", but I've recently learned more of the route's history (Rich Romano...years ago...called it "Brain Strain"). Look for it just to the right of the Psycho Cracks area. A truly wild, exciting pitch that packs a strenuous, awkward squeeze chimney crux (5.9) with some wild horizontal crab-crawling out a bottomless bombay chimney. (I posted a shot of it a couple weeks ago in the Guess the Route thread.) Even if it were in the guidebook, it probably wouldn't get the traffic it deserves, for a number of reasons (it's a chimney, it's tough to top-rope, and WAY intimidating to lead)

Casablanca is lots of fun. I haven't done Jean yet. Friends and Lovers has some good climbing on it as well. Cherokee has one tough to commit to bouldery move, I definitely wouldn't give it more than a star.

All these climbs have something in common though, none of them come close to measuring up to CCK Direct, Ants Line, Higher Stannard or Bonnie's Roof Direct.

Le Teton is the only 5.9 in the guide that I think measures up to these other three-star classics. I understand if it loses some points for the dull climbing needed to access it.

Yeah, I don't get this at all. Casablanca is a one move wonder and a barely interesting move at that.


I generally climb Madame Gs and then rap in. Being lazy and all.

Speaking of le teton has anyone climbed it as described here : tetonia

I don't have my guide with me but I felt Keep on Struttin' was a great route and worthy of adding an extra point.

Agree with the recommendations for Friends and Lovers and Traverse of the Clods. Both committing routes. Insuhlation is another fine line.

Also agree that Casablanca comes down to pulling the roof. It doesn't get a rating bump in my book, just an "E" for effort because it's a long reach.

There are definitely 9's over at Millbrook worth seeking out. Cruise Control and Side Pocket (I did the 9 variation) are two good ones, although neither is really a contender for that third star. Cuckoo Man is the one I wonder about - I've never done that route but it's a 9 out there that has the triplex rating. Love to hear any comments.

you can climb Mr. P's into Le Teton - I think it is called Tetonia on MP. Makes for some pretty exciting climbing.

Cherokee was pretty thoughtful for the grade.

Outside Out (I think dick gives it a 9) at the end of the nears is pretty cool, some offwidth leads to a cave belay then an overhanging Z crack that finishes through a blowhole.

Zacariah - pretty fun down in the nears

Both the Blackout and Grim-Ace Face are kinda committing (not sure of the ***s either) for the grade but a lot of fun too.

Ventre de Boeuf - definitely different climbing for the gunks, bring a # 4 for the top (or 2 if you want to get on the 10d variation)

fotovult beat me to it..

Not ***, but I really enjoyed the Blackout.. that R section on the 8+-/9-ish 2nd pitch keeps a lot of folks away but the R-climbing is trivial. You wouldn't want to mess up buts its no Tough Shift. Then you get a hefty pin before pulling the roof. There's also a fun little traverse on the 1st pitch.

This may get plenty of stars, I don't have that guide book, but it is all I want for Christmas. crash and burn 9+

Crash & Burn is at Skytop, so off limits unless you want to spend $$$.

I was hoping Santa was going to pick me up in his sleigh and drop me off on top of the pinnacle that way I could bypass security ...

That chimney is AWESOME. Thrashing up into it had me cursing and the crab walk had me giggling. We had not idea what it was when we climbed were wondering the history. For our own entertainment called it "Dip me in honey and throw me to the lesbians" (long story)

A bit scary and sequency at the crux (you can make it 10 easily where a fall would hurt) and not a *** but Ape and Essence is pretty good. Never a line for that one.

Cruise Control! Moonlight is pretty good (maybe *)

fotovult -

When you did Zachariah, did you end up doing the layback like Rezucha as shown in the photo in Williams' latest guide? I also thought there was a lot of loose, flakey rock on the way up to that point.

There's some loose rock on Grim Ace Face in the middle section but it's easy enough to get around. What you have is a great climb with three stout pitches linked together. But I think it's already starred in Williams' Trapps guide.

I remember doing the LB as the in the guide photo of Ivan, great photo opp too. Kinda adventurous getting up there but a few fun moves.

GAF is * worthy for sure, the top roof is pretty wild and the committing second pitch is definitely on-your-toes climbing.

Link P1 of Ape & Essence to the Ape Call roof, and it's worthy of a star or two. Especially when the first pitch of Ape Call is damp.

anyone have pics of P2 of Psychedelic? trapps one. there is nothing on Mproj about it. perhaps that is telling

I don't think Cuckoo man is 5.9 if so sandbag 5.9. rib cracker is one of the best 5.9's i've done in the gunks and no stars.

Yes, my partner and I climbed earlier this summer. Better and more sustained, but rock is suspect at times. Same strata as in -issima and Double Crack faces. You can climb all the way up from the ground in one pitch.

I like Rib Cracker too.

One of the best 5.9 link-ups imo is Directissima to the GT, then finish on Psychedelic. It definitely does not see much traffic but it's fantastic.

Yeah I agree, Cuckoo Man is definitely 5.10, I think all 3 pitches are 5.10. As for Rib Cracker, Word! Excellent bottom to top!

so is that the .9 bit behind him in the 2nd pic and the .6 traverse in the 1st pic? looks pretty fun. i love horizontal hauling

how is the chimney bit at the start?

Both pics are the "5.6" traverse, which we found quite hard for the grade. The 5.9 pitch below is kind of obscured by a tree, it's really well protected and it's just a typical Gunks roof (long reach to a jug).

What about traverse of the clods? The exit should get 4 stars!

I followed TotC... not for the faint of hear that is for sure haha.

Protorsilex. Really good climbing. Solid for the grade and probably R in a spot or two.

Good Friday Climb in the nears is a far better climb then its three star neighbor

Grim Ace Face is three pitches of 5.9 adventure

Three Vultures has some good varied climbing

Agree with Keep on Struttin. Just as good as any three star 5.9. Great rock, great moves, great position and very solid for the grade, whats not to like.