East coast rappelling trails

[mmdambro]

I am looking for any trails that you guys may know of that are cayoneering-type trails in the New York State area...really just a few hour hike with a couple of nice varying raps of 20m or more. Less is fine too

I know these are few and far between so I'm looking for you guys to use your imagination.

I have found a few NY locations but the beta is extremely limited and really only consists of locations

1) Peterskill area rapelling routes (no further info)
2) A makeshift trail suggested by a forum user in the Buttermilk Falls, NY area
4) Whetstone Gulf up on the Tug Hill Plateau in NY

I'm looking for any information on these routes and any you guys might be able to suggest. I'd be going with a small group of climbers and non-climbers that have almost all been to Utah with canyoneering experience.

Any info helps!

[rustyenduro]

I have lived in California all my life, but I was visiting DC once for work and headed to Great Falls to explore during the weekend. I am definitely not the east coast expert. The trail "river right" on the Potomac River follows the narrow Mather Gorge. Hiking along I saw several sets of rope tied with a Figure 8 onto narrow trees going over a steep cliff down to the river. I looked down and it was about a 100' rappel.

Might we a cool place to explore next to the river. The way they anchored in it must be an in and out trip. It was probably a static rope and they must have had ascenders. Looks like it definitely worth doing at least once.

Let me know how it is if you decide to do it because I wanted to, but I didnt bring any gear.

[rustyenduro]

repost

[mmdambro]

Thanks for the input. I'm a little far from there but might start looking in that area lol

Any other thoughts?

[driftwood]

I don't know anything about the NY area but Western North Carolina has several options.

Bonas Defeat is the standard and is supposedly a 'real' canyon. I have not made it there yet (tried, but the dam was releasing) so I cannot offer first hand info.

Big Bradley is the other standard canyon. It is commercially guided by several companies and was featured in National Geographic Adventure magazine. It has a 120' entry rappel that can be done all in one shot or broken into two separate raps - a 30'er down into a big pot hole and then a second big wet rap down the rest of the way. From there you get a sketchy traverse, lots of big boulders and log jams, a few shorter raps and lots of other problems. It is an excellent route. I'll share a trip report at some time if there is interest.

Grassy Canyon is my favorite I have done. It is very remote, long and adventurous. See my recent trip report.

Tombstone Blues is another really good east coast canyon. Multiple rappels, very canyon like and amazingly beautiful. The banded rock in some sections of the canyon will blow your mind. The most bang for your buck. Trip report to come. This one is not to be missed.

Cougar, Cathy's Creek and Pickle canyons are all good for beginners. Not very long or hard.

This stuff is just now getting explored. We really don't know what all we have here yet. Lots of time spent looking at maps and talking with fellow adventurers over beers at the bar and then trying to put some stuff together.

I'm headed out now to try a new route :cool2:

[erial]

I believe there are rap opportunities at Kaaterskill Falls. If you're heading to Buttermilk, you'll want to check out Enfield Glen. I think Edison filmed a Perils of Pauline reel there. It's class one hiking thru the gorge, but more challenging stuff can likely be found in the area.

[Taylor]

"I'm headed out now to try a new route"

One of the best sentences ever written.

[mmdambro]

Wow I lived in North Carolina for five years. Can't believe I didn't know about any of those.

[driftwood]

Wow I lived in North Carolina for five years. Can't believe I didn't know about any of those.

Other than Big Bradley and Bonas Defeat nobody really knows about any of them. It is really only a friend and I who are out exploring these creeks and naming them when we find them worthy. There have been a few articles in various publications over the years but people don't seem too interested (doesn't bother me a bit).

Last Saturday's route was another excellent one :), The creek we picked was very narrow and very surprising. Only one rappel near the end - a 80' waterfall in heavy flow with the only line straight down it. Very intense.

[mmdambro]

I may have found a decent hike trough the catskills but I need everyone's help. The blogger on this website didn't list the location of this route so I'm hoping you guys might recognize some of the falls. Anyone know where this is?

http://ask-a-scientist.blogspot.com/2012/05/rappelling-in-catskills.html?m=1

[jman]

Last Saturday's route was another excellent one :), The creek we picked was very narrow and very surprising. Only one rappel near the end - a 80' waterfall in heavy flow with the only line straight down it. Very intense.

Nice man, any pics/vids? Would like to see em!

[driftwood]

Nice man, any pics/vids? Would like to see em!

Here is an unedited video I shot:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0leH72i834I&feature=youtu.be

[mmdambro]

Thanks for the info everyone. Had a pretty amazing weekend...66045

[Grabs118]

where'd you end up going? Im in New York as well and am having trouble finding places