Peterskill Bouldering Climbing

Peterskill is an area of the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, located 2 miles east of the Trapps on Rte 44/55 in Kerhonkson, NY. Peterskill features a small cliff band about 50 to 80 feet in height, but also features one of the highest concentration of documented bouldering problems in the Gunks. To walk from one end of the Peterskill cliffs to the other would take less than 15 minutes and in that time you'll walk through many areas densely packed with high quality boulder problems of all grades.

MSPP allows only 30 bouldering passes per day (they allow 70 roped climbing passes per day) which means that it is unlikely that you'll see huge crowds of pads and people under the boulders. Passes cost $10 per person. This can be a good thing if you're looking for a spot to quietly hone your skills on the moderates or a bad thing if you're looking to stack some pads for your death-defying project. The only time that the number of passes becomes an issue are the first nice days in Spring and those heavenly weekends in September in October. On most weekends in the Summer and almost always during the week you'll have no need to worry.

The Peterskill boulders are mostly in the shade which keeps the climbing relatively cool, but the rocks take a little bit longer to dry out. Don't be surprised if the horizontal cracks and pockets still feel a little wet a day or two after a heavy rain. In the spring the bugs are pretty heinous compared to the Trapps Carriage road, but the friction is excellent, so it's usually worth it.

You have to keep an eye on the time as the park closes for the night and the rangers lock the gate. They WILL lock your car in for the night, which means you'll get a ticket from the New York State Park Police. There is no camping at Minnewaska State Park Preserve, so you should use the DEC Multiple Use Area where most visiting climbers camp. For info on food, and other places to stay nearby, check out the Gunks main page.

Finally, cell phone reception is virtually non-existent in the boulder fields. Plan accordingly.