Nodes in Rat Rock

Bouldering in Central Park in New York City. Approximate GPS location: 40.769126, -73.977867

#eliminate

Start: At the extreme low point of the crack mentioned in Low Traverse. Go: Layback the crack to the top of the boulder.

Start: Same as Layback. Go: Instead of laybacking the crack, move up a little and then reach out right for a hold at the bottom of the starter flake. Move feet right and bring the left hand over to a side pull on the starter flake. Power to the top.

Start: At the bottom of the right-leaning crack, just left and below the "starter" flake. Go: Move up and traverse right past the "starter" flake following hand holds just below or at the lip. Traverse right onto the small holds of the small west face and continue to a crack. Finish by moving right along the lip of the rock and step off.

Start: As one ends the left-to-right version of Rat Rock Traverse or the High Traverse. Go: Stay high as you move right toward the right-leaning crack. Use holds above the "starter" flake and below the lip to link up with the Overhanging Traverse.

Start: Sitting beneath the large overhang on the right side of the north face. Hands matched on undercling. Go: Out, up and over.

Start: Beneath last dark overhang that marks the end of the Polish Traverse. Left hand on side-pull, right hand on low, tiny crimp.

Go: Up and right. A powerful move with the left hand to the small prominent flake beneath the obvious large one. Continue moving up and right using the larger holds along the lip of the overhang.

Use the front sloper to topout

Start: Same start as for Smack the Dragon.

Go: Make the same opening move with the left hand as Smack the Dragon. Then move right, staying low on tiny crimpers and then moving up on more tiny crimpers until you are forced to top out at the far end of the overhang.

Routes are described right to left.

Start: Just right of Rat Hole. Go: Climb straight up the left side fo the small face, starting on the broken bulge and on to the thin face holds and the top.

Start: At the obvious narrow chimney that splits the right side of the east face. Go: Squirm up the grungy chimney to the top. It is more difficult, but more pleasant to stay out of the crack and layback the large left flake. (5.6)

Start: Just right of The Horn, at a tiny alcove with "V" shaped flakes beneath a bulging overhang. Go: Up into the alcove and then crank up and over the overhang via a wonderful assortment of holds and classic moves.

Start: Just right of the Ratraverse bulge, underneath the obvious right-pointing horn. Go: Climb up to the horn and then over to the top.

Start: At large holds near the middle of the Small Wall right of the obvious chimney. Go: Traverse left staying low, past Rat Hole and past large flakes beneath Easy Overhang. Continue left until the left hand reaches the low bulge start of Ratraverse. Then power straight up to the holds just left of The Horn. Move left into the big flake and continue to the rail. Traverse the long rail to the small right-facing corner at its end. Continue moving left (crux, bad landing) and traverse into the small boulder-filled gully, using small holds found just below or at the lip of the wall. Traverse until one is forced to climb up and out.

Start: Same as Ratraverse and Bottom Line. Go: Up and slightly right to face holds along a right leaning crack line. Move up to the breast-shaped bulge and the twin sloped finger shelfs. Find a hidden, shallow dished out hold just above and between these holds and continue to a crack. Pull over the top and breath easier.

Start: At the tallest, steepest section of the eastern face, find an obvious, large right-facing flake that archs up right. Go: Move up the flake until you can reach out left and gain the long hand rail. Move left and down along the rail until decent holds allow you to climb straight up. (Traditionally done with a heel hook.)

Start: On small, crystal holds immediately to the left of The Flake. Go: Crimp up a vertical line of small face holds to a shallow, thin horizontal crack (requires left hand on the "tooth" hold) then straight up from there (avoiding the rail) to a hold where the rail ends. Mantle directly onto the upper slab section via a small two-finger crystal.

Start: Immediately left of Testpiece on low crystal holds. Go: Straight up, using two of the small face holds on the lower part of Testpiece for the right hand. Left hand on a small right-facing sidepull, right hand on the "tooth" hold, make the big move to the rail. Finish directly finding a good hold in the large crystally rock above.

Start: Immediately left of Rat Patrol. 2-3 feet left of The Flake. The left-hand gaston on the sidepull of Rat Patrol becomes a straight on right-hand sidepull on this problem. Go: Crank up on the tweaky opposing sidepulls and grab the horizontal rail above. Continue to top.

Start: Left hand potato chip, right hand sharp crimp, move up to the rail, then straight up to the sloping crimp above. Pads and spotter recommended.

Start: Same as Ratraverse -- on the small hand holds found on the low bulge right of the large flake. Go: Move left to the flake and stay low, traversing along the small face holds at the bottom of Testpiece and Rat Patrol. Continue to a left-slanting, larger hold. Move left onto very thin holds and then straight up avoiding the rail (using dished out holds just beneath its edge) and reach the top statically via tiny holds. V8