Thacher State Park Guide

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Contributors

Thanks to the following people who have contributed to this crag guide:

Sergey Komarov Brendan Heywood @jimlawyer timothy lee Devin McCauley peer bueller ken haller Thacher Climbing Coalition

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1. Thacher State Park 54 in Crag
- 1.1. Hailes Cliff South / Hailes Cave South 22 in Cliff
  - 1.1.1. Cave Wall 6 in Sector
  - 1.1.2. Lower Misery Wall 3 in Sector
  - 1.1.3. Waterstreak Wall 2 in Sector
  - 1.1.4. Mahican Wall 8 in Sector
  - 1.1.5. Fern Garden 1 in Sector
  - 1.1.6. Mossy Corner 2 in Sector
- 1.2. Horseshoe North 32 in Cliff
  - 1.2.1. Sunset Wall 7 in Sector
  - 1.2.2. Dark Block Wall 8 in Sector
  - 1.2.3. Hyphen Wall 5 in Sector
  - 1.2.4. Fossil Wall 7 in Sector
  - 1.2.5. East End 5 in Sector
2. Index by grade

1. Thacher State Park 54 routes in Crag

1 2

1 Hailes Cliff South 2 Horseshoe North

Summary:

Seasonality

Mostly Sport climbing

Lat / Long: 42.649425, -74.006534

summary

Thacher offers a unique experience for Northeastern climbers as the only limestone cliff in the region. It provides plenty of challenging climbs on smooth crimpy faces and steep cave formations.

description

Thacher State Park opened to the public on July 1st, 2017. It offers relatively easy access to dozens of sport climbs. Rock texture ranges from smooth to rough textured pocketed areas. Wear a helmet as the area is new and there is choss in spots. See also: http://www.climbthacher.org

access issues

Consult https://climbthacher.org for the latest rules.

As of April 2024:

You must receive a permit from the park.
See https://climbthacher.org/climb/
Once you have your passes, you must sign-in/out at the trailhead register each time you climb. Please ensure that you do this every time you climb – it helps with safety and shows the Park how many people use the climbing area.
Hours: Climbing is permitted from dawn until dusk (the Park closes at dusk). In the past, climbers were required to pick up physical permits from the Visitor Center. Starting with the 2023 season, this is no longer required.
Directions: It is free to climb at Thacher, but there is a $6 parking fee during the regular season (May-Nov). The contactless pay booths will tell you if you need to pay. The NYS Parks Empire Pass is valid at Thacher Park.

approach

Thacher State Park is located outside of Albany, NY.

The approach for all routes involves squeezing through a tight chimney.

where to stay

Full service camp grounds can be found only 3 miles from Thacher at Thompson’s Lake, state forest.

ethic

The following route information has been compiled from the Thacher Park Routes App created by Gunks Apps. Permission has been granted for the express use by thecrag.com by Dirtbag Developers Inc. The app is available from https://gunksapps.com/ for $14.99 and half of the sale price goes directly back to the Thacher Climbing Coalition http://www.climbthacher.org/ The TCC opened the area in July of 2017, please contact them regarding new route development.

Thacher climbs use a combination of glue-ins and expansion bolts as anchors and protection.

1.1. Hailes Cliff South 22 routes in Cliff

Summary:: Mostly Sport climbing

Lat / Long: 42.661185, -74.019969

1.1.1. Cave Wall 6 routes in Sector

Summary:: Mostly Sport climbing

	Route	Grade	Style
1	Tricam Project		UnknownProject 90ft
2	★ Aranea	5.7	Sport 40ft, 3
3	★★ Lucifugus	5.10b	Sport 90ft, 10
4	★ Time, Heat, and Pressure	5.12a	Sport 80ft, 6
5	Totally Chossom	5.12a	Sport 90ft, 15
6	★ Tectonic Shift	5.11d	Sport 90ft, 9

1.1.2. Lower Misery Wall 3 routes in Sector

Summary:: All Sport climbing

	Route	Grade	Style
1	★ Attack of the Tetrapods	5.10a	Sport 35ft, 3
2	★★ Manly-us	5.10a	Sport 35ft, 4
3	★ Sea Scorpion Sandwich	5.10a	Sport 35ft, 3

1.1.3. Waterstreak Wall 2 routes in Sector

Summary:: All Sport climbing

		Route	Grade	Style		Selected ascents
1		Dunning-Kruger Effect	5.10d	Sport 45ft, 4
2		★★★ TBD	5.10c	Sport 85ft, 10

1.1.4. Mahican Wall 8 routes in Sector

Summary:: All Sport climbing

	Route	Grade	Style
1	★★ Winkler's Bushwack	5.10a	Sport 40ft, 6
2	★★ Crimptogramma Stelleri	5.12a	Sport 40ft, 6
3	★★ Under the Cedar Tree	5.10a	Sport 40ft, 6
4	★★★ Tossin Ze Chossin	5.8	Sport 40ft, 5
5	★★★ Blue Moon in August	5.11a	Sport 45ft, 6
6	★★ Hysteresis	5.6	Sport 40ft, 5
7	★★★ Steinmetz Slab	5.9	Sport 40ft, 4
8	★★★ The Wizard of Schenectady	5.8	Sport 45ft, 6

1.1.5. Fern Garden 1 route in Sector

Summary:: All Sport climbing

		Route	Grade	Style		Selected ascents
1		★★ Little Black Rain Cloud	5.9	Sport 50ft, 5

1.1.6. Mossy Corner 2 routes in Sector

Summary:: All Sport climbing

		Route	Grade	Style		Selected ascents
1		★★ Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs	5.10d	Sport 40ft, 6
2		★★★ Choo Choo	5.9	Sport 65ft, 5

1.2. Horseshoe North 32 routes in Cliff

Summary:: All Sport climbing

Lat / Long: 42.660300, -74.016669

1.2.1. Sunset Wall 7 routes in Sector

Summary:

	Route	Grade	Style
1	★ Strategery	5.10b	Sport 35ft, 4
2	★★ Rachel Boo Variation	5.8	Sport 35ft, 4
3	★★ Rachel Boo	5.5	Sport 40ft, 5
4	★ Mokus Pokus	5.8	Sport 40ft, 6
5	★★ Get the Baby Out of Here	5.10a	Sport 40ft, 4
6	★ Mookie's Delight	5.9	Sport 50ft, 5
7	★★★ Gallifrey	5.9	Sport 50ft, 6

1.2.2. Dark Block Wall 8 routes in Sector

Summary:

	Route	Grade	Style
1	★ Tory Hole	5.10a	Sport 45ft, 5
2	★★★ Cosmik Debris	5.10a	Sport 50ft, 6
3	★ Cleftificus	5.9	Sport 40ft, 6
4	★★★ Something Borrowed	5.11a	Sport 45ft, 6
5	★★★ Dragon Kite	5.10b	Sport 70ft, 7
6	★★ Something Taken	5.11c	Sport 80ft, 8
7	★★★ Mutt FA: Oct 2017	5.10a	Sport 8
8	★★ Puckered and Tuckered	5.10b	Sport 75ft, 10

1.2.3. Hyphen Wall 5 routes in Sector

Summary:

	Route	Grade	Style
1	★ Battle of the Bulge	5.8	Sport 50ft, 6
2	Dinah-Moe Humm	5.10a	Sport 45ft, 6
3	Hakuna Echinodermatata	5.6	Sport 40ft, 5
4	★ Trylo Bite This	5.7	Sport 40ft, 6
5	★★ Bromodosis	5.11a	Sport 40ft, 6

1.2.4. Fossil Wall 7 routes in Sector

Summary:

	Route	Grade	Style	Selected ascents
1	Bexor	5.8	Sport 60ft, 7
2	★★ Tull Tunes	5.10c	Sport 50ft, 7
3	★★★ Kayah	5.9	Sport 50ft, 6
4	★★★ Life Crusher	5.11a	Sport 45ft, 5
5	★★ Crinoid Stem	5.9	Sport 45ft, 5
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	Route	Grade	Style	Selected ascents
6	★★★ Permanent Vacation	5.11a	Sport 45ft, 5
7	★★★ Permian Extinction	5.10d	Sport 45ft, 6

1.2.5. East End 5 routes in Sector

Summary:

	Route	Grade	Style
1	Ian's Route	5.8	Sport 35ft, 7
2	Not My Chaucer to Bare	5.10a	Sport 40ft, 6
3	★★ Pearlvana	5.11c	Sport 60ft, 8
4	★ Kipu Crack	5.10a	Sport 70ft, 7
5	★ Starry Point	5.10c	Sport 40ft, 8

2. Index by grade

Grade	Stars	Name	Style	Area
5.5	★★	Rachel Boo	Sport 40ft, 5	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
5.6	★★	Hysteresis	Sport 40ft, 5	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
		Hakuna Echinodermatata	Sport 40ft, 5	1.2.3. Hyphen Wall
5.7	★	Aranea	Sport 40ft, 3	1.1.1. Cave Wall
	★	Trylo Bite This	Sport 40ft, 6	1.2.3. Hyphen Wall
5.8	★★★	The Wizard of Schenectady	Sport 45ft, 6	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★★★	Tossin Ze Chossin	Sport 40ft, 5	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★	Mokus Pokus	Sport 40ft, 6	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★★	Rachel Boo Variation	Sport 35ft, 4	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★	Battle of the Bulge	Sport 50ft, 6	1.2.3. Hyphen Wall
		Bexor	Sport 60ft, 7	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
		Ian's Route	Sport 35ft, 7	1.2.5. East End
5.9	★★★	Steinmetz Slab	Sport 40ft, 4	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★★	Little Black Rain Cloud	Sport 50ft, 5	1.1.5. Fern Garden
	★★★	Choo Choo	Sport 65ft, 5	1.1.6. Mossy Corner
	★★★	Gallifrey	Sport 50ft, 6	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★	Mookie's Delight	Sport 50ft, 5	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★	Cleftificus	Sport 40ft, 6	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★★	Crinoid Stem	Sport 45ft, 5	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
	★★★	Kayah	Sport 50ft, 6	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
5.10a	★	Attack of the Tetrapods	Sport 35ft, 3	1.1.2. Lower Misery Wall
	★★	Manly-us	Sport 35ft, 4	1.1.2. Lower Misery Wall
	★	Sea Scorpion Sandwich	Sport 35ft, 3	1.1.2. Lower Misery Wall
	★★	Under the Cedar Tree	Sport 40ft, 6	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★★	Winkler's Bushwack	Sport 40ft, 6	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★★	Get the Baby Out of Here	Sport 40ft, 4	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★★★	Cosmik Debris	Sport 50ft, 6	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★★★	Mutt	Sport 8	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★	Tory Hole	Sport 45ft, 5	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
		Dinah-Moe Humm	Sport 45ft, 6	1.2.3. Hyphen Wall
	★	Kipu Crack	Sport 70ft, 7	1.2.5. East End
		Not My Chaucer to Bare	Sport 40ft, 6	1.2.5. East End
5.10b	★★	Lucifugus	Sport 90ft, 10	1.1.1. Cave Wall
	★	Strategery	Sport 35ft, 4	1.2.1. Sunset Wall
	★★★	Dragon Kite	Sport 70ft, 7	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★★	Puckered and Tuckered	Sport 75ft, 10	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
5.10c	★★★	TBD	Sport 85ft, 10	1.1.3. Waterstreak Wall
	★★	Tull Tunes	Sport 50ft, 7	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
	★	Starry Point	Sport 40ft, 8	1.2.5. East End
5.10d		Dunning-Kruger Effect	Sport 45ft, 4	1.1.3. Waterstreak Wall
	★★	Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs	Sport 40ft, 6	1.1.6. Mossy Corner
	★★★	Permian Extinction	Sport 45ft, 6	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
5.11a	★★★	Blue Moon in August	Sport 45ft, 6	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
	★★★	Something Borrowed	Sport 45ft, 6	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★★	Bromodosis	Sport 40ft, 6	1.2.3. Hyphen Wall
	★★★	Life Crusher	Sport 45ft, 5	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
	★★★	Permanent Vacation	Sport 45ft, 5	1.2.4. Fossil Wall
5.11c	★★	Something Taken	Sport 80ft, 8	1.2.2. Dark Block Wall
	★★	Pearlvana	Sport 60ft, 8	1.2.5. East End
5.11d	★	Tectonic Shift	Sport 90ft, 9	1.1.1. Cave Wall
5.12a	★	Time, Heat, and Pressure	Sport 80ft, 6	1.1.1. Cave Wall
		Totally Chossom	Sport 90ft, 15	1.1.1. Cave Wall
	★★	Crimptogramma Stelleri	Sport 40ft, 6	1.1.4. Mahican Wall
?		Tricam Project	UnknownProject 90ft	1.1.1. Cave Wall