Barkeater Cliff, The

According to legend, the Iroquois Indians referred to the Algonquins as "adirondacks", or "barkeaters" because they were forced to live off of bark and buds during the long, harsh winters. It was supposed to be a low-blow to the supposed crude, and not-so useful hunting methods of the Algonquins.

The above description may or may not be true, but it continues to hang around due to how accurately it depicts some of the climbing and many of the approaches in Adirondack park--wild, rudiment, harsh, and long.

Fortunately, The Barkeater Cliff bears only a small resemblance to the above description. Yes, the cliff IS in a remote part of the Adirondacks, but the climbing is very tame, very clean, and ultra manageable. The cliff sits opposite the Sentinel Range, nestled quietly on the backside of Pitchoff Mountain and embodies everything Adirondack climbing is famous for.

For many reasons, this cliff is the perfect place for beginner and moderate climbers; there are plenty of routes in the 5.5 to 5.8 range, the routes are short enough to climb and rappel with one rope, and the gear, for the most part, is impeccable. Classic lines include, Mr. Clean (5.8), Big Bertha (5.6), Fun City (5.7), Yakapodo (5.6+), and Finger It Out (5.10); however, there are plenty of other routes that also deserve to be climbed.