Location
Cat Rock
Submitted by mrbeattie on Sun, 04/27/2008 - 11:44.
Location(s)
Central Park
NY, NY, 10021
1. Hissy Fit V0
Start: On the slightly overhanging face just right of the obvious right-facing corner.
Go: Up onto the low ledge and make a tenuous move to gain the top.
Bad landing.
2. Cat Corner V0- (5.8)
Start: At the obvious right-facing corner on the east side of the boulder.
Go: Up the awkward corner.
Bad landing.
3. The Arete V0+ ***
Start: On either side of the obvious arete that creates the left side of Cat Corner.
Go: Up the left side of the arete to the top. (If you start on the right side, make an initial hard move to gain the left side of the arete.)
A classic boulder problem. One of the best in its grade. Despite being modest in height, it can feel intimidating, especially near the top. However, good holds are to be found for the exit moves.
4. Scratching Post V3 (aka L.O.T.A.) **
Start: Immediately left of the arete. The right hand crimps on a thin, sharp flake hold. The left hand on a small sloped hold.
Go: Straight up. Gain the obvious foothold and make one hard move to grab the good hold above. Top out directly or move left to the groove and exit.
This problem was originally referred to as "Left of the Arete." At the time it was the only established problem on the main face.
5. Elias V9 *
Start: Slightly left of Scratching Post with hands matched on a diagonal, thin flake. (Or, from a later, harder sequence, match hands on the undercling found at the bottom edge of the boulder.)
Go: Straight up. The only hold used from Scratching Post is the small sloper initially used for the left hand on that problem. Here it becomes a right hand hold. Avoid the good hold higher up on Scratching Post.
When first climbed, the crux involved sticking an almost non-existant sloped hold. This move was extremely height-related: too tall or too short made the move much harder. Later, a key hold for the left hand broke after the third ascent. It was later climbed with an entirely new (and harder) sequence.
6. Private Angel V7 ***
Start: In the middle of steep main face. Right hand high on an obvious undercling hold, the left on a shallow, thin horizontal crimper.
Go: Straight up with a difficult move to get established into the undercling. Continue up past tiny crimper to a shallow, thin crack/slot. Fire for the top and mantle.
This long-anticpated route proved to be not quite as hard as some thought it would be. A difficult sequence to unravel none-the-less. Sought after for years, the first known ascent went to a visiting climber on his first day at Cat Rock. Until the development of Worthless Boulder, it was widely considered the best boulder problem in the city.
7. The Dawg V5 **
Start: On the left side of the main face where there is a small depression at knee-level. An obvious pinch/sidepull for the right hand and a tiny, dished out crimper for the left.
Go: Either move halfway up Fancy Feast and then right one step, or (a much nicer beginning) angle up and diagonal slightly right from the opening move of Fancy Feast past two hard-to-hold irregular crimps. Continue to the same shallow crack/slot hold found on Private Angel (for the right hand on this problem) and make a big move for the top. Mantle.
Though not quite as aesthetic and extreme as Private Angel, it is a classic face climb requiring significant finger strength and excellent fotwork. Originally created as a variation to Fancy Feast, the version of this problem as worked out by Komba and Yuki (diagonally up right from the start) is truly a route that stands on its own.
Variation: Kitty Litter V6 After getting established on the upper crimps, traverse right across Private Angel and Elias. Exit via the notch.
8. Fancy Feast V3 *
Start: Same as The Dawg.
Go: Straight up, finding small edges and avoiding the large, sloped hold out left.
The precursor to The Dawg, it opened the way for the other routes on the main face. Still a fun route with a hard start and a finish that seems much harder than it is if you ignore your feet.
9. Felix V2
Start: Immediately left of Fancy Feast. Two thin vertical seams are found below a large, sloped hold.
Go: Up to the large, sloped hold and the finish.
10. Obtuse Arete V1
Start: On the broken, irregular arete at the west end of the main Cat Rock block.
Go: Up the arete to the top using a dyno near the start if necessary. (Or force yourself to set both feet on the rock before moving hands -- V4.)
11. Cat Crack V0- (5.6-5.7)
Start: Left of Obtuse Arete, on east-facing wall with an obvious vertical seam.
Go: Climb crack and face to top.
12. Top Cat V0
Start: On overhanging lip 6-8 feet right of Cat Corner.
Go: Hand traveres the lip to Cat Corner. Move around the arete and continue hand traversing the top lip to Felix.
As taken from: http://www.beta-boy.com/nycboulderingguide/id10.html
The original NYC Bouldering guide has more descriptions of Cat Rock starting on page 21 of the PDF file download here
How to Get There:
Cat Rock is located on the NE corner of the Wollman Skating Rink at the very south end of Central Park, just a short walk from Rat Rock. Follow paths east from Rat Rock, walking under or over Center Drive. Cat Rock is the obvious south-facing rock wall, located across the footpath from the East side of Wollman Rink, usually tourists are sitting above the actual climb. In Spring yellow Forsythia bushes bloom partially obscuring the short path up to the Cat arete and climbing.
The closest subway is the NW train at 59th & 5th Ave or the EV train at 53rd & 5th Ave is also a possibility. Walk up 5th Ave and enter Central Park from the SE corner, follow the footpath along the east side of "The Pond" continue walking North until you see Wollman Rink on your left, the Cat Arête and wall should be visible on your right, just past the stairs, often tourists sits above Cat Rock watching or listening to performances at the ice skating rink.
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