Rat Rock - East Face
Submitted by mrbeattie on Sun, 06/08/2008 - 00:32.
Location(s)
Central Park, near Heckscher Children's Playground & Umpire Rock
SW of 65th Street Tranverse Rd at Center Dr.
New York, NY
11. The Flake V0- ***
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 rail. Climb straight up.
A true classic.
Variation: Flake/Crystal follows the flake up and right and to the top via a somewhat hidden crystal hold. V1
12. Testpiece V4 ***
Start: On small, crystal holds immediately to the left of The Flake.
Go: Crimp up a line of small face holds to a shallow, thin horizontal crack, 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.
The original Rat Rock testpiece. For many years the hardest problem in the park. Crimpy and powerful. Hard moves lead to an exciting finish.
Variation: An earlier, easier version. Use the obvious bulge out right for the right foott and the obvious rail for the left hand. V3
13. Rat Patrol V4 **
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.
Not as sustained as Testpiece, but the moves are almost as good.
14. Tweaky Shit V3
Start: Immediately left of Rat Patrol. 2-3 feet left of The Flake. The left-hand gaston on the sidepull of Rat Patrol becomes 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.
Right-hand sidepull broke first in 1987 making the problem a little harder. The hold broke even bigger the next year but was epoxied back on by Yuki after consulting with other local climbers.
15. Ratraverse V2
Start: On the low bulge right of the flake (used as a major foothold on The Flake problem). Small hand holds are found on the top and side of the bulge.
Go: Move left to the large flake, then up slightly. Traverse left across the middle of the face until you find yourself in the middle of the Tweaky Shit crux. Gain the rail above and hand traverse the rail to where it ends at a very small right facing corner. Power up the flakes at the corner to the top.
Trick foot placement at crux.
16. Bottom Line V8 *
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 to the horizontal rail. From the rail, finish with a big move straight up to a hidden edge near the top.
Originally conceived as a variation to Ratraverse, this problem was developed with the input of many climbers. A breakthrough climb for Rat Rock, it was later reported to have been worked out several years prior by Kevin Bein, although this has never been confirmed.
Shortly after the first two ascents at the time, a key hold at the crux broke. It is not know whether the problem has been climbed since then.
Variation: Yuki's Problem starts near the end of the low traverse, moves up toward the dynamic finish of Bottom Line, but eliminates the rail (using dished out holds just beneath its edge) and reaches the top statically via tiny holds. V8
17. Testpiece Lite V3
Start: On small hand holds just right of The Flake: a small dished out hold on the left and a small broken flake for the right.
Go: Plie onto the bulge, then fire for the small horizontal crack on Testpiece. Finish straight up, the same as the Flake/Crystal variation of The Flake.
18. Mothers Milk V1
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.
19. The Horn V0- (5.7)
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.
20. Easy Overhang V0- (5.9) **
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.
21. Death By Dizzy V4 (R) *
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.
This problem was conceived as an endurance-training route and makes the most of Rat Rock's east face. It was named in honor of a vicious rat killing by a Jack Russell terrier at the rocks right beneath the crux. There are two different sequences by which to get through the crux. One involves using an undercling and is more dangerous if a fall were to happen. The other keeps the climber lower and is less prone to cause injury in the event of a fall. A spotter is highly recommended.
22. Rat Hole V0- (5.4)
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)
23. Small Wall Left V0
Start: Just right of the littered chimney.
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.
24. Small Wall Middle V0- (5.8)
Start: On the small ledges just off the ground, right of Small Wall Left.
Go: Straight up and over to the top.
25. Small Wall Right V0- (5.7)
Start: Just right of Small Wall Middle, at the right side of the small wall.
Go: Straight up.
26. Rat Walk V0+ *
Start: Either on Easy Overhang or The Horn.
Go: Hand traverse left along the edge of the top of the east face. At the top of Testpiece, look for small dished out holds that will lead you through the crux and to the rail. Continue traverse left to the right-facing corner and flakes and exit straight up.
Like many other problems at Rat Rock, this one was born out of boredom. However, the crux is worthwhile and fun.
The source for the above beta is from:
http://www.beta-boy.com/nycboulderingguide/id5.html
Read the old school NYC Bouldering Guide PDF too:
http://www.boulderny.com/media/nyc_guide88b.pdf
How to Get There:
Rat Rock is accessed easily from either the Columbus Circle or 7th Avenue subway entrance at the southwest corner of Central Park (that would be the A, B, C, D, or 1 trains at Columbus or the N, R, Q, W at 57th & 7th). The rock is adjacent to the Heckscher Children's Playground and south of the Heckscher softball fields, walk to the north or east side of the large rock formation. Officially labeled Umpire Rock by the City Parks and Rrecreation Department, climbers have named it for its smaller and more permanent residents.
The North Face of Rat Rock is visible from the path as you walk by the baseball fields south of the 65th Transverse Rd. The East Face of Rat Rock is across the fence, past the picnic table, closest to the north west fence of the playground.