This variation pitch adds an exciting all gear pitch to the top of the Matrix. We climb the first two pitches of Screaming Meaney, the third pitch of The Matrix, and then got out our gear for this alternate finish. From the third pitch anchors on the Matrix, head left along the overlap 15' (gear, G) to the crest and pull an easy move over the lip. Continue up and left around the right side of the large scary looking loose flakes to the black streak at the large overlap (gear, G). Pull a great balancy crux move over the lip using an awesome dish feature and continue up the slab to the left facing corner (20ft left of Matrix). Pull the lip (gear, G), climb on top of the left facing corner and traverse right to The Matrix anchors (PG13/R).  

  Note: If this has been done before please let me know and I will update the name and FA information.

Matrix Reloaded

The Matrix

Still Bill

Kings and Desperate Men

Screaming Matrix

The Crucible of War

The Grand Game

Parallel Dreams

Screaming Meaney

Little Finger

Bill Route

Little Finger Direct

Climb the first two pitches of Screaming Meany. At the anchors atop pitch two, traverse left and over overlap climbing for the first bolt on the Matrix's third pitch. From there continue up the 3rd pitch to anchors. For the fourth pitch, break right around the overlaps and follow the bolts up to the last overlap. Pull the move at the lip and gain anchors.

This is a two pitch extension of Bill Route. 

 P0—Bill Route. P1—From the bolted anchors at the top of Bill Route, move generally straight up passing 4 bolts to another nice bolted belay stance.  P2—Continue up passing bolts to a leftish facing overlap. Step up and right over the bulge and continue up passing two more bolts before deciding either to A) finish up the weakness at the top of Little Finger, or B) to move right around the imposing flake and clipping one more bolt before finishing at the bolted anchor atop Little Finger and others.

We only did the first two pitches, but they were "gem". 

  Start - The book ("Adirondack Rock") starts the climb at the lowest point of the tree ledge, about 35 ft down to the right of "Crucible", but I remember starting a bit further left and then traversing right into the climb (below ?) the first bolt.  Probably to get protection before the first bolt.  

  P1 - Climb the friction slab past 6 bolts to a fixed anchor.  5.8 / 5.8+  170 ft  I remember being glad I had a small wire brush to remove any "dusty rock & lichen" for the crux moves.  

  P2 - Continue up past 2 bolts to the fixed anchor at the far right end of the large overlap.  5.6  G/PG  110 ft  

  We then rapped off. 

Adirondack Rock continues:   

P3 - Moves over the overlap at a bulge and a bolt to a fixed anchor. 35 ft  5.8  

P4 - Climbs the black streak to the top past a bolt and a crack to a fixed anchor.  130 ft 5.6

Adirondack Rock (at least the 1st Ed'n; I don;t have the 2nd yet) gives this climb a 5.6+, but MntPrjct doesn't have that grade available, so I put it in at 5.7.  The book also lists it as "PG" but unless I missed a placement I'd give it an "R/X". I found nothing until the bolt. 

  START - 40-50 ft down from the high point of the tree ledge, "behind" a pine tree. 

  P1 (Var) - Up some small corners (gear ???) then the slab past a bolt and then 2 or 3* more bolts.  Belay on a ledge to the left (fixed gear)  140 ft  5.7  R/X  [ * My sketch notes indicate a total of 4 bolts on the pitch.]  

  P2 - Continue up easier rock to the fixed anchor at the right end of the large overlap above.  70-80 ft  5.5 

  P1 - Variation (Top Rope) The unprotected line 15 (+/-)ft left of the bolted route offers nice climbing in the 5.6 range from the P1 anchors. These anchors may also be reached with an easy traverse from the gear anchor at the top of P1 of Tone-Bone Tennys / The Grand Game.  

  Descent - Rap the route

As I have written it, P1 is the same as P1 of Tone-Bone Tennies. P 1 and P2 can be combined with a 60m rope if you don't move right to the "Tone-Bone" belay ledge, and the second scrambles up a move or two.    

  START: At the high point of the tree ledge, 40-50 ft left of "Crucible" and "Kings and Desperate Men" 

  P1 - Climb up the water streak to a gear belay on a ledge system to the right.  120? +/- ft  5.5 -5.6 PG (From this gear belay one can traverse easily 30 ft to the right to the anchor on "Crucible".  

  P2 - From the gear belay, step down and left, then directly up to the fixed anchor under the roof. 80-90 ft  5.6  

  Descend - With 2 60m ropes, or with one swinging to rapeller's right to the "Crucible" P1 anchor.

P1 - 5.7+ PG: Climb unprotected first 20-25' to bolt. Swinging left, then back right to right-rising crack. Follow crack to fixed anchor. 180' 

  P2 - 5.7 PG: Straight up to 3' tall bulge/vertical jut from rock about 20' wide; very noticeable. Pull over bulge, then up and left to a right rising crack. Follow the crack till it ends, step slight right and follow black streak to anchor (fixed). 140' 

  P3 - 5.8 G (5.4X): Straight up to large bulge where rock reaches the steepest part of climb. Crux is through/over the bulge which is about 2-3 moves. Make first hard move, clip bolt, then finish crux. Short runout to vertical crack to place pro. After placing pro, heap up and left to final 100'. There are a couple small placements (bring .2-.5), but final 40-50' are unprotected. 180'

P1 (5.7- G) Climb using right most vertical seam angling to the right of the overlap about 25 feet up.  Move up and slightly left over small ledges.  Friction climb to belay (fixed). 

  P2 (5.7- PG) Climb up to fixed pin at left end of overlap, then climb up and left to a seam, then up (and slightly left) to the crack and climb it to ledge with a fixed anchor. 

  P3 (5.8 PG, Var 5.4 X)  Traverse right 40', up to a stance below an overlap.  Climb short section of slab to ledge (crux).  [Variation 5.4 X climbs clean slap left of water streak]  Climb remaining slab to fixed anchor.

P1 - 200ft - Follow the crack straight up to a reasonable belay spot in a depression. There are two pitons that can be backed up with gear. The crux of the climb is likely the final 50ft of P1 (5.5-5.6). Great protection.P2 - 150ft - Continue to follow the crack system straight up. (5.5G) Once again, great protection. This pitch ends below a roof, just to climbers left of the weakness in the roof. Avoid placing gear in the hollow flakes--get higher and there's bomber gear in the roof.P3 - 180ft - Climb up and right through the weakness in the roof. Perhaps the second crux (5.5-5.6G). Continue to climb up in the crack system that turns more into a dike and belay from a bolted belay station.DESCENT - Rap 3 times with 2 60M ropes. There are now bolted rappel stations below, but be aware that you're rapping down a bolted sport climb (Little Finger Direct). The first and third rappels are long, the middle rappel is short.

I continue above this pitch by linking into Little Finger, then climbing through LF's direct finish overhang, yielding an excellent 3 pitch 5.7 PG route. 

Bill Route itself is an excellent intro to the friction climbing on Roger's Rock. The pro is abundant compared to many of the routes, yet spaced apart enough to give initiates the heeby-geebies on their first go. The museum-grade 1/4" rivet just below the belay anchors is an amusing(??) reminder of "how it was done" back in the day.   Once you've deciphered the initial moves, spider-crawl up the slab following a drunken line of bolts to a two-bolt belay.   A second pitch has been added, though I'm not sure where it goes. Note that the rock pillar lying on the slab above the anchors is part of Little Finger Direct which is 5.8X.

History: For some time the route known as "Bill's Route" ("4 bolts on a face to the right of Little Finger") has been mistaken for Little Finger Direct ["LFD"] , even though route descriptions for LFD clearly state that the climb starts only 10-15 ft right of base of Little Finger. (See COMMENT below from the leader of the FA.) The issue, I guess, is that protection is non-existent for well over 100 ft.

 Indeed, I can't say that I led this climb...5.7+ X is "a bit above my pay grade", but did climb it about 10-12 years ago by rigging a 2-rope top rope from one of the anchors on Little Finger and then using a directional off (I think) a wire stopper in one of the thin cracks about 140-160 ft up. The climbing moves are superb and if the occasion presents itself (i.e. you're not "hogging" the anchor on LF) this is a reasonable way to do this "very 'X' route"

 I spoke with Jim Kolcotronis (of the FA party of Little Finger itself) the weekend after the FA of Little Finger and the description he gave me at that time was that the 5.7 3rd pitch crack was the route of FA, and thus the 5.5 "exit to the right" was added later. (by whom ?)

START: about 10-15 ft right of little finger, on sort of a "mini butress" about 20(?) feet high.

 Tom Rosecrans continues: ...climb[ed] the face about 10' right of Little Finger, unprotected except for a poor upside down pin at about half height, belaying in the left facing corner just right of LF. Here the idea of a totally separate line failed and it was back to LF to just below the roof with P-3 taking the classic finger crack above. 

 P1- Climb the unprotected face 10 ft right of Little Finger. 5.7 to 5.7+ X 

 P2- Continue up reaching thin cracks that take small wires (or pitons !) but when the climbing thins out, work left to the belay below the base of the P3 5.7 crack.

 P3- Climb over the small overhang, then up the fine crack (this is the normal P3 of the "Direct variation" to LF.)   Belay on a sloping slab with a fine crack that accepts small TCUs and/or little-finger-sized-wire-nuts.

 DESCENT- The best descent is to climb up 20-25 ft and slightly left (piton in a 2-3 ft high right-facing flake) then traverse 50-70 ft to the double bolt anchor on Screaming Meanie and rap that route with 2 ropes.

 It is also possible to move right and rap the gully to the right, but there is lose rock there.

Rogers Rock is a 700' Slab that rises right out of Lake George.  You don't need to go to Thailand, Summersville Lake or Arcadia to get on some cool routes rising out of the water... and unlike those other places - these are all 3 pitch climbs! 

  The climbs must be approached by boat, unless you want a miserable 4 hour bushwack to start your day, which adds a real sense of adventure to the day. 

  Climbs vary in difficulty from 5.6 to 5.9 (or harder?) 

  The face gets A LOT of sun in the summer time - wear some heavy SPF if you plan on workin' that back tan of yours.

Description

Protection

Routes in Rogers Slide