Gunks Temporary Hazard Report, 7/25/2020 p.m.

Version 2 – Updated, 7/25/2020, 10:05pm

Here’s the latest report of temporary hazards at the Gunks – like wasps nests and snake spottings. We all already know about the constant threat from ticks, chiggers, and other biting insects, as well as people throwing their rap ropes down on you instead of waiting or lowering them. Hoping that these warnings can help you decide which climbs you may want to avoid for a bit. Thanks to everyone who submitted reports!

1. Trapps: City Lights – Snake – 7/25/2020
   • Copperhead 1/2 up access trail. Didn’t see it but group 20 seconds before us said they scared it off.
2. Trapps: Classic – Snake – 7/25/2020
   • Copper head at the start (on the ground, not up on the ledge where the climb starts)
3. Trapps: Hawk – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
   • Nest at the P1 belay
4. Trapps: Northern Pillar – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
   • Pitch 1 – still there, not easy to see nest. Got stung a bunch of times.
5. Trapps: Double Crack – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
   • Wasp nest about 3/4 of the way up above a BD .75 horizontal crack and blueberry bush. I usually start going a bit right at this point so it’s easy to avoid.
6. Near Trapps: Tulip Garden – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
   • Active Nest under a flake about halfway up. Picture will be posted to Gunks Climbing Partners forum on Facebook
7. Trapps: Sixish – Wasps/Hornets – 7/16/2020 and 7/24/2020
   • There was a wasp nest inside a crack on the second pitch. They are not aggressive and you climb around it but look before putting you hand in. There is vertical crack about 3/4 of the way up the 2nd pitch that is divided by a grass plug. It is in the top part. (7/16)
   • Middle of p2 finger crack, small wasp nest (7/24)
8. Trapps: Northern Pillar – Wasps/Hornets – 7/18/2020
   • Hornet’s nest on 2nd pitch, behind a jug, next to piton
9. Trapps: Beginners Delight – Wasps/Hornets – 7/19/2020
   • Top of pitch 2 at the far left of the traverse almost to the right facing corner and below a sapling there is a jug on a flake that has a small hornets nest behind it.
10. Trapps: Madame G’s – Wasps/Hornets – 7/11/2020
    • On the 2nd pitch, went right to avoid them, party before us got stung
11. Trapps: CCK – Snake – 7/11 and 7/12/2020 (2 reports)
    • Copperhead in the approach stairs just before the base of the climb.
    • Copperhead seen at very top of CCK trail
12. Trapps: Middle Earth Approach Trail – 6/28/2020
    • Copperhead on Middle Earth approach trail, on stone steps, halfway up
13. Trapps: Casa Emillio – Snake – 7/4/2020
    • Copperhead top of pitch one
14. Trapps: Red Pillar – Snake – 7/12/2020
    • Snake before the roof

If you have a hazard to report, please use the form here: https://bit.ly/gunkshazardform.

This is a public service for the Gunks climbing community. Please do not spam it with jokes and bogus entries, those of us monitoring this have better things to do than delete multiple bogus comments a day. If there is too much abuse, we’ll have to shut it down.

Want to see the entries that have been posted recently? See the responses in https://bit.ly/gunkshazardsheet.

Have fun and be safe out there!

Copperhead found along the Near Trapps trail near Gelsa a few years ago.