Gunks Temporary Hazard Report, 8/29/2020

Here’s the latest report of temporary hazards at the Gunks – like wasps nests and snake spottings. The list is in alphabetical order by crag, with the newest additions to the list in red font.

Hoping that these warnings can help you decide which climbs you may want to avoid for a bit. Thanks to everyone who submitted reports!

Trapps

1. Trapps: Andrew – Wasps/Hornets – 8/8/2020
   • Super chill wasp nest at end of 2nd pitch traverse (before optional 3rd belay) at first large dislocated block with really chalked bottom hold along right side crack. As long as you don’t grab the top of the crack you’ll be fine. Rested for 5 minutes before I saw them.
2. Trapps: Ant’s Line – Snake – 8/12/2020
   • Small copperhead coiled up in a slot below roof crux (second fixed nut)
3. Trapps: Arch – Wasps/ Hornets – 7/29/2020
   • P1 moving up from early ledge traverse, nest is behind large inviting flake. Stay left on bulge to avoid.
4. Trapps: Beginners Delight – Wasps/Hornets – 2 reports
   • 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. (7/19)
   • There are one or two wasp nests on the second half of the traverse on pitch 2. (7/27)
5. Trapps: Casa Emillio – Snake – 7/4/2020
   • Copperhead top of pitch one
6. Trapps: CCK – Snake – 3 reports
   • Copperhead in the approach stairs just before the base of the climb. (7/11)
   • Copperhead seen at very top of CCK trail (7/12)
   • Base of CCK. Small baby copperhead that was hanging out at the base and traveled down the approach ramp. (7/25)
7. Trapps: City Lights – Snake – 2 reports
   • Copperhead 1/2 up access trail. Didn’t see it but group 20 seconds before us said they scared it off. (7/25)
   • Copperhead about 3/4s of the way up access trail. (8/9 – I guess it moved up!)
8. Trapps: Classic – Snake – 7/25/2020
   • Copper head at the start (on the ground, not up on the ledge where the climb starts)
9. 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.
10. Trapps: Hawk – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
    • Nest at the P1 belay
11. Trapps: High Exposure – Wasps/Hornets – 8/21/2020
    • One of the starting holds of the third pitch has a nest inside
12. Trapps: Madame G’s – Wasps/Hornets – 2 reports
    • 8/22/2020 Reported that the nest was no longer active/knocked down 
    • On the 2nd pitch, went right to avoid them, party before us got stung (7/11)
    • Large wasp/hornet nest located at the end of pitch 2, just as the route traverses right. (8/8)
13. Trapps: Middle Earth Approach Trail – 6/28/2020
    • Copperhead on Middle Earth approach trail, on stone steps, halfway up
14. Trapps: Minty – Wasps/Hornets – 8/22/2020
    • Wasps. Pitch 3, just past the overhang/dihedral in a crack that’s perfect for medium stoppers.
15. Trapps: Northern Pillar – Wasps/Hornets – 2 reports
    • Pitch 1 – still there, not easy to see nest. Got stung a bunch of times. (7/25)
    • Hornet’s nest on 2nd pitch, behind a jug, next to piton (7/18)
16. Trapps: Red Cabbage – Wasps/Hornets – 2 reports
    • To the bottom and left of the start of pitch one–shaded area on top of the boulder. Ground nest in the rocks.  (7/26)
    • Ground wasp nest next to steps at base of Red Cabbage. (7/31)
17. Trapps: Red Pillar – Snake – 7/12/2020
    • Snake before the roof
18. Trapps: Sixish – Wasps/Hornets – 2 reports
    • 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)
19. Trapps: Stairmaster – Snake – 8/6/2020
    • Copperhead towards top, possibly denning in the stairmaster
20. Trapps: Wisecrack – Wasps/Hornets – 7/26/2020
    • To the bottom and left of the start of pitch one–shaded area on top of the boulder. ground nest in the rocks

Near Trapps

1. Near Trapps: Birdland – Snake – 8/23/2020
   • Baby copperhead, P1, in the pod/vertical seam at the start of the traverse to the pin.
2. Near Trapps: before King of P – Snake – 8/15/2020
   • Copperhead snake before the 5.3 climb “King of P” on the slab of the approach trail headed towards it. Maybe 300 ft away from the start of the climb. But it’s the only big slab so that shall indicate it’s location. You can walk behind the slab and I’d advise that.
3. Near Trapps: Tulip Garden – Wasps/Hornets – 7/25/2020
   • Active Nest under a flake about halfway up. Picture posted to Gunks Climbing Partners forum on Facebook
4. Near Trapps: Yum Yum Yab Yum – Wasps/Hornets – 8/11/2020
   • Start of P3, nest is underneath a block 12′ above belay ledge. It’s easy to avoid: start up the blocks to the right of the pine tree, rather than directly up from the ledge.

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 a Google Spreadsheet here: https://bit.ly/gunkshazardsheet.

Have fun and be safe out there!

Copperhead spotted in August 2020 near King of P in the Near Trapps. (photo: Jordan Shapiro)