Charging into the unknown is one of the most exciting aspects of climbing. On mixed routes this means not knowing when you’ll get rock protection, if the cracks will be iced up, and how thick the ice will be when you get to it. There’s a cadre of climbers in every community that are more excited for these experiences than they are for repeatedly climbing the same old trade routes.

Rob Mecus, a local Hudson Valley climber, is one of those people. Every time I hear from him he’s asking if I’ve done this or that route and invariably most of the time the routes he’s asking about are intricate, seldom climbed lines. He’s not afraid to push it above gear and likes going into the “unknown” on climbs.

I was out yesterday with Rob and we were able to climb a few mixed lines on the east side of Stony Clove. Here are some pictures of Rob on a stellar short mixed route about midway along the cliff. The rock corner sports moderate and secure mixed climbing. The pictures are of the crux, gaining the hanging curtain above the rock.