Misplaced Pages

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89-691: It is roughly bounded on the north by NY 3 , the old Haybridge Road, which runs from Cold Brook to Averyville, the Adirondak Loj property at Heart Lake , the Mount Van Hoevenberg area and NY 73 near the Cascade Lakes . Private land to the west of Route 73 forms the eastern boundary. The southern boundary is formed by privately owned lands, including the Ausable Club , Finch, Pruyn and Company , National Lead Company and

178-609: A leash at all times. As of 2005, the DEC has regulated that all overnight campers must carry a bear canister for their food. Also a permit is required for camping on the shorelines of the Essex Chain of Lakes. Furthermore, no fires are allowed in the Eastern High Peaks region. Road access is possible from all sides of the wilderness area. It is possible to reach the western portion by canoe or kayak from Long Lake and

267-468: A broad range of climbing routes . A common type of ice route is a frozen waterfall, particularly one that cascades down a mountain face or a down-mountain gully. Ice climbing routes can also take the form of high alpine snow-covered couloirs that are permanently frozen year-round. Giant icicles (also known as ice-daggers) have also been climbed as ice routes, and also as part of mixed routes; although such icicles can often dangerously break off and have been

356-540: A curved serrated pick called the "Climax". This was followed in 1970, when Hamish MacInnes designed the all-metal aluminum alloy ice axe that had a radically dropped pick called the "Terrordactyl" (or Terror). These two ice axes revolutionized ice climbing and eventually became merged into the modern all-metal ice axe (later the ice tool) with its dropped pick but curved and serrated tip (the now familiar "banana shape"). Chouinard and McInnes' ice axes would lead to an explosion of interest in climbing on frozen waterfalls in

445-543: A mix of open terrain and dispersed residences, and compact settlements containing concentrations of houses and businesses. NY 3 is classified mainly as a minor arterial road, the major exception being the section that is concurrent with NY 812, which is a principal arterial road. Most of the route is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation . Exceptions are in the cities of Watertown and Plattsburgh , where at least part of

534-517: A result, NY 31 was shifted southward onto the alignment of NY 3 from Niagara Falls to Rochester while NY 3 was realigned south of Watertown to follow the routing of NY 3D to a new terminus in Sterling . Every spur route of NY 3 was eliminated at this time except for NY 3G . The alignments of NY 3 and NY 3G between Deferiet and Wilna were flipped c.  1938 . At some point between 1935 and 1938, NY 3

623-410: A short piece of US 11 northbound through downtown to Public Square , where NY 3 meets northbound NY 12. US 11 northbound leaves NY 3 here while the overlap between NY 3 and NY 12 continues eastward through Watertown. The concurrency ends near the eastern fringe of the city, where NY 3 leaves NY 12 and becomes state-maintained once more as it departs the city to

712-455: A source of several ice climber fatalities. Ice climbing routes normally don't move beyond the sheer vertical for sustained distances due to the nature of ice (i.e. ice rarely stays in an overhanging fashion for any length of time). This means that standard ice-climbing grades broadly peak at WI6-7 (i.e. WI7 being completely sheer vertical ice and with additional risk issues). In contrast, extreme mixed-climbing routes have been developed beyond

801-548: Is a climbing discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of frozen water. To ascend, the ice climber uses specialist equipment, particularly double ice axes (or the more modern ice tools ) and rigid crampons . To protect the route, the ice climber uses steel ice screws that require skill to employ safely and rely on the ice holding firm in any fall. Ice climbing routes can vary significantly by type, and include seasonally frozen waterfalls, high permanently frozen alpine couloirs , and large hanging icicles . From

890-420: Is a core part of ice climbing. Ice climbing can also be done as Solo climbing , which is an even riskier undertaking, or done as top roping which is a much safer form of ice climbing and the format used for novices being introduced to the sport. Ice climbing was developed as part of the broader climbing discipline of alpine climbing , where it is still a key component of the alpinist's skill set. Where

979-504: Is called dry-tooling ). Since 2002, the UIAA have regulated competition ice climbing , which is offered in a lead climbing format on an artificial bolted wall that employs dry-tooling techniques (e.g. stein pulls and figure-four moves ), and in a speed climbing format that uses a standardized wall of real ice. Since 2010, ice climbers at Helmcken Falls in Canada have been able to use

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1068-684: Is considered by many to be the most scenic and rugged trail in the state. This trail traverses eight of the mountain peaks in this area that exceed 4,000 feet (1,219 m) in elevation. The western portions of the area receive substantially less public use than the Mount Marcy region. Wanika Falls , Indian Falls , Indian Pass , the Duck Hole , Avalanche Pass , and Panther Gorge , are also popular hiking destinations. The area contains many cliffs that are popular for rock climbing , including Cascade Lakes , Wallface Mountain , and Avalanche Pass. In

1157-494: Is done as mixed climbing (i.e. there are both ice and bare rock sections), a separate M-grading grading system is used, which goes from M1, M2, M3, ..... , M13, M14, etc. When ice climbing is done as dry-tooling , which is ice climbing on bare rock, the M-grade is replaced by a "D" prefix to denote a pure 'dry-tooling' route, however, the systems are otherwise identical. The following ice climbs are particularly notable in

1246-479: Is enough rock for the bolts) that are graded above WI7 (currently at WI13, as at 2023) in Helmcken. For decades, ice and mixed climbing were part of the alpine climbing skill set. During the 1960s, ambitious early ice climbers began to use pitons to climb harder ice routes but this was dangerous and very unstable. The breakthrough came in the 1960s when Yvon Chouinard designed a new wooden-handled ice axe with

1335-439: Is ensuring that the heels are neither elevated — as often required in rock climbing — or held too low; both scenarios which can result in the front teeth of the crampon shearing off from the ice and the climber losing their foothold(s). In moving upwards, ice climbers start from a balanced position with both feet exactly level, shoulder-width apart, and front-pointed into the ice, with the knees slightly bent forward and touching

1424-650: Is now NY 370 and NY 104A through Red Creek, Fair Haven , and Sterling to western Oswego County . At Southwest Oswego, NY 3 joined the routing of modern NY 104 through Oswego and Mexico to Maple View . Between Maple View and Watertown , NY 3 overlapped NY 2 along what is now US 11 . Past Watertown, NY 3 was routed along today's NY 12F and NY 180 to Limerick, where it continued north to Clayton by way of modern NY 12E . East of Clayton, it followed modern NY 12 , NY 26 and CR 192 through Alexandria Bay to Redwood . From there, it utilized

1513-467: Is now NY 404 around the southern extent of Irondequoit Bay to Webster . NY 3 was realigned by 1930 to stay on East Avenue to Winton Road near the eastern edge of the city. Here, the route turned north, following Winton Road through eastern Rochester to Irondequoit, where it rejoined its previous routing at Empire Boulevard. Past Webster, NY 3 followed Ridge Road through Wayne County to Red Creek , where it continued northeast on what

1602-456: Is now NY 9N and US 9 . In the late 1920s, NY 3 was rerouted near Malone to follow modern NY 37 into the village, largely eliminating the overlap with US 11. Additionally, NY 3 was truncated to Jay on its eastern end. The former alignment to Plattsburgh became part of NY 9W from Jay to Keeseville and US 9 from Keeseville to Plattsburgh. A more substantial realignment of NY 3 took place as part of

1691-583: Is now the intersection of Lyell Avenue and Broad Street. Here, NY 3 broke from modern NY 31 and continued east on Lyell Avenue to State Street. NY 3 then followed State Street, Main Street, and East Avenue (modern NY 96 ) through downtown before turning north onto Culver Road in the eastern portion of the city. The route remained on Culver Road to Empire Boulevard, where it turned east toward Irondequoit . Once in Irondequoit, it followed what

1780-609: Is possible to access the Preston Ponds and Duck Hole by a long carry from Henderson Lake. Heavy use at the end of the 20th century led New York's Department of Environmental Conservation , which manages the area, to adopt the tightest rules and regulations for any of its properties in the Forest Preserve. Administratively, the area is subdivided into an eastern and western zone. In the more frequented former, backpackers are limited in group size. Dogs must be kept on

1869-409: Is the most popular destination in the park. In the summer, the area offers numerous opportunities day hiking , backpacking , and rock climbing . The area also offers some opportunities for canoeing . In the winter, the area provides for ice climbing , skiing , snowshoeing , and mountaineering . Hikers and mountaineers probably outnumber all other groups. Ski touring and snowshoeing throughout

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1958-608: The 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York . NY 3 now began concurrent with NY 31A at then- NY 18 (now NY 104) in Niagara Falls . The routes proceeded eastward along modern NY 31 to Sanborn , where NY 31A turned north to follow what is now NY 429 back to then-NY 31. NY 3 continued on current NY 31 for another two miles to Shawnee, where it met its original alignment to North Tonawanda, which became part of NY 425 in

2047-414: The 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York ; it was truncated to Sterling on its western end and rerouted to follow its current alignment from Sterling to Watertown roughly five years later. Since 1924, there have been 14 suffixed routes of NY 3, all designated between NY 3A and NY 3G. Of these, all but one only existed during the 1930s. The only active designation is NY 3A, which

2136-693: The Adirondack Mountain Reserve and Dix Mountain Wilderness Area , offering opportunities for extended backcountry outings. The 138-mile (222 km) Northville-Placid Trail crosses the High Peaks Wilderness Area from its southeastern corner at Long Lake to Lake Placid . The range trail, which traverses a series of mountain summits known as the Great Range from Mount Marcy to Keene Valley ,

2225-806: The Adirondack Northway ( I-87 ). Past I-87, NY 3 follows Cornelia Street into the city, where it becomes city-maintained. Within Plattsburgh, NY 3 intersects NY 22 before terminating at US 9 just west of Lake Champlain . NY 3 originally followed a vastly different alignment than it does today. In 1924, it was assigned to the New York portion of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway , an auto trail that extended from Portland, Maine , to Portland, Oregon . In New York, it connected North Tonawanda (near Niagara Falls ) in

2314-525: The Cayuga County line and NY 104 was transferred from Oswego County to the state of New York . One year later, on April 1, 1981, the state assumed ownership and maintenance of the Cayuga County portion from that county. Both transactions were part of larger highway maintenance swaps between the state and the two counties. NY 3 was reextended westward to NY 104A following

2403-634: The Cayuga County town of Sterling and its eastern terminus at a junction with U.S. Route 9 (US 9) in the Clinton County city of Plattsburgh . NY 3 traverses eight counties and is a lakeside roadway from Mexico to Sackets Harbor , a mountainous route in Adirondack Park , and an urban arterial in Fulton , Watertown , and Plattsburgh . In 1924, the segment of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway within New York

2492-872: The Cold River . High Peaks Wilderness Complex at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Route 3 New York State Route 3 ( NY 3 ) is a major east–west state highway in New York , in the United States, that connects central New York to the North Country region near the Canada–US border via Adirondack Park . The route extends for 245.88 miles (395.71 km) between its western terminus at an intersection with NY 104A in

2581-695: The Selkirk Shores State Park west of Pulaski , NY 3 intersects NY 13 adjacent to the mouth of the Salmon River . After crossing the Salmon River, NY 3 passes the Sandy Island Beach State Park before entering Jefferson County . At the county line, NY 3 becomes signed as an east–west highway once again. The route continues northward toward Ellisburg where it meets NY 193 at

2670-682: The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry 's Huntington Wildlife Forest . This wilderness is bounded on the west by Long Lake and the Raquette River . There is one significant inholding: the Johns Brook Lodge , a backcountry cabin and surrounding campsites operated by the Adirondack Mountain Club , 3.5 miles (5.6 km) along the eponymous trail and brook from

2759-469: The lead climber inserts climbing protection into the route as they ascend. The second climber (or belayer ), removes this temporary climbing protection as they climb the route after the lead climber has reached the top. In contrast to free rock climbing, the climbing protection used when leading ice climbing routes is based on the use of specialized steel ice screws . Ice screws require considerable experience to use properly and safely, and given that

High Peaks Wilderness Area - Misplaced Pages Continue

2848-495: The " R/X " suffix is used for danger. The WI-grade is for "hard ice"; steep snow slopes, which are encountered frequently on alpine climbing routes, are not explicitly graded but instead, their steepest angle (approximate figure or a range) is quoted (e.g. 60–70 degree slope). WI-grade is for "seasonal" hard ice; an AI prefix is used instead for "alpine ice", which is year-round and usually firmer, more stable, making AI-grade routes slightly easier than WI routes. In Canada,

2937-560: The 1930s. The only active designation is NY 3A, which is currently assigned to an alternate route of NY 3 in Jefferson County . At least four suffixed routes of NY 3 were created as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York . Two more were assigned by the following year. All of these were renumbered c.  1932 . All the routes below except for the current NY 3A were assigned c.  1932 . Ice climbing Ice climbing

3026-518: The 1970s, ice climbing developed as a standalone skill from alpine climbing (where ice climbing skills are used on ice and snow). Ice climbing grades peak at WI6 to WI7 as ice tends to hang vertically at its most severe. WI7 is very rare and usually attributed to overhanging ice with serious risk issues (i.e. unstable ice, little protection, and a risk of death). Mixed climbing has pushed the technical difficulty of ice climbing routes by crossing bare rock overhangs and roofs (using ice tools on bare rock

3115-627: The Canadian Rockies blurred the distinction between waterfall ice and alpine climbing; the Moonflower Buttress (WI6 M7 A2, 1983) in the Alaska Range applied the highest levels of ice climbing skill to a major alpine first ascent; and the list goes on. Waterfall ice climbing, though initially pursued for its own sake, ended up revolutionizing alpine climbing". By the end of the 1980s, ice climbers had effectively reached

3204-500: The IWC speed-climbing routes are on a standardized 40–50 ft (12–15 m) wall of ice that takes seconds for top roped ice climbers to complete (as per speed rock climbing). Over the years, the UIAA has increased the regulation and use around competition ice climbing equipment, including the prohibition of leashes on ice tools (so they cannot be used as aid), and increased controls on

3293-622: The North American Rockies and in the European Alps. Ice climber and climbing author Raphael Slawinski wrote in the American Alpine Journal : "By the early 1980s ice climbing, from being merely one of the techniques in the alpinist's arsenal, had evolved into a full-blown technical art. The skills gained on waterfalls also gave rise to a whole new generation of alpine climbs. Slipstream (WI4+, 1979) in

3382-526: The Raquette and Saranac Rivers) to the highest point in New York State at the top of Mount Marcy . Although there is a considerable variety of topography, it is predominantly high mountain country. Like the topography, the forest cover also varies from pole-size hardwoods to mature, large diameter hardwood and softwood stands to the spruce-fir of the subalpine region. Forest fires near the turn of

3471-414: The UIAA runs two main competition ice climbing events, the annual Ice Climbing World Cup (which is run as a series of events in the year) and the bi-annual Ice Climbing World Championships (a single, once-off, competition). Most of the IWC lead climbing routes are held on bolted dry artificial surfaces and thus employ dry-tooling techniques (e.g. stein pulls and figure-four moves ). In contrast,

3560-630: The WI prefix is sometimes dropped from the grade, and for longer multi-pitch ice routes, a " commitment grade " (a Roman numeral from I to VII) is also added to reflect the seriousness of the overall undertaking (e.g. the grade of a Canadian ice route can appear as III-5) The following WI-grades and descriptions are provided by the American Alpine Club (republished in 2013) who note: "Ice climbing ratings are highly variable by region and are still evolving. ... The following descriptions approximate

3649-416: The area, particularly the northeast sector, have been on the increase in recent years. Winter mountaineering and winter camping continue to be highly popular. In addition to hundreds of miles of maintained trails, the area features a number of unmaintained trails, particularly to the summits of high peaks . Hikers may also scramble up the many landslides in the area. Several maintained trails connect with

High Peaks Wilderness Area - Misplaced Pages Continue

3738-402: The average systems:": Additional comment is from Will Gadd . In 2010, ice climbers Tim Emmett and Will Gadd began to put up ice routes at Helmcken Falls in Canada that had unique characteristics. Unlike WI7 ice routes that rarely overhang, these routes were significantly overhanging like extreme M-graded routes. This was due to the intense spray from the active waterfall, which covered

3827-573: The century were intense enough in some locations, such as the Cascade Range, to destroy both vegetation and topsoil, leaving bare rock which will require many more years for enough soil to develop to support a forest cover. However, the greater part of this area is predominantly forested with mixed hardwoods and softwoods. The higher elevations at and near most mountain tops have thick stands of stunted balsam with some spruce, white birch and yellow birch. The tops of Mount Marcy and Algonquin are above

3916-465: The city and mostly followed that route's modern alignment across western New York to the city of Rochester . The most significant exception to this was between Lockport and Gasport , where NY 3 veered south by way of modern NY 77 and County Route 10 (CR 10) to serve the hamlet of McNalls. Within Rochester, NY 3 remained on the current alignment of NY 31 to what

4005-502: The city of Watertown, NY 3 intersects NY 180 southwest of the Watertown International Airport before connecting to I-81 by way of an interchange at the city line. NY 3 heads east into Watertown, intersecting with both US 11 and NY 12 at Massey Street. At this point, maintenance of NY 3 shifts from the state to the city of Watertown. The route overlaps NY 12 southbound and

4094-685: The current alignment of NY 37 up through Ogdensburg (by way of Main and Ford Streets in the city) before continuing to Waddington on Van Rensselaer Road. NY 3 went east from here along a now-dismantled riverside highway and Town Line Road to Massena , where it was routed on modern NY 37B . East of Massena, NY 3 followed a series of local roads that parallel the modern divided highway section of NY 37 to Rooseveltown , at which point it rejoined current NY 37. The highway remained on today's NY 37 up to CR 51 northwest of Malone , where NY 3 continued south on CR 51 to modern US 11 (then NY 2) west of

4183-404: The difficulty in construction, the common use of V-threads is as anchor points for abseiling or belaying , and not for lead climbing. The core techniques that are used in ice climbing are considered to be straightforward for even a novice to understand, however, it takes experience and skill to apply them efficiently and safely. This is particularly relevant on very steep ice (i.e. at or above

4272-508: The entrance to Southwick Beach State Park northwest of the community. Past NY 193, NY 3 passes the lakeside at Westcott Beach State Park prior to entering the vicinity of Sackets Harbor . The route bypasses both Sackets Harbor and the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site to the east before separating from Lake Ontario and proceeding eastward toward Watertown . West of

4361-482: The equivalent M8-grade (i.e. crossing bare overhanging rock roofs to get to the vertical hanging icicle, such as Jeff Lowe 's groundbreaking Octopussy WI6 M8 in Vail, Colorado ). In Helmcken Falls in Canada, an unusual situation arises where a perennially active waterfall keeps severely overhanging rock faces covered in thick ice, thus creating overhanging ice routes. Ice climbers have established bolted routes (there

4450-407: The grade of WI4) where inefficient technique will quickly drain the climber's energy, resulting in a potential break of the "golden rule of ice climbing", which is "don't fall". Modern ice climbing is built around the technique of front pointing , which means kicking the front spike(s) of the climber's crampon into the ice to enable the climber to ascend the face. A critical part of front-pointing

4539-448: The higher axe — will bring their feet up into a "squat position" until they are again level. Once the feet are secured and front-pointed into the ice, the climber will stand up straight and will start to swing with the other axe to reach the next position of maximum extension above their body. The technique has been described as "squat-stand-swing". Ice climbing uses a WI (for "water ice") grading system. WI-grades broadly equate to

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4628-468: The ice climbing route does not fully consist of ice and has elements of bare rock, it is known as mixed climbing . Where the route has no ice whatsoever, but the climber still uses the ice tools and crampons, it is known as dry-tooling . Because mixed climbing and dry-tooling routes can be fully bolted , like sport climbing rock climbing routes, they have become popular as safer alternatives to traditional ice climbing routes. Ice climbing can take on

4717-508: The ice climbing world around whether Helmcken-WI routes are M-grade climbs. In 2023, British ice climber Neil Gresham said that Helmcken routes are "definitely harder" than WI7 routes and that a confident M-climber will take time to adjust to the Helmcken WI-equivalent. Emmett has described Helmcken as the ice climbing equivalent of Yosemite , and it has attracted some of the world's best ice climbers. When ice climbing

4806-403: The ice. The ice axes (or ice tools) are rarely held at the same level — which can result in a very inefficient and energy-sapping "chicken wing" action — and thus there will usually be a higher axe placed at close to maximum extension above the climber and a second one placed below it (see photo opposite). Once the higher axe has been secured into the ice, the climber — resting their weight on

4895-525: The key tool for protection is the ice screw , a hollow metal threaded steel tube with cutting teeth on its base and a hanger eye on the opposite end. It is screwed into the ice and its stability is dependent both on the angle and quality of its placement and the soundness of the ice. Some ice climbs, such as in Helmcken Falls (see below), and mixed and dry-tooling routes, have enough rock to enable them to be bolted like sport climbs , avoiding

4984-401: The limits of what could be climbed at grade WI6-7; ultimately, the inherent tendency of the medium to hang in a vertical fashion limited the possibilities for development. It was mixed climbing that began to drive development in ice climbing as pioneers like Jeff Lowe dry-tooled bare rock overhangs and roofs to get to more radical ice features, such as hanging icicles; the culmination of which

5073-505: The mixed climbing M-grades from WI1 up to WI6, but after M6, mixed climbs become overhanging, which ice does not. WI-grades try to take some account of the difficulty of placing protection on the route but, as with M-grades, are more focused on the technical and physical challenge of the route, and are thus more akin to the French and US sport climbing grades, although as with the US system,

5162-610: The mountain slopes, providing numerous scenic waterfalls, deep pools and brook trout fishing opportunities. Such streams as the Opalescent River , Johns Brook , Klondike Brook , Marcy Brook , Cold River and Moose Creek are frequently photographed. Lake Tear of the Clouds , often considered the source of the Hudson River , lies at about 4,300 feet (1,311 m) elevation on a flank of Mount Marcy . This wilderness area

5251-494: The need for screws. As well as ice screws, the ice itself can be used for protection, with the most common technique being the Abalakov thread (or V-thread/A-thread). This consists of two intersecting tunnels bored into the ice using ice screws that form a V-shaped tunnel. A sling is threaded through this tunnel and tied into a loop. The climbing rope is passed through this sling, which remains left behind after use. Because of

5340-426: The next decade, grades were proposed up to WI13 with Mission to Mars in 2020. Emmett and Gadd consider Helmcken to be a potential Yosemite of ice climbing. The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has organized and regulated the sport of competition ice climbing since 2002 when the very first "Ice World Cup" (IWC) competition took place under the new UIAA rules and codes. Amongst others,

5429-692: The northeast. In Black River , northeast of Watertown, NY 3 intersects NY 342 at the southwestern tip of the Fort Drum Military Reservation . NY 3 follows the southern edge of the base to Deferiet , where NY 3 turns south to follow the Black River while NY 3A continues along the border of Fort Drum. NY 3 follows the river to Carthage , where it overlaps NY 126 briefly before heading northeast to rejoin NY ;3A at Fargo . NY 3 forms

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5518-439: The northwest between Harrisville and Pitcairn . Shortly after departing NY 812, NY 3 enters Adirondack Park . The route follows a largely east–west routing from its entry point to Tupper Lake , where it merges with NY 30 . Near Upper Saranac Lake , NY 30 heads north toward Malone as NY 3 continues northeast through nearby Saranac Lake toward Plattsburgh . West of Plattsburgh, NY 3 exits

5607-641: The overhanging routes in ice so that there was little dry-tooling , with all the movements on hard ice. As the routes were bolted like M-grade climbs (a metal detector is used to find the bolts), Emmett and Gadd re-established the link with M-grades as a guide on the WI-grade. The result was a series of new routes that laid claim to being the new "world's technically hardest ice climbing routes", starting with Spray On at WI10 in 2010, Wolverine at WI11 in 2011, Interstellar Spice at WI12 in 2016, and Mission to Mars at WI13 in 2020. There has been debate in

5696-413: The park and encounters NY 374 via an interchange. Past the exit, the two routes follow parallel routings before separating outside of Plattsburgh. NY 3 curves to the southeast toward the former Clinton County Airport , where it meets NY 22B just west of what was once the main entrance to the airport. From NY 22B, NY 3 continues east to the outskirts of Plattsburgh, where it meets

5785-420: The popular "Garden" parking area and access point near Keene Valley . The area includes 112 bodies of water on 1,392 acres (5.6 km), 238.4 miles (383.5 km) of foot trails , 52.3 miles (84.1 km) of horse trails, and 84 lean-tos . The area contains 42 of the 46 Adirondack High Peaks , including the tallest, Mount Marcy . The topography ranges from small areas of low-lying swampland (e.g., along

5874-409: The renumbering. At this point, NY 3 rejoined its previous alignment, overlapping NY 425 up to Cambria–Wilson Road, where that route split off and continued to the north. NY 3 was realigned in two locations between Lockport and Rochester. One was just east of Lockport, where it was straightened out to go directly from Lockport to Gasport on modern NY 31, bypassing McNalls. The other

5963-650: The road is city-maintained. In Watertown, NY 3 is locally maintained from Massey Street (southbound US 11 junction) to the end of the NY 3/NY 12 overlap. The route is entirely city-maintained in Plattsburgh. NY 3 begins at an intersection with NY 104A in Sterling. NY 3 continues east to meet NY 104 in the center of Hannibal . From there, NY 3 progresses across Oswego County and passes Lake Neatahwanta prior to entering Fulton . Within Fulton, NY 3 intersects NY 48 on

6052-444: The routing of NY 3 was previously unnumbered, as was the routing from Watertown to Tupper Lake. At least four suffixed routes of NY 3 were created as part of the 1930 renumbering. The longest of the four initial routes was New York State Route 3C , an alternate route of NY 3 that generally followed NY 3's current alignment between Sterling and Watertown. Another was assigned c.  1931 when NY 3

6141-408: The second swap. From Sandy Creek to Henderson , NY 3C (later NY 3D) was routed on Weaver Road, CR 121 , NY 193 , CR 78 , NY 178 , and CR 123 . A new lakeside highway between Sandy Creek and the modern junction of NY 3 and NY 193 was opened to traffic c.  1932 as a realignment of NY 3D. An extension of the roadway north to Henderson

6230-689: The southern boundary of the base from NY 3A east to just west of the Jefferson- Lewis County line; however, near Natural Bridge , the Fort Drum boundary heads due north before becoming delimited by the Indian River . NY 3, meanwhile, traverses the river and enters Lewis County. Midway between Natural Bridge and Harrisville , NY 3 intersects NY 812 . NY 812 turns east onto NY 3, following NY 3 northeast into St. Lawrence County before splitting to

6319-481: The timberline and a number of other mountain tops are at or close to timberline. The subalpine and alpine vegetation on the tops of these mountains has been of interest to many people, including students of botany, ecology and zoology, as well as recreationists willing to hike to the mountain tops for superb views of the High Peaks region and close observation of unique plant associations. Many streams cascade from

6408-453: The underlying condition of the ice can change materially over time (including constantly breaking off), the seriousness of leading an ice climbing route is considered to be greater than that of a traditional rock climbing route. For example, while an intermediate ice climber could top rope a WI4-graded ice climbing route, leading WI4-graded route is a far more serious undertaking. In contrast to rock climbing, "the leader must not fall" ethos

6497-476: The unique characteristics of the waterfall to create new severely overhanging bolted ice climbing routes, that are graded up to WI13, and are the hardest technical ice climbs in the world. Ice climbing involves using specific pieces of specialized equipment, namely ice tools and crampons , to ascend routes consisting of frozen water ice, and/or frozen snow fields. As with rock climbing , ice climbing can be done as free climbing , and performed in pairs where

6586-446: The use of " heel spurs " while climbing (to counter their use for resting). Ice climbing uses items of equipment that are common in rock climbing such as ropes , harnesses and helmets , as well as mechanical devices such as belay devices . However, the nature of the medium means that ice climbers also use equipment that is specific to their type of climbing. Where ice climbing is done as lead climbing (i.e. not top roping ),

6675-429: The village. After briefly overlapping NY 2 (current US 11) into Malone, NY 3 turned south onto what is now NY 30 , following the route to Paul Smiths . Past Paul Smiths, NY 3 continued east along the length of modern NY 86 to Jay , overlapping then- NY 10 from Harrietstown to Saranac Lake in between. Lastly, from Jay to Plattsburgh, NY 3 overlapped then- NY 6 along what

6764-610: The west bank of the Oswego River before crossing the river and meeting NY 481 at the eastern bank. East of the city, NY 3 passes south of the Oswego County Airport as it heads to the northeast through Palermo. Upon intersecting NY 264 , NY 3 becomes signed as a north–south highway instead of as an east–west route. It proceeds north to the village of Mexico , where it meets NY 104 once again. NY 3 and NY 104 overlap briefly through

6853-457: The west to Plattsburgh in the east via Rochester and Watertown . NY 3 began at what is now the intersection of US 62 and NY 425 and followed modern NY 425 north through Cambria Station to Cambria Center, from where the highway continued to Lockport on Lower Mountain, Gothic Hill, and Upper Mountain Roads and modern NY 31 . It remained on current NY 31 through

6942-513: The western boundary of the Wilderness Area for 23 miles (37 km) along the eastern shores of Long Lake and the Raquette River ; this section of the Canoe Route forms a part of the HPWA. Although the generally steep terrain limits access to most water features within the HPWA, the Cascade Lakes , Henderson Lake , and the Cold River are popular destinations at the edge of the wilderness. It

7031-466: The western portion of the village before separating at the center of Mexico. While NY 104 heads east toward Williamstown , NY 3 heads north toward the hamlet of Texas . East of Texas, NY 3 meets NY 104B near the Lake Ontario shoreline. Past NY 104B, NY 3 parallels both Interstate 81 (I-81) and US 11 as it heads along the shore of Lake Ontario. Near

7120-453: The winter, Avalanche Pass and the trap dike on Mount Colden are popular destinations. Many trails are suitable for cross-country skiing and numerous rock slides offer backcountry opportunities for alpine and telemark skiing as well as snowboarding . Avalanches occur in this region, requiring winter visitors to take appropriate precautions. The Adirondack Canoe Route , which runs ninety miles from Old Forge to Saranac Lake , parallels

7209-462: Was Lowe's historic ascent of Octopussy (WI6, M8) in Vail in 1994, which lead to the birth of modern mixed climbing. It would not be until 2010 when Tim Emmett and Will Gadd began to put up ice routes at Helmcken Falls in Canada that ice climbing development would take a leap forward in technical development. Helmcken Fall's unique characteristics provided severely overhanging iced-routes, and in

7298-553: Was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering. Even though all of the former routing had a designation, it was also designated as NY 3A anyway. As a result, the designations of all of NY 3's spur routes were increased by one letter, meaning the existing NY 3A became NY 3B , NY 3C became New York State Route 3D , and so forth. US 104 was assigned c.  1935 , extending from Niagara Falls to Maple View mostly by way of then- NY 31 west of Rochester and NY 3 from Rochester to Maple View. As

7387-592: Was assigned in the 1950s to an alternate route of NY 3 in Jefferson County . A substantial portion of NY 3 travels east–west across northern New York and passes through the northern part of the Adirondack Mountain Range . Much of this section of the highway is named as part of the Olympic Trail Scenic Byway . The areas NY 3 passes through alternate between long stretches of rural area, consisting of

7476-424: Was between Middleport and Medina , where it was realigned to use modern NY 31E instead. NY 3's old alignment from Lockport to Gasport via McNalls became part of NY 77 west of McNalls and NY 359 north of the community. Its former routing between Middleport and Medina became NY 3A . The most significant realignment that occurred at this time was in the North Country , where NY 3

7565-586: Was completed by the following year. To the southwest in Oswego County, NY 3 was originally routed on modern CR 3 between Hannibal and Fulton and on Hannibal and Oneida Streets through the city of Fulton. The modern arterial through the city was constructed c.  1962 while the Hannibal–Fulton highway was built in the mid-1960s. NY 3 has had 14 suffixed routes over the years; however, all of them except for one only existed during

7654-605: Was designated NY 3. At that time, it spanned the full east–west length of the state, extending from the eastern bank of the Niagara River in North Tonawanda to the western edge of Lake Champlain in Plattsburgh; however, the routing through the North Country was significantly different at that time from its modern alignment. The route was moved onto its modern routing east of Watertown as part of

7743-455: Was rerouted between Deferiet and Wilna to bypass Carthage to the north on modern NY 3A. The portion of NY 3's former routing from Deferiet to Carthage became NY 3F. NY 3 was shifted southward onto modern NY 31 between Shawnee and Lockport c.  1932 . The realignment eliminated overlaps with NY 425 and NY 93 , the latter of which had used NY 3's former routing east of Cambria–Wilson Road since it

7832-423: Was shifted onto its current alignment between Watertown and Plattsburgh. From Tupper Lake east to Plattsburgh, most of what became NY 3 was previously part of NY 10. The NY 10 designation remained in place from Tupper Lake east to Upper Saranac Lake , forming an overlap with NY 3; however, it was completely replaced by NY 3 from Saranac Lake east. Between Upper Saranac Lake and Saranac Lake,

7921-478: Was truncated further to end at its junction with US 104 in Hannibal . It was moved another half-mile (0.8 km) to the east in the early 1960s following the completion of the super two bypass carrying US 104 around the eastern edge of the village. NY 3 continued to end at the super two until the early 1980s. On April 1, 1980, ownership and maintenance of NY 3's former routing between

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