Ok, so I know there are a few of you guys climbing together. How many exactly?
Since April 21, 2009, which was the date upon which The Silver Lake and Potter Mountains officially became open to the public, there has been a group of about a dozen climbers focusing their energies on the development of the aforementioned area. Along the way, our enthusiasm has been contagious and we have picked up a few other friends who have taken part in the development of a handful of routes. There are also a few routes that have been put up by folks who are keeping there escapades private and choosing to remain anonymous to their role in the development. But really it is safe to say that about 12 people have been part of a majority of the ascents.
You guys have put up an extensive check list. I can tell your all psyched, hell I’m psyched. How did you guys find these areas?
A friend of my climbing partners and I who has been living and developing new climbing in the ADKs for over a decade turned us on to the area. I was living in Burlington, VT and my two climbing partners were living in New Paltz, NY when we were told of this fairy-tale band of cliffs waiting to be climbed.  After our first visit to the area on opening day last spring, the three of us knew we needed to move to the Dax and focus our energies on the untapped potential of this area.  These cliffs were previously owned by timber/paper companies, and during this time there were those who did some poaching and early route development; however, those with more patience, waited for the inevitable transference of this land to the public.  We were simply lucky enough to hear about it at the right time.
Do you have an area on the web your posting your progression to?
All of our progress is updated on www.adirondackrock.com. Jim Lawyer, author of “Adirondack Rock”, is part of that core dozen and shares our enthusiasm for the potential these cliffs hold. ¬†Whenever a new route is 
worked on, we send the information and route descriptions to Jim, who subsequently updates the website.  There is a complete online appendix to the book that pertains specifically to the Silver Lake and Potter Mountain areas.  (The names of first ascentionists are currently being withheld until some of the gray area involving the land management of this site is cleared up.) You can find this appendix here
Establishing new routes is no easy task and with all the new ones your putting up you have any favorites and why?
We are lucky enough to have a number of cliffs to choose from, all which offer different styles of climbing. ¬†There is one cliff in particular that is certainly my favorite cliff. ¬†Potter Mountain Cliff is home to some super unique rock, unlike any other rock I have seen in the Dax, Potter Mountain Cliff is comprised of what I can only think to call “moon rock”. ¬†The climbing ascends bulges and steeps on awesome incut crimps and dimples, while also offering incredible slab climbing on water grooves and slopers.
In terms of a specific pitch, I am currently really psyched one of our more recent outings. ¬†”Zoinks!!!” (5.10d) follows a straight continuous line that starts in a really tight corner with and eventually moves into a discontinuous finger crack that takes you through a series of tiered roofs and overlaps. ¬†The line is strenuous and pure, and I can only hope people will have as much fun climbing it twenty years from now as I did this past Sunday.
Any scary moments been had on your vertical playground?
White tri-cam, #2 BD micronut, #3 BD nut, Grey C3, three hook placements in a row, and then finally a blue alien…That was my sequence for gear on a project my partner and I am currently working on and it definitely had my heart pumping. Prior to this spring, I had done very little aid climbing beyond A0 and exploring that wold has been very exciting and often frightening.
Tell me a little bit about your climbing area. Any beta you want to give to fellow climbers, or is it off limits for now?
The area is definitely not off-limits.  I am not one to consider route development a selfish endeavor.  I know that I am out there so that other climbers will come and enjoy similar experiences to my own. The crux of this area is currently approaches.  Some of the cliffs have some fairly stout approaches, with relatively strenuous hiking that can last for about an hour.  The greatest challenge to someone who wanted to go climb at these cliffs would simply be finding them.  While all of the approaches begin on obvious logging roads, there are often mystery turns offs and unexpected dead-ends that may thwart someone visiting the area for the first time.  Unfortunately, New York State has asked us to abstain for the time being from doing any major trail work, but with increased foot traffic things are becoming more obvious and we have still laid out a number of cairns to help show the way  The online appendix also does a fairly good job of documenting approaches and parking areas.
When did you start climbing? Any, advice you might want to give someone trying to establish a new route or two?
I started climbing as a freshman in college in 2003.  Route development, however, is still relatively new to me, as its advent came with the opening of these cliffs in 2009.
Advise: Be creative, have fun and don’t take for granted that a successful day of climbing is really attained when you and your partner are both on the ground, safely, with big smiles on your face. ¬†Development has become a huge part of my climbing and serves as one of my greatest motivators. ¬†This has helped me to realize that weather it is sport, trad, aid or any combination in between, climbing is about succeeding safely and part of the fun of all of it is figuring out the logistics that will enable that sought after smile on the hike home at the end of the day.
Author: Climberism
Dave has a list of obscene and otherwise annoying nicknames from his degenerate friends. All of them arise from his last name, Crothers, (do your best). He eventually accepted Cruthas, which also created a web of nicknames that would humiliate even the most enduring. Aside from his last name, "Cruthas" likes listening to pop. You can usually find his beat-up-suby radio tuned into a pop station, bumping the latest Taylor Swift. Most his friends hate riding with him and his road raging temper. He also likes Chris Sharma, anything pink, and doesn't have much money in the bank...
worked on, we send the information and route descriptions to Jim, who subsequently updates the website.  There is a complete online appendix to the book that pertains specifically to the Silver Lake and Potter Mountain areas.  (The names of first ascentionists are currently being withheld until some of the gray area involving the land management of this site is cleared up.) You can find this appendix here
When did you start climbing? Any, advice you might want to give someone trying to establish a new route or two?
inspiration has to come from somewhere, but jealousy is a frivolous thing and i am definitely jealous