David Katz Climbing 1

Smith Woods Old Growth Forest First Ascent!

What a team: Thompson, Tartter, Katz, and a burly ol’ Tulip Poplar!

We climbed to ~ 110′ and had to use to ropes to rappel down. Lichens like I’ve never seen in the N.E. canopy, and great views: above the understory canopy all we could see was an ocean of yellows and greens. The hemlocks looked as if they were from the Pacific Northwest. The first branch was at least 60′ up, and two pitches later we were neatly settled in the crown around 115′. Huge I tell ya. Morgan Thompson’s Unicenders held the fort down on the ascents and descents.