PATC-MS is returning for its annual trip to the family-owned Rock and River in the Adirondacks for a weekend of ice climbing, back country skiing, and snowshoeing MLK Weekend. The lodge is located in in a secluded mountain valley at the start of the famous Jack Rabbit Ski Trail (30 miles of trail, often track set). The mountain village of Keene is a five minute drive, and Keene Valley, “Home of the High Peaks”, is just ten minutes away. The Olympic Village of Lake Placid with its numerous shops, restaurants, events and museums as well as Whiteface Ski Area are easily reached in just twenty minutes. It is a very short drive to the North Face of Pitchoff and you can get to Wilmington Notch (the short way) without actually having to go into Lake Placid. Guides are available for ice climbing. Rock and River has their own ice park available for those wanting to learn to climb ice. Please call Rock and River if you have specific questions about the area and what activities are available.

The club has rented out the entire Guide’s House as well as the Climber’s Lodge. Please note that there is no free breakfast at Rock and River as in years past but there is a full kitchen in both houses. In order to maximize the number of people that can come on the trip and keep the price down, the club is renting out queen beds by the half. If you’d like your own queen bed, you can rent both halves. If you don’t want to share a bed with someone you don’t know, you may want to coordinate renting the same bed with a friend when reservations open. Beds are first come first serve and registration opens at noon on Saturday, January 28th. If you rent a spot and can no longer make the trip, you will need to find someone to transfer your spot to – unfortunately we cannot offer refunds for this event. Here is the FAQ from the website if you’d like more information on the house and details about check in/out.

Directions from the website:

“We are located just outside the village of Keene, NY in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains. Our lodge sits at the very end of Alstead Hill Lane, off route 73, between Keene and the town of Lake Placid. To find us, simply continue past the Bark Eater Inn on Alstead Hill Lane for 3 miles to the very end of the road.”

Join the waitlist here. Can’t go any longer? Contact folks on waitlist first.

Photos and testimonials from the club’s trip last year –

“Rock and River was a fantastic place to stay and the club should book both lodges for MLK next year again. It turned out the iceclimbing was great and people also enjoyed the skiing and hiking, and of course both the guide’s house and the climber’s lodge are perfect bases for a winter ADK weekend.”