New York · Rock climbing · Keene Valley · Near Schroon Lake

The Courthouse

7 routes
5.5 – 5.10a
Trad · Mixed

The Courthouse is a climbing area in the High Peaks Wilderness of New York, managed by the State Department of Conservation. It sits within the High Peaks Wilderness, and its name is a straightforward one for a place that offers rock to climb rather than a building to visit. The climbing here is trad, with a few mixed routes, and the grades run from 5.5 up to 5.10a. Among the routes are Cross Examination at 5.5, Dewey, Cheetham and Howe at 5.6, and Power of Attorney at 5.10a. The first ascents of these routes were made in the late 1990s by climbers including Ed Palen, Terry LaFrance and Dick Drosse. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Lake Placid show July highs around 74°F with lows near 54°F, and the station sits about 830 feet lower than the Courthouse, so temperatures up high run cooler. King's Valley is 0.7 miles away, and Victor is 1.3 miles away. The Southside Trail - High Water Route is 0.6 miles off, and the Big Slide Trail is 1.3 miles away.

Around this trail

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  • Sleep close

    Sno-bird

    Campground

    Campground · 4.9 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    Schroon Lake view

    Viewpoint

    On your way back · 22 mi

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More in Schroon Lake
  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit The Courthouse

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      23° / 6°

      18 wet

    2. Feb

      27° / 8°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 16°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      49° / 29°

      14 wet

    5. May

      62° / 40°

      15 wet

    6. Jun

      70° / 49°

      14 wet

    7. Jul

      74° / 54°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      73° / 52°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      66° / 45°

      13 wet

    10. Oct

      52° / 35°

      15 wet

    11. Nov

      40° / 25°

      16 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 14°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Lake Placid 2 S, NY, 11.2 mi away at 1,888 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (7)

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