Climbing has expanded beyond the Mohonk Preserve to Minnewaska State Park Preserve as a result of the work of the Access Fund, a climbers advocacy group, and with the advice of the Preserve. Climbing is now allowed in the Peterskill area of the Park. This is the first time New York State Parks has allowed climbing to be practiced on its property. The rock climbing on the ridge is among the best in the world, and climbers will be here to enjoy it for a long time to come. Post WWII - Nylon ropes, better gear make for more adventurous climbing.
Climbers begin to ascend the more overhanging features at the cliffs.
1951 - Jim McCarthy arrives at the Gunks. He would be a dominant force at the cliffs, pushing standards for the next 15 years. 1972 - Chouinard Equipment, the leading gear manufacturer of the day in the U.S., prints a catalog praising the use of passive protection as a new ethic. Local leading climber John Stannard leads the charge into the new era. 1980s - Standards continue to rise.