Rock and Snow in New Paltz, New York, has been an East Coast climbing institution for four decades. No wonder: it’s owned and operated by climbers, stocked with loads of climbing gear, and located 10 minutes from the world-class trad and bouldering zone known as the Gunks. The shop came into being in 1970, the brainchild of climbers Dick Williams, Jim McCarthy, Raymond Schrag, Hans Kraus, and Richard Goldstone. In 1990, a fire leveled the building, but the owners rebuilt in the same location. After the fire, one of Rock and Snow’s managers, Rich Gottlieb, became a partner and later took over the business (his words appear below).

Among Rock and Snow’s claims to fame is a sweet (read: clean) bathroom where climbers go to take a load off (pun intended) and fill water bottles before heading to the Gunks. The shop is also a hub of the climbing community, hosting events that draw climbers from all around. In late 2009, they hosted a bassforyourface.com fundraiser, with the ultimate goal of securing climber access to a long-closed bouldering zone.Among Rock and Snow’s claims to fame is a sweet (read: clean) bathroom where climbers go to take a load off (pun intended) and fill water bottles before heading to the Gunks. The shop is also a hub of the climbing community, hosting events that draw climbers from all around. In late 2009, they hosted a bassforyourface.com fundraiser, with the ultimate goal of securing climber access to a long-closed bouldering zone.

What role have you played in the local climbing community? It’s hard to be specific after 40 years of activism, but we built the nicest bathroom in town, have lots of free slideshows, love in our hearts for all who enter, and we meet price. What more could a dirty, bored, unloved, and frugal climber with a filled bladder ask for?

Are all the employees climbers? Hell no! That would trash our nails and keep us out of our Bugatti Veyrons…. Actually, hell yes! We all love to climb, and there haven’t been seven people that worked together so well since the Dirty Dozen

How many brands do you carry? I can only reply that Rock and Snow is “the brand.” That means that if something makes a positive difference on climbing, we are going to have that something in the shop.

What’s the Rock and Snow philosophy? We’ve stuck to our guns here since day one. No bull, no excuses, no elitism. We are a corporate culture of kindness and caring. Aren’t all corporations like that?

Closest climbing? We’re 10 minutes from the Gunks, an hour from great ice, and not too far from the Northeast’s other climbing destinations. Despite the rural beauty of our area, we’re only 1.5 hours from the land of glass and steel. You can climb the Empire State Building on a rest day and take in a Broadway show . . . if you’re willing to sell your rack and pad to pay for the tickets.

CONTACT:rockandsnow.com 845-255-1311 44 Main Street, New Paltz, NY 12561