Frequently Asked Questions

• Camping with us: arrive Friday, October 9, between 4 PM and 10:30 PM. Check-out is Monday at 11 AM.
• Not camping: check in Saturday or Sunday morning, 6:30–9 AM.

Registered for the 9 AM clinic on Friday? You can check in after your clinic. Arriving after 10:30 PM, when the registration desk is closed? Follow the signs to the campground, quietly pitch your tent, and register in the morning.

At registration, a volunteer will check you in, give you your wristband and T-shirt, and help with any questions.

At the Ulster County Fairgrounds parking lot — use this Google Maps pin to navigate there. Parking is included with every GunksFest ticket, Films Only passes too. It’s also where our buses to the cliff leave from; see How do I get to my clinic?

Look for anyone in a bright red Volunteer Crew shirt or wearing a lanyard with a green “VOLUNTEER” badge, and feel free to interrupt us. Green yard signs with printed directions will help you find your way around, and the event map shows the venues. Save the map on your phone before you arrive so it works without signal.

GunksFest is an annual event run by the Gunks Climbers Coalition (GCC). It brings climbers together for guided clinics, skill development, and community, with two nights of climbing films, contests, and guest speakers. Clinics cover a range of experience levels; check each clinic’s prerequisites.

GunksFest is a ticketed event. Tickets can be purchased online, subject to availability, and clinic spaces are limited. Film-only tickets are also available online.

A place may become available if someone cancels, but a sold-out clinic is not guaranteed to have room. Email events@gunksclimbers.org before the event to add you to any waitlisted clinic. At the event, check with Registration for Box Office Admin assistance for availability. Paid guided clinics also require the applicable payment, waivers, and guide approval. Staff must not override a full clinic’s capacity.

Ask events@gunksclimbers.org before the event. At the event, you can try Registration for Box Office Admin assistance. A change depends on the clinics’ requirements and availability; guided clinics also require the guide’s approval and any applicable waivers.

Ask for help through the ticket-change options above. Box Office Admin must confirm the new clinic has space, that you meet its requirements, and whether a payment or other adjustment is needed. A paid clinic must be paid for before the booking is treated as paid.

Bathrooms and showers are available at the campground. Bring your own tent; car camping is also permitted. Use the event map for venue features (camping, bathrooms, etc.) and your clinic leader’s forthcoming email for all clinic locations.

Doors open at 5PM on Saturday and Sunday for our evening program, including vendors and contests. Films are scheduled to start around 7:30PM in the Youth Building at the Fairgrounds (on the Fairgrounds map) and run until 10:30PM/11PM.

We’ll have chairs for everyone at the films, so you don’t need to bring folding chairs (despite the outdated note on our ticketing portal). We’ll be inside, but the space is unheated so you may want to bundle up!

We strongly encourage you to park at the Fairgrounds lot and ride our bus. Parking at the Preserve is limited and fills up fast on a holiday weekend; the bus drops you right at the Visitor Center, so you won’t spend your morning hunting for a space. We can’t guarantee parking anywhere but the Fairgrounds.

On Saturday and Sunday, our charter buses run from the Fairgrounds parking lot to the Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center, the usual meeting spot for clinics. The first bus leaves at 7 AM to get everyone there before 9 AM clinics start (if you’re attending Yoga for Climbers, be sure to catch one of the first buses). After that, a bus leaves every 15–30 minutes depending on traffic; please get on the earliest one you can. Return buses to the Fairgrounds start at 3 PM and run every 15–30 minutes until 7 PM. For Friday and Monday programming, you’re responsible for your own transportation.

The bus gets you to the Visitor Center. Your clinic leader will email you the exact meeting place and time, and anything else you need to know; follow their instructions from there. When in doubt, check with the nearest information desk (see the Mohonk Preserve map).

The Mohonk Preserve visitor center has a water bottle filling station. Please note the climbing area up in the Trapps is not a quick trip from the Visitor Center — you’ll want to fill up before you go. There are, however, toilets available in both places.

Tours involve walking through the Trapps. Climbs will not be set up for you.

Our festival is suitable for all mobility types except motorized wheelchairs. We’ll provide designated parking and facilities. Please reach out directly if you have any special access needs.

Bring your camping gear, including your own tent, climbing gear, and food for breakfast and lunch. Check your clinic leader’s email for any clinic-specific clothing, equipment, and supplies.

Please plan your own breakfasts and lunches, and bring the water and snacks you’ll need for your clinics. The Mohonk Preserve Visitor Center has a water filling station and snacks for sale.

On Saturday and Sunday, dinner is available to buy from vendors at the Fairgrounds as part of the evening program:

• Saturday: El Brekkie from Kingston, NY — beef, chicken, and vegan burritos; chips and dips; non-alcoholic beverages.
• Sunday: From The Ground — gourmet sandwiches, wraps, flatbreads, and burgers; signature mac and cheese; fresh lemonades.

There’s also free non-alcoholic beer, courtesy of Athletic Brewing. For Friday, make a dinner plan if you’re not coming to the welcome event at Tuthilltown Distillery (there will be a taco truck).

Two convenient grocery stops near the New Paltz highway exit are Tops Friendly Markets, 271 Main Street (6 AM–midnight), and ShopRite of New Paltz, 258 Main Street (Monday–Saturday 6 AM–midnight; Sunday 6 AM–10 PM). Check the stores’ current hours before you go.

For a 24-hour convenience-store fallback, Speedway at 491 State Route 299, Highland, NY 12528 is open 24/7 for snacks, drinks, and quick food; it is not a full grocery store.

Yes, you’re welcome to cook your own dinner at the campground. If you do, join us across the street to eat at the picnic tables under the covered pavilion, near the vendor village and contests.

Yes. GunksFest takes place rain or shine. Unless we contact you because of severe weather, please plan for the event to go ahead.

GunksFest is held rain or shine. Your guide will email you explicit instructions for your clinic; use them for the exact meeting place and time. There are no refunds except for select medical emergencies — see the refund policy.

Please respect the precautions of neighboring festival-goers and be courteous about close personal space.

• If you’re not feeling well, have had a recent COVID-19 exposure, or have had a recent positive test, please stay home.
• There are no refunds except for select medical emergencies. Please contact events@gunksclimbers.org for any refund exception requests.

Camping passes are per person. A reasonable extra tent for your gear is fine, but everyone camping with you needs their own pass. If your setup will take up an unusually large space, please check with us before you arrive.

No. Drones are not permitted at GunksFest.

No alcohol is permitted.

No. Smoking is not permitted at GunksFest.

The clinic program is aimed at adult participants and focuses on developing climbing skills. Most clinics require at least a basic understanding of climbing. See the question below about admission for children accompanying an adult.

Children under 12 attend free and must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Animals are not allowed at any time. If you have a specific request for a service animal, please contact gcc@gunksclimbers.org for review.

The GCC is a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to sustainable, inclusive opportunities for responsible climbing and land stewardship along the Shawangunk Ridge and surrounding areas. It works with local land managers and allied organizations and promotes environmental and recreational education.

Mohonk Preserve is a nonprofit nature preserve and land conservancy in New York’s Shawangunk Mountains, near New Paltz. It protects more than 8,000 acres of forests, cliffs, wetlands, and other habitats while offering opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, biking, cross-country skiing, and nature education. The Preserve’s mission is to safeguard the northern Shawangunk Ridge and inspire people to care for, enjoy, and explore the natural world.