Birdsboro Quarry
Submitted by: gblauer
Description
Birdsboro has the most sport climbs of any open area in eastern Pennsylvania, on variable quality diabase rock. The quarry's website is back in action for the latest information, including the current topo.
It's a former quarry located on the north side of Trap Rock in Birdsboro, PA. Use cable bridges to cross Hay Creek twice, and follow the farting climber sign to the climbing areas. There are dozens of bolted sport routes ranging from 5.6 to 5.14. Climbs are located on the upper level and at the resevoir level. There are also multi pitch slab climbs located across the reservoir.
The first climbs here were put up by Bob Perna and friends, by these days it's being developed by Ted Coffelt and company. You can contribute to the bolt fund in a signed drop pipe where the trail reaches the quarry.
A single 60m rope does fine for most climbs here. Only the long slabs on the far wall are two real pitches, you need to do two raps if you do both.
Rock type: Diabase. Since the climbing walls are machine cut, there's more loose rock than in most natural climbing areas.
The Birdsboro Climbing website is the best place to learn about climbing here, and contact the crag's stewards and other Birdsboro climbers. It also has a link to Birdsboro climbing's Facebook group.
The quarry lies is in Birdsboro township. Given their good relationship with the climbing community, it's nice to reciprocate and patronize local merchants on your way in and out of the crag.
The local police occasionally use the quarry as a gun range.
Getting There
Take 422 west, take a left on 82 into Birdsboro. Ignore the "road closed" signs and go all the way to the closure into Hay Creek Park. Cross the creek twice, using the cables (or walk through the creek). Please do NOT trespass on to Haines and Kibblehouse property.
Photos
This is the latest route map (edit: August 2012). Updates can be found at:
http://www.readingrocks.com/Downloads/birdsboro.pdf
Welcome to Birdsboro Rock Quarry.
First of two wire bridges on the approach trail.
Virgin Suicides
The Annalisa on Twisted Sister
JAG fires the 12c crux throw
Matt clipping high on Jenga.
Ignore my butt. the left side was broken but has been in various states of climbable shape at other times.
Adam making the move on his flash of Faint
Chris Acosta climbing Magnanimous
View of the Wall of the Immortals and the Ground up wall.
Poised for Peril!!!!
Comments
Paul Shultz Feb 28, 2009
Alright climbing. bolts are in good shape are replaced when needed. Wear a helmet! this is an old quarry and I've seen my climbing partner shift 2 coffee table size flakes no problem. Giant wall gets great sun and on a 40 degree sunny day can be quite enjoyable to climb. Does have some ice in winter, though top roping is sketchy to rig. Lower slabs have a tendency to be wet but offer some fun climbs.
BEWARE! Some rock is reglued!
Definitely not best climbing spot in the world, but one of the better ones in Eastern PA!
vanishing spy Mar 20, 2009
I'm putting up the route list as listed in the super helpful map someone else put together. I suggest looking at the map.
PLEASE provide positive feedback.
rdlennon Mar 20, 2009
Sweet, thanks. I've been looking for info on individual routes here for years. If you've climbed/seen them, would you mind listing distinguishing features, i.e. crack, corner, etc.
vanishing spy Mar 20, 2009
I'll be editing and adding in more information about the routes with some more detailed description of the climbing, bolt counts, anchor descriptions and some photos. Hopefully people do the same and help out. It's pretty tedious getting all these routes up and listed at once.
Luke Stefurak Mar 23, 2009
If you are going to add all the routes can we please sort them into the specific walls?!?
vanishing spy Mar 25, 2009
Luke, if you're interested in creating New Areas for each section at Birdsboro, you can go ahead and make them and fill them with routes.
I thought about creating new areas but decided against it. Birdsboro is kinda small and the idea of creating new areas for each section of the wall, then adding routes didn't seem to make much sense. More importantly, I wanted to be able to search for routes by grade throughout birdsboro using the "Routes best for me" feature. I put the name of the wall each climb is on in the "Location".
Paul Shultz Apr 2, 2009
More routes have gone up in the last several weeks. The guys who do a lot of the route setting are going to be working on topos and possibly a website.
TBunn Jul 16, 2009
Ill be visting family in PA in few weeks and i think id like to climb here. what kind of traffic does it get mid august? i had no idea there was climbing like this in PA. how big of a rack should i bring? any trad or is it all bolted? Any info is appreciated, thanks.
gblauer Sep 5, 2009
Scott M...if you are the Scott that I think you are, please speak up. You know who is doing all the bolting!
spam231 Sep 27, 2009
LOST: pair of 10.5 anasazis last Monday. hope someone found these as they were no longer at the cliff on Saturday!
Also, does anyone have any beta for King Solomon?
paclimber Sep 27, 2009
A website has been created for birdsboro. It is a static site at this time. It presently only has a link to info. on the recently passed annual clean and climb. The site is birdsbororockclimbing.org As I understand it, further site development is forthcoming.
Paul Brandstetter Oct 5, 2009
GPS to parking area at the cables
N 40.25386 W 75.81385
gblauer Sep 12, 2010
4th Annual Birdsboro CLimb and Clean
All, please join us for the climb and clean at Birdsboro quarry on September 25th/26th. Camping starts on Friday night. We will be cleaning and climbing all day on Saturday. Followed by a community dinner with entertainment and raffle (lots of great gear) on Saturday night at the Pavillion in Rustic Park. Sunday we will resume climbing and finish up any project work.
For those of you with non climbing friends, we will have equipment, ropes, belayers and we will set up some TRs.
All proceeds from the dinner and raffle go to cliff maintenance.
JEVanHorn Oct 20, 2010
Awesome thank you so much. I am very excited to check this place out. There will be a few of us coming down for the weekend to do some climbing.
JEVanHorn Oct 25, 2010
I had a great time over the weekend at the quarry. Thank you to everyone that was very kind and helpful in pointing out good routes to do. I am definitely going to be investing in a helmet for the next time i go there.
ktlusci Oct 27, 2010
I climbed at Birdsboro for the first time last weekend. While there, I onsighted Crackalicious- apparently a new 5.13. It was easily the best climb I did that day, but definitely not 5.13. The hardest I've onsighted before was 5.12a at softly rated areas (Red Rock, Potrero). I'm guessing more like an Indian Creek 5.11.
Chris Acosta Dec 4, 2010
Hi my names Chris and I bolted Crackalicious. I would like to say awesome job to Ktlusci for being the first person to onsight Crackalicious. However I beleive the grade to be a 12b to 12c, especially if you consider all the grades of other climbs at the bird. Def. not a 13 as listed.One other person redpointed it before you, and I have the first accent on Trad gear. But Im very impressed that you got the onsight . Hope to see you out at the bird sometime in the spring. As for now cant wait for ice!!!
Tyrel Fuller Jun 3, 2011
It is hard to compare an IC corner to Crackalicious. IC routes are more about overall fitness and sustained low-intensity movement, while Crackalicious has a definite crux move. I think that once/if Crackalicious receives more traffic its grade will fall into the 5.12 range.
gblauer Aug 23, 2011
5th Annual Birdsboro Climb and Clean
All, please join us for the climb and clean at Birdsboro quarry on September 16th-18th. Camping starts on Friday the 16th. We will be cleaning and climbing all day on Saturday. Followed by a community dinner with entertainment and raffle (lots of great gear) on Saturday night at the Pavillion in Rustic Park. Sunday we will resume climbing and finish up any project work.
For those of you with non climbing friends, we will have equipment, ropes, belayers and we will set up some TRs.
All proceeds from the dinner and raffle go to cliff maintenance.
Anthony Nguyen Nov 15, 2011
I just heard that there was an accident at Birdsboro 5 weeks ago where a climber had a bolt blow, decked and broke her back. Does anyone have information on this accident or know where I can find some details?
A lot of my gym friends climb here and I am always worried for them.
MojoMonkey Nov 15, 2011
I think the accident you heard of was not a broken bolt, but a broken carabiner. The bolt end carabiner of the draw broke and looked like the nose-hooked failures shown here.
Justin Johnsen Nov 16, 2011
Mojo, thanks for sharing the Black Diamond link.
Anthony, I know two climbers recovering from fractures that happened on falls at Birdsboro this summer. Fortunately both of them are recovering well. I also know a near miss happened this year on Jenga, where a falling rock severed the end of a rope, but in lucky circumstances where nobody was hurt.
These, and prior years' rappelling accidents, remind us to climb smart. All of these accidents involve common and inherent risks of sport climbing, and could have happened at any sport crag. I always wear a helmet at Birdsboro now, and read climbing accident reports to become aware of unsafe climbing habits I might have.
But Anthony, I wouldn't worry about your friends climbing here unless they're reckless about it. I've known people who fractured bones in gym falls.
Anthony Nguyen Nov 18, 2011
Thanks Mojo, Justin.
I confirmed that it was a nose-hook failure.
Always wear a helmet!
chopsticktown Jan 7, 2012
Found a shoe in the parking lot today. If its yours please describe it and i will return it to you.
Graver Mar 22, 2012
Will be in the area and looking for a partner(s) 4-7 APR. Can lead up thru 10s but am happy climbing at any grade. PM me at rgraver9106@hotmail.com if available or w suggestions.
Bob
Peter Borden Apr 9, 2012
What's the story with routes in the bigwall section? Like, what length rope would I need to do the climbs in 1 pitch? Also, what's the deal with the gun range?
Larry S Apr 10, 2012
Pete - the local police occasionally use the quarry as a gun range. A 60m rope will do fine with the lower offs on the big wall - It's not really two pitches... it's just got first anchors and second anchors. The long slabs are two real pitches, you need to do two raps if you do both.
jedi-diah Mar 11, 2013
Car key lost:
I lost a black Mazda car key somewhere at birdsboro (probably the parking area) yesterday 3/10/13.
Please pass it around so if it turns up I might get it back.
Gaz Leah Apr 10, 2013
Hey Guys,
I'm looking to head up to the quarry from NYC this friday and am looking to stay for the weekend. Is camping allowed at the quarry or nearby? if not can someone recommend somewhere to stay for 5 people, preferably camping.
Cheers
Gaz
Larry S Apr 10, 2013
Gaz - See here. mountainproject.com/v/birdsboro-camping/107577736
Gaz Leah Apr 11, 2013
Thanks Larry,
Is there a local hang out for climbers here? A bar they like etc so we can catch up with some locals. I'd love to talk to them about the quarry
Gaz Leah Apr 18, 2013
I visited Birdsboro last weekend and I don't really know what to say. did 2 of the best 5.12's i've ever climbed! Admittedly there's a bit of loose rock but the majority is bomber. The scenic views and the awesome locals make this place a MUST GO destination. especially if venturing out from NYC.
To the birdsboro bolters, top job lads!
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