Delaware Water Gap Climbers

Larry S wrote:The water gap is a national recreation area, it would be the national park rules anyway, on both PA and NJ sides.

Looks like the National Park Service has issued a bolting policy.

accessfund.org/site/apps/nl…

Last year on my 3rd trip to the top on the Jersey side, I found the rap station completely gone. I wasn't prepared for that so had to leave some crappy gear behind. Usually there is a decent nylon/ring station at the top. Just a heads up.

gtluke wrote:Last year on my 3rd trip to the top on the Jersey side, I found the rap station completely gone. I wasn't prepared for that so had to leave some crappy gear behind. Usually there is a decent nylon/ring station at the top. Just a heads up.

Which route are you referring to?

gtluke wrote:Last year on my 3rd trip to the top on the Jersey side, I found the rap station completely gone. I wasn't prepared for that so had to leave some crappy gear behind. Usually there is a decent nylon/ring station at the top. Just a heads up.

If it's a tree anchor, which many are here, it's definitely to be expected that you may have to add too or rebuild the descent anchor atop a route or walk over to another descent. So people should be prepared to leave some cord/webbing and a rap ring or carabiner.

Some of the mid wall rap stations are gone because the trees they were on died.

Larry S wrote: If it's a tree anchor, which many are here, it's definitely to be expected that you may have to add too or rebuild the descent anchor atop a route or walk over to another descent. So people should be prepared to leave some cord/webbing and a rap ring or carabiner. Some of the mid wall rap stations are gone because the trees they were on died.

People have died at the dwg due to rap anchors failing. Consider every fixed anchor suspect, and be prepared to make your own if need be. This place is as close to alpine as NEPA gets, which is why I always said that sport climbs do not belong here (besides the fact that there is ample gear). You definitely have to know how to fend for yourself on these cliffs. I always climb on double ropes, and carry rap rings and webbing at the dwg.

Going to try and head on there tomorrow and take a look at Friends in High Places. Might do it from the top down, after climbing The Rib. Looks like heavy shrubbery on P2, no idea how the start is.

Pic shows (l to r) Black Wall, The Rib, and Friends in High Places.

Black Wall, The Rib, Friends in High Places

Hey Michael, I was just cruising the forums during lunch and saw your pic. I don't know if you've climbed Friends in High Places before, but the twin cracks in the crux roof should be obvious from the ground unless they're hidden by vegetation. Anyways, I think you'll be heading left and pulling the roof long before you hit the heavy vegetation where your top line starts. If I remember correctly (it's always tough with the Gap), the vegetation halfway along your middle line is the stuff that'll be in your face. Have fun, and consider the Ribcage finish when you do the Rib if you've never done it and want a clean, spicy, unusual, and somewhat sandbagged 5.6 finish.

Micheal - From what i saw looking at it last weekend, Mgree is right - the right slanting part of your purple line under the roof is where the in-your-face vegetation is. It might be difficult to do on rappel because of the angle of the route and the roof it bypasses. Consider taking it ground-up and aid/hang when you get into the brush, then attack small branches with a pair of pruners while hanging to get you thru it, then have your second clean up the job on his way up. Sorry i can't be around to help out tomorrow.

Thanks guys.

Matt - how's the protection on this climb? Any funny stuff?

Friends in High Places protects fairly well. Feel free to stop reading if you don't want more beta than that. The 5.7 crux is actually very well protected thanks to the double cracks in the roof. The first notch and some of the slabbier terrain leading up to the P1 belay will give you more pause, because as usual in the Gap there's multiple ways to do things and it's not always obvious which way is the easiest and best protected. I've always belayed at the standard spot, but you'd be better off setting up a belay as soon as possible after you pass through the 1st notch. That'll keep you and your rope away from a nasty poison patch.

The Ribcage also protects fairly well, although the only way I found to protect the crux (the first real move of the route) is to put big gear (#3 C4 on one rope, #4 on the other) in the slanting horizontal at your feet. It'd be a wild fall, but the move is more of a mental puzzle than anything. Once you figure out the right way to do it it's actually quite easy.

Hey Matt, spotted the roof with the twin cracks but it looked a bit stiff for me and my partner to lead onsight.

I hate to say it, but the bolts on The Rib really make things go a lot smoother. Just an FYI, next climber up there might want to take some shears or a small saw. On rappel, just below the Pitch 1 ledge off to the left, there's bush that needs to be chopped. The rap route goes right through it and the rope could easily get snagged when getting pulled.

Michael C wrote:Hey Matt, spotted the roof with the twin cracks but it looked a bit stiff for me and my partner to lead onsight. I hate to say it, but the bolts on The Rib really make things go a lot smoother. Just an FYI, next climber up there might want to take some shears or a small saw. On rappel, just below the Pitch 1 ledge off to the left, there's bush that needs to be chopped. The rap route goes right through it and the rope could easily get snagged when getting pulled.

If you aim the rap right, you can avoid it, but I do recall having to fight that bush on rappel my first time coming down the rib. If noone else gets to it before me, I'll attack it next time i'm there.

I've heard a lot of people say they like the top but not the p1 rap bolts, so I guess I'm in the minority because I'm still not a fan of either.

I was on my own Sunday, so I set up a TR on Cryptic Chimney and spent about an hour heavily cleaning the route and its 5.8 variation. Thanks to whoever left the fixed nut on the variation. It must've got stuck recently because it wasn't there when I did the route a few weeks ago. It's not about booty, I like it because it's like someone left you a puzzle on the wall to figure out, and if you're successful you feel like you've removed Excalibur's sword. The stuck cam at the Rib's p1 belay hasn't yielded to me yet in more than a dozen attempts, though. Anyways, I also did some light cleaning on the Rib, and very little on Tanemund and Triumverate Direct. I didn't touch any berry bushes, pines, or rhododendrons.

Good work on the cleaning, I'll have to try out cryptic sometime, i've yet to do that'n.

mgree wrote:I've heard a lot of people say they like the top but not the p1 rap bolts, so I guess I'm in the minority because I'm still not a fan of either.

I both agree and disagree. Neither rapping straight from the top to the ground or to the mid-anchor is perfect... They're both slightly annoying/tricky rappels... Lots of swing potential if you go about them the wrong way... but it's nice, (convenient) to be able to get down with one rope it is the only mid-point ledge on that section of wall.

And to top it off, those are "B" code bolts, which means they're 2- 2.5" long - which would be fine, but some of them are sticking WAY out of the rock, which concerns me a little bit.

mgree wrote:...I set up a TR on Cryptic Chimney

how did you get up there? did you use the class 4 chimney right before the cheatstone boulder?

mgree wrote:...The stuck cam at the Rib's p1 belay hasn't yielded to me yet

yeah, I played around with that for a minute too. it ain't going nowhere.

Larry S wrote:And to top it off, those are "B" code bolts, which means they're 2- 2.5" long - which would be fine, but some of them are sticking WAY out of the rock, which concerns me a little bit.

That's a little scary. It looks like there's nearly an inch not in the rock on the bottom bolt in this pic.

The Rib, bolts at the end of the first pitch

To set up a rope on Cryptic Chimney I took the "overcliff trail". As you walk eastward along the approach trail that parallels route 80, you know how the trail ducks away from the highway twice? Keep a lookout for a tall metal pole just before you come back out to the highway. There's a faint but easy to follow trail that'll meet the cliff at a small boulder field where you're close to the top of the Black Wall. You can keep following the trail all the way along the cliff to where you can cut left to the summit of Tammany, if you'd like.

Minsi is reopened, effective immediatly

Great news about the PA side.

So is the rock on Mt Minsi currently as wet and seeping as much of the Trapps?

Ken

You guys have been really active up there. Can't wait to go climb and help out.

Kenr - If you read any website or guidebook for NJ it clearly states two things when climbing No Bolting, Chipping, Etc. without permission from the park rangers (Liability issue) and that on state land you must sign a waiver before climbing and turn it in. (also a liability issue). The law also clearly states that all climbing access on county or township parks are at discretion of said county or town. I am not trying to be a D*** to you , but access in areas around here are ridiculous as it is.

Sourlands (half is open)

Allamuchy (you climb one of 10 20ft climbs as guides use the main wall almost every nice day. (I am friends with most of these guys no hard feelings).

Green Pond - Now required to have a guide

DWG- access is great and it just needs some cleaning up to have a great free spot. If you clearly can't say that is not perfect bolt job and is something were to happen it would be a perfect case for some whiny NJ baby to sue the state over and threaten access.

Maybe I am alittle paranoid and pissed that to usually climb I have to drive 3 hours to the Gunks and spend about $100 a trip. But laws are laws and if they ruin it for everyone then just follow them. I am all about fighting for access and questioning authority and even bolting, but not at the expense of others who just simply want to enjoy what little nature has to offer in NJ.