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Phone Booth at Ralph Stover High Rocks

Original Post
abandon moderation · · Tahoe · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 54

So there's a classic line Phone Booth 5.10a at Ralph Stover State Park in PA that I'm curious if anyone has some history about... for anyone who hasn't seen it or climbed there it's probably a 50' overhung TR route.

"Climb High Rocks State Park" by Paul Nick indicates that this was an established TR route, then Paul Craven lead on-sighted it (5.10X) in 1984.

The ethics at Stover seem a bit unusual to me, there's a few bolted sport routes at Stover but it's primarily trad or TR. Anyone have an idea why overhung climbs like this were never bolted? There's a similar climb to the left of it also Called on Account of Pain (5.11d) where if you fall at any point on TR you're doing a giant rope swing and have to lower to the ground to get back on it. Not sure if that one has ever been led or not.

So I guess my question is, was there no-bolting ethics at Stover in the past and perhaps a no retro-bolting ethic now?

Thomas Stryker · · Chatham, NH · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 250

Maybe you can expand on why the ethics at Stover seem odd to you? Retrobolting is frowned on just about everywhere.

Yes Phone Booth was a top rope problem eventually led by visiting Brit Paul Cravens. It's been soloed too. So now if you bolt it, it's a retro-bolt.

I climbed at Stover frequently in the late seventies and early eighties. At the beginning just the bolts on Neanderthal and The Problem were in place. In general we abided a few loose-knit rules, one to place any bolts on lead, and two, we tried to keep it to one bolt per new route. We were all aware of the potential for many additional routes, and in my case hoped that as time went on things would gradually change to a couple bolts to open new ground etc., but of course that is not what happened.

Since that time retro-bolts have been added by do-gooders, to Welcome to Stover, Tales From the Crypt, Great Wall at the Edge, and some other routes I believe ( Beautiful Loser? ). On top of that a lot of un- needed top rope anchors and now a slackline mess.

I'd like to ask how many trad routes you have finished there? Have you led all of Tales, Riff-Raff Eliminate, Tango Superdirect, Friable Alternative, CRC, etc? If you have mastered all the Trad routes there, by all means seek new ground, but don't retro-bolt stuff just because you wish it was a sport crag.

Thanks, Tom Stryker

abandon moderation · · Tahoe · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 54

Thanks for the reply. I guess I understand that it's considered retro-bolting in Stover (and everywhere) if it was led, but does this still apply to something that is only a TR route? I suppose it might not matter because probably just about everything there has at least been soloed at some point.

Interesting to hear from someone who was climbing there in the 70s and 80s, I didn't realize those routes were retro bolted. I'm mostly a Gunks climber, which as you probably know has a strong anti-bolting ethic, so honestly there's a lot of routes I haven't done in Stover.

I guess my mistake is in thinking of Phone Booth and Called on Account of Pain as TR routes since they're either a solo or X rated, but I suppose someone with the balls could still rope up and lead them today.

Thomas Stryker · · Chatham, NH · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 250

I think if you are willing to put the work in there are areas at Stover that you could establish new routes. As far as I know, no one would take issue with that, even if they are sport bolted.

Personally I don't take the "toprope" thing too seriously, at a 100' cliff everything can be a toprope. It's just that someone did lead it, and the recent solo makes two "leads". And since it IS top-ropeable, no one is being denied anything.

I don't know anything about Called on Account...

Good luck, and thanks for keeping it civil!

Tom

scott fuzz · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 125

A+ proper Tom S-

Insert name · · Harts Location · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 46

Tom,

What is this slackline mess you speak of?

Did you bolt the original sport routes up top The Problem (maybe) I forget the names but think they are both 5.12's one with an aid ladder next to it? Just wondering how old the bolts are.

Thomas Stryker · · Chatham, NH · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 250

Slackline mess I have seen images of are two sets of five bolts across an open area part way down the cliff.One would think you could use trees or trad gear to create a suitable project.

The Project was bolted already when I first saw it, probably around 1978 0r '79. It was clearly aid/bolting practice.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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