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Elevation: 424 ft
GPS: 40.97987, -75.13779
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 111,078 total · 612/month
Shared By: Northeast Mountain Guiding on Apr 22, 2009
Admins: Justin Johnsen, SCPC, SWPACC, EPAC

Description Suggest change

The Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is administered by the National Park Service. On the Pennsylvania side of the river, Mount Minsi is the main trad climbing destination. Ice climbing is possible on waterfalls around the recreation area some winters, depending on conditions. This area was first climbed in the early 1900's going by documented information. The Princeton Mountaineering Club used this area from 1949 until the late 1950's for weekend rock climbing trips. In 1974 Packshack Adventures opened up and started offering guiding here. Doug Greene, brother of the owner of Packshack, Hugh Dougher and Henry McMahon did many first ascents here during the 1970's into the 1980's. Michael Steele, Mark ROnca and others put up harder routes here in the late 1980's into the 1990's. There were many others involved in route development here but the most active are listed above.

Guidebooks: Garden State Climbing 2018 by Joseph Vulpis is the most detailed for this area. The Falcon Guide NJ Rock Climbing by Neil Sloane has some great information.

Helmets should ALWAYS be worn in this area due to loose rock and hiking trails above the cliffs. This area is closed most years from March until June due to nesting Peregrine Falcons.

For the many climbs on the east side of the river, see Delaware Water Gap NRA, NJ (Mt.Tammany) .

See www.nps.gov/dewa for the park service map of the area.

Getting There Suggest change

Located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania on PA 611 just South of the town of Delaware Water Gap, PA.

Bat Conservation | How You Can Help

Suggest change

See a Bat on a Route, Give Us a Shout! 

Hey climbers, the Eastern Pennsylvania Alliance of Climbers (EPAC) is working with Rob Schorr at Colorado State University to help him spread the word about his bat research. Here’s a message from him about this important work and how, we as climbers, can help.

"Climbers for Bat Conservation is working with climbers to understand bat ecology and why bats choose certain cracks and flakes. We’re a collaboration between climbers, bat biologists, and land managers to understand where bats roost and where large populations may reside. We are interested in finding bats because of a new disease called white-nose syndrome (whitenosesyndrome.org) which has killed millions of bats in North America. This collaboration has identified bat roosts throughout the U.S., and as far away as Norway and Bulgaria. CBC was developed by biologists who climb and they are advocates for climbing access and bat conservation.

So, if you see bats while climbing, please let us know by emailing us at climbersforbats@colostate.edu, or visiting our website to learn more. climbersforbats.colostate.edu."

Thank You!
Rob Schorr

Zoologist, Colorado Natural Heritage Program (warnercnr.colostate.edu/rschorr/)
Director, Climbers for Bat Conservation
Robert.schorr@colostate.edu

80 Total Climbs

Route Finder - Best Climbs for YOU!

Location: Delaware Water Gap (PA) Change
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Classic Climbing Routes at Delaware Water Gap (PA)

Mountain Project's determination of the classic, most popular, highest rated climbing routes in this area.
WI3
 5
Silverthread Falls WI3
Ice
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c
 24
Surprise
Trad 2 pitches
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a
 5
Full Tilt
Trad
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13
 30
Osprey
Trad 2 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 6
Drifting Arrow
Trad 3 pitches
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 4
Boca Roca Grande
Trad 2 pitches
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R
 8
Chieftain
Trad 2 pitches
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 5
High Falls
Trad 3 pitches
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13
 4
Point of No Return
Trad 2 pitches
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 12
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves
Trad, Sport
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 5
Pain Builds Character
Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 6
Pleasure Feeds Addiction
Trad 2 pitches
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
 7
Sleeping Beauty
Trad, Sport
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13
 5
Voyage of the Damned
Trad 3 pitches
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Silverthread Falls WI3 DWG Ice > Silverthread Falls
 5
WI3 Ice
Surprise Mt Minsi > f. Land of the Giants
 24
5.4 4a 12 IV 10 VD 3c Trad 2 pitches
Full Tilt Mt Minsi > j. Screaming Eagle Area
 5
5.5 4b 13 IV+ 11 MS 4a Trad
Osprey Mt Minsi > h. High Wall
 30
5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 Trad 2 pitches
Drifting Arrow Mt Minsi > c. The Practice Face
 6
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 3 pitches
Boca Roca Grande Mt Minsi > m. Boca Roca Grande
 4
5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad 2 pitches
Chieftain Mt Minsi > f. Land of the Giants
 8
5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c R Trad 2 pitches
High Falls Mt Minsi > c. The Practice Face
 5
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad 3 pitches
Point of No Return Mt Minsi > f. Land of the Giants
 4
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c PG13 Trad 2 pitches
Snow White and the Seven Dw… Mt Minsi > h. High Wall
 12
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad, Sport
Pain Builds Character Mt Minsi > h. High Wall
 5
5.10a 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad 2 pitches
Pleasure Feeds Addiction Mt Minsi > h. High Wall
 6
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad 2 pitches
Sleeping Beauty Mt Minsi > h. High Wall
 7
5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b Trad, Sport
Voyage of the Damned Mt Minsi > f. Land of the Giants
 5
5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c PG13 Trad 3 pitches
More Classic Climbs in Delaware Water Gap (PA) »

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