Rediscovering Ralph Stover (High Rocks)

Posted on October 21, 2011 by Clay

looking at the tohickon from the top of high rocks

Perched above a bend in the Tohickon Creek, High Rocks is one of the more beautiful settings you’ll find within 50 miles of Philadelphia.  Add in a handful of bolted top rope routes (alongside limited sport and trad) and a short approach, and it’s easy to get excited about making your maiden voyage to Ralph Stover.  Unfortunately, reading about and climbing at High Rocks are often two different experiences for first timers.  The rock is notoriously polished, the routes are sandbagged, and if you find yourself there on a warm sunny day then expect to revisit your childhood in the form of an Easy Bake Oven with a side of poison ivy. And then there are the copperheads, always keep your eyes peeled for copperheads, which are most active during the Spring and Fall.  Any one of these reasons, often a cocktail of them all, leaves climbers in search of other local crags, so they start heading out to Birdsboro or Chickies and push Ralph Stover into a distance corner of their memories.  Eventually all roads in this area lead climbers to the Gunks and once you’ve been there, Pennsylvania becomes a whole lot less appealing.

Here in lies the rub for Ralph Stover, to fully appreciate this place you have to be willing to wrestle with at least 5.8s, ideally 5.10s, and by the time you’re climbing at that level you’ve got a long list of places you want to check out and Bucks County doesn’t even make the appendix.  But as the days get shorter and more and more of the climbing you do involves neon plastic or serious mileage, take a look at Stover for a day trip.  With clear southern exposure and good wind protection it’s a great place to start a project for the winter or just get an occasional day on the rock.

When To Go: Cool/Cold and Sunny

Rock Type: Brunswick Shale & Lockatung Agrillite (AKA petrified mud)

What To Climb: Triple Overhand (5.7), Neanderthal (5.8+), Phone Booth (5.10a)

Directions: Your GPS will send you 611 if you’re coming from Philly, but do yourself a favor and take 95 to PA 32, it will save you some time and is a much more pleasant drive. Follow River Road (PA 32) sharply right over a stone bridge, ignoring the sign for Ralph Stover State Park. Make a left onto Cafferty Road and continue for 1,8 miles, passing Tohickon Valley Park and Deerwood Campground on the left. Make the next left after Deerwood CG onto Tory Road. Follow Tory Road for 1 mile, then veer right onto gravel section to the parking area on the right.   Plan on about an hour drive time from Philadelphia to Ralph Stover (no traffic) plus another 15 minutes of driving around in the park trying to figure out where you’re going.

History:  Joe Walsh and partners established the first technical climbing routes in the 1930s and 40s using handmade pitons, carabiners, and hemp rope.  The 50s brought more climbers to High Rocks, notably George Austin and Roland Machold who were responsible for several first assents, including setting one of the first 5.8s on the East Coast, Orangutan.   Also, if you’re a local Philly rock head who frequents Livezey Rock, you’ll be proud to know that the Lou Lutz, honored in the plaque on the rock’s main wall, was a frequent route setter and pioneer at Stover.

Hazards: Copperheads, Poison Ivy, Loose Rock

Area Guides
Rock Climbing New Jersey (P. 225) (amazon)
Mountain Project
Classic Rock Climbs – Ralph Stover State Park (out of print)
Sources: Mountainproject.com; Rock Climbing New Jersey
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Bombs Away, Dream Baby, 5.6, Gunks

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Tom

Well, two weeks ago (early October), every aspect of the morning signaled that it was going to be a good day of climbing.  The Sun was shining, I still had my coat and winter hat on, and the slight breeze was quickly drying off any remaining wetness on the rock from the day before.  Matt and I set out to hit up some of the classics, which on this day encompassed Arrow (5.8) and Hans Puss (5.7).  Both climbs were absolutely amazing and lived up to their stars, but the climb that surprised me the most was Bombs Away, Dream Baby, a clean and fun 5.7 climb.  Now, I will mention at the beginning of this post that we went off route and ended up finishing the second pitch on a 5.6 variation to the left, which was fun, but definitely not as challenging as the 5.7 looked on the rap back down.
I started off with the first pitch lead.  The guide book (Williams) suggest breaking it up into three pitches, but a 60M rope stretched just fine to link the 1st two pitches into a really fun 5.5 climb.  Heading into this climb, with a name like “Bomb’s away”, I was prepared for dirty loose rock, but just like its neighboring climbs (Middle Earth and Arrow), the rock was spectacular.  I kept waiting to come up to a dirty ledge, pull on some loose holds, etc., but it never came.  The placements were great.  I ran out most of the last guide book’s 2nd pitch (easy 5.1/5.2 climbing) to a belay on the GT ledge.  I didn’t want to push the rope too far, but I probably could have made it up another 10-15 ft to an even more comfortable belay right below the 5.7 roof.
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The Spearhead, North Ridge, RMNP 5.6

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Tom

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On July 6th, 2010, Matt and I utilized every square inch of the picnic table at our Mary’s Lake campsite to sort all of our gear in anticipation of our climb the following day up the North Ridge of The Spearhead, a 5.6 classic located in the Glacier Gorge region of Rocky Mountain National Park. This climb would be our second high peaks accent this week, with the first one being the Northeast Ridge of Sharkstooths, part of the Cathedral Spires in RMNP. While we used an alpine start for Sharkstooth, leaving at 3:00am, we decided to head in the night before and bivy at the base of the climb to ensure an earlier summit and avoid the summer storms.

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Finding the hole in the donut: two days on Pennsylvania’s Donut Hole Trail

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Dominic
All loaded up and ready to head out from Young Woman's Creek.

All loaded up and ready to head out from Young Woman's Creek.

A weird thing happens when you set foot on Pennsylvania’s Donut Hole Trail: it tends to disappear just like the treat it’s named after. But, if you’re lucky enough to have a keen sense of direction and pathfinding skills and you don’t mind a bit of bushwhacking, you’d be hard pressed to find a more secluded and challenging backpacking trail in the Keystone State.

For the second year in a row, Tom, our friend Chris, and I headed up to Tom’s cabin outside Renovo, PA, for what’s become an annual summer backpacking trip. The cabin, which Tom always generously allows us to use as basecamp, is a stone’s throw from some of Pennsylvania’s greatest trails: the Chuck Keiper loop, the Susquehannock Trail System, the Black Forrest Trail, and, of course, the Donut Hole Trail, which you can pick up less than a mile or two from where the cabin sits.

Running 90 miles through the Sproul State Forest, with termini in Jericho (Cameron County) and Farrandsville (near Lock Haven), the Donut Hole is rife with steep, rocky climbs and descents, rare blazes in sections, and very nice vistas. The chances of encountering another person on the trail are slim, which provides some serious backcountry feel to any trips along the trail.

Last year, we conquered nearly 20 miles of the Donut Hole, heading eastward from Kettle Creek State Park back to the cabin. After two days and one night of serious bushwhacking, rain, high humidity, a hurried camp set up due to a very loud and ominous thunderstorm, a barefoot (and terribly rocky) creek crossing, and several thousand feet of elevation gain and loss, we returned in late June to tack on another 20 miles.

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Red Pillar 5.5- A “not to be missed” climb for its grade

Posted on June 2, 2010 by Tom

pillar11Okay- here’s the scenario…you’re making the approach from the carriage path at 8:30am thinking you’re early enough to jump on High E, but two other parties are parked at the base.  Your backup plan was limelight, but it’s taken by another High E hopeful.  You’re not quite ready for the thin 2nd pitch of arrow- so what to do?  Two words- Red Pillar.  This 2 star 5.5 is a wonderful, exposed, and a very clean climb (after the first 20′ of the second pitch). The climb starts right of the pillar (right of 3 doves), which you climb to a nice vertical face with clean climbing to the belay ledge.  The protection on Pitch 1 is a little sparse, but the climbing is straight forward and solid.  The second pitch starts of quite dirty, but opens up into some of the cleanest climbing at the gunks.  The protection on Pitch 2 is really good with solid cam placements and some bomber nuts. The last 20 feet hits you with a series of moves that makes this climb worthwhile. Continue reading →

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Moonlight 5.6- guaranteed not to disappoint

Posted on April 14, 2010 by Tom

Okay- think back to Christmas morning when you were a kid…There was that big box that held what you knew could possibly be Castle Grayskull; there was that smaller soft package that was probably unwanted socks.  You push through the shirt shaped boxes, the expected toy cars, candy, etc…but over there… just out of sight, there was that odd shaped, slightly heavy box that you could not quite figure out.  It intrigued you just enough to pull you over towards it. When you open it, you find that totally unexpected gift- something that just livens up your christmas morning and lingers in your memory for quite some time.  Well, for me, Moonlight at the Gunks is that gift.  That odd shaped, but beautiful route that still lingers in my mind.
Moonlight (Gunks)

I climbed this with my buddy Matt for the first time this season.  I led the first Pitch, and Matt led the 2nd (which is just amazing).  The 1st pitch starts off fun- you have the option of heading up the inside corner of the left facing block, or head right for an easier push up the block’s face.  Once you get about 15′ off the deck, you follow a straightforward path up the corner for about 110′.  The climbing is easy and protection is straightforward.  The rock was a little wet, but there were heavy rains a few days earlier.  Set up belay on the GT ledge.  The ideal belay is to move left after topping out (as always, be careful of loose rocks). Continue reading →
Posted in Gunks Routes, Route Guides | 2 Comments

Say what?! January climbing: starting the season at Livezey Rock, Philadelphia

Posted on January 17, 2010 by Tom

Lou Lutz climbing at Livezey

Lou Lutz climbing at Livezey

We all know January well…It kicks off with an apple dropping from the sky in Times Square, the start of the winter doldrums; the first month of the year (in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars); one of seven months with 31 days; and in the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest month of the year. One thing, however, that January isn’t known for is outdoor climbing in PA. That is, until, this past Saturday.  With temperatures soaring into the 50s, there was little that would have deterred us from heading out to jump on some real rock. With short days and soft fingers, we opted for a trip to the closest climbable rock outcropping to Center City- Livezey Rock.

Livezey Rock is a staple for many local Philadelphia climbers providing quick access to an afternoon climb and an escape from pulling plastic at GoVertical. The main rock, a schist outcropping in the middle of Fairmont park, is around 30 feet high and 60 feet wide. A plaque positioned in the center of the rock, in memory of native Philadelphia climber Lou Lutz, reminds you that this rock has a long and humbling history. Legend has it that Lou was sending the classic Livezey lines at the ripe age of 80. According to Stone Crusades, another local climber, “Bullet Bob” Antonio,  joked that he used to go to the Gunks to train for Livezey.

For such a well-climbed and history rich crag, little beta is available on the routes outside of the locals who visit it. I think this adds to some of the charm of the area. Dick Williams, in his Gunks guide book, describes his dilema with writing climbing guides.
Dick writes, “Guidebook writers are caught in a catch 22: the more information they offer, the more they condition their readers to be less adventurous.  So my wish is that readers will, from time to time, leave this book in the trunk of their car and walk to some unfamiliar part of the cliff, read the rock, pick out a line, and try climbing it.”

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Winter watching: Storm Over Everest

Posted on January 5, 2010 by Dominic

moonrise_mainpage1

 

Wierdly enough, it was Jon Krakauer’s seminal book, Into Thin Air, that made me want to start climbing. It figures that it would take a retelling of a horrible disaster to make me want to take up what some see as a semi-dangerous fringe sport.

That said, I’ve been rather obsessed with Everest, the culture and controversy that surrounds it, and its long and deadly history. Krakauer’s book did a tremendous job encapsulating all of that, but one thing was missing: the epic visuals. 

After watching both seasons of the Discovery Channel’s Everest: Beyond the Limit, which pretty much just chronicled goofy L.A. biker Tim Medvetz’s two summit attempts, via Netflix, I discovered that the service has the most awesome Storm Over Everest available both on DVD and instantly. 

Originally aired as part of PBS’ inimitable Frontline series, Storm Over Everest is filmmaker and multiple Everest summiter David Breashears’ recounting of the 1996 Everest disaster. With interviews with the survivors, some of whom bear the horrible scars the mountain gave them, it’s a perfect match  to Krakauer’s book. And if you’re feeling chilly, the sweeping winds and -30-degree temperatures will remind you that 20 degrees is downright balmy by comparison. 

Unfortunately, due to rights restrictions, the documentary isn’t available online, like much of the Frontline series. Check out an excerpt here. 

Photo via davidbreashears.com.

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Climbing in Delaware, really? (A visit to Alapocas Run State Park.)

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Tom

 

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Located in the relatively flat state of Delaware, less than 10 miles from the PA Border outside of Wilmington, you’ll find some surprisingly fun climbing. Now, when I originally heard about climbing opportunities at Alapocas Run State Park, I instantly turned down the dial of my expectations to a slow simmer…I was expecting a few chossy boulder routes. I did a little more research and found out that there is a pretty good downloadable guide, which managed to peak my interest a little more. So, with a curious mind, I managed to talk some coworkers into heading out to the park to give it a try.

Prior to climbing, you have to get a permit at the park office, which basically consists of just signing a waiver. The permits are free, and from what I was told, will be good for a year. Getting to the park is a little tricky, and being that I wasn’t navigating, I don’t feel qualified to spell out directions. The parking lot is located in a really strange area that feels more like a back alley than a park entrance. If you follow directions from the guide and feel like you’re in the wrong area, you’re probably right where you need to be.

I climbed on the Main Wall, which seems to be the most popular place to climb. I believe the other permitted areas are mostly for bouldering. The park is a former quarry, which seems to make sense when you look at the geography. It surprisingly didn’t have the same feeling as other quarry sites- particularly Birdsboro. You can, however, see the remnants of drill holes and blasting marks on many of the rock faces. Overall, the Main wall was pretty dirty, especially if you made your way to some of the upper climbs. Also, lots of Poison Ivy everywhere- beware if you’re allergic. I was climbing in October, a day after a rainstorm; so much of the rock was cold and wet. It started to dry pretty quickly, but the excessive vegetation and soil made it pretty messy.

The first climb that I set up on was the Junior Slab, an easy 5.3…this was my coworkers first time climbing outside. It was really easy to rig a top rope, thanks to the well placed bolted anchors. The hardest thing about this climb is finding a suitable belay location…avoiding loose dirt, tree branches, and poison ivy. The climb itself was super easy, but did offer some fun slabby moves. I climbed this in boots-mostly because I was being lazy.

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Trip report: Rocks State Park, Maryland

Posted on October 7, 2009 by Dominic

rocks

Fearing a New Paltz rainout this past weekend, Tom and I, who had been talking about heading up to the Gunks for a few weeks, decided to switch things up and head to the great state of … Maryland? We’d heard rumors of the appropriately named Rocks State Park from a friend at our climbing gym, but we hadn’t made the 1.5-hour drive down to check it out. With the weather looking nice along the Mason-Dixon Line, we packed up and headed out early Sunday morning.

It took a bit of tooling around the park for us to find the right road to lead us up to the King and Queen Seat, an outcrop that served as a sacred gathering place for Native Americans, which we were prepared to smear liberally with chalk.

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