Discussion Topic |
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| Messages 1 - 15 of total 15 in this topic |
johntp
Trad climber
socal
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May 14, 2015 - 03:14pm PT
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I dunno. Looks open to me.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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May 14, 2015 - 07:02pm PT
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how do you know people don't climb there now?
Have you ever climbed at Breakneck Ridge? (I have...)
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cintune
climber
The Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
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May 14, 2015 - 07:22pm PT
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If you want to risk your neck on chossy diabase that can off you at any second, there's always Birdsboro, :-D
But seriously, it would be so cool if they'd open it. All private property except for the trail along the river, apparently.
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Porkchop_express
Trad climber
Springdale, UT
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May 14, 2015 - 08:02pm PT
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Hey Ed, how is the rock there? I've stayed mostly on the big slab, solo so never really tested gear or pulled hard out there. I always wondered if it's all that bad or if that's just an excuse not to open it up.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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May 14, 2015 - 10:08pm PT
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can't say I remember details...
I climbed at Breakneck Ridge around 1979-1980, once, and didn't think that it was horrible... but I probably didn't have much experience at that point, having only climbed at Tahquitz, Yosemite, JTree and the Sierra (basically all granitic rock).
Looked a lot at the Palisades but the 'Gunks are so good (and the Palisades looks so bad) that it was worth the drive up from the city every time.
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Topic Author's Reply - May 14, 2015 - 10:15pm PT
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I have climbed at both, and off course on the military grounds as well.
The location of the Palisades, the new age we are in and the quality of the potential
Looms large.
I am sure that people still visit and climb, but it is illegal and the ban on legal roped safe developed, climbing remains enforceable, the don't get caught after six rule applies, that is after six in the morning! and if you do get caught save your aplomb for the judge.
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Gunkie
climber
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May 15, 2015 - 07:27am PT
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There is good climbing in the Palisades. Columns, cracks, face climbing and really cool belay ledges at times on top of columns. I grew up a John Daly long drive from there in HS. Climbed there a bunch. Plenty of pins and fixed gear to lead the way (late 70's). The Palisades Park coppers loved to bust climbers, but seemed to look the other way on Saturday night beer parties on the overlooks and inevitable bottle throwing. We would drive two cars, leave one at a rest stop where we would dump our gear over the railing in a hiding spot, then drive to the next pullout where we would hike down and around and back up to our gear. On the way out we would scout the two locations, looking for the cops and chose the one without. There always seemed to be cops around. Got caught once and written up. Had to go to court and pay a hefty fine (at the time).
The climbing was typically one or two short pitches. Always had to end below the top to avoid getting caught. Often times holds and ledges had to have the broken glass brushed off. Cut myself more than once.
We did moderate stuff in the 5.5-5.8 range. There is harder stuff, but not a lot of easier stuff.
"Breaking the law" -- Judas Priest
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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May 15, 2015 - 07:52am PT
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Yup, climbing has been going on there for at least 50 years, sometimes but not always under the radar. I've done a few routes up to 5.10 way BITD. There is tremendous potential, especially for routes that are partially or fully bolted. But there are also some very substantial problems. One is poison ivy; it is dense in many places. The other is instability, and not on a small scale either. The cliff is full of scattered loose bouders, big frightening detached pillars, and precariously balanced blocks...
...look at buttress just right of left cliff edge...
...and there have been some really major rockfalls, the scars of which are still quite visible, in which an entire layer of the the cliff face has sheared off.
1938 Twombly Slide
A chunk from the Twombly slide.
2012 Alpine Slide
Closeup, 2012 Alpine Slide
A chunk from the Alpine slide. A hard hat won't help with this.
Note the profusion of other white scar markings in the first Alpine slide picture, all of which attest to other rock falls (although we don't know when they occurred...)
Because of the big unstable features, I think climbing would have to be very closely managed, and it is clear that the PIPC hasn't even the slightest interest in trying to do that. So don't hold your breath folks.
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John Duffield
Mountain climber
New York
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May 15, 2015 - 08:47am PT
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It's an amazing area. Some huge Pik Nik areas from back in the day too. The NYC peeps would go up there in big steam boats for a Sunday afternoon, in the 19th century and all of that is preserved.
I can go into leafy deserted areas on my bicycle, from my house in NYC. Up the West Side, cross the George and boom. Drop right into it.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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May 15, 2015 - 08:58am PT
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Looks pretty funky....sorta like the Seward Highway road cut.
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gilly
climber
Mohawk Valley,Ca
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May 15, 2015 - 09:19am PT
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Did you get my message. Sorry i am not back there in New Jersey with you all. It was fun, miss the gunks and upstate N.Y. and maybe those tripple overhangs! Hope your well Mr.S Paths less traveled....Gill
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Gnome Ofthe Diabase
climber
Out Of Bed
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Topic Author's Reply - May 15, 2015 - 09:22am PT
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Gill we barley knew one another, but I am so glad to hear Bo from any one !
Do you hear from some of that old crew? No I bet But you never know .
I hope that you and yours are all as great as I remember!
You left your mark on the placid climbing scene !what did you do?
Take the time to sell every merchant 'biners to hang their sgns, then over time
With coat hangers, at night, replaced the 'biners, leaving no one the wiser for years in many cases!
if not . . .you?
me then, a few years later
I went to Paul Smiths,
if not you then
A Cruthers brothers fiction?
Any way great tales of youthful debaucheree.
? No not road cut. , Dimond hard TrappRock, Diabase!
The stacked and leaning towers, are very scary they flex out if you layback or when switching from stem to lay-Back. 4 Camelot's, in a row once moved a 70 foot pillar.
The need for bolts on (yes top roped routes) of old is now a possibility.
The owners of Gyms and Guide services, are not going to see any benefit to do all the work
That needs to be prepared to try and divest the PPIC, from it's anti -climbing stance.
That means that the chore of opening a climbing oriented park falls on the shoulders of
Unaffiliated climbers.
The Tappan Zee bridge project might be a way to get the ball rolling . The plan calls for the old span to be turned into a park, imagine the draw to watch climbers on the cliffs from telescopes
Mounted on the park/bridge.
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Gunkie
climber
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May 15, 2015 - 09:31am PT
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The Tappan Zee bridge project might be a way to get the ball rolling . The plan calls for the old span to be turned into a park, imagine the draw to watch climbers on the cliffs from telescopes
Mounted on the park/bridge.
My dad used to commute that bridge everyday. One day he was stuck in yet another interminable traffic jam near the apex of the span one summer morning when the person in the car in front of him gets out walks to edge and jumps off. Knowing my dad, he was just pissed that this abandoned car was stuck directly in front of him.
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