All Locations > New Jersey > a. NorthWest > Cranberry Hollow

Benes Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Routes in r. Benes

L › R R › L A › Z

	Close Right Ramp TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Face Left -> Flake Right TR 5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
	Face Left of Corners TR 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Far Left Face TR 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Far Right Ramp TR Easy 5th 1+ 3 I 5 M 1c
	Left Corners TR 5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
	Left Face TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Left Gully TR 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
	Left Ridge TR 5.9- 5c 17 VI 16 HVS 4c
	Pillar Left Arete TR 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
	Pillar Left Chimney TR 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
	Pillar Left Face TR 5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
	Pillar Right Arete TR 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
	Pillar Right Face TR 5.8- 5b 16 VI- 14 VS 4c
	Pillar Right Inside Corner TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Ramp Left TR 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b
	Right Crack TR 5.7+ 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
	Right Face TR 5.10c 6b 20 VII 20 E2 5b
	Right Scramble TR Easy 5th 1+ 3 I 5 M 1c

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Elevation:	770 ft	235 m
GPS:	40.96541, -74.73621 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	9,511 total · 125/month
Shared By:	kenr on Sep 3, 2018
Admins:	SMarsh Page Updates (admin only)

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Access Issue: Not specifically approved for climbing by NJ Parks, or perhaps outside State Park land. Details

This area has not been specifically approved for climbing by NJ Parks, and perhaps is completely of partly outside the Park, instead on State-owned land managed by the NJ Dept of Environmental Protection. Also there might be a concern of climbers parking disruptively outside the Route 206 Cranberry Lake commuter parking lot on busy days.
We heard a report that an official survey was performed for a point near this cliff sector, and at least this cliff is very close to the boundary -- like perhaps the top might be inside the Park and the bottom (or middle) might be outside. We do not yet know of any general rule of the DEP forbidding climbing, and as of 2018 this area is not posted for any special status or restrictions. There is no general NJ Parks rule forbidding climbing (after submitting a signed waiver of liability form for the current year).

Description

30-45 ft routes around vertical on fun featured granite or granitic gneiss.
Faces SouthWest (so good bet for afternoon on a cool day). Much is shaded by mature trees, so not as hot as might expect on hot afternoons.

Straightforward access on official maintained trail then unofficial "herd paths".

A bit south from the true "hollow" so a bit more noise than some other sectors.
Some swampy land near the base, so likely more insects than some other sectors -- could be better after it's been dry for a while.

More climbing nearby at sector Sloane, just below NW.

Top-Roping: Obvious way to reach the top of this cliff to set up a top anchor is to scramble up (slippery) around the left (north) side.

Name: Vaclav "Vic" Benes is like the grandfather of New Jersey climbing. While working as a mathematician at Bell Labs, he got many long-time NJ climbers (using the "Murray Hill Canoe Club") excited about climbing - (One of those Bell Labs climbers with a big impact was Neil Sloane who with Paul Nick later authored the climbing guidebook for NJ). Benes also made important contributions to the mathematical theory of stochastic processes with applications to voice communication. Bell Labs in Murray Hill NJ during that time was one of the top technological research centers in the world, and supported the largest land-line "telephone" network.

First Ascents? When we started exploring this rock sector, we discovered lots of previous work (cleaning + cutting) to prepare the rock and cliff top and base and approaches for climbing. So we could focus on just trying different possible routes for climbing. Whoever did that work, please contact us so we can give proper credit for your First Ascents.

warning: Loose rock is still a concern in this sector. Belayer or other members of party should not stand anywhere near underneath the climber or underneath a leader setting up top anchor.

. . . (Lots of vegetation on this rock as of 2018. Be prepared when climbing to navigate around protruding trees and branches, and dealing with holds slippery with grass, lichen, moss, dirt).

Getting There

Because there is serious question about whether this area is legal for climbing, we have moved its map location and GPS latitude longitude to an incorrect and impossible place and removed the instructions for how to get to it. We hope that in the near future it will be opened for climbing, and then we will restore the correct map location.