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Green Pond, NJ

Mikey Seaman · · Boise, ID · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 5

I don't know who trollenor is, but I've heard she is an idiot who can't spell or write. This guy ^^^ guys the bill

Michael C · · New Jersey · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 340

can you send me that image in higher quality? thanks!

jia · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 30

it's somewhat prudent to have on one's car a newark watershed parking permit which can be had at there office on echo lake road. i wouldn't mention climbing just hiking as an activity one will be doing when getting de parking permit. eh to thee gnomes of thee diabase...

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419

What the Ef!  Edit 0n 1/15/18.. when I went to edit one word, the whole post re worked to a single space & no pictures  ? 

To much work to put it all back. 

Ok ,

 came back when I had some sleep-less time to kill

. So

 I put some stove cakes on the stove and tried to replace the pix. total waste,  kept getting pop-up ,

 so 

 I put the link to one pix and my Wix blog link ' ' ' ' i am so motivated to add infomation and pix to this , really it makes me feel all warm and cozy

This is me then..https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/108899104.  . Photo: Leading the Triple Overhangs(.10r/x) at "Watchung". These cliffs along Diamond Hill road seconds off rt78 in Berkely Hights NJ, have been climbed on for at least 50 years  For many people this is the 1st ice or rock they have ever tied into a rope and properly climbed. For as many ,maybe more,these cliffs have been the scene of daily training. The climbing is on Trapp rock,  diabase basalt,super concentrated with many lines crossing and eliminating holds make for harder variations. Climbs as hard as 5.13, unrepeated boulder problems, ropeless climbing( ice and rock )and endurance challenges have been the norm.The always dirty 'other' cliff ices up with small drools to thick flows to give good mixed training and is the area with the hardest & unrepeated problems not at all ignored as reported else where. The list of people who have climbed here is a list of 1st timers to the best and boldest climbers ever. So many people have climbed at this small road side craig,that Seally's Pond;the parking area,for the cliffs at Watchung has had cars from wyoming, alaska, NY, and colorado at the same time. The rock climbing in NJ can be found through adventure or guide service but it is not the gym.

 I was helpful in saving the Sourland bouldering. near Princeton. Climb smart, climb safe= climb forever

        1dont bother i guess?4 I am still out there climbing new routes.

 Also

http://michaeljschneider.wix.com/tristaterockclimbing#

Dylan Randall · · Nashville, TN · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 615

Went in today with a pad to check out bouldering potential in the talus. I only hung around the middle third of the field but didn't find much. Sure, there's plenty of climbing but most is only one or two moves, and landings are horrid (to be expected with talus bouldering). Navigating the field with a heavy pack and pad also proved to be difficult, as several of the smaller blocks shifted on me.

However, the cliffs still look enticing as ever...

jia · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 30

indeed the talus proper lacks problems in the middle. check out the talus crevice, the eastern flank, up around and below the bowling alley. yep landings generally are death eating. there is along the base of the talus on the eastern shelf a slew of area w/ boulder problems. problem w/ de problems is cleaning them. look for the big old huge overhang. check out the big ole house size boulder along the talus slope woodland buffer. landings are marginally better. now if you get up onto the 3 bears downclimb and goldline ledge keep a sharp eye for problems and the tunnel.

green pond overhang

Dylan Randall · · Nashville, TN · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 615

I appreciate your beta on the area, but these names all sound foreign to me!

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419

I'm here the stuff I did is there Jia, de Freerider and I love this place.

 DO NOT SCREW THIS PLACE UP 

Climb Smart and safe ie pre inspect tred carefully & top rope

(w/ dirtectionals away from loose stacks) 

The bouldering is best around the Man eating talus no landings at all !

jia · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 30

there is no guide to the site. basic overlay. east side of talus has a 4th class route to the top of the cliff. for specific bouldering look for large boulders along the base and side of the talus. "jenga" is mid-point of cliff and is the prominate arete. bowling alley is the section of the cliff that is highest. believe its the scar of a old cliff slide. gp, hawks cliff talus can be unforgiving. thar be a few different sweet spots along her borders. photo of far east boulder. easily accessible from the hiking trail when the foliage isn't so thick. photo taken from near the eastern edge of the talus looking down into the talus slope woodland. there are other such boulders of the same size along the border. top of talus field crevice is a big old square boulder. significant size. blow a move your talus trash.

inspect the far east

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419

WHATS UP?
any one sending the routes?
Blue Gus Chimney?
Photo Op. Wall?
K.B.S.( Kevin Bein's Shoes) (the big roof)

http://michaeljschneider.wix.com/tristaterockclimbing

Michael C · · New Jersey · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 340

Some great info on your page Mike.

Looking to head on out there in the fall. Let me know if you'd like to partner up.

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419
Norm Rasmussen · · North Jersey · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 866

Anyone been there this summer/fall?

Also Michael, do you know if there is ice in the winter?

Michael C · · New Jersey · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 340

The guy who I spoke to (mentioned earlier in this thread) said it's best to climb there in the fall. Way too buggy, vegatated, and full of active critters in the warm months.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945

Anyone got any good pics from the base?

Suburban Roadside · · Abovetraffic on Hudson · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 2,419

year round climbing
the yellow jackets were bad mid summer
The last three weeks were sweet!
I saw very little chalk or evidence of other climbing where I went.

Morgan Patterson · · NH · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 8,945
Michael Schneider wrote:year round climbing the yellow jackets were bad mid summer The last three weeks were sweet! I saw very little chalk or evidence of other climbing where I went.
Did you bring your AMGA guide? lol
Ryan L · · Ringwood NJ · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 105

Paid the place a visit today. Didn't climb anything, but explored a bunch of the talus field and cliff directly in front of the road as seen here in the first picture. I went as far right as the Blue Gus Chimney and the ledge/dihedral to the right of itbut for the most part I kept to the left side because in Michael's website he states it has most of the more memorable and unique features. There were no signs of climbers except for what looked like some pin scars. However, I didn't see any of the right side of things so there may be more evidence there.

There seems to be very little bouldering if any on the left side. Sounds like from Jia there is more on the right side near four birds so I will have to check that out soon.

I got to the cliff by cutting between two houses at the end of Deerhaven Lane and scrambling up the talus field. Did not end well... Was greeted on my way out by two very unhappy homeowners, informing me a detective lives in one of the neighboring houses and that they call the police if there are any unusual cars or people around the road, including climbers. Just don't play around in the talus field above that road or go on it and you will be fine. They cannot see past the edge of the talus field at the top so if you are a the cliff you are fine.

Apart from that, this place looks fantastic! Looks like there would be tons of placements if led. The rock in the talus field is different from the actual cliff (sandstone vs something grey with crystals and stuff in it) which seems really weird. Some parts look very blocky, loose, and in need of some good trundling, but they also look totally worth it. I would definitely NOT want to belay directly under a climber!

Got bitten up by mosquitos when I reached the bottom of the cliff because I was a sweaty mess from the climb up, but once I cooled off they went away. I have done a lot in West Milford, and know from experience that it gets hot and very buggy in the summer but fall chills and lower temperatures seem to drive most insects somewhere else.

Blue Gus Chimney looks really unique and awesome! Way too wide to chimney up, but has a really awesome roof at the top and a ton of cracks and fun stuff. Apart from that, there's a ton of dihedrals, roofs, and other really cool features littered all over the rest of cliff. The possibilities seem endless..

Next time I come I plan on taking the four birds trail (from the Northeastern trail head) and rappelling down Blue Gus Chimney and climbing, or something on the right side it. Will be hopeful I don't run into any problems from there on..

As for the only AMGA access, I don't see anything else stopping one from climbing here apart from the people on Deerhaven Ln. Just don't make a big deal or call attention to yourself.

Apologies for the crummy iPhone fisheye pictures. I would usually never shoot on that, but today I only had my 70-300mm telephoto lens for my camera.

Map

Side of Blue Gus Chimney

Talus Field

Just to get an idea of the rock

GP rock

view from the top!

Blue Gus Chimney!

Top of Blue Gus Chimney

even more GP rock

I believe this is "Goldline Ledge", where Michael J Schneider kept a stash of climbing gear back in the day. There was a 45~ foot drop below me. I got to it by just following the cliff next to Blue Gus Chimney even though it significantly dropped of.

View from the top of the Talus field. Wow!

really big talus

Lots o' rock

even more rock

Very attractive corner of Blue Gus Chimney.

Pin scars? about 15~ feet above me

Four Birds trail head info station. Can be found about 100 feet up the East trail head.

Norm Rasmussen · · North Jersey · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 866

Great pictures Ryan and thanks for the in depth review. Glad you didn't get in any trouble with the home owners. Hopefully we can get some work done with the AF (if the ball isn't already rolling) and provide access for a cool looking cliff in NJ!

jia · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 30

ya mon, green pond be the highlands climbin at its best. drop me an private e-mail. ingvarja@verizon.net

there is way better access away from deerhaven lane. AF...well that can be worked and some of your photos would be along those lines to help.

john anderson

ps: yar, stay away from de houses. there be better acxs away from them houses...

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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