Couple of interesting climbing sequences, but lots of slabby scrambling in between.

 Start on left side of low overhang at base of the vague ridge below the big top roof. Scarmble up around L end of overhang on dirt, then up left-facing inside corner. Next scramble up slab aiming for left side of roof which is below left from top big roof. Climb up around left end of roof, then trending a bit right. Turn left and go up 2-ft-wide detached flake to finish on gentle dirt/grass a few feet left of the Aiguille top rock.

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone 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).

 FA style + Naming of routes: For more on this - - > See the Main page for Cranberry Hollow.

Scramble Left

Scramble Right

South Ridge

Wander Tunnel

Arête sud contrivée

Some interesting sequences.

 Start below the rock which is just below right from bottom of the vague ridge below the top big roof. Scramble up a couple of steps on dirt to right side of rock, then step left onto rock. Next up about eight feet on slab to right side of the vague ridge below from the top big roof. Then step left onto riidge, and up slab a few feet to reach bulge. Directly over the bulge, then up slab to reach right end of 14-ft-wide 4.5-ft-high horizontal rock across face. Pass around right end and up right side of rocks above it, then scramble up to platform below obvious high crack through right side of top big roof and at right end of the Tunnel.

 Next turn Left away from the high crack, and climb up left from tunnel entrance, then right onto platform over the tunnel, close under the top big roof - (optional to stop  here). Walk left  close under big roof to reach groove between 2-ft-wide detached flake and left wall of big top rock. Up the groove to finish on gentle dirt/grass a few feet left of top rock of AIguille.

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone 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).

 FA style + Naming of routes: For more on this - - > See the Main page for Cranberry Hollow

Several interesting sequences, one much more strenuous.

 Start below the rock which is just below right from bottom of the vague ridge below the top big roof. Up the right half of the rock, then step left onto the main ridge below the 2-ft-wide tongue on right side of ridge. Next up slab aiming for right side of 14-ft-wide 4.5-ft-high horizontal rock across face. Up over the right side of that rock, then angle left up slab above, and a bit down into left gully. Next up slab to roof which is below left from top big roof.

 Avoid that roof by turning right and up right to platform below top big roof. Next walk left under roof and scramble up into groove between 2-ft-wide detached flake and the left wall of the top rock of Aiguille. MId-way up the groove, exit right and up slanting wide crack / steep ramp to finish up to  left side of top rock of Aiguille.

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone 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).

 FA style + Naming of routes: For more on this - - > See the Main page for Cranberry Hollow.

Lots of slab climbing somewhat interesting, and through a tunnel.

 Start below the rock which is just below right from bottom of the vague ridge below the top big roof. Scramble up couple of steps on dirt to right side of rock, then step left onto rock. Next up a couple steps on slab to right side of the vague ridge below from the top big roof. Then step across left onto the ridge above the 2-ft-wide tongue of rock on right side of ridge. Next up slab, aiming toward right end of 14-ft-wide 4.5-ft-high horizontal rock across face. Then hook around right end of that rock and sharp left up onto top of rock.

 Next up slab trending left. Then down a little into left gully. Up slab to roof which is below left from top big roof. See tunnel to right and finish by walking right twenty feet through tunnel.  . . . (Perhaps could then join the route "Wander Right" to finish to the top of the AIguille).

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone 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).

 FA style + Naming of routes: For more on this - - > See the Main page for Cranberry Hollow

Sequence of boulder problems, first not-so-difficulty slabs, then two thoughful balancy with slopy holds, finally a burly roof with positive holds if know how to use them. Rather good if like those style of problems (and don't care about "contrived").

 Start below the rock which is just below right from bottom of the vague ridge below the top big roof. Up the left half of the rock, then onto the main ridge and up left of the 2-ft-wide tongue on right side of ridge. Next up slab aiming for left end of 14-ft-wide 4.5-ft-high horizontal rock across face. Up left side then left front corner of that rock.

 Next up slab trending left to left side of face. Instead of stepping down into left gully, traverse horizontally around left outside corner with feet on small slopy ledge not fully visible from above. Then up the face just left of corner and up onto top of corner. Up slab getting under top big roof. Next . . .

Down-climb left into left gully to below roof which is below left from top big roof. Pull through that lower-left roof at crack in its right side to finish under left half of top big roof - (or could then join route "South Ridge" to go all the way to top of Aiguille).

warning: The rock on and near this route has not been climbed much yet, and some of the rock is still breakable and loose -- so the belayer and other people should stand far away from underneath the climber or someone 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).

 FA style + Naming of routes: For more on this - - > See the Main page for Cranberry Hollow

Remarkable big roof, above slabs. Which will prove to offer the better climbing? the roof or the slabs? Facing mainly South.

 Cool weather days nice due to favorable exposure. Much is shaded by mature trees, so not as hot as might expect on hot days.

top-Roping: For setting up an anchor by the top of this cliff, likely simplest is to first hike/scramble up to sector Krauss, then gentle SouthWest and find the big rock which forms the top of the "aiguille". Setting up and belaying gets a bit tricky because most routes that go to the top of the cliff finish on the left (W) side ot the bit top rock. But setting the top anchor on the left side usually requires directionals for the lower climbing and tends to get significant rope drag when belaying in the normal TR way from the bottom. Setting the top anchor so the rope comes down through the big top roof can work pretty well for routes which finish under that roof (and do not go all the way to the top). Some ideas for dealing with this: * Routes which to to the top can be belayed from the top. * First do all the finishes of the routes which go to the top. Then do routes which finish under the top big roof. * Be careful to avoid twisting of the strands of the rope through the top anchor. * If the top anchor is set so that one strand goes over the other, make sure the strand to the climber is below the strand to the belayer.

warning: Routes which finish to the top are fairly long and using a normal dynamic rope for top-roping will result in substantial rope stretch if a climber falls near the bottom of the route, so they could hit something and get injured. Therefore consider instead using a static or "semi-static" rope, or instead belay from the top.

name: New Jersey Rock Gym offers the closest (30 miles) public indoor clmbing to Cranberry Hollow. NJRG has a long history of supporting preparation and training for outdoor climbing.

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).

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in o. l'Aiguille de NJRG