Peak Mountain 3

c. Smiley Slopes

Description

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Mostly long slabs with interesting small features to find and use for holds (so not just "friction" slabs like some other locations around USA). Routes 100 ft or more, facing mainly South. But mostly shaded, so not as hot as might expect on hot days.

Closest sector to Parking, with Interesting routes -- but it's basically a beginner / easy sector -- so if that's not what you're looking for, keep hiking in farther.

A bit noisier than other sectors, because not in the "real hollow".

Top-Roping: To get access to the top of the cliff, can scramble up (steep + slippery) around the left side. Staying close to base of the Smiley Face cliff the whole way is both slippery exposed, so think about scrambling up (or down) where is (still slippery, but) less exposed. Or it might be easier to angle up the slope to the right of the climbing routes, then turn left to the top. Can find trees at top which could be used to construct natural anchor using a static line and/or slings.

warning: Because many of the routes in this sector are rather long, if belaying for Top-Roping in the usual way from the bottom, using a normal dynamic climbing rope could result in a long injurious fall if the climber hangs or falls in the lower part of the route (because of "rope stretch"). Therefore consider instead use a static or semi-static rope (instead of normal dynamic rope), or belay from near the top of the route (instead of the bottom).

Name: The Smiley family supported interesting abundant climbing loved by generations of NJ-PA-NY climbers, above all by permitting (and preserving) technical rock climbing on land which they owned or managed.

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).


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