The Narrows

Soaring up to 400 feet above the Delaware River (about an hour’s drive south of the Delaware Water Gap) stand the Nockamixon Cliffs, better known as The Narrows.  Composed of absolute garbage rock (I believe it’s Brunswick Shale) this area is NOT climbable unless it’s frozen solid and covered with ice.  When it’s in, however, oh boy is it in!  Ironically enough, I used to live about 5 minutes away from The Narrows in the small village of Riegelsville and would drive past them on my way to Bucks County Community College back in 2003-2004.  But I was years from becoming a rock and ice climber, and besides a quick glance I never paid the cliffs any mind.  Fast forward to the present, and I’ve known of and been interested in this area for years.  But finding partners with knowledge of the area and skill to ascend the routes (it’s not a walk-up around and build a top-rope area) has been difficult so I’ve been unable to climb there.  In addition to that problem, The Narrows are about as far south as one can really expect ice to realiably form.  So some seasons are a bust.  However, this winter has been wonderfully wintery.  The Narrows have been getting plenty of action this season from locals as well as out-of-state climbers who are known to come as far as New England when conditions are good.  I saw a Facebook post by New Paltz (Gunks), New Yorker Doug Ferguson showing him climbing thick and huge lines of ice and asked if he’d like to partner up next time he’s around.  Doug, ever the hyper caffeine-infused climbing enthusiast was totally game, and brought along bearded rope gun Dustin Portzline to have a go at the ice.  I sharpened my Nomics and broke out the brand new Petzl Lynx crampons and prepared myself for what promised to be an amazing day.   A post on NEice.com the night before said, in all caps that The Narrows were “HUGE”, and indeed they were.

Little me standing at the base of Main Flow. You can see a climber up top but you really can't see the top out of this route, it just goes and goes and goes!

The first route we climbed was the Dead Dear Gully, which begins with a long WI2 pitch and ends at a headwall.  The headwall contained a handful of routes but we opted for quick ascent on a WI3 line, about 60 feet tall, just to get ourselves warmed up for the Main Flow.

 

Looking up Dead Deer Gully

Dustin, approaching the headwall.



 

The Main Flow IS the prized line of The Narrows.  It’s comprised of 3 pitches and stands over 300 feet tall.  Pitch 1 is straightforward WI3.  Pitch 2 is the crux pitch and is somewhere in the 4-/4+ range.  Dustin lead up the far right corner and clipped a screw about halfway up to get a rest and warned me I’d be climbing through a drip.  I followed for about 20 feet before I entered the wet section and got completely hosed and very frustrated (and truthfully a little scared by the height) while trying to remove draws and screws.  I had to be lowered off twice to get my bearings and swap out my soaking wet gloves and "batten down the hatches" before making a clean ascent.  Past the drip, the route was steep but I powered through without falling or resting once I got into the groove of climbing.  Pitch 3 was a monster!  The climbing was WI3 and I didn’t have any difficulties but I climbed for nearly 30 minutes!!!  I had thought I could see the top, but I kept climbing and it just seemed to keep going and going.  I was exhausted at the top out from the sustained climbing and the fear/excitement of the height.  I didn’t look left, right, up or down the entire time.  I focused on the immediate task of getting a solid tool placement, being on solid feet, and moving to the next position.  It wasn’t until I rappelled I took the opportunity to look around to enjoy and appreciate where I was.

 

Pitch 1 of Main Flow.

Pitch 2 of Main Flow (we climbed on the right side).

Pitch 3 of Main Flow (top nowhere in sight).

Dustin and I moved on to The Main Gully.  Similar to Dead Deer Gulley, the route is a long WI2 climb until reaching a curving headwall with more route options.  Feeling confident in my abilities and sound in skill and technique, I opted to lead up the gully.  Main Gully is two pitches, each ending with a bolt station.  I wasn’t nervous on the sharp end, but I moved with a sense of purpose knowing that each stick and kick must be secure before going for the next one.  There was some walk-up, but there were definitely vertical sections, the highest probably around 10 feet.  I wasn’t too worried about taking a fall, because I KNEW that I wasn’t going to fall and that is the key to leading ice, being 100% sure and confident.  Before heading up, Dustin discussed belaying with me and asked how I would do it.  I said I would belay off the harness and redirect through the anchor.  He suggested I belay off the anchor with the ATC in guide mode.  I’m familiar with how to, but this is something I’ve ever done before.  But a quick tutorial and demonstration refreshed my memory and before Dustin followed we communicated to each other ensuring everything was correct.  I belayed the same for Pitch 2 as well.

Dustin looking up Main Gully Pitch 1.

Dustin following and cleaning screws on Pitch 1 of Main Gully.

Dustin suggested I belay off of this tree instead of bolts for the top of Pitch 1 of Main Gully. Belaying off the anchor, ATC in guide mode.

Looking up Pitch 2 of Main Gully, bolt and chain station of Pitch 1 on the huge rock.

Belay on Pitch 2 of Main Gully.  ATC in guide mode.

Dustin following up Pitch 2 of Main Gully.

At the Main Gully’s Headwall, Dustin lead a WI3 route on the right side.  From the top, the view of the amphitheater was spectacular, highlighted by an ominous rock wall with cascading ice falls that dared any climber with the guts to attempt an ascent.  As I mentioned before, the rock quality is extremely poor and mixed route options are very unlikely.  So unlike the Catskills were almost every inch of rock and ice is climbed, The Narrows have many virgin sections that may never see a successful ascent.    

 

Right Side of Main Gully Headwall.

Me, topping out on the Right Side of Main Gully Headwall.

Amazing view from Main Gully Headwall!

 

From the top of the headwall, Dustin and I traversed across the top of the bowl to set up a top-rope above an ice route on the far left side.  Here, Dustin showed me how to lower a climber with the ATC in guide mode, something most people have trouble with due to its auto-locking nature which is great for belaying but difficult for lowering. Turns out, again, it was much easier and straightforward than I expected.  As I lowered off, loose snow and ice rained down and I was a bit sketched out to climb this route due to all the powder covering the ice.  I climbed until I reached what looked like a ski slope and lowered off from there instead of postholing through it.

 

Using a carabiner to open the ATC in guide mode in order to lower a climber.

Left Side Route on Main Gully.

 

That was Monday, President’s Day.  It’s Friday now and temperatures are nearly 50 degrees and rain is steadily falling outside.  This weekend it will continue to be warm and although there’s talk of cold late into next week, I’m wondering if the ice season is finally coming to a close.  If my trip to The Narrows was the last of the season, I can rest a happy man.  It was a fantastic day spent with good people, climbing on great routes, learning new skills, and truly testing myself.