Mocanaqua Climbing areas
Area beta for the Mocanaqua region of PA.
Access
Access Issues!
Some of the Mocanaqua areas are on public lands and allow rock climbing, however; a few areas such as Paradise, The Library, and parts of Moc proper are experiencing some access concerns.
Squirrel Rock
Main Wall
Paradise Rock
The Library
Upper Tilbury
Tilbury Terrace
For a recomended area that is access friendly in Mocanaqua, Squirrel Rock is the best option for routes and boulders.
Squirrel Rock
An area that has excellent access and is not under any closure, Squirrel offers 4-star routes and bouldering.
Rock Climbing in Mocanaqua, Pennsylvania: An overview of the climbing.
Mocanaqua, Pennsylvania may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of a true destination but for PA climbers it’s home to some of the best climbing areas in the state. With its stunning rock quality and challenging routes, Mocanaqua offers a unique experience for climbers of all skill levels.
One of the most popular climbing areas in Mocanaqua is the Squirrel Rock. This unique geological formation features a series of tiny crags and boulders on unique sandstone. The walls surrounding the bouldering area range in height from 30 to 50 feet, providing a nice playground for beginner climbers and some short cragging opportunities for more experienced climbers.
Another great climbing spot in Mocanaqua is The Library. This giant rectangular block offers a variety of sport routes and a handful of trad, from 5.5 to 5.14, and is a great place to pump out in the summer months because the area is completely shaded. The surrounding area is also perfect for hiking and camping (the latter is not right at the crags however), making it a great destination for a weekend getaway. Legal camping options are not too far away. There are several state parks within a 45 minute drive.
For more experienced climbers, the Shickshinny cliffs (Paradise and the Library) offer a unique challenge. These towering cliffs rise to 100+ feet and feature a variety of climbing routes, including steep overhangs and cracks. The views from the top are simply breathtaking, making it a rewarding climb for those who are up for the challenge. Note: there are current access concerns at both Paradise and The Library.
If you’re new to rock climbing, it’s important to remember that some of the crags in Mocanaqua such as The Library and Paradise do not have top access and you need to lead routes to the anchors. The back wall at The Library is an exception to this. There are abundant anchors at all crags. Main Wall Mocanaqua and Squirrel Rock have very easy top access for setting up topropes. If you are not comfortable leading those two crags are your best option for toproping.
Overall, Mocanaqua, Pennsylvania offers an exciting and unique rock climbing experience for climbers of all skill levels. Its stunning natural scenery and challenging rock formations make it a must-visit destination for any climbing enthusiast.
Squirrel Rock
Squirrel Rock
Located in Glen Lyon, Pennsylvania, 5 miles east of Mocanaqua, Squirrel offers some of the best sandstone bouldering, sport climbing and short trad routes in NEPA. The bouldering is the primary draw here as routes are short and limited to a few handfuls of sport and trad options. If you want short topropes, have kids, or just want a mix of bouldering and some short sends, Squirrel will deliver.
Note: Although the landings are flat, and near perfect whaich makes this area suitable for kids and dogs, be aware; there are large, open pits from former mining operations in the area.
Routes
There are several dozen routes scattered across the low rock band at Squirrel. The rock runs parallel to the road adjacent to the rock. A few short sport routes are found at the first area at teh north end, short topropes are found near the main bouldering areas like Training Grounds, Titanic Boulder, Minty, and The Colosseum. At the south end two higher crags are found with steep, difficult routes.
Boulders
Bouldering is found all along the cliffband and in the woods all around the crag area. Some hidden gems lie nestled in the woods east of the main areas but are hard to find in summer with leaves on the trees. Diamond Cutter and the Gemstone are a few examples. A ton of problems are alsoo located on the crag itself below the roped routes.
Access
Access is not a problem at this area. This is currently one of the areas open to climbing and in good access standing. One thing to be mindful of though is parking at the cemetry. Be curteous and keep noise to a minimum when parking and park well off the main road to Glenn Lyon.
BOULDERING TOUR OF SQUIRREL ROCK
Here is a really nice video tour that Mark from SendSeries put togetyher for his YouTube channel that highlightes a bunch of excellent problems at Squirrel Rock. Problems like Minty and Gladiator are classics you should definatly check out if you visit the area.
Local Guidebooks
PA Climbing Guidebook
Route Guide for PA
Pa climbing guide
Features most PA crags
PA Bouldering Guidebook
Bouldering Guide for PA
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Features most of PA
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