Lower Tier
- 6 routes
- V0 – V6
- Bouldering
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Lower Tier is a bouldering area in Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, on county land in New Jersey, about 0.2 miles from the town of Brook Valley. It sits among several other climbing areas, including Ball Field Boulders and Cave Area, each about 0.1 mile away, and Low Ball Hill at a similar distance. For a change from climbing, the Kinnelon - Butler hike lies 0.2 mile off. The climbing is all bouldering, with six routes ranging from V0 to V6. Most are rated V0, and Jon Mazza is listed as the first ascender of several of them. The hardest, Stretch Armstrong, is a V6. September is typically the most comfortable time to visit, with highs around 75°F and lows near 52°F, according to typical averages from a nearby weather station. May is similar at about 70°F, and the station sits at nearly the same elevation as the area, so those figures should apply here.
- Ball Field BouldersRock climbing0.1 mi
- Cave AreaRock climbing0.1 mi
- Low Ball HillRock climbing0.1 mi
Kinnelon - ButlerHikingPhoto: Brian W. Schaller, FAL (via Wikimedia Commons)0.2 mi
Green TrailHikingPhoto: Garden State Hiker, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.5 mi- Reservoir TrailHiking0.6 mi
- Wanaque RiverCanoeing6.5 mi
Rockaway RiverCanoeingPhoto: Zeete, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Parsippany Rock HouseRock climbing · ~14 min drivePhoto: Magpieturtle, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Cave AreaRock climbing · Next door
- Low Ball HillRock climbing · Next door
- Whale headRock climbing · Next door
- Heart of StoneRock climbing · Next door
- Pyramid Mountain / Booze WallRock climbing · Next door
- Middle SolitudeRock climbing · Next door
- Upper SolitudeRock climbing · Next door
- Kincaid WoodsRock climbing · ~3 min drive
- Lower BouldersRock climbing · ~3 min drive
Best time to visit Lower Tier
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
36° / 19°
11 wet
Feb
39° / 19°
9 wet
Mar
47° / 27°
11 wet
Apr
59° / 38°
11 wet
May
70° / 48°
11 wet
Jun
78° / 57°
11 wet
Jul
83° / 61°
10 wet
Aug
81° / 59°
9 wet
Sep
75° / 52°
8 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
9 wet
Nov
51° / 32°
8 wet
Dec
41° / 25°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Charlotteburg Rsvr, NJ, 5.2 mi away at 778 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
