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trekkergirl
Oct 2, 2013, 10:32 PM
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I have to choose either of the coasts before my job interviews that are due in next few days. I am originally from India and it's only been about 5 months since I landed in US for my masters. I am currently in Bloomington, Indiana and would like to know about the climbing scene in the mid west as well. Basically, if I want to continue climbing regularly, what makes more sense? NY, San Francisco or Chicago? those are my possible work place locations. I have only been to NY; so no idea about other two places or coasts in general.
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gblauer
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Oct 3, 2013, 12:36 AM
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What kind of climbing do you do?
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trekkergirl
Oct 3, 2013, 12:37 AM
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bouldering and sport.
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gblauer
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Oct 3, 2013, 12:43 AM
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I assume you are interested in outdoor climbing?
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trekkergirl
Oct 3, 2013, 12:44 AM
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oh yes! Hence the confusion. Otherwise any city would have been fine :)
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gblauer
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Oct 3, 2013, 12:51 AM
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If it were me, I would choose: (in no particular order)
Colorado
Utah
West Virgina
California
Kentucky
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trekkergirl
Oct 3, 2013, 1:10 AM
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I wish i had those options( colorado, utah) :(. but i don't.
So nothing on the east coast i guess?
(This post was edited by trekkergirl on Oct 3, 2013, 1:12 AM)
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gblauer
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Oct 3, 2013, 1:26 AM
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if you go to NYC you can go to Gunks. If you go to BOS you can get to New Hampshire climbing areas.
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marc801
Oct 3, 2013, 1:38 AM
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gblauer wrote: if you go to NYC you can go to Gunks. If you go to BOS you can get to New Hampshire climbing areas.
Now there are trad routes that have seen 50,000 ascents, so if you know the exact gear, they really aren't much different at all from sport climbs, despite the delusion of many Gunks regulars thinking they're trad climbers.
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trekkergirl
Oct 3, 2013, 2:27 AM
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thanks a lot!
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potreroed
Oct 3, 2013, 3:57 AM
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Chicago or Madison, WI are close to Devil's Lake and Jackson Falls which have a lifetime of climbing available. Lots of Chicagoans think nothing of driving 6 hours to the Red in Kentucky.
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donald949
Oct 4, 2013, 3:08 AM
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trekkergirl wrote: I have to choose either of the coasts before my job interviews that are due in next few days. I am originally from India and it's only been about 5 months since I landed in US for my masters. I am currently in Bloomington, Indiana and would like to know about the climbing scene in the mid west as well. Basically, if I want to continue climbing regularly, what makes more sense? NY, San Francisco or Chicago? those are my possible work place locations. I have only been to NY; so no idea about other two places or coasts in general.
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shockabuku
Oct 4, 2013, 8:59 PM
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San Francisco = lots of climbing, of pretty much any type, in the region.
Chicago = pretty much nothing.
NY = long drives, muggy summers and cold, wet winters. Not much sport climbing unless you drive to Rumney, Gunks are reasonably close if you like trad. There's sporadic pockets of other stuff around but not much in the way of destinations.
I'd look at Denver or Salt Lake. I moved away from NY (to New Mexico) because I hate the east coast summers.
(This post was edited by shockabuku on Oct 4, 2013, 9:00 PM)
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trekkergirl
Oct 5, 2013, 3:59 PM
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Seems to me like west coast in general would be a better choice! thank you people!
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marc801
Oct 5, 2013, 9:23 PM
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trekkergirl wrote: Seems to me like west coast in general would be a better choice! thank you people!
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trekkergirl
Oct 6, 2013, 2:01 AM
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it's because my possible job locations right now are either east or west!
I would like to be at Denver but then the area of work I am into would not have many opportunities for growth there!
(This post was edited by trekkergirl on Oct 6, 2013, 2:03 AM)
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satch
Oct 6, 2013, 1:47 PM
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Just remember that at some point in your income, time becomes worth more than money. Quality of life is more important to most climbers than promotional opportunities.
Everyone has their own notion of quality of life and you should define what that is for you. I live in Fayetteville, WV. 2500 routes (and growing) just a few minutes from our house, low cost of living, friendly people, and no giant egos. Not to mention kayaking and mountain biking. That is quality of life to me.
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marc801
Oct 6, 2013, 5:55 PM
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trekkergirl wrote: it's because my possible job locations right now are either east or west! I would like to be at Denver but then the area of work I am into would not have many opportunities for growth there!
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trekkergirl
Oct 6, 2013, 5:58 PM
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I am into IT Consulting. Do not ask me which firm I would be working for cuz i don't know yet. I am interviewing with EY and PWC and although these firms have offices everywhere, for technology consulting, best locations are coasts or big cities in general as its easier to fly out to client locations. My job will most likely involve travel for 5 days a week to client locations. WHile giving out location preferences for my vertical in these firms, offices like denver or the ones in Utah are displayed as non-applicable for my area of interest work wise.
(This post was edited by trekkergirl on Oct 6, 2013, 6:01 PM)
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marc801
Oct 6, 2013, 9:42 PM
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trekkergirl wrote: I am into IT Consulting. Do not ask me which firm I would be working for cuz i don't know yet. I am interviewing with EY and PWC and although these firms have offices everywhere, for technology consulting, best locations are coasts or big cities in general as its easier to fly out to client locations. My job will most likely involve travel for 5 days a week to client locations. WHile giving out location preferences for my vertical in these firms, offices like denver or the ones in Utah are displayed as non-applicable for my area of interest work wise.
IT consulting??? Turn over any rock in almost any city and a couple dozen IT consultants will scurry out. I thought you were going to say something truly location dependent, like big budget movie special effects houses or entertainment law or something similar. You just mentioned only 2 of about 30,000 firms in that space. IT consulting is one of the top 10 most location independent careers, so if you're only looking at 2 of the 10 or so largest firms, I think you're severely limiting all your choices - both career wise as well as climbing access.
I live in Sandy, UT (suburb about 20 miles south of SLC) and have been in some form of IT for over 30 years. One of my immediate neighbors is an IT consultant who, like you are contemplating, spends much of his time on-site at clients. He works out of the San Francisco office and is actually able to do much of his work remotely and is traveling about 50% less than he was 6 years ago.
My company contracted with a development firm to assist us with building a data warehouse and ad-hoc reporting system. It was a 6 month gig. In that time span, the consultants working on the project spent a total of about 20 days actually on site in our office. The rest was GoToMeeting, IM, email, etc.
IMHO you should rethink your entire approach.
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trekkergirl
Oct 6, 2013, 10:05 PM
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thanks marc801! it helps to have you say what I have wanted to hear.
I am not through with the recruitment process. I am not through with figuring out what my job options will be either. Right now I am looking at opportunities through on-campus recruiting only. The off-line effort has not even begun. In on campus recruitment, there are only 5 firms that are hiring internationals at my school and out of those 5, i have calls from the two that I have already mentioned and hence I am limiting myself to those 2 as of now.
The IT consultant you have mentioned, your neighbor, is after all based out of SFO office i.e. a coast office, right? Also, he had to be in his profession for a while before his travel reduced by 50%. I will be starting at the entry level and from the job description that's offered to us all the info sessions, we are expected to travel 5 days a week. At the moment, I am not relying on the hope that I will be able to work from home or remotely, as much as I would like to.
May be my knowledge is incomplete or may be I am not talking to the right people. But that's the information I have. Thanks a lot for sharing your views! I kinda realize that I should look at more opportunities and this thread is one of those efforts. I might PM you for more info :-)
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jjanowia
Oct 7, 2013, 12:27 AM
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You may find that mandatory travel for work will diminish your appetite for travel to get to climbing in your spare time. I'd go west coast for greater variety relative to proximity, and a lengthier climbing season.
Also, do you require visa sponsorship from your prospective employer? A lot of the voices here saying you can find work wherever you please aren't likely talking about the tier of competitiveness of the big 5, and may also be discussing opportunities that aren't as able to do things like sponsorship.
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trekkergirl
Oct 7, 2013, 12:32 AM
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yes, i do require visa sponsorship and thats the biggest reason for restriction on my potential choices!
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marc801
Oct 7, 2013, 2:51 PM
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This all makes a whole lot more sense now. Why didn't you mention that earlier? Would have saved a lot of discussion.
In that case, climbing really needs to be a secondary consideration. Get established in your career and whatever you need to do to eventually not need H1B sponsorship. Given that, definitely the west coast offers more from a climbing perspective.
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happiegrrrl
Oct 10, 2013, 7:16 PM
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Honestly... I would consider the best job offer and go that way.
If you choose NYC, the Gunks are great. Sure you'll need to gear up (no bolted routes, for the most part), but it is a very friendly place with lots of female climbers who lead and will be happy to help you along with learning to lead on gear.
I like San Francisco too, and as mentioned, plenty of climbing around there too.
Chicago would be my last choice, due to the cold. The climbing is not as varied and convenient as SF or NY as well.
No doubt a rock gym is going to play a part in your early days here. and it is a god place to meet climbing partners who get outside.
Get yourself established, make some money and get on some climbing trips. Then when/if you get sick of working your butt off in a megacorp, and have your residency secure, you can begin looking at quality of life and decide if the bigger city still works or if you want to huck it all and move to a smaller town/smaller company.
Good luck!
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