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cavedude
Oct 17, 2003, 9:25 PM
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Registered: Jul 12, 2003
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what's up folks,
call it a revelation, an epiphany, a new state of mind. call it what you will...i'm quitting my job to spend between nine months and a year traveling and climbing around the world.
so...beta? anyone got any beta on climbing in thailand, vietnam, laos, south korea, australia, new zealand, eastern europe, western europe, mexico, or canada? good areas? rock type/quality and climbing type (sport/trad)? seasons and best months to visit? beta on climbs, where to stay, traveling?
any info is much appreciated...
peace
dox
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desertclimber
Oct 20, 2003, 1:10 AM
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Registered: Jul 26, 2003
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Maybe ask a few specifics about some areas and you'll get more info from everyone... Such a broad question has such a hard starting point!
Anyway, I would recommend El Salto and Potrero Chico in Mexico if you are there, and def get down to south Thailand for some cool stuff!
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lollipopchic
Oct 20, 2003, 3:43 AM
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Registered: Aug 9, 2003
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Are you thinking of coming to Western Australia? or just the eastern states (Victoria, New South Wales). Here in WA there's quite a bit of good climbing. What time of year are you thinking of coming? If you need info about WA, feel free to pm me!
-Pei
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iris
Oct 21, 2003, 8:52 AM
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Registered: Jun 26, 2002
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When you come to Europe, just send me a message. Am based in Luxembourg and there are some nice rocks around. However now the winter/ indoor season starts, so it is better around March/April.
Iris
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saagax
Oct 27, 2003, 5:17 AM
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Registered: Apr 23, 2001
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All I can tell you is that you´re very welcome in Mexico, here we have a lot of places to go climbing, in my case I live in Mexico City and there are lots of places to go around here, most of them are sport going from 5.8 to 5.14+, also there are some places for good trad, also there is almost any kind of rock from granite to volcanic.
If you´re interested in this just send me a PM.
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mrtristan
Oct 27, 2003, 5:29 AM
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Registered: Jun 21, 2002
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come to china. good climbing, amazing scenery near and around Yangshuo (southern china). You definitey have to come to china. I'll give you a tour of beijing. rock on.
tristan
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haldurin
Nov 15, 2003, 4:54 PM
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Registered: Jul 17, 2003
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If you come to germany you should go to "Frankenschweiz" or to "Donautal" for good climbing. I'm sure you know the pictures of Jörg Zeidelhack (climbnow1) ...
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scallywag
Nov 15, 2003, 6:55 PM
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Registered: Apr 13, 2003
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Hey Cavedude,
ok i have some advice for you regarding your travels and this site:
1. don't post such a massive request in one forum, if you want to go to different areas, get a reasonable idea of where by doing some forum/site searches for info and such, and then post in the correct forum for the area. i bet you most west coast climbers (for example) would never think to look in the international forum, you have to go to them mate.
2. a year and nine months is a real long time to be away and to get prepared for. different weather systems being the biggest catch. I suggest that if you have a car, spend atleast 6 months in america first, roadtripping to all your favourite 'dream crags'. it is pretty easy getting partner so dont worry about going solo, just post here in the corresponding forum to your area a week before you intend going and you should be fine. especially if you have gear. you might even pick up another traveller for a bit more of a regular partner.
3. If you have friends in other countries they make great storage centres for the gear/clothing you wont need in some areas/climates, to keep your load and hassles down.
4. sell your car once you leave the states (i hear it is better to do this n the west coast, and buy another when you get to australia. a car there is absolutely necessary if you want to get good climbing time in.
i am not sure what the other contries for transport are like.
i could continue to ramble, but those are the main points.
i am 6 months through a 9 month solo trip, followed by a 6week 'visit' home (australia) and then off for another year myself, so i wish you the best of luck and would be happy to help you out with any other questions that you may have.
and of course, if you do go to australia, ARAPILES is a must, for atleast a good month, and you'll probably want to go back there after you leave. for some chill, short but fun trad/TR routes in a beautiful area you can also hit up Morialta and Onkaparinga in Adelaide. I wouldn't class these as must do places, only because the routes are all short (between 30-80ft) but the areas are gorgeous, the routes varied and adelaide is a very pretty city, and the people are all very nice. If you are a boulderer, we do have a very good area for that too - norton summit/the bachelor pad. made it in 'climbing' regularly.
cheers, sally.
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haggis
Nov 15, 2003, 7:55 PM
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Registered: Nov 4, 2002
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Im with Sally on the Mt Arapiles thing its the business.Epic trad routes.The Grampians next door are excellent too.Blue Mountains outside Sydney is also excellent.
A small island called Riley Bay on the pininsula of Krabi,Southern Thailand has some truly awesome limestone sports climbing, is a mega chilled out place also,i stayed for months.
Somebody mentioned Yangshwa in China also.Guilin basically.Moon rock is tops but to be honest theres mayby a week in it unless its far more developed these days.
Y Creek in Queenstown NZ has stuff and dont miss MT Cook ie Southern Alps for a bit of winter climbing.
Borneo has some good climbing in Kuching and some fantastic adventure caving in Mulu/Miri
Hong Kong-Lion Rock is superb
Laos is supposed to be up and coming,like Krabi was in the beginning,havent been sadly
States i cant comment on...mayby one day.But by all accounts you could climb there forever.
Good luck i did the year out also,time of my life.
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fargoan
Nov 15, 2003, 8:34 PM
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Registered: May 29, 2003
Posts: 110
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Yo,
You are going to get a billion replies from people all over-- I suppose the 'year off' thing isn't as rare in the States as it used to be. It's a long time to be away though, I've done several 3 month stints in various places overseas, so good luck with all that time away. It's not as easy as it sounds.
Here's my two cents for South America. (I'm actually here now, for 3 months, skimming around the southern half.) There is some awesome climbing down here, sport and trad (more of the latter).
There are at least 3 small sport areas in Chile, Socaire is the most interesting for me, as it is in the Atacama Desert and spectacular settings. There are two or three other places near Santiago, and there are others on this site who can do a better job of telling you about Chilean climbing. Personally, I find Argentina more interesting culturally, and varied for climbing. It has everything from oceanside bouldering to massive 500m multipitch big walls, and everything in between. La Ola near Cordoba, Sierra La Vigilancia near Mar del Plata, and El Salto between Mendoza and Santiago, Chile, all offer awesome sport climbing. The trad climbing in the southern Andes (you might imagine) is also fantastic. Los Gigantes, near Cordoba, and Los Arenales, near Mendoza (also has about 3-4 days worth of sport climbs), both offer years-worth of lines, and potential. Frey, in Bariloche, is legendary, and attracts climbers up into the mountain refugios for months at a time. But you'll need full trad gear, and two (or double) ropes to climb here. Imagine Cliffhanger, but in real life, and you are here. Much of that movie was actually filmed in Patagonia.
Bolivia has two smallish sport crags, and Peru is supposed to have much climbing, although I spent too little time there to really know.
Best of luck and have a great trip. Jonathan
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nova19
Nov 15, 2003, 9:33 PM
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Registered: Oct 17, 2002
Posts: 21
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if youre looking for the hardcore desert experience (sandstone trad up to 600m routes) you can try climbing in Jordan (Wadi Rum) , I just spent a week there and it was great, theres a life time of desert climbing in the area, I would recomend atleast two weeks to get a taste of whats available, but you should probably arange a partner in advance.
I also spent the summer in the states and was amazed by the endless amounts of great rock.
El choro in southern spain has some amazing sport climbing not to mention being an amazing landscape
Im sure youll make youre choices and have a great year no matter what
Zack
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