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outsideguyzak
Oct 20, 2005, 3:05 PM
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I'm going to spend April 1st through August 31st at some awesome sport crag. I am open to anywhere in North America. Remember though, i'm not talking about the best, but the best in the summer.
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joshy8200
Oct 20, 2005, 3:13 PM
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No personal experience...but maybe Mt Charleston?
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outsideguyzak
Oct 20, 2005, 3:36 PM
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where is mt. charleston? Is it in charleston? Thanks for your help.
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joshy8200
Oct 20, 2005, 3:43 PM
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Mt Charleston...little over 30min or so from Las Vegas, NV.
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landgolier
Oct 20, 2005, 3:45 PM
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Dude, road trip. You're going to get bored of any place you go in 5 months.
Go west. The only eastern sport crags you could even kill a month at are Rumney, the New, and the Red, and all of those are humid and often wet in summer.
Or just do what any normal person would do and go to the valley/TM and learn trad.
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climbsomething
Oct 20, 2005, 3:56 PM
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April isn't even summer where I'm from.
Charleston would be cold in the spring. But Red Rocks would be nice, at least for part of that timeframe.
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boadman
Oct 20, 2005, 3:57 PM
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St. George Area for April, then Rifle when it gets too hot. Rifle is by far the best summer sport crag: narrow, north south axis (chase shade all day), stream (evaporative cooling), and tons of fun routes. The scene is also pretty good. It can be pretty cold in April though, and it might be hard to find partners during the week. Saint George is one of the unsung sport Mecca's: Gorrilla, Black and Tan, VRG, and Cathedral all rock, probably some of the best limestone in the us.
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pbjosh
Oct 20, 2005, 4:07 PM
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The best sport for those 5 months isn't in one place. I'd suggest a trip that wanders from Vegas to St. George to Salt Lake to Rifle, definitely the best concentration of good summer sport climbing...
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gblauer
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Oct 20, 2005, 4:21 PM
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Red River Gorge without a doubt!
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marc801
Oct 20, 2005, 4:37 PM
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It might help a bit if you explain what best means to you. What range of difficulty? Do the routes/crags need to be within walking distance of where you're camping? Do you want a town nearby with amenities like good restaurants, movie theaters, and an internet cafe? How important are the aesthetics of the area?
As others have said, you'll need to travel a bit since no one crag/area covers all the bases. Also, in your April to August time frame, there's a huge temperature range to consider. The areas that will be good in April will likely be far too hot in July/August and vice versa.
Personal favorites for an extended time, in no particular order:
City of Rocks
Mt. Lemmon
New River Gorge
Skaha (central BC)
Slightly less favorite:
Owens River Gorge
American Fork
Maple Canyon
Never been to but on my list:
Smith
Red River Gorge
St. George UT (yeah, despite living only 3.5 hrs away)
Bow Valley (Alberta)
Mid-June thru August, a number of those places are totally out of the question. I don't include some areas that others mentioned 'cause the majority (or in some cases all) of the climbs are too hard for me - Logan Canyon, Rifle, and the Virgin River Gorge (and a large part of AF) immediately come to mind. 11a is about it for me these days (and that's only on the occasional really good, feeling-very-strong, low-gravity day)
Some other comments:
The eastern areas are just too hot, humid, and buggy in the summer for my tastes.
Aesthetically, VRG sucks.
Many of the routes at Mt. Charleston have manufactured holds.
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killclimbz
Oct 20, 2005, 9:51 PM
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For July and August it's easy. Ten Sleep Canyon WY. Nice shady cliffs with cool temps. 400+ routes.
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cliffclimber69
Oct 20, 2005, 10:39 PM
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Lion's Head Ontario is nice in the summer. Plus it's Canada so you know it'll be snowing and cool all summer.
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clausti
Oct 21, 2005, 2:26 PM
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In reply to: Red River Gorge without a doubt!
dude have you *been* to the RRG in july and august? i lived there two months this summer, june and july, and if i'd have had half a brain in my head i'd have at least gone to the new for july.
k
- its at least slightly cooler at the new.
- miguel's= drama.
- when it rained at the red this summer, you were fine climbing *in* the rain. but as soon as it stops raining, the humidity under the cliffline goes through the roof 'cause the overhangs trap the moisture, with the trees so close to the rock. also, shit seeped for three days.
when it rains at the new... you are going to have a harder time climbing in the rain itself. but there is plenty of harder stuff [colesium, hole, cirque] that stays dry in the rain. we climbed at fern even, at endless, not known in particular for its overhangs, all day till we were sore as crap in the tropical storm whatever backlash that weekend columbus day when so many ppl bailed. and the rock is bulletproof and doesnt seep. and even what gets wet dries fairly quickly. sometimes within hours.
but, if you're from out west, you'll pretty much just hate life at he new or the red in june/july. its humid. if you suck it up and climb, come fall there are huge payoffs when conditions get good. the red has the worse humidity though, of the two.
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joshy8200
Oct 21, 2005, 2:52 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Red River Gorge without a doubt! dude have you *been* to the RRG in july and august? i lived there two months this summer, june and july, and if i'd have had half a brain in my head i'd have at least gone to the new for july. k - its at least slightly cooler at the new. - miguel's= drama. - when it rained at the red this summer, you were fine climbing *in* the rain. but as soon as it stops raining, the humidity under the cliffline goes through the roof 'cause the overhangs trap the moisture, with the trees so close to the rock. also, s--- seeped for three days. .
Agreed!!! Neither of these places are going to cut it during the summer. I can't really even think of a 'sport' climbing area in the east that would be 'good' for the summer.........except
You might be able to get by at Rumney most of the summer. I see in your post you're from TN so you're used to warm muggy summer temps. At least up in the Northeast temperatures will be a little more moderate...although at lower elevations like Rumney you'll run into some pretty hot spells.
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photon
Oct 21, 2005, 3:19 PM
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Start in Vegas and then start moving north when the weather changes.
Red Rocks,VRG (all the other St. George areas), Maple,AF,Logan,Rifle, Lander.
If I was to pick one summer area though it would be a toss up between Rifle and Lander (for the most part better temps than Rifle in summer). Also heard some good things about Tensleep though most every picture I've seen suggests it is pretty slabby/vert, no crowds though i'd imagine.
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troutboy
Oct 21, 2005, 4:17 PM
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In reply to: In reply to: Red River Gorge without a doubt! dude have you *been* to the RRG in july and august? i lived there two months this summer, june and july, and if i'd have had half a brain in my head i'd have at least gone to the new for july. k
I lived there for 24 summers (although I don't really remember the first 4 or 5 :wink: ). Clausti is right. Kentucky (and West Virginia) in July and August are as miserable as weather gets.
Perhaps Gail hit one of the rare cool spells.
Best summer sport crag (that no one has yet mentioned):
Wild Iris and Sinks Canyon, Wyoming
TS
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clausti
Oct 21, 2005, 4:21 PM
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In reply to: Clausti is right. Kentucky (and West Virginia) in July and August are as miserable as weather gets.
well, lol, sc is more miserable. but we dont do a lot of rock climbing here. the thought of how hot it was back home sustained me when it was toasty in ky this summer.
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outsideguyzak
Oct 21, 2005, 6:37 PM
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thanks for all the responses. To answer some questions from the posts, I can't really be moving the whole five months, maybe just two or three times, because i have to be working some at each place i go. I will be working 15 or 20 hours a week, probably nights. To answer another question, i have thought about moving out to the valley. I spent much of last summer there, so i'm not planning on spending as much time there. To further clarify, i am climbing in the lower to mid twelve range right now, so that can maybe help you choose which would be the best. Thank you all for your help, and keep the opinions coming. peace.
zak
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ihategrigris
Oct 21, 2005, 7:03 PM
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Canada is a good option if you can get a work permit.
Squamish is always full of help wanted signs, and although it's mostly known for it's trad, it's sport is nothing to sneeze at... has the hardest route in canada for one thing and two world class sport areas: Cheekamus Canyon and Murrin Park.
Skaha's a good option, especially in spring. I don't know about the Penticton job market, but seeing as how it's a tourist town, it can't be too bad.
Other than that, the obvious is Banff... super touristy (lots of jobs) and descent sport climbing close by (bow valley, lake louise). Then you've got Ghost river close by too!
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outsideguyzak
Oct 21, 2005, 7:08 PM
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Thanks for your help ihategrigris, oh and by the way i'm not a big fan of them either. I have heard that up in Squamish and Banff, it rains all summer and the mosquitos are terrible. Are these just myths to keep us americans away?? peace
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wrbill
Oct 21, 2005, 7:25 PM
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Smith Rock is great place in April to mid June. Tons of routes in the mid 12. Smith is 30 mins from Bend. The temps in July and August can get very hot.
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marc801
Oct 21, 2005, 7:35 PM
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In reply to: I have heard that up in Squamish and Banff, it rains all summer and the mosquitos are terrible. Are these just myths to keep us americans away?? |
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outsideguyzak
Oct 21, 2005, 7:44 PM
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yeah i thought it rained up there a lot. I had no idea it rained that much though! I have been talking to my friend in utah today and he said that rifle would be one of my best choices.
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outsideguyzak
Oct 21, 2005, 8:15 PM
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:D thanks for the help everyone. And for everyone else, be sure to make suggestions please. thanks
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boadman
Oct 21, 2005, 8:39 PM
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The problem with Rumney in early spring/summer is the bugs. The mosquitos and black flies are pretty horrible. Desert states have nothing.
[quote="joshy8200"]In reply to: In reply to: Red River Gorge without a doubt! You might be able to get by at Rumney most of the summer. I see in your post you're from TN so you're used to warm muggy summer temps. At least up in the Northeast temperatures will be a little more moderate...although at lower elevations like Rumney you'll run into some pretty hot spells. |
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