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dyingdream
Feb 7, 2008, 12:26 AM
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Registered: Mar 3, 2004
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I am planning a week long spring break trip out to california and was wondering if Bishop or JT was the best overall rock climbing (just your opinion, first thought). And seperate from that question, is there good granite crack climbs in bishop? even if it is bouldering. Thanks for the info Steve
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climbingaggie03
Feb 7, 2008, 12:59 AM
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Registered: Mar 18, 2004
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If you want to boulder and sport climb, I'd go to bishop. If you want to lead on gear, I'd go to Josh. I don't know of many crack climbs around bishop, but I haven't spent much time there. Personally, I'd go to Josh, but that's cause I'm not much for sport climbing or bouldering these days.
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baja_java
Feb 7, 2008, 2:23 AM
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Registered: Oct 8, 2003
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there's a lot more crack craggin' at JTree. granite cracks, albeit rotten granite. i personally like the granite up at the Sierra more. if your trip is only a week long, really, there's enough crack areas at or near Bishop that either destination would be suitable. and both will have ideal climes in the spring just west of Bishop, past the turnoff to the Buttermilks, Cardinal Pinnacle has really nice granite cracks, mostly 3-5 pitches plus some singles. nearby Little Egypt has some good cracks too. the Bishop Area Rock Climbs guide is long out-of-print, but you can get info in town at Wilson's Eastside Sports. Pine Creek just north of town has some cracks, too, amidst the bolts Lone Pine is only about a half hr drive south of Bishop. Alabama Hills is about 2/3 sport and 1/3 cracks, nearly all of them single pitch. More cracks up around Whitney Portal area, about 20 mins up the Portal Road from the Hills. there's a little guidebook for Alabama Hills, but the guide that has some info on the Portal area has long been out-of-print about a half hour drive up the 395 is Mammoth. lots of everything there, but colder at higher elevation if not craggin' only, if you want long multi-pitch cracks, the stretch of the East Sierra between Lone Pine and Bishop and Mammoth has a lot more of that than JTree. if you want lot of cracks within a short walk or drive of the campground, go to JTree hope that helps
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superbum
Feb 7, 2008, 3:38 AM
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Registered: Sep 19, 2002
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exactly what he said ^^^^^^ w/ an emphasis on Whitney Portal and Cardinal Pinnacle!!! Also worth checking out if you are ADVENTUROUS are the many buttresses that make up the east flank of Wheeler crest. At Wilson's ask for Ty or Kent or Frank...they know mucho area beta.
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socalbolter
Feb 7, 2008, 4:40 AM
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Registered: Mar 27, 2002
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Having starting to climb in Joshua Tree and climbing there for the last 30+ years I've grown somewhat fond of it. That said, you would be stupid not to choose Bishop. The rock is better. The bouldering is better. The sport climbing is better. There is a better variety of crack climbing to choose from and it is better. There are better than 20 major climbing options within an hour of Bishop. You'll be hard pressed to get a decent sampling of all that the area has to offer in a week, but your trip will be much more diverse than if you go to Joshua Tree. And I agree with the other posters. Best crack climbing around Bishop is up at the higher elevations, but if you're hard up there are some great cracks in the Owens River Gorge (as long as you don't mind some of them being bolted). Let us know what becomes of your trip. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself.
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toyon
Feb 29, 2008, 6:38 AM
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Registered: Dec 23, 2007
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Fresh froma gorgeous eastside trip, thought id weigh in and say... JTree. It really comes down to your lifestyle. If you're looking for a vacation, go to the eastside. Lots of driving and orienting yourself. If you want to submerse yourself in climbing, stay out of your car and really suck the marrow out of a place, JTree is your place.
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