|
reprieve
Feb 11, 2004, 3:52 AM
Post #1 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
Hey, I'm a member of my university's climbing club. We are looking to take a trip this spring break (march 22-28 ). Anybody have a suggestion for a good locale? It needs to be 20 hours or less drive from Columbia, MO..(but if you're not sure how long it is, just submit and let me figure how long it would take to get there). Thanks!
Also, these are places that need not be suggested:
MOAB: been there last two years
Flagstaff: this is the current plan, but I hear that the weather will not be so warm there in march, so the club is looking for an alternative
N. Arkansas - regular weekend trip for us
Red River Gorge - went over thanksgiving
Wueco Tanks - went over x-mas
J. Tree - too far!
|
|
|
|
|
granitegod
Feb 11, 2004, 1:14 PM
Post #2 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 340
|
Yeah, don't go to Moab.....twice in two years?....geez, must be sick of it indeed! Lord knows there's nothing to do here in Utah....and 3.2 beer...yuck.....unless you're looking for a second wife, stay way far away!!
|
|
|
|
|
lordjim
Feb 11, 2004, 1:22 PM
Post #3 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 16, 2003
Posts: 575
|
In reply to: Flagstaff: this is the current plan, but I hear that the weather will not be so warm there in march, so the club is looking for an alternative
Drive a few more hours south to Phoneix and Queen Creek. Should be warm enough for you in late march.
|
|
|
|
|
bumblie
Feb 11, 2004, 1:55 PM
Post #4 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 18, 2003
Posts: 7629
|
Maybe you should consider the Southeast. T-wall, Foster Falls and Little Rock city are all near Chattanooga. The Obed is near Knoxville.
North Carolina offers tons of springtime climbing, as does the New River Gorge in WV. The NRG has over 1500 routes.
The biggest risk of coming east is the increased chance of rain.
|
|
|
|
|
neomagi
Feb 11, 2004, 3:29 PM
Post #5 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 6, 2003
Posts: 202
|
check out hp40 & rocktown. Foster Falls is great for roped stuff. the camping is right by the climbing, and it is in such a great location.
|
|
|
|
|
ouflyboy9
Feb 11, 2004, 4:04 PM
Post #6 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 103
|
The NRG does have a ton of routes but I went to school about 2.5 hrs from there and March is still cold and damp (if that's a concern), but a sweet place to climb. T-Wall may be good. Red Rocks will be warm but REALLY crowded, Zion is also down in that region, although the weather can be unpredictable in March.
|
|
|
|
|
nnichols
Feb 11, 2004, 4:46 PM
Post #7 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2003
Posts: 800
|
El Potrero Chico - Hidalgo, Mexico
|
|
|
|
|
ullr
Feb 12, 2004, 7:10 AM
Post #8 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 338
|
Arizona
Flagstaff: That's where I'm at now. Tons of warm sport routes at Jacks Canyon, although it can snow rarely. (elev. about 5800 ft or so). Nice, quiet, free camping. 74 miles from Flag. Routes 5.9-5.12, comfortable year around, chase the sun or the shade depending on the season. Skiing is pretty good for Flag now too. Jacks has 200+ routes. Mostly 5.10-5.11.
Sedona: Has hundreds of multi-pitch exciting sandstone routes, plenty warm in March. But no good camping except Oak Creek Canyon(pay sites). Elev. 4000ft. Very nice in March.
Queen Creek: About an hour east of Phoenix. Elev. 4000ft. Millions of routes. Free camping at Oak Flat. Sharp rock. From Queen Creek, the Superstitions are only about 40 miles or so away. Plenty 'O options.
Superstitions: Tons of warm, multipitch, exciting routes in the Sonoran Desert. Free camping amongst the cactus along the beautiful Peralta Road east of Phoenix. Climb Weavers Needle, fun, huge desert spire, easy.
You want sun, AZ is your best bet.
Just some ideas.
|
|
|
|
|
majoringinclimbing
Feb 12, 2004, 8:36 AM
Post #9 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 28, 2003
Posts: 169
|
I think a few of us from Nebraska are heading down to the Phoenix area, not sure but somewhere in Arizona I think! Let me know what you are thinking. We might be able to hook up for a few days.
|
|
|
|
|
reprieve
Feb 12, 2004, 9:16 PM
Post #10 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
thanks for the good info ullr
|
|
|
|
|
climbhigh2005
Feb 12, 2004, 10:23 PM
Post #11 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 14, 2003
Posts: 1500
|
Southeast... NC, GA, AL, TN... there is all kinds of climbing around here... the obed is great, so are all the palces that have already been named.. PM me for any info about them! :D
|
|
|
|
|
breaksnclimbs
Feb 12, 2004, 10:58 PM
Post #12 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 9, 2003
Posts: 203
|
Boulder Co. There's Eldorado Canyon, Flagstaff, and Boulder Canyon,
all within minutes of wherever you may stay in town.
It may be cool as far as the weather is concerned, but there are hundreds
of routes in eldo that stay dry and in the sun ALL DAY. Every thing from single pitch to 5-6 pitch classics. I'm not kidding I work during the week and I've managed to get on rock almost EVERY weekend this entire winter!!!!!!!! And I'd be glad to point you the right direction if you come.
|
|
|
|
|
petsfed
Feb 12, 2004, 11:57 PM
Post #13 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 25, 2002
Posts: 8599
|
In reply to: Boulder Co. There's Eldorado Canyon, Flagstaff, and Boulder Canyon, all within minutes of wherever you may stay in town. It may be cool as far as the weather is concerned, but there are hundreds of routes in eldo that stay dry and in the sun ALL DAY. Every thing from single pitch to 5-6 pitch classics. I'm not kidding I work during the week and I've managed to get on rock almost EVERY weekend this entire winter!!!!!!!! And I'd be glad to point you the right direction if you come.
Boulder is terrible place to roadtrip to. There's no cheap camping, the weather is spotty at best around early spring (last spring break I nearly got trapped there as a storm moved in. Vail pass is exciting when you can't see the tip of your hood!) and all of the road trip worthy climbing is trad. If you can't climb trad, it sucks. Check if Durango will be warm, or go to St. George Utah, maybe Wichita Mountains Oklahoma, or the Phoenix area. Flagstaff will likely be frigid, but maybe not. Tuscon is a sure bet too.
|
|
|
|
|
ullr
Feb 13, 2004, 9:48 AM
Post #14 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 338
|
Flagstaff itself is at 7,000 ft and is usually in the low 50's in March, and well over 300+ days of sunshine a year. There is only one small sport area in Flag anyway. The climbing nearby is Jacks, which is lower elevation, and year around climbable by any standard. Free camping literally anywhere in the forests around Flag if that is your base.
Forgot to tell you about the 'Waterfall area'. Little know area in Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Flag. About 50-60 perfect basalt splitter cracks, south facing. Mostly 5.10 and 5.11 with bolted rap anchors. PLENTY warm in march. We climb there all winter. Pay camping in Oak Creek Canyon. If it is dry on the ground, there is also the incredible trad/crack/basalt splitters of Paradise Forks (40 miles west of Flag), with free camping everywhere. Routes from 5.9-5.12. No sport routes.
St. Goerge is quite nice that time of year too. Lower elevation, warm, sunny. Pay camping at Snowcanyon State park just outside of town. About $14 per night, nice sights, beautiful views from the campground, showers, and climbing within walking distance. Lot's of multi pitch (3-4) moderate bolted and mixed routes on red rock sandstone. Also Chuckwalla wall, and some others. Single pitch sport routes with zero approach about a mile out of town. And another little canyon near the park with about 50-60 short, fun sport routes on Basalt from 5.9-5.11 mostly. St. George is a town of about 60,000, the campground is about 5 miles out of town. Some free camping too. Zion is a short drive north from St. George 40 miles or so. Some great long free routes. Go do Iron Messiah (10 pitches or so) of mostly 5.8 to 5.9 and a couple of 5.10. Great route.
Sedona/Flag/Jacks or St. George would both be sure bets for spring break trips. Tucson (Mt. Lemmon) got charred pretty bad by the fires. Some areas are closed.
|
|
|
|
|
gregtrammell
Feb 13, 2004, 1:46 PM
Post #15 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2003
Posts: 190
|
The south has some great spring time climbing. Foster Falls, Obed, T-Wall, HP40, Sandrock and Rocktown. And thats all within a couple hours of Chattanooga. NC, and further south into GA and you have lots more climbing. Last time I made the trip through that area, it took about 8 hours to make it from Columbia to Nashville, and that included a wrong turn in St. Louis.
The only problem with the area is the rain. We get fronts moving through in the spring time, and that can make it hard to get out and climb. But there are still a few areas that you can climb even while it's raining, and it usually dries up pretty quick.
If you decide to head down this way, drop me a line, and maybe we could all do some climbing. I'm on Spring Break that week as well.
|
|
|
|
|
reprieve
Feb 13, 2004, 7:02 PM
Post #16 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
Thanks a lot guys! Jacks Canyon looks pretty good, although it's about a 20 hour drive. We'll see what the club thinks. Any more suggestions are very welcome.
|
|
|
|
|
climbsomething
Feb 13, 2004, 7:20 PM
Post #17 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 30, 2002
Posts: 8588
|
In reply to: Thanks a lot guys! Jacks Canyon looks pretty good, although it's about a 20 hour drive. We'll see what the club thinks. Any more suggestions are very welcome.
Flagstaff- look, maybe some locals are hardcore, and maybe being from Missouri you're tougher, but I am personally a weenie when it comes to cold, and I laugh in the faces of the people who shiver their way up routes in Flag before April or May. I spent part of a spring break in Jacks (mid-March) and the dog's water bowl froze over. I was miserable. The dog was miserable, and she's a husky. And remember, Jacks is a little warmer than Flag, too.
What sucks about the weather this time of year is that sometimes it IS good, but being in Tucson, I can afford to be more impulsive and change plans if the weekend forecast shows 35 degrees and wind. Plotting a major trip from 20 hours away, around the iffy weather, is not as easy.
You didn't say what kind of climbing you want to do (unless I missed it). Arizona is good for all kinds- Phoenix and Tucson better in the cooler months though- but if you, say, don't lead trad, or can only stay within a certain difficulty level, that'll significantly affect what kind of advice you'll get.
|
|
|
|
|
reprieve
Feb 13, 2004, 7:45 PM
Post #18 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
Hmmm...well I guess I won't suggest Jacks. I'd like to say we are a bunch of tough midwesterners....but that's total crap! We're just like you...we want to be warm over break!!
I'd love to bring up Tuscon, but that's around 23 hours from here and I don't think the club wants to go that far.
Thanks for straigtening me out.
Oh and btw, we need a place that has a wide variety of climbs. We have people in the club that are probably about 5.6 with no lead/trad experience, all the way up to tradionalists with full racks who can lead 5.13's....so sport climbing is a must, bouldering is good, trad is nice but by no means necessary as there are probably only a couple climbers in our group who would take advantage of it.
|
|
|
|
|
scientiffikk
Feb 17, 2004, 2:36 PM
Post #19 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 11, 2003
Posts: 64
|
How about the Austin area? Enchanted Rock, Reimer's ranch, etc. Check http://www.texasclimbers.com for details. All styles of climbing can be found within the area. Maybe I can join up with you on the weekend, I'm a former MU climbing club member, stranded in Texas.
|
|
|
|
|
reprieve
Feb 17, 2004, 6:36 PM
Post #20 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
Wow, that's cool man. I've already suggested Enchanted Rock to the club, and a decision is pending. I'll be sure to let you know where we go. When did you graduate?
|
|
|
|
|
scientiffikk
Feb 20, 2004, 3:27 PM
Post #21 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 11, 2003
Posts: 64
|
I graduated in 2002. I was in the club from 1996-2002, during grad school. My most active years were 96-99, then after that I got too busy to climb much. I wonder if I still know any club members.
|
|
|
|
|
gregtrammell
Feb 20, 2004, 3:55 PM
Post #22 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 18, 2003
Posts: 190
|
Down around Fosters and Obed, we got stuff from 5.5 to 5.14a.
|
|
|
|
|
ullr
Apr 8, 2004, 9:51 PM
Post #23 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 29, 2004
Posts: 338
|
So where did you end up going? Had quite the heat wave with record temps the week you were planning.
|
|
|
|
|
reprieve
Apr 9, 2004, 12:37 AM
Post #24 of 24
(2843 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 24, 2004
Posts: 604
|
ended up just going down to Arkansas - HCR, Cave Creek, Sam's Throne, Fraggle Rock
|
|
|
|
|
|
