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ckirkwood9
Apr 23, 2008, 6:55 PM
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Hi climby peeps...
i'm flying into Pheonix, AZ, staying for 10 days. Planning on heading to Mt Lemmon for a segment of the trip, and possibly other areas too...
anyone want to suggest things to do on non-climbing days?
i may rent a cycle one day... other thoughts? Suggestions for good food, cool spots? etc.
any help would be appreciated.
Charlie
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thomasribiere
Apr 23, 2008, 8:48 PM
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I've heard of a nice geological feature in northern AZ...
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richardvg03
Apr 23, 2008, 9:42 PM
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Go to Mexico... La Rocha!! Awesome food, nice place! and they speak english if you need them to! Cross the border take a left and it's actually built into the side of the cliff on the other side of the train tracks!
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lvpyne
Apr 23, 2008, 10:30 PM
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ckirkwood9 wrote: i'm flying into Phoenix, AZ, staying for 10 days. Planning on heading to Mt Lemmon for a segment of the trip, and possibly other areas too...
Phoenix is about 2.5 hours from Lemmon (especially with all of the Tucson construction, sometimes 3 hours each way). For local Phoenix stuff, you might think about bouldering at Camelback or climbing at Pinnacle Peak/McDowell Mountains.
ckirkwood9 wrote: i may rent a cycle one day... other thoughts? Suggestions for good food, cool spots? etc.
There's a ton of great mountain biking right in Phoenix. The 100 Loop, Papago Park, McDowell Mountain Reserve, Pima/Dynamite area -- all are pretty good and have trails that range from novice to advanced. (Except Papago -- everything there is pretty mellow, but really fun.) If you do head out, you'll definitely want water! It's starting to get warm!
As for other stuff, well, Phoenix is a huge city -- about 60 miles through the diameter. Tempe probably has the most diversity of stuff, close to the university.
(This post was edited by lvpyne on Apr 24, 2008, 7:18 PM)
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scotchie
Apr 23, 2008, 11:18 PM
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Hiking is great at Camelback Mountain or the Superstition Wilderness.
Phoenix doesn't have much in the way of attractions. We do have all the amenities of any other major city (i.e. movie theaters, shopping malls, spectator sports, nightclubs, etc).
My favorite "unique" non-outdoors things in Pheonix are:
- The Desert Botanical Garden
- Taliesin West
- The Heard Museum
Or you could just find a swimming pool somewhere and bring something to read.
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sighko1
Apr 23, 2008, 11:27 PM
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You know whats great to do in AZ when not climbing...pack up and leave.
if not that there is old Tuscon or tubing down the river in Phoenix.
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climbsomething
Apr 24, 2008, 12:22 AM
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When are you coming again? It's already pretty toasty in Phx. If you must do something outside go in the early morning.
For indoors stuff, I suggest the Arizona Science Center downtown. Pretty cool exhibits there.
For Tucson, I suggest eating as many burritos and Sonoran dogs as you can.
For Flagstaff (roughly equidistant but to the north), there is so much to do I can't even get started. But if you come up here you HAVE to climb. It's the best climbing in the state, hands down. Period. The end.
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k.l.k
Apr 24, 2008, 1:01 AM
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Mezcal.
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originalpmac
Apr 24, 2008, 1:04 AM
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dude is right about Flagstaff. i would get out of PHX as soon as possible, that place blows. And Flag has "the Pit" which is a good sport climbing crag on overhanging limestone as well as some of the best basalt crack climbing anywhere up at "Paradise Forks." and Flag won't be as hot as PHX this time of year. If you like adventurous climbing, the sandstone spires of Sedona are amazing, "the Mace" being a 5.9+ classic, with great OW and chimney climbing as well as a great summit. have fun, AZ has a lot to offer.
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aerili
Apr 24, 2008, 6:07 PM
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You can pick up a free copy of the Phoenix New Times for current events and general interesting attractions during your time here. They are in racks all over the city; they also have a website.
I can give you a long list of excellent eating places of all $$ ranges. In what area will you be staying? Our city is vast and spread out...so it makes a difference.
As for Flagstaff having the "best climbing in the state," that's debatable and dependable on what kind of climbing you enjoy. I like Cochise far more than anything up in Flag (after all, The Pit is just an outdoor gym). But the nice thing about Arizona is that we offer an amazing variety of rock and climbing types: limestone sport cragging and bouldering, basalt trad, quartzite sport, trad, and mixed, different types of granite that offer technical sport climbing, difficult slab and varieties of crack climbing and bouldering, a variety of sandstone offerings, volcanic rhyolite, etc.
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elvislegs
Apr 25, 2008, 6:13 PM
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in my limited experience, if you enjoy exquisite basalt crack climbing, and/or gettin' swilly on craft beers, flagstaff kicks more than its fare share of ass. maybe two or three times its share.
i've heard there are some other types of climbing near there too... maybe that's true and maybe it aint. i'll never know one way or the other.
it'll be cooler than PHX too so you'll be able to climb more. spend your rest days "hydrating".
(This post was edited by elvislegs on Apr 25, 2008, 6:29 PM)
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Moline
Apr 25, 2008, 10:41 PM
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Rent a car, Drive to Eloy, jump out of some planes..... over and over again.
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climbsomething
Apr 25, 2008, 10:44 PM
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elvislegs wrote: i've heard there are some other types of climbing near there too... maybe that's true and maybe it aint. i'll never know one way or the other.
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jt512
Apr 25, 2008, 11:28 PM
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Moline wrote: Rent a car, Drive to Eloy...
But beware of the Morlocks.
Jay
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elvislegs
Apr 26, 2008, 12:14 AM
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climbsomething wrote: elvislegs wrote: i've heard there are some other types of climbing near there too... maybe that's true and maybe it aint. i'll never know one way or the other. Why the hell not?
heh.
because climbing somewhere else near flag would mean passing up an opportunity to climb at paradise forks.
(This post was edited by elvislegs on Apr 26, 2008, 12:19 AM)
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climbsomething
Apr 26, 2008, 12:19 AM
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Good answer.
I'm telling you, I have an extry bedroom in my doublewide. I'll even give the linens a double wash to get the cat hair off.
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thomasribiere
Apr 26, 2008, 7:42 AM
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ckirkwood9 wrote: Hi climby peeps... i'm flying into Pheonix, AZ, staying for 10 days. Planning on heading to Mt Lemmon for a segment of the trip, and possibly other areas too... anyone want to suggest things to do on non-climbing days?
i may rent a cycle one day... other thoughts? Suggestions for good food, cool spots? etc. any help would be appreciated. Charlie
wasn't the OP question clear?
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Ryen74
Apr 26, 2008, 11:55 PM
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Most of what you can do depends on where you plan on being. If you are going all over. Oak Creek Canyon is great for hiking and backpacking. It is also north and would be cooler on the hot days. You may be able to catch a DBacks game. Tombstone is also fun to go to.
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aerili
Apr 28, 2008, 4:28 AM
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Ryen74 wrote: You may be able to catch a DBacks game.
Good suggestion. Plus, we are kicking ass right now!!
However, the Tombstone comment....hmm, I like Bisbee better. But you can hit them both up since they are close together.
Also, there are interesting Indian ruins near the Phoenix area. I have not been to the Hohokam ruins near Casa Grande, but I know they are there.
I have been to the ruins near Camp Verde, however, which is not too far from Phoenix and could be on your way to/from a climbing destination. Montezuma's Castle is a very short stroll for a small fee, plus there are some other ruins nearby as well.
If you go to Cochise, you can swing by Karchner Caverns. It is a preserved and living cave and therefore much more beautiful than most of the caves open to the public out there.
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Ryen74
Apr 28, 2008, 6:30 PM
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I like Bisbee better too but I could go on and on about what is fun in AZ. I am so stoked to come home next month. Karchner Caverns are awesome.
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