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deschamps1000
Oct 26, 2005, 3:27 PM
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So I'm moving to Arizona, and am very excited except for the lack of cold weather.
Are there any alpine routes in Arizona during the winter? Maybe in the mountains up north? Any info would be appreciated.
By Alpine I mean long multipitch rock routes or technical ice/snow climbs.
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bill
Oct 26, 2005, 3:30 PM
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No, there really isn't. You'll have to do a bit of driving, most likely to Southwestern Colorado to find that type of thing.
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cdog
Oct 26, 2005, 3:33 PM
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don't expect much technical snow and ice. There might be a couple interesting routes up steep parts of the San Francisco peaks in winter, but I would guess nothing steeper than 45deg.
I've found some potential ice routes here in the White Mts but nothing dependable and nothing long.
There are plenty of long multipitch rock routes in the state however, and even the desert gets snow occassionally.
I moved out last Feb. to eastern AZ (the "wettest part of the state") and am always looking for partners for long moderate trad routes. Let me know when you're available.
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deschamps1000
Oct 26, 2005, 3:37 PM
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How long are the longest rock routes in AZ?
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ecjohnson
Oct 26, 2005, 3:42 PM
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Not really, but the Santa Theresa? mountains have a ton of backcountry climbing. The Galiuro Wilderness is between them and Mt. Lemmon I think. They are a range of big granite domes. I think there is a lot of new route potential also? Maybe. I've been told but don't bank on this, that it is a bit like climbing in the Cochise Stronghold, which is the AZ climbing that I know and love best.
But, if you come to SW Colorado. There is a ton of Alpine in the San Juans. Monitor Peak, the Wham Ridge on Vestal peak. There is a ton. pm me and I can find more info for you.
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sonso45
Oct 26, 2005, 4:16 PM
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There are a few 1000' routes in southern AZ and various parts of the state, none qualify as alpine.
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climbsomething
Oct 26, 2005, 4:38 PM
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You can do some winter hiking, and there is more backcountry trad than I can even properly explain. Get your mitts on Bob Kerry's Backcountry Rock Climbing in Southern Arizona book (if granite domes are your thang), or Bloom's Castles in the Sand if you're partial to desert sandstone, and get to drooling. Inhospitable weather happens in the winter, for sure, but it's not true alpine.
If there was ANY real alpine here we'd have to zap Reno with a taser to get him to go back to work ;)
But the variety of year round rock routes and crags is quite a consolation prize, so you SHOULD be excited... unless perhaps you've been spoiled by Colorado :P
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cchas
Oct 27, 2005, 9:54 AM
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There's rumors of a few mixed climbs of actually a fairly interesting grade (in the M6ish range) in the Flagstaff area (which I'm checking out later), some long routes (1000ft+ ) scattered throughout the state, but for long mixed and "alpine" if you are including mixed and ice in the equation is in SW Colorado (which depending on where in the state your are moving to isn't really that far away).
Welcome and have fun
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