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thrmaln
Nov 22, 2005, 8:48 PM
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Hello All,
I am fairly new to climbing (since March) and found that I want to focus my emphasis on trad climbing. I climbed a bit in Tahquitz this year, Jtree and other local areas. I just led my first multi pitch trad climb (5.5) a few months ago and now I have the bug to do more. I intend to spend a good deal of weekends this summer in both Tahquitz and Yosemite, but I also want to get out of my element and try climbing elswhere at least once a year. I would like to plan a 5-7 day trip in another state or possibly even Canada for sometime in Spring or Summer. I would love to find a place that has a lot of Easier to Mid range Multi pitch Trad climbs. If I could find a place that has a climb over 10 pitches in 5.6 - 5.9 (are there any) that would be great. If not, I can always second. Also, wherever I ended up going, it would be great to meet up with fellow members from this site. Vice versa as well.
I have been looking over the routes section on this site and like the Gunks as well as Squamish (been by there once but for skiing before I started climbing). I am open to just about anywhere so long as it has access to an airport nearby and is in North America.
Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated,
Marc Webster
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caughtinside
Nov 22, 2005, 11:13 PM
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Go to Red Rocks.
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stymingersfink
Nov 23, 2005, 12:10 AM
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getaway from here. that's a good start! :P
Man, If i could go anywhere for a climbing trip, I'd have to check the gunks out, just cause I hear so much about how stiff their grades are. I wanna know if it's true-blue hardman territory, or just hype from a lot of scared noob climbers that make it seem harder than it really is.
Red rocks, haven't been there yet.
rrg, nrg, looking glass, shizzle-fizzled! check this out you'll be busy for YEARS, i tell ya, YEARS!
(course if i could go ANYWHERE for a climbing trip.....
http://media.maps.com/.../Images/NEPAL-W1.gif but I'd stop every place between here and there to get a few pitches in.
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blouderk2
Nov 23, 2005, 1:32 AM
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You could goto Squamish, Red Rocks, Gunks, Needles. All of them are bitchin' trad spots.
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thegreytradster
Nov 23, 2005, 1:58 AM
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In reply to: In reply to: Go to Red Rocks. I second that motion.
Hit the needles when you are comfortable with .9 and up Only a handfull of -8's
Tahquitz is about as good as it gets though for geting your act together though for moderate long climbs. Start with N.E Face West, 5.6 and work your way thru Whoudunit and Consolation. At that point You will be ready to handle about anything below .9 in the west. Then graduate to the Needles and the Valley.
There's a lifetimes worth of good long routes in the Sierra also.
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vegastradguy
Nov 23, 2005, 2:03 AM
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of course, Red Rocks will be the most fun in early to mid Spring- sometimes late spring isnt too bad. Summer is out of the question.
however, the number of classic multipitches from 5.6-5.9 here is staggering- so its well worth the trip.
I'd also nominate Yosemite- plenty of stuff there 5.9 and under to have fun on.
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thrmaln
Nov 23, 2005, 3:42 PM
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Hell All,
Thanks for the replies. I do have plans to go to Red Rocks this winter and have yet to go there for climbing. I did go there just to see it, but we did the scenic loop since I was with family. I have Family in Vegas and Pahrump so it is definitely on the list. Yosemite and Tahquitz are a for sure as well since they are both close enough for weekend trips. I know its odd to ask where can I go when we have such great climbing here, but I also want to try out different areas, different rock (maybe limestone) site see and just get out of town from time to time somewhere new.
Zion, Moab and Smith rock are far enough away that it would feel like a getaway but close enough that the flight or drive would not be too bad. Is Smith Rock worth a trip? Does it have any mid range climbs below 5.10? I have a friend in Bend I have not seen in a while so it may be an idea.
I will be in Jtree for 3 days this Thanksgiving for a big group climbing get together which should be a blast. Happy Hollidays everyone!
Best regards,
Marc Webster
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punk_rocker333
Nov 26, 2005, 4:10 AM
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City of Rocks, ID is a great place for late spring to fall. It has a plethora of multi pitch trad in the grades you specified. It is a very scenic area as well, with great camping next to the walls. I highly suggest.
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stymingersfink
Nov 26, 2005, 8:12 PM
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In reply to: If you're ever in the neighborhood and want to find out, I 'll be happy to second for you on your choice of climbs.
Noted and filed, Thanks for the offer. Now if my springtime :x schedule will work itself out, perhaps summer '06 I will be able to take you up on it!
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turfguy
Dec 20, 2005, 3:29 PM
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I live in bend and climb at smith, and if sport is your thing smith is a good option, but if you like trad i would go elsewear.
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tattooed_climber
Dec 20, 2005, 3:59 PM
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....first or all, its called a road trip.....second, if you've been climbing since march, i'm sure you trying to bag multi-pitch trad leads isn't the coolest thing you could be doing, i'm sure you're missing lots of lessons learned and you prob have no idea what self-rescue is or how to go about it 5 pitches or so off the deck....needless to say, youre inexperienced in one aspect or another.....play it safe and learn in a more forgiving area (keep it to single pitch stuff)
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thrmaln
Dec 20, 2005, 6:02 PM
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Registered: Mar 4, 2005
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Hello Tattoed climber,
Thanks for the reply. Yes safety is my main goal and even though I am not long in the tooth sort to speak, I have been doing as much as I can to make myself a safe climber. I have taken a self rescue class, and I am signed up for a Advanced Wilderness First Aid coarse with CPR and more self rescue techniques that I plan to attend in April. My climbing buddy and buddies that would be going with me are all far more experienced then me and are very seasoned trad leaders. I know that the more experience I have under my belt will add to my safety and I am learning new things every time I get out.
I am not really trying to bag trad leads and only lead trad when the route suits my style of climbing or is well within my limits. Otherwise, I am more then happy with following. I just like being up high either way. If the route is easy enough, my partner and I will swing leads. I have been doing some single pitch trad as well in Jtree this winter.
City of rocks sounds interesting since it is within Road trip status.
Best regards,
Marc
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galosher
Dec 20, 2005, 7:09 PM
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SENECA (west virginia)
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spoon
Dec 20, 2005, 7:11 PM
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Smith Ruuuuuuuuuuuulz!...but not quite as much for trad climbers. You could spend a whole trip there and never clip a bolt, but seeing as it's the spiritual birth place of sport climbing in the US, it would be like going to France and refusing to eat anything but sushi.
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thrmaln
Dec 20, 2005, 11:28 PM
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Hey Spoon
Thanks for the reply. It does not need to be trad as I like climbing sport as well. Is there multipitch sport there as well?
Best regards,
Marc
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brutusofwyde
Dec 21, 2005, 4:40 AM
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Lots of multipitch trad in the Canadian Rockies.
Brewer's Buttress on Castle Mountain
N Ridge Mt. Assiniboine
Japanese route on Mt. Alberta all check in at about 5.4 - 5.6.
If you want to get educated in loose rock, poor anchors and challenging conditions, this is the place to do it.
And you don't need to pull down hard to scare yourself.
Brutus
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rockinrock
Dec 21, 2005, 5:36 AM
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What you really want are some truly unique places, spectacular but off the beaten path. I suggest the beartooth mountains of Montana, the Wind River Range of Wyoming and the rotten rock of Glacier National Park. All three places are Mecas for alpine trad and mountaineering, with plenty of places to put up new routes (except Glacier NP).
I'm planning a summer trip myself, let me know if you'd be up for something in one of these areas.
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lextalion
Dec 30, 2005, 5:18 AM
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Registered: Apr 28, 2005
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Vegas Baby,
Red Rocks now and spring time is a dream come true with routes of any length and degree of diffculty. Besides its close and airfare is reasonable if you plan ahead.
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gottarock
Dec 30, 2005, 5:50 AM
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Registered: May 4, 2004
Posts: 129
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anywhere you've never been is always a great place to go....
sometimes... you never know where you're going until you get there.
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kason
Dec 30, 2005, 9:13 AM
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In reply to: City of rocks sounds interesting since it is within Road trip status.
City is a great place with a wide array, but there are no ten pitch trad routes that you are looking for. There are plenty of routes to get you ready for those long ones however, so if you decide to come to City of Rocks, then drop me a line - Im there all season and sure beats leaving messages at bath rock that Im looking for a partner!
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sspssp
Dec 30, 2005, 5:18 PM
Post #23 of 25
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In reply to: Zion, Moab and Smith rock are far enough away that it would feel like a getaway but close enough that the flight or drive would not be too bad.
Indian Creek (Moab) is easy to find partners but there isn't much below 5.10- and it takes a ton of cams. The towers are fun 2~4 pitch climbs but you would probably have to find someone to drag you up them which would be harder than just finding partners for the one pitch craging.
I never really thought of Zion as a beginner/moderate area either, but I can't say that I am that famalier with it.
Squamish has some easier routes but the weather is really capricious and I wouldn't recommend it for a short trip. You would get more out of it if climbing a bit stronger anyway.
Red Rocks and City of Rocks would be good.
If you want to deal with the crowds, there is a variety of high quality, long, moderate climbs in the Boulder area. These climbs tend to be crawling with climbers and the camping scene around Boulder is bleak.
It is easy to find long moderate climb in the alpine environment (Sierras and elsewhere). However, alpine climbing brings a lot of other considerations and hazards and I would recommend getting more mileage in "trad" areas before doing anything more than scrambles in the alpine environment.
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sspssp
Dec 30, 2005, 5:39 PM
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One additional note on Red Rocks: for a week long trip where you want to do multipitch, I wouldn't go there without a partner.
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lextalion
Jan 26, 2006, 6:24 AM
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In reply to: anywhere you've never been is always a great place to go.... sometimes... you never know where you're going until you get there.
I am considering a trip down to Mexico ( Cabo area) and have seen some pretty interesting rock along the sea of Cortes that appears to have a lot of potential. Being the optimist that I am I hope that the area is just not be developed yet as there is some many other things to do in the area.
Mexico has a lot of things to offer us gringo's as it is in our back yard and flights area reasonable depending on your location to much of the resort locations.
Funny to see how many mid-Westerners there are down there during January and February all lily white or Lobster red after spending a few hours in the sun. Heck I didn't know there were so many shades of translucent white. :lol: :twisted:
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