|
muni
Oct 13, 2003, 9:39 PM
Post #1 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2003
Posts: 51
|
How hard are Iowa climbers climbing. Either sport, or bouldering. Where in Iowa are you from?
|
|
|
|
|
pettsnjam
Oct 14, 2003, 3:36 PM
Post #2 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 12, 2000
Posts: 89
|
The climbing community in Iowa is small but a strong one. As far as grades go, I know several people who are climbing 12's on a consistent basis. However as an Iowa climber there is not much in the way of climbing in Iowa except buildings. I prefer to take trips to the west in order to get some great multi pitch climbs. For most people this is not posiable so what I do is keep myself in shape in the Iowa State's Climbing Gym and on the Minnesota local crags in order to climb hard when I get to the good stuff. :D
|
|
|
|
|
lexmark
Oct 14, 2003, 4:58 PM
Post #3 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 23, 2002
Posts: 90
|
In reply to: However as an Iowa climber there is not much in the way of climbing in Iowa except buildings. :D
Wrong. There are a couple years worth of sports climbs in the 5.10 to low 5.12 range in Eastern Iowa. While they aren't multi-pitch climbs, they are far preferable to the Iowa State Gym (I've never been there but did enjoy Wall-Nut Creek) or Buildings. Additionally, these sport climbs will keep an active climber in solid climbing shape. http://
|
|
|
|
|
wildiowa
Oct 14, 2003, 6:11 PM
Post #4 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 6, 2003
Posts: 11
|
I live about 1 hour away from Wal-Nut Creek Mountaineering. I climb there at least twice a week. While there arent many climbers in Iowa, the regulars at the gym pull pretty hard. We travel a lot! 8 hour drives to So Ill is the norm on weekends. This weekend we're going back out to Horsetooth Reservoir. If you live in or around Iowa I strongly encourage you to visit Wal-Nut Creek. We're always putting up new walls, real rock holds, inset holds and super hard routes.
|
|
|
|
|
muni
Oct 15, 2003, 4:25 PM
Post #5 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2003
Posts: 51
|
Who is Wild Iowa. I go down to So Ill about every other weekend also...Luke, Cody, or Yuri?
|
|
|
|
|
jer
Oct 15, 2003, 4:35 PM
Post #6 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 26, 2000
Posts: 426
|
hey Iowans.
there's also limestone sport/mixed climbing in missouri, which is much closer than So Ill if you need a quick weekend. Pick up a guidebook by Sean Burns here:
http://www.pebblepublishing.com
|
|
|
|
|
lexmark
Oct 15, 2003, 10:53 PM
Post #7 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 23, 2002
Posts: 90
|
In reply to: I go down to So Ill about every other weekend also
Make sure to wave at us pullin' is Eastern Iowa as you drive by on I-80. We're kina far away from there, but we'll be up on the routes so maybe we'll catch a glimpse.
Also, so nobody gets confused, I do not recommend the climbing at Pictured Rocks other than a few climbs at Windy Point.
|
|
|
|
|
moss1956
Oct 15, 2003, 11:03 PM
Post #8 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 6, 2002
Posts: 213
|
There are a few good places to climb in East Central Iowa. Pictured rocks has good moderate sport climbing with the bulk in the 5.10-5.11 range. In colder weather Hoot Bluff which is quite small has some nice 10's and 11's. The hard core sport climbing place in Indian bluffs, there are a couple 5.8's a couple 5.10's and the rest are 5.11-5.12. If you just want to get out quick from Iowa city, Palisades Kepler has bouldering and top roping and a few nice trad leads. My favorite rock to toprope there is Racoon cove. :) You can also go north, south or east to find more climbing.
|
|
|
|
|
muni
Oct 26, 2003, 11:55 PM
Post #9 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2003
Posts: 51
|
We just got back from a weekend bouldering trip to Colorado...i strongly suggest Horsetooth Reservoir in Fort Collins and Lumpy Ridge near Estes Park.
|
|
|
|
|
crimpnpeel
Nov 10, 2003, 2:23 AM
Post #10 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 30, 2003
Posts: 11
|
:shock: heck, you don't have to go that far to boulder-Iowa has plenty of moves to shut you down. I'm not joking. there are problems here i can't even talk about. just look around in this so called flat state.
|
|
|
|
|
muni
Nov 19, 2003, 12:26 AM
Post #12 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2003
Posts: 51
|
It has nothing to do with Iowa being a flat state, yes, there is limestone in monticello. But the rock is polished and chossy. I went to colorado to climb on bomber sandstone and some mega classic boulder problems. If you can find a sweet boulder for me in Iowa, that'd be great. But if your just talking about moves that will shut me down, I can come up with those in the gym. Trust me I don't like making weekend trips with a 9-12 hour drive, but that's the price I pay for living in Iowa.
|
|
|
|
|
dhaulagiri
Nov 19, 2003, 12:32 AM
Post #13 of 16
(3624 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 29, 2003
Posts: 236
|
If you're feeling even more ambitious you should check out the bouldering in RMNP. It was mostly over my head when I went there but there are some really nice "moderate" lines there and the setting can't be beat. Compared to lumpy ridge I thought it was much much more fun. And by moderate I mean in the v6-8 range.
|
|
|
|
|
AKclimber907
Nov 5, 2010, 7:14 PM
Post #14 of 16
(1792 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 5, 2010
Posts: 1
|
Hey dose any know about any climbing around pella iowa maybe red rocks
|
|
|
|
|
cornstateclimber
Nov 5, 2010, 8:52 PM
Post #15 of 16
(1759 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 24, 2005
Posts: 324
|
just over the border in illinois, savanna, is palisades state park, a limestone conglomerate crag, no sport, but some decent trad lines and top ropes, but beware of the choss on some of the leads. its alot closer than southern illinois, and provides a good weekend of climbing.but as far as driving, if your gonna spend the 9-12 hours to get to sou ill, your better off heading to the front range. lumpy ridge towers over anything us "midwesterners" have. and straight up from iowa, minnesota delivers excellent stone, with multitudes of routes, to keep climbers busy for a weekend to months!
|
|
|
|
|
mckbill
Nov 5, 2010, 9:41 PM
Post #16 of 16
(1745 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 20, 2005
Posts: 97
|
I don't know how to judge my fellow Iowa climbers. Some climb very hard and some, like me, are just having fun and trying to avoid injury.
I'm from the Cedar Rapids area and like to climb at Pictured Rocks. It's probaby one of the most convenient places to go: easy to find, and locating the climbing areas is notta problem.
Next, for convenience is Kepler Palisades. My favorite area there is Orlando Buttress: easy top rope setup and a nice overhanging crack....what's the name of the route now??? Orlando Butt Cra...ah, no, Fissure of Orlando. Thassit.
Mississippi Palisades is very nice. I've only been to the Sentenal area, and look forward to discovering more.
Backbone state park has some nice climbs, but they can be tough to find. When I went there we looked and looked and then decided on the 'drive in' wall, which gets alot of traffic. Nice crack on that wall...slot machine is a fun route.
The rest of Iowa is as flat as a pancake, and instead of going south, we head north for Devils Lake, WI. I like that area because it gives me a chance to lead climb on gear (something I'm very wary of doing on our Iowa limestone).
There's another area in eastern Iowa, but it is so tough to find, and the approach is so confusing it's hardly worth mentioning....so I wont, but someone else may.
(This post was edited by mckbill on Nov 5, 2010, 9:42 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
