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lexmark
Mar 11, 2004, 5:22 PM
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I understand 'major' is used loosely since this is and Iowa climbing forum.
However, I take issue with Palisades Kepler State Park and Backbone State Park being the only 'major' areas listed. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but try to be a little less biased in favor of Trad climbing.
First, calling any Iowa trad area a major destination is questionable at best. Many experienced climbers simply wouldn't place any protection in our limestone bluffs.
Most Importantly, the sport climbing in Eastern Iowa destroys Palisades. I'm not a big Pictured Rocks fan (too many spinners and rusty bolts), but there are many good climbs there. Indian Bluffs is simply the best climbing within hours of Eastern Iowa. Granted, most of the climbing at I.B. is 5.10-easy 5.12, but it shouldn't be discounted. Most Iowa climbers don't pull 5.11, but that doesn't take it out of the running as a 'major' area in Iowa.
However, come Saturday I will be climbing at TRIASSIC, BIG BEND, and JIZOES VIZALLEY (weather dependant). When I return I will make the case that these should be listed as 'major' destination areas in Iowa. (Only 18 hours away)( if only we could rid ourselves of Nebraska)
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aulwes
Mar 11, 2004, 7:18 PM
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I didn't finish all of the changes. Thank you for the input I'll be sure to make those ares major... Any other suggestions?
I'm not an Ice climber, but where do you guys climb on ice in Iowa? I know the locations are mostly water sprayed off grain bins, but it would be cool if someone put some ice areas on the site. :wink:
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moss1956
Mar 11, 2004, 7:56 PM
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Also, as far as trad goes, Indian Bluffs is probably the major destination.
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aulwes
Mar 11, 2004, 8:38 PM
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What do you think of the colors?
I was thinking red may be too bright so I may change it to green, and change stores to grey... etc any suggestions?
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moss1956
Mar 11, 2004, 11:34 PM
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The red does seem too bright, but you want it to look different to catch peoples attention.
Palisades-Kepler is a funny case.
A lot of top ropers go there for Nanda-Herring and the climbs at Raccoon cove. In fall, Artemis gets some top rope traffic. Trad people go there for Ring Trilogy, Melissa, and the climbs at Lookout.
More than half the people who go there to climb are bouldering.
How does the color scheme allow you to say Palisades-Kepler is both a climbing and bouldering spot?
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aulwes
Mar 12, 2004, 8:29 AM
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"ROCK CLIMBING" - green can display bouldering, toprope and/or trad combination. Where ever you climb with rope you can boulder; just boulder until you don't want to climb any higher.
Or I can remove the color scheme all together, the idea was to spice up the page. I could leave some areas blue where there is both bouldering and rock climbing.
But I think it is best to list "rock climbing" as including bouldering, top ropes, and trad.
***********************************************
I my haste I may have over written a name on one of the areas (Indian Bluffs) when I modified the colors, if I did this to your information; just edit the area to correct this error. Or send me flamming a PM and tell me how careless I was. :cry:
***********************************************
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muni
Mar 15, 2004, 4:50 PM
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There are more strong Iowa climbers than you think lexmark
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photon
Mar 16, 2004, 1:18 AM
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how many are there?
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aulwes
Mar 16, 2004, 2:09 AM
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What do you consider a strong climber? 5.11, 5.12, or higher?
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moss1956
Mar 21, 2004, 1:45 AM
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Aulwes,
In reality the answer to that question is : "anybody stronger than me".
I used to think people who led tens were strong, now that I lead tens, and have bagged a couple of elevens , I think anybody who can flash an eleven is strong. My guess is that my concept of a strong climber will continue to grow - till I grow bored of the sport or get injured too egregiously to continue.
A better question to ask is "who is the best climber?" The answer that Greg Lowe gave is "the one having the most fun".
The macho of the people who develop sport routes is sometimes puzzling. Sport climbing is about being fun and safe, and being the best you can. As such, I enjoy it a lot.
Anybody who acts like sport climbing is for hardmen is missing the point.
In my humble opinion, take a stick clip, hang dog it or top rope it the first time, enjoy the redpoint when it comes, and be back another day for more fun.
It is amazing how sport climbing, and then bouldering have revolutionized climbing. Its great to see the emphasis on skill rather than fear.
If I want to be macho, I just get out my gear and climb trad in Iowa....
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lexmark
Mar 23, 2004, 7:17 PM
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Iowa ratings: at least 5.12 climber. However, it depends on height. A 5 footer climbing 5.12 in Iowa is pretty strong. Me 6'3" on 5.12 Iowa limestone doesn't really prove strength.
My initial point clarified : There are very few Iowa climbers who pull hard outside in Iowa.
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photon
Mar 23, 2004, 8:52 PM
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no trip report Lexmark? I feel cheated
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action
Mar 24, 2004, 6:47 AM
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hey...have you checked out Ledges (near boone)? I ignored the countless signs that say no rapping and climbing and climbed around for several hours. i had a great time...other than that Iowa stinks...lol
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photon
Mar 25, 2004, 4:08 PM
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"hey...have you checked out Ledges (near boone)? I ignored the countless signs that say no rapping and climbing and climbed around for several hours. i had a great time...other than that Iowa stinks...lol"
Way to go numnutz, meet us at IB sometime and we'll see what/who stinks
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drrock
Mar 25, 2004, 4:26 PM
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edit
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photon
Mar 25, 2004, 8:15 PM
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no backbone is part of wild iowa a collection of limestone crags in east central iowa--
the guidebook is out of print-- a new one is in the works but is in flux with the latest DNR bolt issue
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moss1956
Mar 26, 2004, 5:54 AM
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Just what is the bolting issue?
Or maybe more accurately, the latest DNR bolting issue?
I am familiar with the material on the eiowacc website, but it seems to date from about 2 years ago. Since then the DNR has shifted people around so that new people are in charge.
I know the state biologist is concerned with:
Damage to choss as it supports rare flora and fauna
the growth in climbers paths, as it aids the spread of invasive plants.
From the two year old web page I see discussions of concerns with bolting by state officials, but that is the most recent information I have seen on the topic.
Is there some turn in the story that is more recent than last fall that I am unaware of?
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lexmark
Mar 28, 2004, 12:11 AM
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You captured the issue: "new people are in charge".
Disclaimer: I can't remeber titles or names as well as the people who told me the story or the articles I read.
I believe Al Farris was the man two years ago. The DNR Biologist didn't take kindly to climbing so climbers appealed to Farris' authority and convinced him to keep climbing open . Mr. Farris recently retired. The state biologist did not retire. The biologists new arguments are similiar to old ones, including a rare moss on a wall (where there are no routes) at Indian Bluffs. I don't remember what or who became of Farris' position.
I believe the EEIC website does have one or two articles relating to the new round of talks.
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muni
Mar 31, 2004, 4:20 PM
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There are Iowa climbers bouldering hard outside of Iowa too. Come to Wall-Nut Creek, there is a dedicated group of climbers out there.
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photon
Mar 31, 2004, 4:57 PM
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I think I met your group at PR last year. You guys were nice and had a good vibe, however a short mid 5.11 shut you down. For what it's worth most people would not consider this climbing hard. You all seemed to be having a good time though so who cares? Oh yeah, hope to get a few more photos of the secret area up soon, if the weather cooperates.
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muni
Apr 2, 2004, 3:05 AM
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Well Photon or Pat?, it's good to see you are keeping track of our climbing. For what its worth I had been climbing for six months and alot can change in a year.
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rokklym
Apr 2, 2004, 4:17 AM
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Every state in the U.S. has strong climbers, mainly because of the gym scene. I Don't know many Iowa climbers but of the few i've met, they have been pretty tough, by anyones standards. First off, Matt Wendling can really crank, sure he doesn't live in Iowa any more, but he's still an Iowa climber in my book. Secons, Gene Larsen I think his name is. I met him when he was 69 years old and he was still doing 12+'s. He put up alot of hard and bold routes in the Needles in his 60's. Most of his routes out there have the word "Just" as the first word. So if your out there and you hop on a route like Just my baby and me and Just doing our thing.
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lexmark
Apr 2, 2004, 4:22 PM
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I said there are very few, if any, climbers climbing hard in Iowa. No, people coming though don't count (though they are noneixstent or sparse. I know Iowans don't like to hear it, but it is true. For Goodness Sake the hardest route is 5.12c/d and that's with the seemingly weak Iowa rankings. It's nearly impossible to develop into a 5.13 or 5.14 climber when the hardest route is mid .12.
Last, Do 2 hard pullers (both of whom are known more for climbing outside of Iowa) mean that Iowa has hard climbers?
Iowans have fun climbing, road trip a lot, but they just don't pull very hard. Done
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iclimbtoo
Apr 2, 2004, 4:33 PM
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I'm from Iowa...Luther College. We have a climbing wall, so it helps, but yeah, there's good climbers in Iowa. There's a good concentration here at Luther. Some of us sport .12's (low), and one guy is hitting low .13's. Most of the climbers here range .7 - .10 though.
As for climbing in Iowa...I've been all over...it sucks. Painted Rocks (Montecello) and Mississippi Palisades is about as good as it gets...and that's not that great. If you are making the trips to these places, try going up to Laverne, MN and climbing at Blue Mounds. If you're anywhere (even if it's Omaha) in Nebraska and you come to IOWA to climb, you are doing drugs. Make the drive and hit Colorado. It can be done in a weekend. If I've done it in a weekend from Decorah, it can be done. What's all this hype about Iowa anyways? Iowa sucks...anyone who says differently has lived here for too long and is suffering from delusions of corn...
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photon
Apr 2, 2004, 4:35 PM
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Muni,
that's great, glad to hear it. We've got some stuff over here that is way too hard for us, it would be nice to get someone strong on some of these problems to show us the way. Let me know.
rokklym,
I climbed with Gene at the Needles about 10 years ago, amazing guy, did some of his Just..... something or other routes. I had to run to keep up with him. Think he did 99% of his climbing in S Dakota.
I don't think Matt would claim to be an Iowa climber, when he left a few years ago after having nothing left to climb here for the most part he wasn't exactly what I would consider cranking ( say solid V9 and 5.13's in 2 or 3 tries) but after getting out of here and road tripping to good areas with hard climbing he is likely in that category, heard he put up a .14 recently-- way to go Matt.
While there may be some reclusive gym climbing monsters that we've never run into, in the last 4-5 years we've rarely encountered anyone at Indian Bluffs (strong or weak no one really knows about this place), or PR that climb harder than 5.10 easy 5.11. It does happen on occasion at PR 1 out 10 times maybe but those climbers are usually from Chicago or Wisconsin or Minnesota, etc... I'd guess that there are less than 10 people, probably more like 5 or so who live in this state that could onsite V6/5.12a or harder.
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