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mrhardgrit
Dec 14, 2005, 4:39 PM
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Hi, I'm going to come to the States for a couple of months Feb/March/April and was wondering where people thought was the best place in the US to go for crack climbing.
I need:
1. A place with enough routes mid-high grades for 2 months
2. Somewhere that isn't Yosemite (as i've been there too much!)
3. Easy-ish hassle free living i.e. campsites/not needing a car to drive for miles/no heavy handed law enforcers
4. Somewhere where you can pick up partners really easily all the time (bit like the Valley...)
5. Preferably accessible by public transport!
Please hit me with your ideas!
NB.. It has to have AMAZING crack climbing. Can be anywhere in the US as well...
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boltdude
Dec 14, 2005, 4:42 PM
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The answer is obvious.
Be forewarned though, new rules apply - if you don't like picking up and packing out your own poop, it might not be the right spot for you.
And public transit? What, you think the US is Europe or something? Public transit here means subsidies to car and gas companies...
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cowpoke
Dec 14, 2005, 4:47 PM
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Except for your easy/public transportation needs, Indian Creek (and the Moab area, more generally) fits with your priorities...probably no better place to spend 2 months crack climbing, particularly at that time of year.
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mrhardgrit
Dec 14, 2005, 4:54 PM
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So if I got myself a hire car etc... Do the other things fit? I.e. easy to get partners a regular basis and suits a full-time climbing lifestyle for 2 months?
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mrhardgrit
Dec 14, 2005, 4:57 PM
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Oh - and also, is "The Crack House" from Masters of Stone V anywhere are there?! It looks amazing. Anyone know a rough grade?
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cowpoke
Dec 14, 2005, 4:59 PM
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In reply to: So if I got myself a hire car etc... Do the other things fit? I.e. easy to get partners a regular basis and suits a full-time climbing lifestyle for 2 months? |
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sidepull
Dec 14, 2005, 6:12 PM
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I wish I could say that I've spent too much time in Yosemite.
Crackhouse is close by, but you'll need to find a friend with 4 wheel drive. I think it's around v9, but I've heard route grades and mumblings that it should be downgraded too. Definitely worth a look.
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koko
Dec 14, 2005, 6:35 PM
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simple really-Vedauwoo.
20 min outside of Laramie-home to university of wyoming (pretty easy to find a partner), camping-no problems
all manners of difficulty grades, multipithes, bomber pro...
come and play (although it's a bit cold right now...
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csproul
Dec 14, 2005, 7:14 PM
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In reply to: simple really-Vedauwoo. 20 min outside of Laramie-home to university of wyoming (pretty easy to find a partner), camping-no problems all manners of difficulty grades, multipithes, bomber pro... come and play (although it's a bit cold right now...
Don't get me wrong, I love Vedauwoo, it's where I started climbing...but not anywhere near as easy as Yosemite to find partners. Not exactly crack climbing heaven unless you like offwidths. Cold and snowy during the months he was asking about. Not sure about public transportation to Laramie. I'd stick with the other indian Creek suggestions.
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deschamps1000
Dec 14, 2005, 7:24 PM
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The Crack House is 30 minutes north of Moab (need an off-road vehicle) and Indian Creek is 1:30 south of Moab.
Everyone is going to recomend Indian Creek. It does have phenominal splitter cracks though honestly, I would get bored after 2 weeks. Many of the cracks are very similar to each other. You may love it though.
I would personally recommend Joshua Tree or Squamish in Canada. Both have great camping scenes, lots of crack routes, and are just amazing places. You can also get to and live in both without a car (though a bike would help in Squamish and you'd have to meet people to refill water once a week in Jtree).
I used to live in Moab. Indian Creek could be good because you could also leave the Creek and go up near Moab and climb the crags / desert towers in that area. That would help give you variety.
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bones
Dec 14, 2005, 7:48 PM
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If you don't mind renting a car and travelling some, here's what I would do:
Fly into Vegas- rent car and drive to Jtree. Stay your two weeks and find a partner to go to Red Rocks or maybe Paradise Forks with you. Climb there for a week or two. Drive to Indian Creek. Spend most of your time there. This order follows the best weather.
Jtree: meets #1,2,3,and 4. #3 as long as you don't stay over your limit.
Red Rocks: meets #1 and 2. You need a car, the camping sucks, and it's not as easy to find partners.
Indian Creek: meets #1, 2, part of 3, and 4. Pretty easy to latch onto a group, but you'll need a car, as it's a far drive to town. Pack out your crap.
The only place I can think of that you wouldn't need a car is Zion, but that doesn't really sound like what you're looking for. I can't really speak for any places outside of CA, UT, NV.
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dynamicpanda
Dec 14, 2005, 8:24 PM
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During February I would say that Joshua Tree would be a good choice. As it gets later in the season, Squamish would be great.
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pt
Dec 14, 2005, 9:29 PM
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Feb, March, and April would be a frozen, wind blown hell at Vedauwoo! Awesome for summer and fall, but not winter and early spring.
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wes_allen
Dec 14, 2005, 9:49 PM
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The creek is cool for sure, but I also would be bored after more then a couple-three weeks, although doing some towers could break it up a bit. As another option, since you are getting a car, there is a ton of really good crack climbing in the southeast, and that time of year, you could climb at them all, depending on current conditions. The only real drawback is the weather is not as reliable as the moab area.
And if it were summer, I would also vote for vedauwoo.
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jaybro
Jan 1, 2006, 2:48 AM
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Much as I love Vedauwoo, Indian Creek is the place you want, especially those months. Can be -50º in vedavoo then, certainly will have 50 mph winds.
You can drive any car that runs to the crackhouse, if you go from the top. been there half dozen times in a Turbo (read extra low slung) Saab.
I'll look for you there.
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petsfed
Jan 1, 2006, 4:47 AM
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In reply to: simple really-Vedauwoo. 20 min outside of Laramie-home to university of wyoming (pretty easy to find a partner), camping-no problems all manners of difficulty grades, multipithes, bomber pro... come and play (although it's a bit cold right now...
What?! No! In February, March and April? That's 2 weeks with your eyelashes frozen together, 6 weeks of intermittent snow, 3 months of wind gusting to 50 mph, 5 or 6 days a month of "passable" weather (above freezing and/or without preciptation or wind), 2 or 3 days a month without any of the above ("good" days), and enough offwidth climbing to last a 3 months. I would not suggest late winter into early spring in Wyoming. Lord knows I've seen enough of them.
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studs
Jan 31, 2006, 10:19 AM
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San diego is the best.Flagstaff is great too.
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healyje
Jan 31, 2006, 11:44 AM
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Squamish in March-April??? Cold, relentlessly wet, and dark would be more like it...
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sentinel
Feb 3, 2006, 5:19 PM
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Check out the SONORA PASS..... Just like the ditch (CA 108) but no bullshit from Ranger and way less crowds. Camping is killer, Easy access to the eastern side (hot tubs).
http://www.sonorapassclimbing.com/Content%20Pages/Topos_Page.htm
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camhead
Feb 3, 2006, 5:56 PM
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my personal favorite crack crags are the Creek and Paradise Forks.
Obviously, everyone has given you plenty of beta on the Creek. I'm not sure how Paradise Forks (outside Flagstaf, AZ, about five hours from Indian Creek) is in the fall, but I would expect that you could get some good stuff in on sunny faces in April. It is high elevation, very good atmosphere, isolated, wilderness, etc.
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