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adrenaline_climber
Dec 18, 2007, 4:12 PM
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I am planning a summer trip lasting about 2 1/2 months this summer and will doa lot of sport climbing. Being from Georgia i know very little about climbing in the mid-west and western half of the U.S. Im a poor college student so if anyone has any advice about good climbing areas around Colorado,Utah,California,Wyoming or Arizona please lend some feedback about where the climbing is good and camping is free. Also i climb around the 5.12 range. Thanks
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mr.rock
Dec 18, 2007, 4:56 PM
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There's the Red River Gorge in Kentucky which is frickin amazing. Its got cheap camping, a great guidebook, Miguels Pizza, lots of other climbers and hundreds of sport routes. Its definitely worth a visit.
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xtremst80
Dec 18, 2007, 5:11 PM
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mr.rock wrote: There's the Red River Gorge in Kentucky which is frickin amazing. Its got cheap camping, a great guidebook, Miguels Pizza, lots of other climbers and hundreds of sport routes. Its definitely worth a visit.
I have to second that. RRG is an awesome sport climbing destination!
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kyote321
Dec 18, 2007, 5:24 PM
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maple canyon is the coolest summer destination.
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adrenaline_climber
Dec 18, 2007, 5:40 PM
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yea ive been to the red a lot but am looking to do some western coast climbing. Maple Canyon ive heard mentioned a lot ill definately check it out. thanks for the replies.
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texasclimber
Dec 19, 2007, 6:27 PM
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Maple is not your average crag. It is all conglomerate climbing and takes a while to get used to and is in the middle of no where. I would suggest that if you do head to Utah, check out American Fork Canyon for some shady climbing by a river. Some walls are hot in the summer, but you can find shade.
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mistajman
Dec 19, 2007, 6:34 PM
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Lander, WY - sinks canyon and wild iris
Tensleep canyon, WY
Shelf Road, Colorado
Clear Creek Canyon, CO
City of Rocks in Idaho
Red Rocks in Nevada
Few of these places have free camping, but the camping is cheap. I bet you could camp for free around lander or tensleep canyon. Out west you can tell alot about the camping situation from which agency runs the land. Most national forest land will have some sort of free camping. I would really reccomend red rocks or city of rocks if you haven't been there, the variety is soooo sweet. Also I haven't been but have heard great things about tensleep and shelf road.
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shimanilami
Dec 19, 2007, 7:08 PM
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For summer sport climbing in California, check out Toulumne Meadows and stuff around Bishop. Those ought to keep you busy.
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bizarrodrinker
Dec 19, 2007, 7:12 PM
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Rifle, CO is fun. The catch is there is only a handful of climbs below 5.11 (according to the guide).
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blueeyedclimber
Dec 19, 2007, 7:12 PM
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shimanilami wrote: For summer sport climbing in California, check out Toulumne Meadows and stuff around Bishop. Those ought to keep you busy.
Sport Climbing in Tuolumne? I don't remember any sport in Tuolumne, at least not how i define sport.
Josh
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shimanilami
Dec 19, 2007, 7:14 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: shimanilami wrote: For summer sport climbing in California, check out Toulumne Meadows and stuff around Bishop. Those ought to keep you busy. Sport Climbing in Tuolumne? I don't remember any sport in Tuolumne, at least not how i define sport. Josh
There are plenty of bolted routes, although I admit that most are a bit spicey to call "sport climbs".
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blueeyedclimber
Dec 19, 2007, 7:20 PM
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 shimanilami wrote: blueeyedclimber wrote: shimanilami wrote: For summer sport climbing in California, check out Toulumne Meadows and stuff around Bishop. Those ought to keep you busy. Sport Climbing in Tuolumne? I don't remember any sport in Tuolumne, at least not how i define sport. Josh There are plenty of bolted routes, although I admit that most are a bit spicey to call "sport climbs".
That's all Im sayin' 
(This post was edited by blueeyedclimber on Dec 19, 2007, 7:21 PM)
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yevquest
Dec 19, 2007, 8:02 PM
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I have several problems with this list. For a summer trip, while Red Rocks is certainly climbable in the shade, it's hardly anywhere near the best option in the West due to the heat. The camping would also be unpleasant during the summer due to the lack of shade. Mt. Charleston is certainly a good choice if you want to go to the Vegas area and has numerous camping options although I don't remember any of them being free. Charleston has a decent concentration of good routes in the 5.12 range but really lacks decent routes in the 5.10/11 range imo (how many times can you do the Witness This variations as warmups before you hate them?).
Shelf Road and Clear Creek are also quite hot and neither is imo really "roadtrip worthy". Sure they have some good routes but if you're travelling from distance, hit the really good areas instead.
City of Rocks, while a beautiful place with awesome routes, doesn't really excel for 5.12 sport climbing. Worth hitting on a circuit trip but if you're wanting to just sport climb, I wouldn't spend too much time there.
Lander is a great option. I've never been to either but Spearfish and Tensleep are both supposed to be pretty good.
Maple is fun, brainless climbing although I disagree with the above comment about it taking a while to get used to. Grab the slopey jug, put your feet anywhere, grab the next slopey jug, repeat.
Rifle is, well Rifle. Crowds, grease, lines on the warmups and it's still worth it although imo the world class routes don't start until 12+ with a few exceptions. Rifle does take a little while to get used to though.
Enjoy your trip.
mistajman wrote: Lander, WY - sinks canyon and wild iris Tensleep canyon, WY Shelf Road, Colorado Clear Creek Canyon, CO |
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bizarrodrinker
Dec 19, 2007, 8:12 PM
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Yea, Rifle is definitely NOT the place to go if you are looking for solitude.
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moose_droppings
Dec 19, 2007, 8:33 PM
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Though not on your list of states, but in the midwest, the Black Hills of South Dakota is a great destination for sport climbing with a high concentration of sport routes.
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crimping_bum
Dec 19, 2007, 8:49 PM
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The best climbing in California is definitely in Owens River Gorge in Bishop, CA. Thousands of the highest quality sport routes of every grade in a highly concentrated area. Bolts-a-plenty in that place. lots of fun for months on end.
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dreday3000
Dec 19, 2007, 9:01 PM
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I gotta say, I don't think the West Coast can compare to the East when it comes to sport climbing. I mean sure, they have the big tall rocks, the beuatiful valleys and great weather. But actual sport climbing? Out East we have the Red River, the New River and Rumney. I haven't spent too much time in Rumney but I sure as hell know that the New and the Red are world class.
Anyway, Lions Head in Ontario Canada is a pretty fun destination. Its a little small to drive to from the Dirty South but its stays cool and has plenty of atmosphere.
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mistajman
Dec 19, 2007, 9:44 PM
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The city of rocks and nearby castle rocks state park have tons of options in the higher range. There has been a huge surge of recent development of harder sport routes in castle rocks, there were new routes going up everyday,and are definately a good amount of worthy ones at the city. I do agree with you that red rocks is a better spring break, thanksgiving, xmas destination though. But it is no doubt one of the best climbing areas in the states, maybe the world.
Being mostly a trad climber myself, I must not realize what makes a good sport area. I thought with 500 some routes, great views, and solid rock that clear creek was pretty darn nice. Plus it's not that hot in the summer.
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lithiummetalman
Dec 19, 2007, 10:25 PM
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A few places come to mind (sportwise):
Owens Gorge (California)
New Jack City (California)
Mickey's Beach (California)
Big Chief (California)
Mayhem Cove (California)
Pinnacles (California.....ok....kinda chossy)
Tollhouse Rock (California)
Smith Rock (Oregon)
City of Rocks (Idaho)
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potreroed
Dec 22, 2007, 2:01 AM
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The best sport climbing in the mid-west is at Jackson Falls in southern Illinois. Free camping, too.
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climbsomething
Dec 22, 2007, 2:59 AM
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lithiummetalman wrote: A few places come to mind (sportwise): Owens Gorge (California) New Jack City (California) Mickey's Beach (California) Big Chief (California) Mayhem Cove (California) Pinnacles (California.....ok....kinda chossy) Tollhouse Rock (California) Smith Rock (Oregon) City of Rocks (Idaho)
(if you say yes, you'd blend right in in Barstow!)
Oh, and Clear Creek blows.
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dudemanbu
Dec 22, 2007, 1:57 PM
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i'm going to second smith rocks.
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eric_k
Jan 15, 2008, 2:20 PM
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I would also say smith rock. This is my favorite climbing destination I have been too. Great verity of sport, and a lot of trad if you want to get into that. Although it may be hot in summer and you have to pay for camping, it is cheep though something like 3 bucks.
I would not recommend Jackson falls So ILL. There is free camping but I cant say I have ever really enjoyed my time there. If you are going to stay east of the Miss. go to RRG.
Have fun
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