I do think J Tree is a pretty cool place, I just don't think the climbing is all that great. But since I can climb there in December and January when it's too wet and cold to climb up here, I always have a good time there. I don't think it's an awful place or anything -- just over rated.

LOL, I totally agree. The place is amazingly beautiful. But if you want to climb in the winter for a weekend, why not just head to RR? ;)

Well, while you all avoid it I'll be out in J-Tree this weekend. It's a magical place, fun to camp, explore, and climb. The routes are unendingly varied (have you done Imaginary Voyage?) and the friction is great. Yes, you have to chase stars and there are a lot of routes that aren't worth it, but there are hundreds that are and sometimes the 2 hour hike to get there is part of the fun...

Underrated: Squamish. I know this is a world-class destination already, but I don't think most people realize how good this place is. It is the only place that my wife and I have decided to go to every other year. The best part about it is the variety of climbing.

Josh

LOL, I totally agree. The place is amazingly beautiful. But if you want to climb in the winter for a weekend, why not just head to RR? ;)

My apologies to the Vegas locals who have few choices for cool temps in summer.

As a thought experiment: I've always wondered what Potrero would be like if it was located where JT was (and JT was where Potrero was). Potrero has a lot of loose, chossy rock (and so does/did JT). With traffic/effort, it cleans ups. The popular sport climbs are, I thought, pretty good. If thousands of CA climbers had been going to Potrero (cleaning it up including the trees/vegatation) for decades, instead of spending all that time developing JT, I bet Potrero would justifiably be a mega-classic destination. (As opposed to the unjustified mega-classic destination that is JT.)

Best reason to go to Josh: The camping is fantastic.
Best reason to avoid Red Rocks: The camping SUCKS.

I agree with Josh that Jtree is a magical place. It's an acquired taste which if you are not fortunate enough to acquire, you'll be driving across the desert in search of the user-friendliness of Red Rocks.

I would have said Squamish, but like you said, it is a world-class destination. But it is hands down my favorite place I've ever been!! I spent two summers there living there and climbing full time now and I'm still not sick of it. I guess you could say it's under-rated because, while most people have heard it's great, you can't possibly know how amazing it is until you go there!

Squamish is a fun place, but I guess it also depends on whether you are talking about just the climbing or the overall experience. It climbs like Yosemite. Any crack/cliff in Squamish and there is something similar to it in Yosemite.

Upside of Squamish: it is pretty and not an urban zoo, camping is friendlier than Yosemite (that's not saying much). Surrounded by some good sport climbing.

Downsides: much smaller, much more rain, the routes sprout lichen between the time you climb them and your second comes up. What would be a bivy ledge in Yosemite is a vegetated forrest/jungle in Squamish, still next to a highway and increasingly surburban/urban environment.

When I've made it up to Squamish, and it has been dry, I've really enjoyed it. But it can be a bit hit or miss as a destination crag.

Rumney is just is what it is, I don't think you can say it's over rated. I feel like people who don't sport climb don't talk about or hardly know of it. If you sport climb, it's rad, almost as rad as the red i'd say.

If it requires an "acquired taste" I think that is sufficient to label it overrated. I'm not claiming JT sucks, I've climbed there plenty in winter (shortest drive to something dry and somewhat warm). It is a cool place to wander around and there are a few dozen pretty good routes if you are willing to either get in line, or spend an hour doing the approach, or both.