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fluffystuff
Aug 5, 2011, 2:58 PM
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Registered: Nov 21, 2006
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What climbing areas are really in season right now?
Where would be a good place to find moderate multi-pitch trad next week? Going with athletic partner fairly new to the sport.
Lovers Leap? Bugaboos? Jackson Hole? Leavenworth? Devils Tower?
Hoping to find somewhere not too hot (maybe 70s?). We only have five/six days including travel days from the East Coast, and we don't want to feel too rushed. Somewhere close to a major airport would be great (Den, Seattle, SLC). We can fly standby.
Love Squamish, but sort-of want to go somewhere new. Bugaboos looks amazing, but a long drive.
Thanks for any help!
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amyas
Aug 5, 2011, 3:57 PM
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The Canmore area has many multipitch oppurtunities within a 1/2 hour of town, and the temperature will be exactly what youre looking for. Calgary international airport is about 100km's away from Canmore. Guide books to check out: Yamnuska Rock, Canadian Rock: Select Climbs of the West, Sport Climbs in the Canadian Rockies. Yamnuska has about 130 established multipitch trad routes, from 5.6 to 5.13. Sisyphus summits and NE face on Ha Ling are long classics (5.10 sport and 5.6 trad respectively) about a 5 minute drive up hill from town. Expect about a 1 hour approach for all of these. There are lots of other routes in the area, but it seems the shorter the approach the shorter the route ><.
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markcarlson
Aug 5, 2011, 5:59 PM
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If you are willing to fly to Calgary, the Bugs are not a long drive.
Last Friday I left downtown Calgary at 5:30 PM, and we were at Applebee camp at 1:00 AM. That included approx. 3 hours of long weekend traffic and 1 hour on the logging road.
There is a ton of stuff in condition around Canmore as well. This is definitely where you want to be in the heat of summer!
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fluffystuff
Aug 5, 2011, 6:03 PM
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Registered: Nov 21, 2006
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Thanks guys. Bugaboos look like a 9hr drive from the closest major US airport (Seattle).
Hmm... maybe just too much driving for a short, mellow trip. Flights from Bos to Calgary next week are too much ($800). Yikes.
(This post was edited by fluffystuff on Aug 5, 2011, 7:49 PM)
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dagibbs
Aug 5, 2011, 6:43 PM
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How "moderate" is moderate?
There's a bunch of moderate multi-pitch stuff in the Adirondacks. And that's probably driveable from Boston -- a day's drive each way, no airfare. You'll probaby have temperatures in the 80s rather than 70s -- but not too bad.
Poke-O Moonshine Slab:
Catharsis - 5.5 PG, 490'
Last Chance - 5.7 R 570'
Hunter's Moon - 5.10b G (5.7 X) 300'
The Arch - 5.9+ (5.8 R) 410'
Chapel Pond Slab:
Empress - 5.5 X 865' (X section is several pitches up, and didn't feel 5.5 -- more like 5.3 to me)
Regular Route - 5.5 PG 775'
If your "moderate" is tougher than the above, Poke-O Moonshine Main Face is a 400' cliff with the concentration of routes being in the 5.10-5.11 range, but also including:
Gamesmanship 5.8+ (5.2 R) 575'
(above have short approaches)
If you don't mind hiking more, there's more choices:
Gothics South Face:
Gothic Arch - 5.6 PG (5.2X) 800'
South Face Direct - 5.10a G 260' (gear: 8 draws)
Gothics North Face:
I Ain't Marching Anymore - 5.7 R 1200'
North Face Direct - 5.7- PG (5.6 R) 1200'
And lots more.
(This post was edited by dagibbs on Aug 5, 2011, 6:48 PM)
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wannabe
Aug 5, 2011, 6:51 PM
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Check out lumpy ridge RMNP/Estes Park, CO. Plenty of moderate multi-pitch climbs. The temps should be bearable, I doubt you will reach your goal of 70* though.
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ProjectX
Aug 5, 2011, 10:50 PM
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Lover's Leap has a good bunch of good moderate routes, it's a great place to introduce a new climber to multi-pitch climbing. Theres a nice campground there that I believe is $10 a night and first come first serve but usually fills up on the weekends. It's also in El Dorado National forest so if you stop at the Ranger's Station not too far from Lover's Leap you can get a wilderness permit and camp where you please in the wilderness areas for free. Or if you'd like to lodge somewhere Strawberry Lodge is literally right in front of the campground.
The weather is usually pretty nice up in that area, averaging probably in the 80's ambient temp, but direct sunlight gets real hot this time of year so it's something to consider. However, the big trees all around the area provide pretty good shade (not on the wall though) and really cool the place down when the sun isn't directly above you.
Sacramento airport is only about an hour and a half to two hour drive away.
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tready
Aug 6, 2011, 4:33 AM
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Registered: Mar 10, 2007
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Devil's Tower would probably be pretty brutal right now, at least as far as temperature.
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DocGF
Aug 7, 2011, 4:27 PM
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Registered: Jul 27, 2011
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It will probably be in the 80's or 90's, but there is a ton of great rock within a short drive of Greenville, SC and Ashville, NC. See the website flatliners.com Check out Table Rock Mountain's East Face, Looking Glass Rock, Linville Gorge, etc. There are multipitch climbs for people of all skill levels in these areas, and the rock is high quality granite, with good bolted belay points.
(This post was edited by DocGF on Aug 7, 2011, 4:56 PM)
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bearbreeder
Aug 7, 2011, 9:06 PM
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Registered: Feb 2, 2009
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Squamish ...
Honestly there probably aint too many places where u can find 12 6+ pitch routes within a 15 min walk from each other
Calculus
South arete
St vitius
Vector
Snake
Deidre
Sickle
Over the rainbow
Pinnaple peel
Banana peel
Slab alley
All 5.9 or below
Add in bottom line, broomstick and south butt ... Yr doing up to 21 pitches 5.9 and under to the top of the chief
I just did ha ling ne face and its dirty n loose like a hookah 
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