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Rack for U.S west coast.

Gav

10-Nov-2005
5:54:24 PM

I'm heading to Canada for the winter, and will be climbing in Squamish the following spring.The plan is to then head down the west coast, stopping by Lake Tahoe, Yosemite, and heading down to Joshua Tree. Any info on rack to take for low to mid range trad single and multi pitch ( no aid or overnighters...) any scams to get it there cheap, cool climbs you might have been on etc would be fantastic.
This is my rack now, should it all go? Do I need more...
1set each WC Rocks, wallnuts, BD micros, #4,5,6 HB offsets, #5-9 WC hexes
BD Cams- 0.4, 0.5, 2of 0.75, 2of 1, 2of 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5
4x60cm 2x30cm 6x15cm quickdraws, 3x120cm slings w biner
6 locker biners, prussiks, cordellete, belay and biners nut key etc etc
All up including sack to carry is around 16 kg.
Tips and tricks from people welcome as this is my first time there.
Cheers,Gav

sticky

10-Nov-2005
6:51:47 PM

On 10/11/2005 Gav wrote:
Any info on rack
>to take for low to mid range trad single and multi pitch ( no aid or overnighters...)
> any scams to get it there cheap, cool climbs you might have been on etc
>would be fantastic.
> This is my rack now, should it all go? Do I need more...
> 1set each WC Rocks, wallnuts, BD micros, #4,5,6 HB offsets, #5-9 WC hexes
> BD Cams- 0.4, 0.5, 2of 0.75, 2of 1, 2of 2, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5
> 4x60cm 2x30cm 6x15cm quickdraws, 3x120cm slings w biner
> 6 locker biners, prussiks, cordellete, belay and biners nut key etc etc
>All up including sack to carry is around 16 kg.
> Tips and tricks from people welcome as this is my first time there.
> Cheers,Gav

As for climbs, Mr Bumble will have better ideas than me (esp J-tree + Ditch), but in Squamish I'd look at:

- Ultimate Everything (5.9 A0) - goes to top of the Chief
- Deidre 5.7 (Apron)
- Calculus Crack 5.8 (Apron)
- Snake 5.9 (Apron)
- High Mountain Woody (5.8?) - Malamute
- Squamish Buttress - 10a? Chief
- The 5.7 at the Falls [Klahane Crack or something]
- Star Chek 5.8 (on bolts)
- The Angel's Crest 5.10c or 5.9+A1 - (short crux, easily aided on gear)
- Penny Lane 5.9 (Bluffs)

From my experience:

Most of the easy to mid range stuff over there is hand and finger crack or wider - so take all the cams and only grab the one set of nuts (and maybe the offsets). No need for more gear but if I bought anything over there it'd be some Aliens. George at Climb On in Squamish always has them in stock - $78CAN a cam.

Other than that I'd say you're set. Hexes are a luxury but grab 'em if the weight limit permits. Bolted belays on most multi-pitch climbs.

Kyle

Gav

10-Nov-2005
9:05:31 PM

Thanks Kyle, I've been wanting the smaller aliens for a while, I'll be buying a rope over there as well as they seem pretty cheap in comparison. The list looks about my speed too. Any idea of when it stops raining in spring? Anyone else got a trip planned as I'll be scrounging for partners. Are the grades stiff there, I can climb around 19 and thrash up an easy 21.

cheesehead

10-Nov-2005
9:19:59 PM

If you're savy Gavy, you might buy some gear for mates - you do them a service by bringing back cheap kit, in return you pocket the tax return on leaving (minimum reciepts from Canada are $50).

Climboholic

10-Nov-2005
9:56:20 PM

You should have no problems finding partners. At least that was my experience. Everyone over there was mega friendly. Just wander into a place like camp 4 and start conversation. They love Aussies.

As far as gear, anything you don't have you can pick up pretty cheap over there. Especially in Canada through MEC. If you double up on anything you left at home, sell it when you get back.

Climboholic

10-Nov-2005
10:12:23 PM

Oh yeah, and buy some CAMP tricams - coolest bit of gear ever

valygrl

11-Nov-2005
5:49:24 AM

Hi from California...

Haven't been to squamish, have spent some time those other places...

Your rack is fine for Tahoe, Yosemite and JT. You might want some aliens, as mentioned before, but those are available to purchase near all those places.

No problem finding partners in Yos & JT, Tahoe is harder w/o a partner, there's no one place climbers hang out. In Yos, Camp 4. In JT, Hidden Valley Campground.

Your partners will all have rack too, so don't sweat the gear.

Your trip is upside down!!!

Typical weather pattern is north = colder and wetter, south = warmer and dryer.

You should start in JT in the winter to early spring - Feb-March-April. Can get too hot already by late April.

If you need something else to do in spring, try Indian Creek (Moab, Utah, before end of April) and Red Rocks (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Yosemite is good Mid-May to late June, the earlier you go the more likely you will get rain. July is OK but too hot, you will be chasing the shade and swimming in the river.

Tahoe isn't any good until late May to June, and then is good all summer. Tahoe is higher altitude, and gets real winter - think ski resorts.

If you are here late summer (July-Sept), go to Tuolumne, granite domes at high altitude near Yosemite.

I haven't been to Squamish, but it's known as a mid-late summer place, it is WET in spring.

Happy climbing!

PS I'm going to OZ December - March, starting with Arapiles in December, what should I know?

Anna (the Valley in VALYGRL is Yosemite Valley)

sticky

11-Nov-2005
9:33:44 AM

Any idea of when it stops raining in
>spring? Anyone else got a trip planned as I'll be scrounging for partners.
>Are the grades stiff there, I can climb around 19 and thrash up an easy
>21.

Stops raining? Well, anytime between March and June - you get 3 dry months in Squamish - if you get a dry spring you usually get a wet summer. Bank on July as the only guaranteed dry month. You can climb as early as February though, just not consistently.

Are the grades stiff? In Canada, probably the same as here, but it feels way easier. Squamish is granite crack, so it doesn't get vertical until 5.10- (18 or 19), plus there's always a crack to sew gear in, and the moves tend to be more obvious - so you tend to push your grades more. Still, helps to know how to jam.

On the other hand, JT is a renowned sandbag. "5.9+" there can mean grade 22. Mr Bumble should have something to say about Smith Rock and Joshua Tree in the easdy and moderate grades... Mark?

Gav

11-Nov-2005
9:39:55 AM

Yeah, the other way round would be better, but I'll be in Canada after the winter anyway. Part of the problem is a non climbing partner... I'd be driving out to Devils Tower as well if I could. I'll be able to get toTuolumne and possibly Red Rocks. JTree will definitely be later but I like it sweaty. Should I ditch my girl and travel with the weather(poll!). Maybe paradise wants to come for a drive...We could meet valygirl and get on to Threes A Crowd.

wombly

11-Nov-2005
10:40:25 AM

i did a week in yosemite a few years ago with a similar rack and was fine. for a big day out on easy rock, i'd defintiely recommend the royal arches route - 5.7, ~400 m

Climboholic

11-Nov-2005
1:02:35 PM

If your in Yosemite in summer and it gets to hot you could consider heading somewhere at a higher altitude. A place that springs to mind is Courtright Reservoir it's a fair drive but it's not as busy. There is a nice big lake to cool off and if you have a boat you can climb strait out of the water. Although it would take a bit to lure me away from Yosemite, no matter how hot it is.

As valygrl said, if your planning on finding partners over there, you almost won't need to worry about taking a rack.

mrbumble

12-Nov-2005
2:01:23 AM

Rack wise i'd go with the cams, one rack of nuts + micros + offsets. Hexes are cool, but not common or necessary with the rack of cams your new partner will have....

Yosemite is a zoo in may, if you can try mid september through october - the 1 week limit disappears then, and the rangers are too burnt out to chase you properly. And the weather was fan-bloody-tastic for me then. Snake dike is not to be missed. Another hot tip around that area is to get to the needles. I didn't manage it, but mates of mine said it was the best climbing on the west coast.

J-tree is special, just be prepared to be a bit scared. Everything seems to be flared and feels tough for the grade.

Red rocks is a better option if your grade floats around the 17-18 mark. Shite camping but awesome climbing with heaps of options for both hot and cold conditions.

Owen river gorge in bishop has some really fun sport climbing up to around 24.

I'd leave indian creek for a later trip unless you're happy onsighting at least grade 21 (.10d) crack. Despite what people say, it really starts at 22-23.

If you're passing through smith rock, don't miss the basalt in the lower gorge. A mix of nice crack routes and different sport routes.

Squish (it's called that for a reason) is soft up to around the grade 20/21 mark and then all of the sudden can get very real from the grade. There is a very big gap between the grand wall (mega classic 21/22), and the next major route on the progresion, freeway (light version at 23 - we didn't even make it to the crux pitch.) I general, climbing there will be periodic (and with wet cruxes) in late winter/early spring when dry spells hit. There are a couple of very steep sport areas which stay dryish though. Try to finish there around july/august if you can. One of the best areas for moderate trad that i visited.

Like anywhere, the locals will give you a good indication on the must do's of the area.

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