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Crag & Route Beta

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Topic Date User

Friday dreaming of a climbing holiday (USA) 25-May-2013 At 10:40:20 AM Olbert

Message

Totally agree with much of what Wendy said.

It all depends on what 18's you are good at. If you don't crack climb (and I mean proper crack climbing, not the crack climbing you mostly get at Araps) at grade 18 then I wouldn't bother with much of Yosemite, all of Moab (Indian Creek and lots of desert towers), half of Joshua Tree, all of Devil's Tower, and really a lot of the really amazing climbing.

If you dont like slabs (and I mean real slabs, with no holds, some friction and a *lot* of fear then you really shouldn't bother with Yosemite or Joshua Tree. With some minor exceptios granite is either slabs or cracks or both.

Toulumne (despite being granite) has lots of senic easier long stuff. If you are looking for long scenic multipitches within your grade then this is definitely an option.

As for Red Rocks, I thought it was good for sport, trad, single pitch and multipitch. But it's just that - good. Do you really want to go halfway round the world for merely 'good'? That said there is a crapload of options for any type of climbing you want. Also it's either freeze your tits off in Winter, or bake your balls off in Summer. You'll have to get pretty lucky to hit the Spring or Autumn climbing season.

If you are on the other side of the country then Red River Gorge is pretty amazing. Sinlge pitch sport and trad. The really amazing stuff is probably a bit harder than you can climb but at your grade it will be the best sport climbing you can get. I am probably a bit biased because I thought I had died and gone to heaven there. The downside is that its in one of the poorest counties in America and it is pretty dam poor. It really is trailer trash country - half of the houses are trailers...and half of them are pretty trashed. (Not a comment on the people, a comment on their economic wealth - a lot of the people were really nice!)