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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 32
Area Location Sub Location Crag Links
International (General) (General) (General)  

Author
USA
ademmert
3-Jan-2012
12:47:52 PM
Does anyone have any recommendations of where to climb in the states over Dec - Jan?

The good Dr
3-Jan-2012
12:56:11 PM
It is pretty cold in many places, though I have climbed at Hueco and in Red Rocks in Jan. May be worth checking out.

Doug
3-Jan-2012
3:18:50 PM
Thought about El Potrero Chico (http://www.potrerochicoclimbing.com/) just over the border? A friend in Calgary goes there every year in January.
dalai
3-Jan-2012
3:44:10 PM
Both times in the States that time of year were spend at Hueco Tanks. Even that far south included enforced rest days due to heavy snowfalls...

Previous restrictions was that 100 cars where allowed in the park at any one time when I was there many years ago. And with this restriction over the Christmas break we didn't always get up early enough to make the cut and had to wait at the gates for cars to leave.

Since then access has been restricted considerably further - last I read only 70 people are allowed on one part unguided 'North Mountain' in the park!
widewetandslippery
3-Jan-2012
4:00:04 PM
Depends on weatjher systems and rock types and yor idea of cold. I've done smith rocks early feb, its a sunny crag and hjad days of single didgit climbing in the sun.
dalai
3-Jan-2012
4:12:22 PM
On 3/01/2012 widewetandslippery wrote:
>Depends on weatjher systems and rock types and yor idea of cold. I've done
>smith rocks early feb, its a sunny crag and hjad days of single didgit
>climbing in the sun.

I was there one November and the few dry days were spent huddling around portable propane heaters... I like prime ticking temps, but had bad luck with the weather perhaps?
ademmert
3-Jan-2012
4:34:04 PM
Thanks guys,
Yep was in EPC - great place but have done most of the classics and would prefer somewhere new.

Hueco sounds good for a short bit but much more into roped climbs!

Smith sounds interesting!? and was already on the list to visit at some time

do people have any other recommendations possibly not in USA and also not in Asia?? for that time of year??
mikllaw
3-Jan-2012
5:04:56 PM
Don't be seduced. Winter isn't a lot of fun over there. When those glossy US mags say something is a winter destination it is in comparison with trying to climb outdoors in Chicago. Isn't Tassie amazing this time of year?
dalai
3-Jan-2012
5:13:32 PM
On 3/01/2012 ademmert wrote:
>Hueco sounds good for a short bit but much more into roped climbs!

Then I wouldn't probably bother with Hueco*. Some okay routes on North Mountain, but it is the bouldering I'd only travel there for.

* of ~ 9 weeks spent at Hueco, I have only climbed with a rope on one day which was the last rest day on my first trip there. Maybe there are more routes worth climbing, but I never bothered roping up at Hueco again...
scoforr
3-Jan-2012
5:50:01 PM
Joshua Tree is supposed to be good in the winter and Red rocks as well if youre doing shorter climbs in the sun. Ive been in northern California for the last week and it's a really mild winter, no real snow to speak of and have been out and climbed a couple of days near Tahoe which is usually not doable this time of year.
We're heading to Yosemite for a few days tomorrow on our way down to Joshua Tree for a couple of weeks the maybe get to Redrocks for a bit.
Get in touch if you get down that way.
widewetandslippery
3-Jan-2012
5:58:20 PM
To my knowledge ML has a wealth of east coast info. I went east side sierra boulering, buittermilks etc before it was cool coz heuco was a free place, apart from the time I had to leave texas coz rannger bob had the marshell on me and I had to skip state lines. Can't believe how popular the buttermilks wereThere is fun in n mexico and arizona but its like self sex. Nevada has some good shit. Needs huntinging. Get * good forecast great or a winter in hell. By aan exctension cord *nd a blow heater 3mins of fury and you will sleep happy
spicelab
4-Jan-2012
12:44:41 AM
Smith Rock seems to be the only roped climbing area ostensibly categorised as a Winter crag.

In practice that probably means if it's not cloudy, windy, raining, sleeting or snowing you can climb there.

Me and a friend are planning on hitting up Smith for most of Feb, but are anticipating spending most of our time eating, drinking and doing random activities.




pmonks
4-Jan-2012
2:48:20 AM
Normally you'd be pretty limited at this time of year, but Northern CA has just had the 3rd driest December on record and if you don't mind a bit of cold you could climb just about anywhere I reckon. For example I just came back from a week in Lake Tahoe and it was getting into the 50s F (low teens, C) during the day and there was bugger-all snow anywhere.

I've also heard reports that the Buttermilks have been too hot (upper 60s F) - normally it's prime season out there right now. Even Tioga Pass (above Tuolumne Meadows) is still open - no one I've spoken to can remember the last time it was open this far into winter.

After last winter's record breaking snow falls, it's almost impossible to believe just how dry and warm it is out in the Sierras this winter...
Wendy
4-Jan-2012
7:51:53 AM
On 3/01/2012 ademmert wrote:

>
>do people have any other recommendations possibly not in USA and also
>not in Asia?? for that time of year??

Southern spain? Morocco? Up high in South America? I've found it helpful to nosy through the Hot Rock expeditions itineraries for this sort of stuff - i figure they've worked out reasonable seasons to be in certain places after all this time, they certainly have covered a lot of ground, and they give you a brief run down of the crags and a few photos, maybe a trip report from last time, so there's lots of ideas for trips there.

For example, I just found this:

Never heard of the place, but that route looks fab. Cochamo. This was Jan this year.

I struggle to see Smith Rocks as a January destination. It's further north than Tassie is south. Surely that makes SR worse than trying to climb in Tas in July?
citationx
4-Jan-2012
8:40:28 AM
cochamo looks AY-MAY-ZING.
Would love to get out there. very adventurous, long, but not super duper hard. lots of 5.10-low5.12s available, many '00m long routes, up to around 750m. mostly on massive granite domes but with some steeper sections.
there was a feature in one of the issues of "the alpinist" - had lots of topos in there. probably been majorly developed since then since apparently you could borrow a drill and glue from the local townspeople...
doesn't seem like its super easy to get to so may also allow good adventures through south america...

Eduardo Slabofvic
4-Jan-2012
8:48:09 AM
On 3/01/2012 ademmert wrote:
>>do people have any other recommendations possibly not in USA and also
>not in Asia?? for that time of year??

I have some guide books for UAE, Jordan, Middle East in general, which describe up to 10 pitch bolted climbs in several locations, plus smaller stuff. I didn't end up going there though, so can't comment on how good it is.

I've been told that need a 4 wheel drive, and it's still going to be hot in the sun, and cold at night.

The pictures look great.

I'll go there when I'm all better
vonClimb
4-Jan-2012
8:52:30 AM
On 4/01/2012 citationx wrote:
>cochamo looks AY-MAY-ZING.

We made it to cochamo two years ago and it is definitely amazing, and so pristine. Its not too difficult to get there, just time consuming. This website describes how:
http://www.cochamo.com/ind/cochamo.cfm?lan=en&men=log&pag=abroad

The refugio is run by an american dude (Daniel) who developed all the climbing there.

We were there in December and it pissed down rain the entire time. The time to go is Jan and Feb. Another option for this time of year is to climb in Frey, near Bariloche (Argentina)
Duncan
4-Jan-2012
11:12:14 AM
I'm in Hueco RIGHT NOW. It absolutely lives up to the hype, and the weather is perfect. 12-15C during the day, maybe down to -5C or so at night. With a -20C sleeping bag I've been toasty. Christmas/New Year is not a good time to be here if you don't have reservations or aren't prepared to pay for commercial tours, but as of today people were able to walk on to North at about 12. Translation: you can climb here now, no worries.

Bishop is meant to be having a heat wave atm too, and while it can get very, very cold there at night, it's still doable. I'm no fan of cold, but I've gotten used to it here. That said, I'll be in the Red in February, so we'll see how that goes./
dalai
4-Jan-2012
11:48:38 AM
On 4/01/2012 Duncan wrote:
>I'm in Hueco RIGHT NOW.

Very jealous!
Tommo
5-Jan-2012
4:35:54 AM
It's a weird winter over here. Super warm and dry, and no snow. Was just in Yosemite belaying in the dark, a pitch up, in a t-shirt! Good waterfall ice around higher up with no snow access issues (a rarity). You picked a good year if you made it over here. Tioga Pass in Tuolumne still open at new years!!

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 32
There are 32 messages in this topic.

 

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