EWolfe Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 The ones that really stand out for you. This is a troll for good TR's and ChestBeating. Let's hear 'em! Here's mine: In '96 I took six months off after getting laid off Outward Bound (seasonal Full-time), and collected unemployment. Full-on skid-trip. I spent a couple weeks at Smith, then to Yosemite for a month in October. I spent November and December bouncing back and forth from Red Rocks to J Tree. Christmas and New Year in J-Tree Then I spent January and February in Hueco Tanks (just before they put the restrictions on) Man, I was strong at the end of that trip. **sigh** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 First date w/ my future wife...3 month roadtrip...Smith, then Cave, then redrocks, then utah, then shelf, then rifle, then hiking in montana...Pretty much had our honeymoon... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 In September 2001 drove from Seattle to City of Rocks. Spent two days climbing on that crazy granite. It was pretty cold in the mornings, but still really nice. Then headed to the Tetons and climbed the complete Exum ridge. The guide services had just shut down, so we had the mountain pretty much to ourselves. Partner and I felt really good about our climbing style (good time and in hiking boots). Came down into Jackson on September 12, and learned about the terrorist attacks (quite sureal). The attacks had apparently happened just as we were waking up at the lower saddle for our summit day. We drove up through Yellowstone (partner had never been there) and heard the following interview with Noam Chomsky on NPR (not verbatim): Interviewer: "What should the US's response to the terrorist attacks of 9-11 be?" Chomsky: "We should find the perpetrators and bring them to justice with international cooperation. We should also seek to understand the motivations behind the attacks so that we can treat the root of the problem." Interviewer: "What do you think the US's ACTUAL response will be?" Chomsky: "Oh, we're going to bomb the hell out of somebody." This was saddening, and for some reason made us want to drive back to Seattle avoiding all interstate highways. Perhaps it was to extend our adventure, delay our return to civilization, or perhaps it was so we could deny, for a while longer, the reality of the terrible events that had occured. In any case, we turned off the radio, and drove for the most part in silence through some wonderful country in Montana and Idaho. It was the kind of country where you could imagine running away to should an apocalypse occur; something that seemed more of a real possibility given the recent events. At one point we were driving about 40mph on a dirt road along a river in MT and a bald eagle was flying down the river right beside us. He kept pace with us for over a mile and then landed in a tree. Somewhere in eastern Washington, baking in the heat of those vast grasslands, I made a great discovery. Our beer was warm, so I put a bottle in a wet (clean) sock and held it out the window. After 10 minutes or so, the evaporation cooled the beer to a pleasant temperature. Feel free to use this method on your next roadtrip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Ones with good friends and some climbing thrown in. Thankfully the majority of my climbing outings qualify. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Anything in Tuolomne Meadows, or High Sierra Granite is really good. But some of those road trips to the C.Rockies and into the Coast Range have been just as memorable. Unexplored territory. This summer we were able to gaze upon numerous unclimbed untrodden summits in between the Hai-Iltzuk ( <--rarely visited) and Monarch Icefield as well as untrodden valleys and majestic mountains nearby that have been explore by the likes of John Dudra, George Whitmore, John Baldwin, John Clark and Beckey...... I'm not saying it's the best for everyone. It's just a remote spot that is incredibly beautiful. It's a big deal if a plane flies by....... There is no weather report by radio and there is nothing but beauty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 I thought this was a good topic. Nobody has anything else to contribute? Comon! Give it up suckas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Distel32 Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Drove down to Joe's valley with a stone gardens posse for 8 days. Ran into some SLC locals that I had met in June when I went by myself. Sent a few problems, watched others send, relaxed in a beautiful setting and shared some good laughs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatskiclimbsail Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Took a few weeks off work a few summers ago with the GF and did a few days at the Daks, down to the Gunks, one intermediate day at a camping spot in PA, down to NRG for 2 days, Summersville Lake for 3 days, RRG for a few, Saw some friends in TN, some family in NC, onto Boone for a couple days, one more day on the way home in NC (Pilot mtn), some more family in VA (got to waterski for the weekend too!), then back up in one push to the Gunks for a night then back up to good ol' Potsdam. Was awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 ahhh...the new and summersville!!!! HOT DAMN!! Did you check out the Meadows?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_harpell Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 took a greyhound bus form vancouver to san diego, stayed at an international hostel, met up with some friends and went to red rocks. then, took a 52 hour bus ride back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 don't most people do destination climbing over road trips? or is there no difference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatskiclimbsail Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 RuMR said: ahhh...the new and summersville!!!! HOT DAMN!! Did you check out the Meadows?????? No, we climbed the day we got there at the New and stayed at the Sville dam, climbed another day at the new, before falling in love with Summersville. After the first day there we stayed the rest of the week. Where else can you climb gorgeous rock all day before stripping down and jumping in the river to cool off for the evening. We didn't get a license though... We might have gone to meadows had we not seen Summereville, and we had already done a week at Seneca during a caving trip to Franklin the year before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 The BEST roadtrip is always changing. It seems to be the one that happened 5 or so years prior. Gives you time to romantisize it In '98 my buddy Owen and I drove 18 hours to the Big Sandy trailhead in the Wind Rivers. Hiked in with humongous packs of climbing gear and food. Spent 10 days in there climbing seven grade IV rockclimbs. Stellar moderate granite, basecamped in meadows next to gurgling brooks, sunshine everyday, tennis shoe approaches. The last day we emptied the remaining contents of our food bag, two granola bars. grabbing one each we hoisted our packs and hiked the nine miles out. See photo... Drove to Jackson , climbed perfect ice couliors and complex ridges before getting weathered off the North Ridge of The Grand trying an enchainment. Made up for it by climbing The Elephants Perch on way home. Hanging out in The Sawtooths during the long days of summer, cliff jumping, getting lit, climbing more multipitch alpine granite was perfect. Completely exhausted, I got home to find out I had lost 15 pounds. I've had great roadtrips since but never one where the synergy with my partner was so strong and long lasting. Leaving the Cirque - July 1998 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Ahhhh, Seneca Rocks. Home of the insipid Seneca 7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 hahaha...that's funny...you drove right over the meadows gorge to get to summersville from the NRG!! Its really quiet and peaceful at the meadows and very shady w/ excellent swimming holes...locals only as there isn't a guide...mainly mixed and trad only routes... Having lived there for many years, its my favorite area in that vicinitiy...HUGE ROOFS (but on trad!) as big as the apollo zone and the glory hole... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 sobo said: Ahhhh, Seneca Rocks. Home of the insipid Seneca 7. That's kinda like an Index "11" or a squamish "12" (<-- just givin' Dru shit!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatskiclimbsail Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Hey I grew up in the gunks, huge trad roofs are welcomed with open arms :-) Seneca 7 ... = Gunks 8 = Valley 8 = Squamish 9 = Rumney 10- = NRG 10 = Smith 10+ = PDX 11 Why did we standardize the ratings again? I was stoked when I lead my first gunks 10, when I got out here I was hearing stories of people's first ever leads on 10 at Broughtons and Smith. Side rant, why in a "decimal" system is the value of 5.10 > 5.1 and 5.13 > 5.2? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMR Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 i think that'd be squamish 10- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sobo Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Best road trips, eh? hmmmm... TNTC Seriously, tho, my most memorable road trip was 4 days on a Trailways bus from Houston to DC, and didn't involve a lick of climbing. A story for the campfire or Pub Club only... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 Sheesh, the best one? Every trip's got its goods, don't it? There was the Amazing Family Honeymoon ... beautiful Zion NP, sport routes in Kolob Canyon, cobble-tugging at Maple, a side trip to Joe's on a rest day -- driving over beautiful mountains and spying SO much climbing potential, burning in the sun at Wild Iris and seeing all the flowers and ravens and gorgeous white limestone (can't see the chalk marks on that stuff!), a couple days back at Smith ... word! There was that freezing-cold post Thxgiving trip to Bishop, meeting up with D_____ and C___ and M___, and climbing like three boulder problems, V1 and easier, after not climbing for 9 months then heading home. Fuckin' awesome good time. Who knows how many winter trips to Red Rocks, basking in great weather, enjoying great temps (too warm in December?!!), meeting awesome people and just enjoying some of the funnest climbing around. That place always delivers on the fun times, even though it is next to that Hell incarnate known as Las Vegas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted November 19, 2003 Share Posted November 19, 2003 boatskiclimbsail said: Took a few weeks off work a few summers ago with the GF and did a few days at the Daks, down to the Gunks, one intermediate day at a camping spot in PA, down to NRG for 2 days, Summersville Lake for 3 days, RRG for a few, Saw some friends in TN, some family in NC, onto Boone for a couple days, one more day on the way home in NC (Pilot mtn), some more family in VA (got to waterski for the weekend too!), then back up in one push to the Gunks for a night then back up to good ol' Potsdam. Was awesome! You mean Potsdam, NY?!? That is where both of my parents are from and where my uncle still lives. I never figured I'd hear it mentioned on this site! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatskiclimbsail Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 JoshK said: boatskiclimbsail said: Took a few weeks off work a few summers ago with the GF and did a few days at the Daks, down to the Gunks, one intermediate day at a camping spot in PA, down to NRG for 2 days, Summersville Lake for 3 days, RRG for a few, Saw some friends in TN, some family in NC, onto Boone for a couple days, one more day on the way home in NC (Pilot mtn), some more family in VA (got to waterski for the weekend too!), then back up in one push to the Gunks for a night then back up to good ol' Potsdam. Was awesome! You mean Potsdam, NY?!? That is where both of my parents are from and where my uncle still lives. I never figured I'd hear it mentioned on this site! Small world! I went to college there for 4+ years, any chance your Unc is a professor in that wonderful College town? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa_Eagle Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 college in Potsdam... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatskiclimbsail Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 Troy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texplorer Posted November 20, 2003 Share Posted November 20, 2003 My only roadtrip (greater than 2 week excursion) I went to Salt Lake and soloed and climbed a few ice routes, moseyed down to Zion and hiked around, then red rocks, then a month down at Potero Chico and El Salto, then back up to indian Creek, then back to Zion for some big walls, then to Red rocks, then to Yosemite for five weeks and finally back to Oregon -7months enroute. I met some great people from all over the country that I still climb and keep in contact with. I learned to aid climb, did my first big walls and then el cap routes, did my first .12 sport route, pulled my first piece of gear, saw someone climb a .13 crack, hit the 200,000 mile mark in the Cougar, and basically experienced life out of the back of a car. My most favorite memories are of rest days at the Creek, enjoying the sun rising and the solitude of the desert. I think that the desert is my spiritual home and being there and waking each morning with the total freedom of having to do absolutely nothing was one of the most life changing experiences of my life. I cannot take 6 month roadtrips too often anymore but I can still get that feeling even if its just a long weekend. I feel like a long road trip is something everyone should experience at least once in life. Carpe Diem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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