where does one sport climb in december (USA)?

[jesselillis]

ive got some time off in december- about 10 days. i'd like to spend it climbing- i'll probably be out with a bunch of sport people, but trad recommendations also welcome (hell- water ice recommendations welcome, maybe i'll ditch that crowd)

where is not freezing?

joshua tree? red rocks? st. george? virgin river gorge?

or do i have to go texas or mexico?

thanks

 

[summerprophet]

Smith, Red Rocks, or J tree.

 

I would scratch Red Rocks off the list, as the park hours are pretty short that time of the year.

 

J-Tree would be warmer than smith, but you would have smith to yourself.

 

Orrrrrr..... hit up the Canadian Rockies. Cold and frozen, but hey, minimal rockfall in the winter.

[willstrickland]

I'd skip Josh, Dec is usually cold and very windy and not much there for the sport climber, plus the sport stuff there is concentrate in the 5.11-5.12+ range on sharp holds. What you could do, if you're into variety is go do a bit in Josh, spend a day at the southwest facing Riverside Quarry (not an inspiring setting, but the climbing is great...long sport routes on featured granite), do a day or two at New Jack City (sport on metamorphized basalt) where you can again chase the sun and if it's freakisly warm, do some stuff at the south facing Suicide, maybe creep over to Malibu Creek for a day of limestone sport or down to San Diego (Mt Woodson - best crack bouldering the US, Mission Gorge sport, others) for more variety.

 

 

VRG is just a shitty setting and can be pretty windy. I can't imagine going there as a destination unless you have some fetish for automobile exhaust and traffic noise.

 

Red Rocks would allow you to stay on the sunny aspects if you wanted, and you can always call in a late exit if you won't make it out before the gate closes. And, most of the sport stuff is close to the road anyway. There's always the Calico section that's outside the loop road too, plenty of sport routes and no gates/closing to worry about.

 

The Stronghold mixed in with other SoAz stuff (the low-lying stuff around Tuscon like Milagrosa Canyon sp?) could be an option.

 

Tennessee Wall is pretty prime in Dec, south facing, stacks of routes packed into a tight area, sport and trad. You could mix in amazing bouldering in that general zone..HorsePens 40, Rocktown, etc. Only drawback is it can be wet that time of year, and it's on the other side of the country.

[sill]

Vegas. Pretty reliable weather through December, it can be a bit chilly, but not bad. Many of the good crags are south facing. The only bummer is the concentration camp style BLM campsite.

Edited October 20, 2008 by sill

[Argus]

Red Rocks would allow you to stay on the sunny aspects if you wanted, and you can always call in a late exit if you won't make it out before the gate closes. And, most of the sport stuff is close to the road anyway. There's always the Calico section that's outside the loop road too, plenty of sport routes and no gates/closing to worry about.

 

FYI, they only issue late exit permits for multi-pitch routes back in the canyons and the Angel Food Wall.

[rocky_joe]

Smith. Especially if you're in the area. Like summerprophet said, you'll have the park (and skull hollow) to yourself. Except maybe for joel, who is always there, you won't see a soul. Just bring a belay jacket cuz it's cold; a 0 degree bag doesn't hurt either.

[G-spotter]

To hell with winter sport climbing, just go bouldering. J Tree and Queen Creek.

[DirtyHarry]

I've never been there but, like Will said, there's great climbing on the Tucson granite and probably real nice in December.

[jshamster]

VANTAGE!

[jhamaker]

Tuscon looks great. Mt. Lemon at 9K ft gets snow but everything down here looks great.

Lots of limestone - and don't forget the granite at Cochise Stronghold.

I just went though Sedona. Wierd town, great climbing, I don't know about winter temps.

[WylDanimal]

Haha..I tried to do Cochise in the summer and it was on fire....litterally on fire...I bet the winter is ideal..I don't think there is much sport climbing and it is WAY the hell out there...I don't remember the closest town, but it wasn't close.

 

Red Rocks would be best for a group, varied skill levels, good winter weather, and lots of sport climbing, plus it is close to amenities in Vegas.

[jhamaker]

The Mountaineers Press has recently published a Wk-end Rk book for Southern AZ. SW Airlines has some good deals on flights now and then. I was just down there for less than $200 R-T.

[kurthicks]

I've been told that the Owens River Gorge is good in winter.

[Mtguide]

If you're going to Vantage be prepared for heavy wind at times. Also be sure you've read up on the climbs and have the recommended pro for the routes you plan to do. Many of the climbs take larger size cams(4 or 5) or even Big Bros the closer you get to the top, as the stacked columnar basalt pillars tend to spread as you go up. And Vantage has its share or pretty crappy choss.

[PLC]

Back when I lived in Atlanta, we would climb nearly every weekend, even in Winter. In Chattanooga, there's the Tennessee Wall (mostly trad, and don't miss Shuford's BBQ). Nearby is Foster's Falls. Across the border in Alabama, there's Sandrock (aka Rock City) and the Little River Gorge. The Little River is a semi-secret location with hundreds of steep sport climbs, generally 5.11 and up, but they can be made easier if you just climb the first 80' before the roofs begin.

 

[jshamster]

Yo, Mtguide.

He said sport climbing. No gear necessary.

Not any mixed sport/trad that I can think of.

Of course there's choss, but it's frozen in the winter.

And please, share this abundance of OW knowledge. I only know of a couple, and they are great!

 

Cheers.

Jimbo

[Thor24]

Vegas can be good in December. Apart from Red Rocks there is a few days worth of limestone down in the city (Trenchtown and Waterworld). If it's warm, St George is less than 2 hrs away and if it's cold, J-Tree is a few hours to the south.