Winter rock climbing?

[rocketparrotlet]

Is rock climbing really a viable option in the winter here? I don't want to drive an hour to Index only to find out that the walls are iced over and not climbable. I've heard Little Si is good for winter rock, but it's mostly hard sport, and I'm looking more for easy to moderate trad.

 

-Mark

[denalidevo]

I climbed @ Index twice in December - just need a stretch of dry, sunny weather for the lower wall to dry out. Climbed @ WWI wall at Little Si in the middle of a Nov rainstorm too. It's possible, you just gotta' want it - and have the opportunity.

 

Index in December:

http://denalidevo.net/climb/2009/12/rock-climb-godzillajapanese-gardens.html

http://denalidevo.net/climb/2009/12/rock-climb-index-town-wall.html

[keenwesh]

apparently the elwah wall outside of PA is good in the winter, never climbed there but I think it's only sport and overhanging. A friend who lives in PA told me so!

[ivan]

think of winter as your excuse to learn aid-climbing

[Lodestone]

I climbed at Broughton Bluff twice in December. Between my schedule and the rain, that's all I could do. Some faces seem to be dry as soon as it stops raining. Finding a partner that can head out on short notice seems to be the hardest part.

 

 

Chad

[Sol]

you can have good days at vantage all winter long if you only go when it's sunny and not so windy.

[mattp]

In January I've had good and bad days at Index, Darrington, Mt. Erie, and Vantage. As noted above, wind can ruin what might otherwise seem like a good bet from the forecast.

[rocketparrotlet]

What's so bad about wind? Just the fact that it makes you really cold, or something else too?

 

Kind of random, but what do you guys do for gloves when it's really cold?

 

-Mark

[JosephH]

Was out today, a tad wet, but otherwise quite nice.

[rocketparrotlet]

Cool! I'll have to check that out.

 

-Mark

Edited January 4, 2010 by rocketparrotlet