Better to live East or West of Cascades?

[sobo]

Hey Sobo, what time is it?

It's that time again! Moose Drool today...

[ITri4VT]

And I have to admit, I learned to climb in Western NC, so I really like slab

Then you must be familiar with Whitesides, Looking Glass, and Stone Mountain (the one in NC, not GA). I'm a VA Tech grad, and that's where I got my slab fix regularly.

 

From your avatar, are you also a Hokie? There's a pretty big VT/UVA community on this board.

 

Yes! I graduated from VT in 2006. Didn't start climbing until a few years ago though. I lived in Brevard for a year, so just a few miles from Looking Glass, and the Great Arch at Stone was my first trad lead When did you graduate?

 

[sobo]

The Great Arch is a great way to enter trad. Beautiful climb. My first slab lead was GA's neighbor, Mercury's Lead. Scared the f#$% out of me. Long lead with only two bolts between you and the anchor on P1, and old skewl 5.9 at that. Very thought-provoking runouts on that route. I think I sharted somewhere along the route. Still have my Dixie Crystals guidebook from 1983.

 

Matriculated from the CE program in 1988, moved back out here in 1989. Been in the PNW ever since. Git yerseff out here, you won't regret it.

 

PS: I live on the east side of the Cascades, in the Tri-Cities. I've also lived in Yakima, which is much closer to the mountains. I'd vote for an eastside relo. My $0.02

[ITri4VT]

Yeah I think I'm definitely sold the east side. Thanks for all your suggestions everyone! I've narrowed my list down a lot, but here's what it's looking like:

 

Wenatchee/Ellensburg/Leavenworth

Redmond/Bend

Bozeman

Durango

SLC/Ogden/Logan/Pocatello

Colorado Springs

Fort Collins

 

Medford OR and Redding CA were on there, but I haven't heard much about them... seems too close to the coast?

 

I've still got a few months but I'm glad I have several places I'd be happy living, b/c it may come down to where I actually find a job

 

[John Frieh]

Bozeman doesnt have as much rock climbing as some of the others on your list. Still a rad place.

Fort Collins is close to a lot. Same with Durango

SLC takes the cake IMO.

[ITri4VT]

A bad thing about SLC is that I heard several of the canyons for climbing are watershed so dogs aren't allowed. I don't have a dog yet, but we're planning on getting one after the move.

[billcoe]

A bad thing about SLC is that I heard several of the canyons for climbing are watershed so dogs aren't allowed. I don't have a dog yet, but we're planning on getting one after the move.

Ah, new info. I see. well, don't move to Georgia either. I heard that their Aids clinic and support is very poor. I'm mean, in case you do get aids at some point.

 

[John Frieh]

A bad thing about SLC is that I heard several of the canyons for climbing are watershed so dogs aren't allowed. I don't have a dog yet, but we're planning on getting one after the move.

 

Dogs are allowed in Mill Creek and Ferguson Canyon. Lots of climbing besides just little and big cottonwood.