Winter rock climbing?

[marc_leclerc]

Some of my best rock climbing days ever have been in Squamish in the winter. It doesn't happen to often, but when the sun comes out and the bluffs dry up conditions are just perfect for all the intricate friction dependent climbing the granite has to offer. In my opinion, winter is THE season for sending the hard routes in The Smoke Bluffs, same goes for bouldering. I pity all the boulderers shredding their skin to peices while greasing off crystally slopers on problems all Summer. People sometimes say that Squamish bouldering grades are stiff when really they are just graded for dry winter conditions

 

Not the calendar winter technically, these are both from the second week of December, but this is winter cragging!

 

 

 

[Jens]

In my 5 years of living in Western Washington I have learned to take what the weather gives you and let that guide your winter recreation.

For example, Sunday was supposed to be Sunny but very warm. That led me to go rock climbing at index (50 degrees) than hit some ice, the alpine, or ski mush.

Index was wet (surprise! but we still had fun.

 

Amen.

 

On any given weekend in a year in Seattle you could be sport climbing, ice climbing, in the climbing gym, skiing, or alpine.

 

The Gunks are a pile of crap. I've climbed their with locals. If the Trapps were in Yos, it would not have any routes on it.

Tvash,

Fossil has one long aid route

 

To have good sport climbing, you must have small micro features and overhanging walls. Fossil has these.

 

Edited January 14, 2012 by Jens

[slab_master]

Fossil has one long aid route and lots of secret sport climbing in the woods.

To have good sport climbing, you must have small micro features and overhanging walls. Fossil has these and almost nowhere else in WA does (I have not been to China Bend or Marcus).

 

i've talked to peeps who have climbed there, and tried to find it myself: no luck.

 

is it decent and how many routes in the 11 12 and 13 range?

[ivan]

Tvash,

Fossil has one long aid route and lots of secret sport climbing in the woods.

 

interesting - wouldn't have though that - got any beta on it?

[G-spotter]

 

On any given weekend in a year in Seattle you could be ...ice climbing, .

 

 

 

[boadman]

In my 5 years of living in Western Washington I have learned to take what the weather gives you and let that guide your winter recreation.

For example, Sunday was supposed to be Sunny but very warm. That led me to go rock climbing at index (50 degrees) than hit some ice, the alpine, or ski mush.

Index was wet (surprise! but we still had fun.

 

Amen.

 

On any given weekend in a year in Seattle you could be sport climbing, ice climbing, in the climbing gym, skiing, or alpine.

 

The Gunks are a pile of crap. I've climbed their a ton with locals. If the Trapps were in Yos, it would not have any routes on it. As for the east coast chestbeating, the 11s and 12s are way softer than out west.

 

Tvash,

Fossil has one long aid route and lots of secret sport climbing in the woods.

To have good sport climbing, you must have small micro features and overhanging walls. Fossil has these and almost nowhere else in WA does (I have not been to China Bend or Marcus).

 

It's hard to take you seriously when you say that the gunks are a pile of crap. I don't think there are many places that can compare if you like steep trad climbing. It's especially good in the moderate grades.

 

The pictures I've seen of fossil make it look pretty uninspiring compared to little si.

[mmeyers]

sex kills. go to Rensselaer and live forever.

(sorry, couldn't resist)

 

Does the outdoor club still climb some? they used to. also, it's not rock climbing, but i learned how to ski with the outdoor club while at RPI. the snow sucks, but it sure is cheap. but you probably already know this stuff.

 

cheers!

Matt