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| Messages 1 - 19 of total 19 in this topic |
supafly
climber
vancouver
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 23, 2009 - 06:11pm PT
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Currently weighing up the options with regards to living in California.
One of the great things about life in Vancouver is Squamish is 40 minutes up the road, and there is some more local cragging and bouldering as well. There is also the proximity to ski hills, I can be up on the locals in 20mins after work.
So what's climb-life like in California? Obviously there are great areas scattered around Cali as well as all the desert climbing out east, but how accessible is it on a weekend?
If you live in California, how easy is it to get out climbing on a weekend and where are the best towns/cities to live in for access?
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Oct 23, 2009 - 06:20pm PT
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neither of the major metropolitan areas-- la or sf --has the same kind of easy access you get in vancouver. much more driving here, so you decide what you're looking for and locate appropriately.
you can't get the ski access you have there. you can get better bouldering access if you pick the right place-- east bay, a few sectors of the la basin --otherwise you'd be better off picking somewhere right in or next to the mountains.
bishop, mammoth, joshua tree, sonora-- all have their good points. but the good points don't usually include jobs. and given the strucutral budget problems, they're not likely to include decent public schools in the near future.
i made that move a long time agao, b'ham/vancouver to socal. weather's a lot better here.
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franky
climber
Davis, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 06:27pm PT
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I love when Sacramento is recommended as a good place for climbers. I've NEVER seen a flatter place or a place with less rock, and I grew up in the midwest.
Of course, there is good stuff less than two hours away...
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supafly
climber
vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2009 - 06:51pm PT
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what good climbing is near sacramento?
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tooth
Trad climber
The Best Place On Earth
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Oct 23, 2009 - 06:59pm PT
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I Lived east of LA for over 4 years. Climbed 5 out of 6 weekends.
Tahquitz, JT, Yosemite, Sierra, Red Rock and some little places scattered around there.
Lots of driving, but if you split it up with a buddy/wife, it's not so bad.
The good thing about it there is that you trade driving for rain. I could climb almost every weekend given the choices and lack of weather year-round. When one place was too hot, cold or snowy, the other would work.
So yeah, lots to do, but living between JT and RR, or Tahquitz and JT will put you in a giant smoggy sandbox with decent access to the good stuff.
I'm moving back to BC later this week. Tried life in WA, CA, OR, Guam, BC, AB, and BC has won my vote for best place to live.
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franky
climber
Davis, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:03pm PT
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Sacramento has all the stuff on highway 50 near by, Sugarloaf, Phantom Spires, and Lover's Leap (less than 2 hours). Donner pass is about 2 hours too. All the Tahoe cragging is relatively close. The Valley is easier to get to from Sac than SF. And for eastside access in the winter, it is about as good as it gets short of living on the eastside.
But, there is almost 0 rock within an hour.
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supafly
climber
vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2009 - 07:04pm PT
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yeah i love BC as well.. but forget about doing any outside climbing in the winter.. which is fine coz there is plenty of skiing.
my problem with BC or rather anywhere around vancouver is house prices. i'm priced out :(
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:06pm PT
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what good climbing is near sacramento? You have bouldering in Vacaville and a little in Rocklin and by Davis. Once Auburn is legal you'll have good sport climbing about 45 minutes from Sac. You have Sugarloaf, Phantom Spires, and Lovers Leap up Highway 50 1:30 to 2:00 from Sac. You have Indian Springs, Rainbow, Donner Summit, Big Chief, 1:30 to 2:00 from Sac.
Sac is great if you climb and ski, need a place to work, and enjoy good weather 9-10 months of the year.
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supafly
climber
vancouver
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2009 - 07:07pm PT
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Oh I didn't know lover's leap was in that area - is there much single pitch cragging along the 50?
i guess lake tahoe skiing is doable on a weekend as well?
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:08pm PT
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Housing prices here are pretty high too, but have dropped a lot.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:13pm PT
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i guess lake tahoe skiing is doable on a weekend as well?
Hell yeah.
Weather/snow is similar to Whistler. Maritime. So big dumps, but it can be wet.
Terrain at Squaw/Alpine Meadows/Kirkwood/and Sugar Bowl is great, but much smaller than Whistler/Blackcomb.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:28pm PT
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if yr priced out of bc, you don't want to come to anywhere in cali. unless you are looking at one of the cheaper areas like joshua tree.
but those areas are less expensive because they have little in the way of a local job base.
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climbingcook
Trad climber
sf
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
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Sac is great if you climb and ski, need a place to work, and enjoy good weather 9-10 months of the year.
I think great might not be the right word. It's a fine place to live if you happen to work in Sacramento. If you can find work in or around lake Tahoe, you'll be much better off. I'm assuming the 'good weather' you speak of includes the six months of 105 degree weather you have all summer.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 07:50pm PT
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Move to Fresno, as I have heard it is like heaven on earth. Plus only a hour to the Valley.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Oct 23, 2009 - 08:34pm PT
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As Mr T would say: "I pity the foo!"
Why would you leave Tami and Anders for Californicate?
Haven't you been listening to Rokjox?
Of course it could get better after Fattrad puts
Meg Whitman in the guv's office but until then
you better not count on finding a job here. If you
have entreprenuerial aspirations then please go see
a shrink first. According to the Small Business Administration
this is the worst state in the union to run a business in
and I can vouch for that.
Other than that and the traffic it is a great place to live,
if you like having 34 million neighbors.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Oct 23, 2009 - 09:54pm PT
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I think great might not be the right word. It's a fine place to live if you happen to work in Sacramento. If you can find work in or around lake Tahoe, you'll be much better off. I'm assuming the 'good weather' you speak of includes the six months of 105 degree weather you have all summer.
Like I said if you need a place to work. If you don't need a city there's many much nicer places of course.
Tahoe is great, lived there for 4 years, but it's got it drawbacks. 20' of snow to shovel. Tourons. Long drives to airports and other city amenetities. Good luck finding a real job.
Six months of 105? Yeah right. We get about 3-6 weeks of scorchers in the summer. But it's a dry heat. Nothing like the humid sh#t I grew up in.
Month Low High
Jan 38.8°F 53.8°F
Feb 41.9°F 60.5°F
Mar 44.2°F 64.7°F
Apr 46.3°F 71.4°F
May 50.9°F 80.0°F
Jun 55.5°F 87.4°F
Jul 58.3°F 92.4°F
Aug 58.1°F 91.4°F
Sept 55.8°F 87.5°F
Oct 50.6°F 78.2°F
Nov 42.8°F 63.7°F
Dec 37.7°F 53.9°F
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Oct 23, 2009 - 10:10pm PT
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I'm one hour and ten minutes from Hidden Valley Campground, and that's doing the speed limit through all the little one-horse speed-trap towns.
Half an hour gets me to Snow Valley for skiing in the winter, less than an hour to Big Bear.
I'm an hour from L.A., but I could ride my mountain bike from my back door 200 miles to the Colorado River 100% on dirt and only have to cross five paved roads.
I can walk a half-hour out my back door and be the only person for a mile in any direction (except for the dead guy someone buried in the hills), ride my bike a half-hour and it's more like a five-mile radius I can have to myself.
There are twenty million people between me and the ocean 60 miles away.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 24, 2009 - 12:31am PT
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tooth's new 'location' is The Best Place On Earth
Which, by coincidence, is the government of B.C.'s new marketing slogan, appearing on all government propaganda. Even trademarked, maybe.
Although with all such superlative claims, "world class" being the most notorious, if you have to say it, you probably aren't. It's notable that New York City never advertises itself as world class. Or Tokyo, London, Paris, Rome, Delhi, etc etc.
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