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| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
Oscaig
Trad climber
West Coast of Scotland, UK
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 22, 2013 - 04:59pm PT
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I'm heading to the US from the UK in March with my girlfriend and (through hard-nosed and lengthy negotiation) have agreed a few climbing days here and there during the trip. I'd really like to get in to Cochise Stonghold to get on some of the routes there like What's My Line, Moby Dick and Isle of You etc. BUT we'll only have a regular hire car and am a bit nervous about trashing it off-road and getting stuck. So...any tips about the state of the access trails for non 4WD vehicles and just climbing in the Strionghold in general would be really gratefully received!
Cheers Chaps :-)
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Jan 22, 2013 - 05:01pm PT
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a regular car is fine for all access.
enjoy!
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 22, 2013 - 05:07pm PT
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My last experience there is from about 10 yrs. ago, so things may have since changed.
I'd say it's definitely not a problem for the East Stronghold, but I recall being very thankful I had a high clearance vehicle (4Runner) going all the way into the West Stronghold to access Moby Dick, etc. Granted, there's a fair bit you can get too in the West Stronghold on decent roads without driving all the way in, but the road's end might be tough.
Just curious, if you're coming to the States and have only a few days of climbing, how did you decide on what has to be one of the most out of the way places? Great place, but not close to much of anything.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jan 22, 2013 - 05:18pm PT
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but I recall being very thankful I had a high clearance vehicle (4Runner) going all the way into the West Stronghold to access Moby Dick, etc.
We were there two years ago and had no problem at all in a tiny little rental car. Some kind of cheapo thing with very little clearance. Not only was it fine all the way to the end of the road on the west side, it was fine for the crossover (can't remember the name... Middlemarch Road or something?) from West to East.
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Oscaig
Trad climber
West Coast of Scotland, UK
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2013 - 05:28pm PT
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Thanks guys - that's reassuring to know.
Fat Dad - my other half is big-time into tennis but suffers to be dragged up climbs that aren't too desperate on occasion. So the plan is to take in the opening weekend of Indian Wells tennis before heading off on a circular tour that should allow a few days each in Joshua Tree, Cochise Stronghold and Red Rocks - and doing some of the obligatory visitors stuff in between. Happy days!
Cheers,
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Larry
Trad climber
Bisbee
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Jan 22, 2013 - 05:28pm PT
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Speaking as a Cochise County resident who has actually been there within the last few months...as far as Isle of You any car will do.
Getting in past Warpath Dome you want either high clearance or something you're able to risk beating up.
There is plenty of good climbing on the east side, too.
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adrian korosec
climber
Tucson
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Jan 22, 2013 - 05:32pm PT
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Regular non-sports car ok all the way to end of road in the west. It was graded a few months ago. No question.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Jan 22, 2013 - 06:08pm PT
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Whoa, it needed some grading in the way out west side!
Kept the tourons in low riders away though.....
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Jan 22, 2013 - 06:14pm PT
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What about Falcon nesting closures?
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Leggs
Sport climber
Home away from Home
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Jan 22, 2013 - 06:44pm PT
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Oscaig ... you'll love the climbing... and the sunsets there...
and the cows. there are a lot of live cows... very friendly.
Happy Climbing!
~peace
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FRUMY
Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
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Jan 22, 2013 - 07:00pm PT
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Enjoy. Great place.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jan 22, 2013 - 07:05pm PT
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oscaig,
Sounds fun. Moby Dick and What's My Line should be pretty user friendly. Check out Tombstone while you're there. Boot Hill, the OK Corral...good cheesy Western fun.
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cragnshag
Social climber
san joser
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Jan 22, 2013 - 07:21pm PT
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We lost the plastic cover that sets below the engine in my old diesel benz on the West Side many years back. Of course there were four of us in it and I was driving way too fast. If you take the dips at a slower rate, you'll do just fine.
Be sure to camp on the West side (more wild feel than the East side IMO). Bring your own firewood and water. Take the GF into Tombstone one evening for a meal and drinks. Maybe she will extend your visit...
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ontheedgeandscaredtodeath
Social climber
SLO, Ca
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Jan 22, 2013 - 07:24pm PT
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Dunno about your time frame but it's about 450 miles from Indian Wells to Cochise and almost 500 miles from Cochise to Red Rocks.
I haven't been on Moby Dick for some time, but FYI, the rappel / abseil is safe but quite exposed, free hanging and you have to squirm over the edge while holding the chains before you weight your rap (ab?) device. No biggie for a climber but if your GF is just tagging along to humor you it might be a good idea to have a plan to ease her mind about going over the edge. Wow, that's a lot of info about one rappel!!
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Oscaig
Trad climber
West Coast of Scotland, UK
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 22, 2013 - 08:17pm PT
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Cheers for all the really useful info guys.
Thanks also for the beta on the Moby Dick descent. I think SWMBO will be OK rapping off the domes - she's done a fair amount of climbing in the UK including rapping into some fairly intimidating sea cliffs with lively seas running and doesn't get easily phased.
All the best,
Ian
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 22, 2013 - 10:43pm PT
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Unless the Peregrine Falcon closures have changed most of the big formations with the best climbing (Rockfellow Domes complex and What's My Line Dome, for example) are closed from March 1- June 30.
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| Messages 1 - 16 of total 16 in this topic |
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