Your top five sport climbing areas and why.

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Messages 1 - 55 of total 55 in this topic
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 11, 2013 - 09:56pm PT
Don't really travel to sport climb very often, so most are local. Spearfish Canyon (just damn good sport climbing in a cool setting), Mt. Rushmore (best load of easy to moderate sport climbs I have done), Red Rocks (only done one day but it seemed cool), Wild Iris (cool pockets good camping), and I think it was called the anarchy wall by Saint George(long).
Adamame

climber
Santa Cruz
Jun 11, 2013 - 10:05pm PT
Oliana, The perfect crag.
Margalef, Like the Pinnacles with Tufas and Pockets! And a gorgeous setting.
Ceuse, Need I say anything...
Santa Linya, It doesn't get much bigger and steeper than this.
Terradets, Tufa climbing heaven, If you climb 7c+-8a+.

I apologize... I can't think of any good sport climbing in America.

i'm gumby dammit

Sport climber
da ow
Jun 11, 2013 - 10:13pm PT
ummm
skamoto

Mountain climber
coalinga ca
Jun 11, 2013 - 11:01pm PT
pinnacles
new jack city
san luis area ( bishop peak ect...)
metal mark in fresno. still a noob sorry.
Da-Veed

Big Wall climber
Bend Oregon
Jun 11, 2013 - 11:07pm PT
Smith in the 80's
That's one.
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Jun 11, 2013 - 11:11pm PT
My top five sport climbing areas:
























RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 11, 2013 - 11:12pm PT
1. Petrifying wall, Squamish - mega featured technical granite (good place to watch limestone snobs fall & complain)
2. Red rocks- fun, tourist grades
3. Horne lake (closed)- European limestone with no Europeans
4. Cave rock (closed) - the history, badass routes
5. I need to go on more sport climbing trips


Edit- Mr E just reminded me, my #5 is skaha! So fun there.
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 11, 2013 - 11:35pm PT
Oh yeah. Reese Mt. in the Laramie Range probably has the best sport climbing I have done. Tons of routes and lots of holds on Granite. Can't believe I forgot that one.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Jun 11, 2013 - 11:59pm PT
I'm somewhat partial to Owens River Gorge and Clark Canyon.
Beyond that I don't consider Pinnacles a sport area, so that's out.
I very much love Rushmore.

hmmm, trying to limit it down on the last two may take some thought.
nature

climber
Boulder, CO
Jun 12, 2013 - 12:10am PT
Winslow Wall

Eldo ;-)
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 12, 2013 - 12:11am PT
Mine are all about quality AND quantity.

1. New River Gorge, because it has the best damn sport climbing in the nation, IMO.

2. Smith Rock, because choss never climbed so well.

3. Potrero Chico, because long, moderate limestone is rare like unicorn.

4. Red River Gorge, because it is the funnest sandstone ever and there is a ton of routes.

5. Having a hard time with the 5th. I want to put the Cathedral Limestone area in Utah, Joshua Tree and Skaha BC. The wife just said "Thailand".


Rolfr

Social climber
North Vancouver BC
Jun 12, 2013 - 01:55am PT
Edit- Mr E just reminded me, my #5 is skaha! So fun there.
Ryan, Skaha is shite, stay away, no good routes, tourists should detour to Squamish. Too sunny with a greater chance of Melanoma, full of geriatric delinquents and too many bolts.

Spread the word, stay away. Please!

mojede

Trad climber
Butte, America
Jun 12, 2013 - 02:13am PT
Allenspur, Montanapolis, and Lambert Creek dolomites--but then again, I'm pretty biased...






Mike M : send me your street addy for a free guide to some of my handy work in a sliver of Montana...
i'm gumby dammit

Sport climber
da ow
Jun 12, 2013 - 03:23am PT
as picturedabove, smith rock, and not just because of the hawtness
[Click to View YouTube Video]
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 12, 2013 - 03:23am PT
Your right actually Rolf. Skaha is kinda chossy & rattlesnakey. I herd bigfoot is there too & he eats climbers that make tick marks & bolt cracks. Oh and there is dogs everywhere.

I change my #5 again to lembert dome.

Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 12, 2013 - 07:50am PT
Cave rock - simply the best; adventure, steeps, fun!
Reese Mtn -unique, beautiful, a scene like no other
Zonerland - there's always a special place in your heart for your first
Owens - climbs are handy and plentiful
Hueco- nostalgia
mcreel

climber
Barcelona
Jun 12, 2013 - 09:27am PT
Y'all have got my attention with Reese Mtn. I guess August must be pretty warm there, no?
pud

climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
Jun 12, 2013 - 09:56am PT
Waterfall Wall
Secret Garden
Eagles Roost Buttress
London Wall
Stream Wall

Because they're great.

All @ Williamson Rock
ddriver

Trad climber
SLC, UT
Jun 12, 2013 - 10:10am PT
I'm no big sport climber, but there's lots of good places.

Lake Louise - I love quartzite and Lake Louise has great sport and trad side by side.

Euro - so far its Arco, Kalymnos, Sella and El Chorro, but getting ready to hit Calanques, Verdon, and Preyles, probably Ailefroid, maybe Orpierre.

States - City, Red Rocks, Owens, Smith, Uintas, AF, Big Cottonwood. I even like Table Mtn. Its all fun.
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Jun 12, 2013 - 10:28am PT
I haven't climbed much outside of Cali so I don't have a wide selection to "draw" on ;)

Top 3 are outside Cali .. which makes me want to travel a lot more.

1) Potrero Chico, MX
2) Rai Lay Thailand
3) Smith Rock, OR
4) Echo Cliffs,CA (yup.. I love that damn choss pile)

#5.. hard to say. I love Red Rocks, but consider it more a trad climbing area. Mebbe' Pine Creek or Clark Canyon (I love dat tuff). Corpse Wall gets my vote for most beautiful Cali location.. in spite of it's lack of actual climbing.

New River Gorge and Kalymnos are definitley on my bucket list.

Edit: After giving it some thought I'll make Pine Creek my official #5
Bowser

Social climber
Durango CO
Jun 12, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
Potrero
quantum7

Trad climber
Squamish
Jun 12, 2013 - 12:58pm PT
Kalymnos
AP

Trad climber
Calgary
Jun 12, 2013 - 01:31pm PT
Lots of good single pitch sport areas around. How about multi pitch sport?
Potrero Chico
Canadian Rockies has a number of good routes

What else?
labrat

Trad climber
Auburn, CA
Jun 12, 2013 - 01:36pm PT
Maple Canyon, UT
ClimberDave

Trad climber
The LBC, CA
Jun 12, 2013 - 01:54pm PT
Having done most of my climbing in So Cali and years ago I would have to 2nd Williamson Rock, probably the only place I climbed that had any number of sport routes.
Joshua Tree and Suicide both had some pretty "sporty" routes

;)
mcreel

climber
Barcelona
Jun 12, 2013 - 04:08pm PT
Catalunya is famous for the hard climbing areas, like Oliana, Santa Linya, etc., but there are also quite a fews great long sport routes in the 5.10-5.11 range at Terradets (up to 500 meters) and Vilanova de Meia (200 meters).
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Jun 12, 2013 - 04:35pm PT
Horne lake is closed? What happened? I was just there 2 years ago??? I didn't like it so much - too chossy. Just wondering. My top 5 would be:

Red River Gorge, KY
Zillertal, Austria
Cheakamus near Squamish
I like all the little areas around Bishop/Mammoth like Pine Creek, Dike wall, Tioga cliff, Gong show
Jailhouse - just because it's close to me and you can climb there when it's pouring like crazy
Magic Ed

Trad climber
Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Jun 12, 2013 - 06:06pm PT
Single pitch: Red River Gorge

Multi-pitch: El Potrero Chico

MisterE

Social climber
Jun 12, 2013 - 08:37pm PT
"Edit- Mr E just reminded me, my #5 is skaha! So fun there."


Ryan, Skaha is shite, stay away, no good routes, tourists should detour to Squamish. Too sunny with a greater chance of Melanoma, full of geriatric delinquents and too many bolts.

Spread the word, stay away. Please!

Haha!! ;)

I have never climbed at Tensleep in Wyoming or The Homestead in Arizona, but have heard they are both really good limestone areas.

I forgot to mention Isolation in Arizona, as well - that place is just stellar, thanks to Manny and others.
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 12, 2013 - 10:51pm PT
Impaler, it was "closed" 2 years ago as well. I'd hardly call it choss though compared to chipamus canyon:-)
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 12, 2013 - 11:23pm PT
chipamus canyon:-)

Seems negligible to the Olympic road construction?

RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 12, 2013 - 11:38pm PT
There's been "construction" goin on up there since way before the Olympics Mr E! Lots of reinforcement glue, I mean too.
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 13, 2013 - 12:00am PT
I love the creek-side climbing there - never noticed the chipping, I guess.

Just making a comment on the near-miss of the destruction of the area for the 99 expansion.

Carry on.
Impaler

Social climber
Berkeley
Jun 13, 2013 - 03:46am PT
Hey RyanD,

What do you mean by "closed"? I saw no signs and the locals didn't tell me anything. How would one even know that it's closed?

Chipamus? Interesting! I'd love to hear more. The climbing was fun enough that I didn't really care if there's glue involved or not. I think that's part of the deal in a lot of places. Very few areas are completely "naturual" and if they are, it just means they weren't cleaned properly and sh#t will continue to break.

Vlad
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jun 13, 2013 - 06:25am PT
Hmmm, forgot about maple, rifle& Isolation, this getting more difficult.....
patrick compton

Trad climber
van
Jun 13, 2013 - 10:50am PT
Red, Maple, Rifle, Wild Iris, a secret Tufa ridden area in AZ.
10b4me

Social climber
Jun 13, 2013 - 10:55am PT
Red Rocks
ORG
Clark Canyon
Williamson
Holcomb Valley
guyman

Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
Jun 13, 2013 - 11:30am PT
Not traveled to much outside of the southwest but I kinda like these places in no real order.

Lake Louise ..... really cool setting, steller stone
Owens River ..... close by, tons of great climbs in my grade range
Williamson ...... " " " " " "" ... sadley closed-for now
Red Rocks ..... good climbs, the steep kicks my butt
Zappa Dome .... nice stone, short hike for getaway days

BruceAnderson

Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
Jun 13, 2013 - 01:46pm PT
1. Gorge d'Aveyron, France our home area here, minutes away.
2. Rodellar, or anywhere within two hours of Lleida Spain.
3. Clark Mountain, Ca.
4. Chateauvert, France
5. Fontainebleau, France. I know, I know, but I don't even consider myself a boulderer and it's certainly some of the funnest climbing I've ever done,
RyanD

climber
Squamish
Jun 13, 2013 - 08:27pm PT
Hey Bruce, if bouldering counts I gotta rethink this.
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 13, 2013 - 09:52pm PT
S.P.O.R.T. Climbing!

Let's stay on topic, people!
the czar

climber
meyers, ca.
Jun 13, 2013 - 11:25pm PT
TEN SLEEP wyoming. went there last year, amazing.
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Jun 14, 2013 - 01:09am PT
1- For fun only - hands down Jacks Canyon, AZ
2- For posing - Rifle, CO
3 - For being pumped silly - Maple, UT
4 - For exploring - American Fork, UT
5 - For pimping - Smith Rocks, OR

6 - Whatever chosspile I am putting routes in at!

Yeah, I'm old skool, LOL ;D
MisterE

Social climber
Jun 14, 2013 - 01:16am PT
1- For fun only - hands down Jacks Canyon, AZ
2- For posing - Rifle, CO
3 - For being pumped silly - Maple, UT
4 - For exploring - American Fork, UT
5 - For pimping - Smith Rocks, OR

Roughster, congrats on naming one of the five WORST CRAGS as your #1!

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/873707/One-of-the-Five-Worst-Crags

There is a special choss-pile awaiting you as a reward.

Your bonus points come from Winslow AZ as one of the worst towns near one of the worst crags!
BruceAnderson

Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
Jun 14, 2013 - 01:52am PT
Hedge I know, I know. I'll get there soon!!
BruceAnderson

Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
Jun 14, 2013 - 01:53am PT
Need to hit that Le grand ditch over here too....
Roughster

Sport climber
Vacaville, CA
Jun 14, 2013 - 02:11am PT
Roughster, congrats on naming one of the five WORST CRAGS as your #1!

http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/873707/One-of-the-Five-Worst-Crags

There is a special choss-pile awaiting you as a reward.

Your bonus points come from Winslow AZ as one of the worst towns near one of the worst crags!

Hah! I have never gone to Jack's and not had a blast ;) I'll never forget a rest day out there one time where I had a HUGE herd of elk walked right through our campsite. Literally, I could've kicked one of them as I sat in my chair reading a book.

And before anyone slags Jack's, lace up at the Asylum. It will change your mind!

Come on, how bad can a place that looks like this be???


Seth

Trad climber
New York, NY
Jun 14, 2013 - 11:48am PT
I love how Paige says in that video "Smith Rock, it's the birthplace of American climbing!" Apparently without irony.

I mean, I know what she's saying, but.
Brian in SLC

Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
Jun 14, 2013 - 11:59am PT
Finale Ligure, Kalymnos, Arco, Presles.

Was at Valle de Quiros on the west side of the Picos in Northern Spain a couple weeks ago. With a bit more mileage there (we were fightin' bad weather), I could see that being a favorite. Riglos was great too.

The above were great for me, not only because the climbing was super, but, the hang was great too.
Paco

Trad climber
Montana
Jun 14, 2013 - 12:22pm PT
Indian Creek (definition dependent)
City of Rocks... though once again it's not necessarily a 'sport area'
Blue Mountains
Red River Gorge
Lake Louise

...in no particular order.
Paco

Trad climber
Montana
Jun 14, 2013 - 12:23pm PT
Goodness I want to go to Spain.
CalicoJack

climber
CA
Jun 14, 2013 - 01:58pm PT
#1 Indian Creek!

Oops, sorry, just kidding.

Rumney
Red River Gorge
Smith Rock
Owens River Gorge
KP Ariza

climber
SCC
Jun 14, 2013 - 02:02pm PT
Ceuse hands down. Three mile wide band of bullet limestone with brilliant colors and features and over four hundred feet tall in spots.

Jailhouse. The biggest holds you'll ever fall off of.

Mammoth Cave Sonoma county. 140 foot roof, corrugated like Swiss cheese with pockets over a flat dirt landing. No rope needed so its hard to call it sport climbing but it sure ain't bouldering. Swimming hole to boot.

VRG Mesquite Az. Home of the Mentor. My absolute favorite 5.12b sport route ever.

I can only comment on the areas I've been to but there are tons more that I'd love to visit in the future. France again and Spain....

mike m

Trad climber
black hills
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2013 - 10:04pm PT
Looks like I am going to have to add paradise valley in mt. Thanks for the book kev.
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Jun 27, 2013 - 10:18pm PT
1. Owens River Gorge. Any place that bolts cracks is okay with me.

Messages 1 - 55 of total 55 in this topic
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