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Dmo
climber
S. Lake Tahoe, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 9, 2009 - 12:44am PT
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Okay, so I messed up and landed myself in LA for a few weeks. whoops....
So, I am looking for any advice on "quality" cragging in the LA area preferably close to the Venice area. I have a car, seemingly mandatory for this place, and am willing to drive but I gotta say if I end up in the car for more than an hour, I might just keep going.... not a bad plan either.
Thanks for any advice, sarcasm, and crap you fling my way.
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Slater
climber
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Head for Echo Cliffs or Malibu Creek! Get a copy of Edward's SB/Ventura or Anderson's Climbing in the Santa Monicas or Mayr's So Cal Sport Climbing and go nuts! Super good! Stoney Pt. is close too, but you'll have to appreciate history to really accept it for what it is. Easy access though, so maybe good in a pinch, or if you're solo and bouldering. There is Pt. Dume too, with 4 routes on the beach near Malibu beach. Or just go surf!
and while you're in the LA area... check this out
http://www.yosemiteclimbing.org/content/making-exhibit-granite-frontiers
ps- and Pine Mtn. is rad too, but 2 hours +.
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tooth
Mountain climber
Guam
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Suicide.
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Dmo
climber
S. Lake Tahoe, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 9, 2009 - 03:19am PT
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Thanks Taco Team,
I feel better already!
Lots of great advice, I'll report back with findings.
The exhibit Slater linked looks incredible. Super stoked on the heads up.
t*r - My skateboarding days are hopefully behind me but, I could be plied into getting rowdy with some roller skates down on the boardwalk or maybe dancing around with a big wallin' blow-up doll for spare change.
So the now very important question is:
Anyone Want to Go Climbing?
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Pine Mt. is a haul but nice. If you're in the mood for driving though, Horse Flats has real nice bouldering too.
Sadly, most of the stuff near town is either Santa Monica Mts. or Stoney. LA's true virtue for climbers is Josh and Idyllwild 2.5 hrs. away. If you want to go bag Whitney or climb at the Portal, that's only 3.5 hrs. The Needles is 4.
I'd say bring your road or mt. bike too. Lots of good stuff, even by Tahoe standards.
Enjoy the food and culture while you're in town as well. Not too much of that in Tahoe.
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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DMO- I sent you an e-mail w/ my phone number.
Give me a call & we can meet up for cragging & bouldering. I'll be near PCH & Topanga later today, you should come & check out the Purple Stones!
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Purple Stones are actually pretty cool, although very small. Some of the landings are grim.
Malibu is actually really, really good bouldering and sport, just not a lot of it.
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Step Beyond!
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Just a heads up - watch out for poison oak at Malibu.
I live 5 minutes from Stoney now - give me a shout if anyone needs a spotter and an extra pad. Went there yesterday with Skip and really enjoyed the bouldering.
Erik (928) 255-2855
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Brian
climber
Cali
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Tick is odious even by LA standards unless you are really, really desperate.
If you want to crag, I'd say that Malibu and Echo are your best bets (the latter is even more heavily modified than the former, but that's kinda par for the course for the Santa Moncia Mountain area).
Purple Stones (as well as a few other spots) is better for getting away from folks for a bit of solitude, but there is less climbing to be done. Some landings at Purple Stones are really bad, as someone said.
The sad truth is that LA sucks for climbing in the "after work" range--you're better off surfing. Things improve this time of year because of the longer days, bringing Malibu into "after work" range. For a "full day" things get a bit better, with Josh and Idyllwild coming into range, depending on your level of environmental conscience/guilt (I must admit that I have done it, but 4-5 hours of driving for a day... yikes! Try to get 4 folks in the car!). Several climbing areas in Big Bear and Santa Barbara are also in the "full day" range. LA is, however, world class for the "weekend or longer" range, with the Needles, Courtright, Domelands, the High Sierra, and Yosemite all in striking distance (again, carpool! Most people in LA don't...).
Just my two cents. I've got some availability over the next two weeks before I head out on a longish road trip. You can email me if the other generous folks above don't work out.
Best of luck!
Brian
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Just to give an idea of how long ago I was last at the Purple Stones you could park legally on Topanga Cyn.
Where do you park now?
BTW, if you're going to the beach anyways, you may want to check out the J. Paul Pebble, on the sand below the Getty Villa. Kind of wild to hop on when the tide is low.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Be thankful you are only there for a few weeks- say to yourself "this to shall pass."
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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If you belive the guidebook I once cranked a 5.12+ at Stoney.
I got the FA also.
Juan
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mathew
Sport climber
topanga, ca
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no-one has mentioned Horse Flats yet ... 1.5 hrs and epic granite boulders. The road is now open to the campground ...
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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"Be thankful you are only there for a few weeks- say to yourself "this to shall pass." "
Hey, LA rocks, although it's not the first place you'd choose to be a climber. Let's just say that for most of us locals the social/cultural merits make up for the dearth of really good climbing within an hour's drive. If you fail to take advantage of those opportunities, you'll really be missing out on an otherwise good trip.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sorry FD, I was referring to the climbing. Culturally, LA is OK, but JUST OK.
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Brian
climber
Cali
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Although LA is not the first place you would choose to be a climber, it is far, far from the last place you would choose to be a climber!
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Dmo
climber
S. Lake Tahoe, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 10, 2009 - 02:45am PT
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You all are the best Tacos a hungry boy could wish for.
I am stoked on all the suggestions and what not.
So, forgive me for being mushy but,
I have been the victim of a Taco-fueled interweb success story.
I ended up going out with some super-rad folks - Levy, MisterE, David and others- to the Purples and had a blast. Super fun and if LA isn't a change of pace, the rock certainly was. As the landings go - its all a stack of crashpads until you fall, right?
LA isn't so bad when you find the right folks to pretend its 'the Other Valley' with.
Wicked fun!
So to combat the odd sensation of being a stranger in a strange land, clearly I need to do allot of climbing while I'm here.
The schedule is hectic and the climbing's a priority.
What's Next!?!?
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
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Jun 10, 2009 - 03:44am PT
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bump climbing content
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Brian
climber
Cali
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Jun 10, 2009 - 11:09am PT
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Jeff,
I know you are fond of Tick buddy, but I wasn't burning you by burning the place. I'm also pals with Ben, Edwards, et al. who put up most of the routes there (including some later attributed to other folks). I just don't like the place. Sorry if that burns you; I didn't mean it to do so.
I haven't ticked (no pun intended) any of the routes there harder than Perro de la Guerra. I think you put up a 13 there somewhere, but that's a bit out of my league, especially these days.
Echo is indeed highly manufactured, as I mentioned above; but Tick is far from pristine in this regard. There was, if I recall correctly, one flake the size of a large platter just covered in glue near the anchors in the center of the crag. Looked like someone just poured a whole bucket of glue onto it--a total mess. As I said above, most of the Santa Monica crags have been modified to some degree. I'm not defending it--I've never glued or chipped, not even "once" in my own 25+ years of climbing--I'm just stating a fact about the nature of the crags in the SM choss.
Again, sorry if my distaste for the crag rubbed you the wrong way. We may just have different tastes in climbing--not better or worse, just different. I remember you being pretty fond of the High Desert crag near the BMX park once upon a time, a place I disliked so much I never went back after the first visit. If I recall correctly, you told me, Spencer, and John, "High Desert is what Josh wishes it could be." My distaste for that crag just means it's not for me, and makes it that much less crowded for you. To each his own, no?
I'd heard that you had lightened up a bit over the years. I guess not, eh?
Brian
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MisterE
Trad climber
One Step Beyond!
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Jun 10, 2009 - 11:31am PT
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Had a blast yesterday! Great to meet everyone!
These folks are some psyched climbers!
Give me a call Dan, Bill and friends and let's do it again!
My number is on the first page
Erik
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