UKC

I'm thinking of a six week break, with the missus, over the school summer holidays. I've never been to The States and therefore have no clue of our potential destinations yet... I've wanted to visit Yosemite for years, but am fully aware it'll be way too hot in August. I know Tuolumne Meadows could be cooler and perhaps just as good?

I've just come across the book 'Details about American Rock – Region, Rock, and Culture in American Climbing Don Mellor' and wondered if there were better books to plan from? Or a website?

My plan, so far, seems to want to include: Yosemite, Indian Creek, maybe Colorado (but more of a winter interest tbh) and maybe Squamish (Canada) if I can travel there cheaply. Obviously this list will narrow if it gets too expensive.

I guess hiring a camper, or something big, would be the cheapest option for staying at each destination after an internal flight? Although I guess we could travel with all the gear via trains/bus if we could somehow keep it low weight?

Any advice/suggestions appreciated.

In reply to ERU:

If you hire a car get the insurance third party not off the company you rent it from as It'll probs be a lot more expensive. Public transport is kind of crappy in America. Never been out west though so I can't really help with that!

www.mountainproject.com

In reply to ERU:

Indian Creek in August? Yosemite might feel quite cool in comparison!

In reply to ERU:

Yeah like in August in the US of A man you want to get high....

Tuolumne definitely the better bet for easier access. Cascades are pretty good and not so hot, even lower down. Depends a bit on how much walking you want to do. Tetons are not a bad bet. Wind Rivers are fantastic but do have long approach walks (i.e. walk in (1 day), camp, climb, climb some more, walk out.

Almost everywhere in August is quite hot. And campers are rather expensive to hire.

As dsh says, public transport sucks. Although the shuttle bus in Yosemite works pretty well

In reply to ERU:

Tim Toula's Rock n Road lists all the significant crags in North America, gives them each star grading, and lists some of the megaclassic climbs at each. For a short visit, only bother with crags that have a 4 or 5-star rating.

My choice would be either CA or CO or both, but certainly not more - there are so many fantastic venues in those two states alone. Stick to the 4 or 5 star climbs and you can't go wrong.

I wouldn't go for a camper van - they guzzle gas and can work out pretty expensive. Driving distances and times in the US are generally longer than you might think. Also, camper vans are no fun to drag up mountain roads. Much better to take lightweight tent and sleeping bags and hire cars as necessary.

Take out holiday/emergency insurance in the UK - that is pretty good value. If you fly with BA you can do that online when you book your ticket. You absolutely do not want to end up in US hospitals without insurance. (Of course, I really hope you don't need to.)

Book you flight to the US well in advance to get the best prices. Once in the US book flights on Tuesdays. Southwest and United are the best airlines: avoid American and US like the plague. Ditto Los Angeles and Miami airports; for CA, use Ontario airport for southern CA and Sacramento for northern. Always remember to return your rental car full of fuel, otherwise you will be ripped off. At Sacramento, do not fill up your car at the gas station at the airport - it's s rip-off - fill up somewhere within Sacramento itself, which is only about 15 minutes from the airport.

In reply to ERU:

Couple of other places worth considering - Mt Lemmon in Arizona; 1500 routes up to 9000ft up so good for summer.

The Sierra east side for access to high Sierra routes like Charlotte Dome & Clyde Minaret; great hotsprings etc in valley though the valley itself bill be baking.

Tuolumne and the Eastern Sierras will be great. If you're after a long 5.10 or 5.11, the walk up to the Incredible Hulk is well worth it for a couple of days. The Needles in southern Sierras is also a good bet. Stunningly beautiful place to climb, coupled with the best granite I've ever climbed on.

Forget Utah, it will be absolutely scorching.

I've not been to COlorado but I understand there's loads to do in AUgust.

In reply to ERU:

Lovers Leap near lake Tahoe is great in August - faces north. Stacks of 3* routes in the VS-E1 range to go at. I've climbed in Yosemite and Toulumne but rate LL higher for your ordinary Brit cragger at that time of year.

In reply to ERU:
A bit more info...for internal flights (esp. if you're not going cross-continent & sticking to the western third), stick to Southwest alone (all others will charge you for checked bags). You still get to check 2x 50lb bags per person "for free" and it's trivial to change flight times (you just don't show up & they hold the value of your ticket for up to a year & you can use it anytime). Go with a light tent & a small rental car - much more convenient and cheaper than a camper. You can always get a cheap motel once in a while to shower (Motel 6 chain for example). I'd recommend a few locales for August:

Wind River Range in Wyoming - count on a day of approach & having to set up a backcountry camp. More specifically, go to the Cirque Of Towers. No permit issues, many long routes on granite spires.

Tetons in Wyoming - climbed very little there but it looks good. It's a national park meaning you have to worry about securing backcountry permits (quotas) if you're going overnight.

Devils Tower - it'll be HOT in August but if you can suck it up, try to do a route on it since it's so unique (no approach, no permits).

Rocky Mtn. National Park in Colorado - check out the Diamond on Longs Peak for example. Same issue - national park = backcountry permit issues.

High Sierras in California - again, count on a day of approach & backcountry camping for most objectives. Except for stuff in Tuolumne (which for the most part has short approaches), it's not a national park but you need to get a backcountry permit and some destinations are VERY popular (& quotas are stingy).

Lovers LEap is good - zero approach, mid-sized routes & no permit issues.

If you're going up to Squamish & happen to be driving, you should make a stop in Washington state. One area that comes to mind is Washington Pass. Short approaches, long climbing routes (granite), no permit issues and a very alpine ambiance. And it's not as rainy as say Squamish. Another spectacular (backcountry) area in WAshington (also plagued by permit issues) is Alpine Lakes Wilderness by the town of Leavenworth (look up Prussik Peak, Colchuck Balanced Rock, Dragontail peak etc.)

I'd check out all these areas on mountainproject & plan a route. If you plan well, you won't even have to fly - most of these can be connected with a single day of driving (long day in some cases). I bring up permits since these will tend to slow down your progress if you have to wait out a day or two to get one. I'd forget UT, NV, AZ this time of year - the high country stuff you might be able to eke out there seems relatively lame.
PS public transport?? what's that?

Thanks for the replies - loads to go at.

In reply to Darron: confirm big tick for Lovers Leap for at least three days.