UKC

I'm starting to think about my 50 birthday climbing trip. I was thinking around ten days. I've never climbed in the us but wouldn't know where to start! Also there is south Africa which also looks amazing. Suggestions please!
cheers

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Sport, trad, boulder, aid? Single pitch, multi-pitch? Grades? Have you been to Pembroke?

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Red Rocks. Fly into Vegas, Red Rocks is about 30 mins? away, and you could stop in some cheap doss, but hey its your 50th stay in Vegas.

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

I know it's a cliche but my most memeorable climb was sweet dreams in blue mountains. Its a fantastic multi pitch with incredible exposure.
There are plenty of crags all around and lots of awesome walks.

I spent several days at arapiles but it doesn't have the explosion of life in the blueys

Some great trad too

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Red rocks is fun but by far not the best in the world

A quick idea of top few from multiple disciplines

South France 3 - ceuse, Verdon, buoux
Tarragona - margalef/suriana
Yosemite
Arapilies
Kalymnos
Utah towers and Indian Creek
Prob something in the alps
Font

In reply to DWS gibraltar:
What time of year is your birthday? North West Scotland or the Brenta Dolomites. I live in Australia so my choices could be tinged with a nostalgic pining!

In reply to Karl Bromelow:

December unfortunately so the trip would have to be in the new year

In reply to humptydumpty:

Hi , I love trad but I open to sport and bouldering

In reply to Ban1:

I would love to climb in oz but feel I would need more time !

In reply to DWS gibraltar:


You're going to need ot help us a bit here.

Ok, it's trad. Multi/singe pitch? How long for? What grades? Alpine or cragging?

My personal favourites:

Europe:
- Dolomites. A never ending stream of high quality adventures with proper summits
- The Mont Blanc valley granite
- Meteora. It's bolted but it's not sport!
- Pembroke/Cornwall/Lundy/Gogarth/Carnmore/Shelterstone/Pabbay etc.etc. A sea cliff probably in my list somewhere
- Pic du Midi
- Summer Isles/Lofoten

Elsewhere:
- Arapiles
- Morocco (on my to do list)
- Toulumne and Yosemite. I thought Toulumne better
- Red rocks
- Yukon

Bugger! That's a dozen!

In reply to DWS gibraltar:
I really liked the Bugaboos. Remote without being overly committing, alpine but with benign glaciers and great road trip from Vancouver (combine with a trip to Squamish?) or Calgary to get there

In reply to JJL:
V
Hi JJL, Unfortunately I'm a winter baby but I have an utter dislike of winter climbing!I wold like somewhere with a mix of muti and single but I don't like alpine starts.
morocco is out as I'm becoming a regular and probably the us as it will be to cold!
I was maybe thinking of South Africa . I'm a mid grade climber but I would probably put some training in before hand.
Keep the suggestions coming .cheers

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

I seem to have a thing about round number years and Arctic Norway. I spent my 30th getting drunk round a campfire on a beach on Lofoten in the middle of weak of amazing routes. For my 40th I climbed Stetind which is one of those career defining routes for a weekend warrior of limited climbing ability. See http://lightfromthenorth.blogspot.fi/2013/09/rock-climbing-in-arctic-norway...

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Oman? Fabulous place and ideal time of year for it.

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Corsica has some cracking climbing and would work in Dec.

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

As its your 50th its got to be special and assume that you can be flexible about when you celebrate given that Dec is your target month

Pabbay Mingulay - as it it right out there but you need a load of mates to come along
Lunday - Away from it all experience and great accomodation if your rent a landmark trust cottage (it is your 50th so you can afford it) but not great in December
Yosemite but you need more time than you seem to have
Arapiles Grampians and Blue Montains - but you need more time than you seem to have
Verdun - And get a Gite
Lofoten - a special place I am still not 100% sure that the climbing is the best ever but its a great place to go for something a bit different - but probably no good in December lol
South Africa - Waterfall Boven book your flights early to get a good price and there are bungalows for approx 800 rand about £33 per night for 4 folks at tranquilitas above the crag http://www.tranquilitas.com/
Pembroke - get a cottage as its your 50th rather than slumming it. Coastal cottages of pembrokeshire do nice ones
Go round the south West and tick off the classics

Of those options I think I would probably go for Lundy for a 50th as you can completely wind down as you never get in a car

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

This place looks interesting! http://www.climbing.com/news/brilliance-from-the-dark-continent/

In reply to Kipper-Phil Smith:

Thanks The rock in SA looks amazing!

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Wadi Rum...or northern Scotland!

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Fairhead in antrim. I haven't been everywhere but its the best place to climb in the world.

In reply to ashtond6:


Obviously subjective. It's up there with my favourite spots.

In reply to DWS gibraltar:


As long as it isn't right over the Christmas / New Year period I'd recommend the Cape (just then it's full of Vaalies). Great variety of climbing from big multipitch trad with various degrees of adventure - Table Mountain, Cederberg, Du Toit's Kloof; to easy access sport; Montagu, Silvermine, HellFire (OK, maybe not at that time of year) and no doubt loads of places developed since I was last there. World class bouldering and single pitch at Rocklands too.

Plus, there's great walking, beaches, sailing, surfing, sharks...

In reply to Dave Garnett:



I agree. I have climbed both on Table Mountain and Du Toit's Kloof where there is mind blowing and long multi pitch climbing at all grades on generally superb quality rock.

In your list of Plus's don't also forget the wine! And great food, lovely friendly people, English language and they drive on the left! Also no jet lag - same time zone within 1 or 2 hours depending on season, and generally great weather apart from July and August when it can rain a lot

In reply to Trangia:

Yes, all that too. Don't get me started on the aquarium, Kirstenbosch gardens, Kanonkop, Noordhoek beach, the penguins, sundowners, Newlands, yellowtail, snoek, bobotie...

I forgot the granite slab climbing at Paarl too. Little Dutch Boy is brilliant.

In reply to Kipper-Phil Smith:




You wouldn't catch me there dead!

In reply to Sean Kelly:

Ci git

In reply to Kipper-Phil Smith:


Do you really mean Verdun? The site of the horrific First World Battle in North East France which bled France white.

Or did you mean Verdon? The great gorge in the south?

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

All very subjective of course, but for a memorable 50th 10 day experience I'd recommend:
South Africa Western Cape (inc Cederberg) for a great overall experience
Red Rocks, varied climbing, some brilliant long routes followed by the Las Vegas experience on tap.
Yosemite (for type 2 fun, but once in a lifetime routes)
Lofoten (if it's not raining, vestpillaren is awesome)

In reply to Trangia:
You missed the point of the two above posts, didn't you?

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

Don't think the US would be great for such a short trip. I find it can take about a week just to get over jet lag.

Also what time of the year are you going? That should be a big factor in deciding where you go. Make sure its not too hot, too cold, too humid etc.

In reply to Trangia:

There's a lovely little crag in Ariège called Verdun. Delightful climbing but with only 30 routes or so I'm not convinced it's one of the ten best crags in the world!

In reply to DWS gibraltar:

The US south-west, including: Yosemite Valley, Red Rocks, Joshua Tree, and so much more.
El Potrero Chico, Mexico
Thailand
Kalymnos
The Alps -- so many choice, though I've only climbed in the Swiss alps.
Costa Blanca region of Spain
Verdon Gorge, France
Arapiles, Australia
Squamish, Canada

(Nowhere in the UK would qualify. There's some good climbing, and some important history, but nowhere that would make top-10 destinations world-wide.)

There are many place for climbing in US but the best one is Silver Mountain. It is one of the longest and the most challenging one. If you love challenges then you can try this. I am not that much interested in climbing. I like the trekking and exploring good street food. Check this out https://local.yahoo.com/info-14364526-moon-thai-restaurant-weston.

In reply to JJL:

I thought Meteora was dire. Horrible (if mostly easy) climbing with crap conglomerate (does good conglomerate even exist?) and terrible protection. The views were pretty incredible though.

Just go to Lofoten . . .

In reply to Trangia:

Yes thats the one!