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Easy Sport Destination

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Hi all,

I am looking for my first climbing holiday, and though I am looking for a challenge to work towards I also want to be able to climb more than 3 metres off the ground. As you will see from my profile I'm not, by any means of the word, advanced (yet!) so I would like a destination that has a variety of climbs 5+ and below. It would be nice to have the option of some longer multipifch climbs as well, but that might be asking a lot.

I'm quite interested in La Pedriza but I read that the climbs are fairly stiff for the grade. Anyone have any experience here?

Americas are possible too? Potrero Chico? Though that might be a bit adventurous for a noob?

Any advice greatly appreciated
Removed User 14 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:

You will struggle with La Pedriza. My advice is give it a miss.

However, based on your post.
Costa Blanca would be a good choice.
As would Red Rocks.
In reply to Removed User:

Thanks. I was looking at Red Rocks too but it seemed mostly trad. Great climbing but I'd have to go with a confident leader I think
 Happy Haggis 14 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: Costa Blanca - loads of stuff at the lower end and a good Rockfax guide.
 TobyA 14 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: I've just come back from Clécy in Normandy - its about a 3.5 hour drive from the getting off the ferry in Calais, it's a pretty area and the crags is full of 3+s, 4s and 4+s, plus some in the 5 and 6 range. They're not the best routes in the world but they're ok and there is lots of easy stuff on one crag. Doable in a long weekend from London easily enough and you could probably tick the crag in two or three days at your grade.
 tjekel 17 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: some of the usual suspects - depending on time of the year:
- buis les baronnies F
- st victoire F
- Sanetsch CH (summer)
- paklenica (CR)
- finale ligure (it)

All with loads of easy sport and at least some bolted multipitch.
 jon 17 Jul 2013
In reply to tjekel:
> I am looking for my first climbing holiday (...) As you will see from my profile I'm not, by any means of the word, advanced (yet!) so I would like a destination that has a variety of climbs 5+ and below.

> Sanetsch CH (summer)
> All with loads of easy sport and at least some bolted multipitch.

I'm sorry tjekel, I'd have said that Sanetsch with its haphazardly bolted Remy adventure routes was possibly one of the worst places to suggest in Switzerland! Especially for someone whose profile says: best onsight indoor 5+. Worked grades - trad HVS.
 thermal_t 17 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: I'll be the 1st to say Kalymnos, at those grades there is absolutely loads to go at with really friendly bolting. If you could stretch to 6a then there is Wings for Life to go at for multipitch, which is probably one of the best days out at the grade.
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant:
> (In reply to rocky57)
>
> Thanks. I was looking at Red Rocks too but it seemed mostly trad. Great climbing but I'd have to go with a confident leader I think

Yup. Going to Red Rocks for a sport climbing trip is spectacularly missing the point.
 silhouette 17 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: Are you going in the next few months? If so you'll need to find somewhere with shade. Also somewhere with a critical mass of climbs - don't do esoteric this year. Paklenica is a good suggestion and I gather it's do-able without a car. Varied crags in Lleida province, Catalunya would be good for you, with a car to move around as the shade moves. Camarasa (morning) and Cubells (late afternoon - evening) will give you plenty to do, as would Perles.
 tjekel 21 Jul 2013
In reply to jon: there's now several easy crags at sanetsch grade 3-5, plus some of the multipiches have been rebolted ... Completely agree that the original bolting has been airy in places.
 Alpenglow 21 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: Paklenica Gorge in Croatia? Just come back from there and had a great time. Has lots of multi pitch and plenty of single pitch at 5+ and below.
Removed User 23 Jul 2013
In reply to victim of mathematics:
> (In reply to purplemonkeyelephant)
> [...]
>
> Yup. Going to Red Rocks for a sport climbing trip is spectacularly missing the point.

Just to tie this one up. Noted the title said 'sports', and also noted he said the Americas.

Hence my reply is based on the well know fact that there is nearly 100 sports climbs in Red Rocks Canyon. Even in one week of climbing there would be ample for him to tackle.

Not missing the point, rather a case of offering sound options.
In reply to Removed User:
> (In reply to Removed Uservictim of mathematics)
> [...]
>
> Just to tie this one up. Noted the title said 'sports', and also noted he said the Americas.
>
> Hence my reply is based on the well know fact that there is nearly 100 sports climbs in Red Rocks Canyon. Even in one week of climbing there would be ample for him to tackle.
>
> Not missing the point, rather a case of offering sound options.

What an odd post. There's well over 100 sport routes at Horseshoe, but I wouldn't recommend anybody goes there under any circumstances. Ever.

As it happens, the vast majority of the sport routes at Red Rocks are on a series of bluffs a few miles away from the main canyons. I'd imagine if you went there on a purely sport climbing holiday you'd spend the whole time looking over your shoulder thinking "Why am I not climbing over there, that looks amazing?". Have you actually been, or are you just recommending it on the basis that it's a place with some sport routes? Because there's quite a few places that fit those criteria...
 GridNorth 23 Jul 2013
In reply to purplemonkeyelephant: For a first climbing holiday I would stick to the established and more mainstream venues in Europe. Costa Blanca, Sardinia, Kalymnos, Ailefroide, Orpierre etc. etc. The bolting and the grading are more likely to be reliable and consistent and they shouldn't spring any surprises. That can't always be said of some of the more esoteric options.
 Martin Bennett 23 Jul 2013
In reply to Removed User:
> (In reply to Removed Uservictim of mathematics)

>
> Not missing the point, rather a case of offering sound options.

No. Victim is correct - the sport climbs at Red Rocks are very much an afterthought, or a precursor to the main fare of wonderful long adventurous experiences to be had there. Not worth going to the trouble and expense of flying 6000 miles to go bolt clipping at Red Rocks. There are far better places for that much closer to hand, many of them already mentioned.

On the other hand I can think of few places I'd recommend more highly as a climbing venue for the original guy to aspire to as his climbing career develops, assuming he goes into what seems these days to be labelled "trad".

You're dead right about La Pedriza though - not a good option.



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