UKC

Is Joshua Tree worthwhile a visit during the last week of August if sticking to shady faces, or will it be hot as a snakes ass?


Am I better heading to crags around Prescott?

All help appreciated

In reply to Shone: I went a couple months ago in september and it was too hot to climb in the sun then. I'd imagine it would be pretty unbearable unless you get some unsually cool weather.

In reply to Shone: Hotter than Amber Heards ass. When we went at the end of April it was effing hot...

In reply to mike kann:

You'll be much better off avoiding both AZ and Jtree. It has already been too hot for the last couple of weeks really.

Try heading to higher ground in CA.

In reply to Shone:

We climbed at Jack's canyon in AZ last July, plus some of the crags around Flagstaff: Paradise forks (trad), the Pit (sport) and priest draw (bouldering). Contrary to what most people would say, the temps are absolutely fine in PARTS of AZ, in the shade. Jacks will be fine, and is well worth a visit! Really good rock and great, well-bolted sport routes.

In reply to Shone: Agreeing with the others, JTree will be way too hot in August. In an old US climbing mag Randy Leavitt (I think it was) wrote an article about summertime climbing there---pre-dawn alpine starts, almost stepping on rattlers out hunting (and hard to distinguish by headlamp light) and only getting in a single pitch at first light. However there are other alternatives in the area. Tahquitz Rock is not far and at much higher elevation. The walk up will be hot, but once up there shady, cool climbs will be available. There are also bouldering areas around Idylwild. The Needles and various other domes and formations in the southern Sierra will also be tolerable and aren't "too" far from JTree.

As Peak DJ said (Hi, Dave)Arizona can be fine in summer if you pick your location. As he mentioned, the Flagstaff area is at a high enough elevation that climbing in the summer shade at the various areas accessible from town is quite reasonable.The Pit (limestone) isn't the greatest crag by any means but has some good routes, but the basalt cracks of Paradise Forks are well-worthwhile, though very demanding. There are other areas as well. Jacks Canyon is across the state and fairly controversial in the States (a number of chipped routes) but, as Peak says,does have a good collection of routes and some sectors will be in the shade at most times of the day. Both these areas are in northern Arizona. I'd skip the Prescott area in August. Granite Mountain is a superb crag but gets sun most of the day, so I imagine that it will be broiling there during August, while the other local crags are also likely to be hot, and not really worth the trip. However in southern Arizona, Mt. Lemmon above Tucson has crags at various altitudes all the way to the end of the road at around 10,000 ft. In fact the highest crags have probably the best rock on the mountain, are well worth visiting, and are often very pleasant while the temps in the city below are well above the "century" mark.(Though in August you will be in "monsoon season" in that area with the likelihood of relatively brief, but torrential downpours, so keep an eye out on the weather) So with a bit of planning and traveling climbing is possible in both states even in the hottest months of the year.

In reply to Alan Rubin:
All- thanks for taking the time to reply, Mike especially your constructive comment

Flagstaff works well, thats where we are hiring the Harley from...

One final question: will red Rocks be any cooler?

Thanks!

In reply to Shone:

Red rocks is also an oven in summer but there are some pretty awesome limestone caves in the hills around Las Vegas which are a lot cooler.

In reply to Shone: In my earlier post I forgot to mention an area near LA that is worth considering if you will be in the region during the summer. The area is around the popular resort region of Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains, northwest of LA. I have no personal experience of the area, but I understand that there are numerous worthwhile granite formations and outcrops scattered throughout the area, many at elevations between 7-8,000ft.so likely to be very tolerable during August. This region is actually closer to LA than JTree---you pass by the turn-off towards Big Bear on the way to JTree--though with the drive up into the mountains it will probably take you about as long to get there. While this is not considered to be a "destination area" it is still well worth checking out if you are in the region. There is a guidebook--Hidden treasures--in 2 volumns, I think. As for Red Rocks, it will be very hot, though, as always in the US west, especially in the desert areas, climbing in the shade in places such as Black Velvet Canyon, Icebox Canyon or the Dark Corridor is very possible. The limestone areas on Mt. Charleston above town are best for those operating in the upper grades (sports f7s and above).