UKC

After coming to an amicable agreement with my partner, I can now start planning my trip to the states.

The agreement consists of one day climbing/bouldering, one day touristing...

Planning to hire a jeep thingy and motel it between destinations overnight...

Also planning to buy/hire a mat out there for the few weeks that we're there.

We're planning on plundering california, so my question is,
recommended climbing/bouldering (routes up to 7a/V7) in and around California.

I'll do my own research obviously but thought that the UKC collective would be a great help

Ta

In reply to gramee:

California is a pretty big place. I'm guessing by the sport grade that you don't trad climb? If so, that's a shame. Great sport climbing out there but the alpine granite is sort of THE reason to go to Cali.

Either way, you need to tell us where you'll be flying into and what sort of itinerary you have. There is a pretty giant mountain range that runs through the state and you kind of need to know what side of it you'll be on.

In reply to rtwilli4:

I do trad but my partner (whilst a perfectly competent belayer for my sport outings) is not into climbing in any shape or form so no trad (plus the weight of the ropes and gear)

We're looking at flying into LA, Itinerary is deliberately loose but will involve a day or two in Los Angeles/San Francisco/San Diego/Las Vegas interspersed with trips to Yosemite/Joshua Tree/Stoney Point/Bishop and anything interesting on the way, around the way....so basically Southern Cali and environs (mmmm....'environs', what a great word)

I thought I could get some recommended routes/problems and work them in to a schedule of sorts

Cheers,

Graham

In reply to gramee:

This isn't a very logical plan since the places you mention are all over the place geographically and California is a big place.

How long are you going for?

In reply to gramee:

Here is a list of some places I have been and some I have heard of:

Joshua Tree - Some Sport & Bouldering
Alabama Hills - Easy/medium granite sport but still fun. This is on the road between J-tree and Bishop
Bishop - Happy and Sad boulders, and the Buttermilks for bouldering (you can drool at the huge rock routes in the high sierra as you boulder)
Owens River Gorge - its just outside bishop and has a great range of sport routes.

We were at these place in November and it was just getting to climable temps. I think September may be a little too hot.

So some places I have heard of that may be fine:
Tahoe
Trinity Aretes
Smith Rock - if you are willing to make the drive to Oregon

There are loads of 'local' venues around Cali, so I would suggest going into a proper climbing store and asking their advice. The farther north you are the better climbing temps will be. When I say it gets hot, it get scorching and September is HOT!!

Have a good trip

In reply to Fickalli:

We're off for 3 weeks

By 'all over the place' you mean a few hours drive? I figured once I had pinned down the areas I could do some 'actual' planning to balance the notdriving side of the equation and y, I realise that California is a big place

The first thing I have to do is get as much info as possible, hence the request for information on areas/routes/problems then I can do some other research on the net, x-ref with my partners touristy wish-list and come up with an itinerary based on compromise and efficiency (all somehow without disturbing the road trip ethos)

The planning is all part of the fun though right?

In reply to eugeneth:

That's brilliant, thank you, plotting these on a map, found a great article on Bishop right here on UKC

Will take your advice regarding temps and look at pushing it back a few weeks
and love the 'ask the locals' advice....doh!

Thanks very much

In reply to gramee: No worries. Another good place for sport climbing is Red Rocks Canyon just outside Las Vegas. Not been as we didnt have enough time but looks amazing.

if you want any other advice or stuff just drop me a PM

In reply to gramee:
Can recommend Red Rock Canyon just outside Vegas. Don't remember there being any camping there but its only a short drive from Vegas. Once in the park the road is a massive (strictly enforced) one way loop. Best climbing is at the furthest place from the park entrance.

Joshua Tree is fantastic. You can camp (no close by accommodation) right up close to the climbing and the climbing bums are as friendly as hell.... need a partner just wander around asking! There are a number of climbing areas in the park.

Can't recommend any specific routes as I was there a few years ago but both places above were hugely memorable as destinations.

In reply to Indy:

There´s a campsite for Red Rock just before the park entrance run by the BLM http://www.blm.gov/nv/st/en/fo/lvfo/blm_programs/blm_special_areas/red_rock... and another free one with no facilities at Lovell Canyon 25 miles away. We stayed in Vegas.
The sport climbing is relatively so-so but the grades soft as they come! The routes in the canyons are as good as it gets.