.
   
Todays date: . ••• > Home > Special How-to Sections > Rock Craft > Sport > Destinations
 
 

No 186, June 15, 1999
click to order online

Home

Subscriptions

Current Issue

Special How-to Sections

Products

Buy Back Issues

Secure Ordering
Order from year:
2000, 1999, 1998 or
order this issue.

Readers Index

Search back issue
table of contents for
issues 58-165.

Link Pages

Retail Purchases

Contributors Info

Site Map

Contact us
Climbing Magazine
0326 Highway 133,
Suite 190
Carbondale, CO
81623
(800) 493-4569

climbing@climbing.com

 
Rock Craft | Sport Climbing | Destinations | Training
Recommended Reading | Gear | Higher Education | Ratings

Ready for a vacation? Hit the road for the following sport-climbing destinations and you won't be disappointed. Don't dither, many of these areas have good routes for novice climbers, and you'll be surprised how quickly you meet people and make new friends. If you're just starting out, try to hook up with someone who is a little stronger than you — the proverbial "rope gun" — so that you can lead climbs after she has hung the quickdraws, or try them
on toprope.

New River Gorge, West Virginia
Face and roof climbing on beautiful, compact sandstone. Hundreds of routes to 5.13+. Check out the Long Wall/Orange Oswald areas for some great 5.10s and a handful of easier climbs including That Eight (5.7). Seasons: fall (best) and spring. Guidebooks: New River Gorge: Rock Climbers' Handbook, by Steve Cater, and New River Select, by Roxanna Brock and Brian McCray.

Red River Gorge, Kentucky
More incredible sandstone; generally steeper and with bigger holds than the New. Hundreds of long endurance routes to 5.13+. Novice climbers should check out Moonbeam (5.9) and Sunshine (5.9) at Military Wall; also, Mr. Bungle (5.7) at Left Flank Wall. Seasons: Like the New, but a touch more forgiving in winter. Guidebook: Selected Climbs at Red River Gorge Kentucky, by Porter Jarrard and Chris Snyder.

Rumney, New Hampshire
A worthy cliff for those in the sport-starved Northeast. The Darth Vader and Beginner's Areas have a few sport routes in the 5.8 to 5.9+ range, mostly short. If you can place a few nuts, more opportunities for moderate leads open up. Seasons: Fall (best) and spring. Guidebook: Rumney, by Ward Smith.

Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado
Several limestone cliffs packed into a narrow two-mile canyon. The climbs are long with burly, technical moves on steep, blocky rock. Not a good novice area; the prime real estate extends from 5.12 to 5.14b. Seasons: fall (best) and summer. Guidebooks: Bite the Bullet, by Dave Pegg, and Climber's Guide to Rifle Mountain Park, by Hassan Saab.

American Fork, Utah
Just a half hour from downtown Salt Lake City, American Fork offers steep limestone sport climbing in the mountain setting of the Wasatch range. Black Magic and Hell Caves will satisfy power junkies; the Billboard and Division Wall also offer quality routes, mostly from 5.11 to 5.13. The rock quality isn't fantastic, but the quantity of good routes more than compensates. For beginners, The Hard Rock areas, facing north and south, offer a few quality bolted lines beginning at 5.7. The Escape Buttress starts at easy 5.10, but is well protected and nicely steep, with big holds. Also visit nearby Logan Canyon for more bolted limestone moderates. Seasons: Fall (best) and summer. Guidebook: Climber's Guide to American Fork Canyon and Rock Canyon, by Stuart and Bret Ruckman.

Smith Rock, Oregon
The birthplace of American sport climbing. The volcanic tuff gives mainly technical face climbing on small pockets and crimpers — bring edging shoes and strong fingers. Although Smith is home to several 5.14s, including the groundbreaking endurance testpiece Just Do It (5.14c), it also has a great selection of moderates (see 10 & Under No. 173). Seasons: spring and fall. Guidebook: Climbers Guide to Smith Rock, by Alan Watts.

Red Rocks, Nevada
A brilliant place to combine sport and traditional climbing. One day you can be placing gear on a multi-pitch adventure; the next, clipping bolts. The most popular sport areas are the Gallery, gently overhanging with good incut crimps, and The Trophy, very steep with huge jugs. The Magic Bus and Dark Corridor have good routes in the 5.8 to 5.10 range. For those confident at the grade, Black Velvet Canyon has some great 5.9 and 5.10 multi-pitch sport routes. Seasons: fall, winter, spring. Guidebook: Red Rocks Select, by Todd Swain.

Owens River Gorge, California
Edgey, technical face climbing in a deep canyon a few miles north of Bishop. A Mecca for those climbing in the 5.10 to easy 5.12 range, and not bad for the beginner, with some good bolted 5.7s and 5.8s. Seasons: spring, fall, and sunny winter days. Guidebook: Owens River Gorge Climbs, by Marty Lewis.

Sinks Canyon and Wild Iris, Wyoming
Looking for pocket pulling on Euro-quality limestone? You'll find it at these two areas close to the cowboy/climber town of Lander. Wild Iris is located in a beautiful alpine setting at 9000 feet, and has a plethora of great 5.10s. It also has hard routes, up to 5.14, which tend to be tendon-wreckers, cranking Chouca-style up short bulging walls. Sinks has less for the beginner, but with bigger holds and longer, more continuous routes, is perhaps the better hang for those climbing 5.11 to 5.13-. Seasons: Summer for Wild Iris; spring, fall, and sunny winter days for Sinks. Guidebook: The Legendary Wild Iris, by Paul Piana, and Sinks Canyon Rock Climbs, by Greg Collins.

http://www.climbing.com © 2000-2002 Climbing Magazine
Please report site problems to, webmaster@climbing.com

Rock Craft | Sport Climbing | Destinations | Training
Recommended Reading | Gear | Higher Education | Ratings

Top of page

 
.