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Best College for climbing

Cameron Turner · · Eagle · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 70

Sheffield UK

LB Mullin Jr. · · Gunnison, CO · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 105

Second Western State College!! The post above covers it all. Great ice in winter, tons of trad, and only a few hours to Moab to escape the long cold winter. If you want to be an all around climber good luck finding a better spot than Gunnison.

As far as the college goes it is a great school. Was able to attempt Denali, and spend 3 months in Patagonia while receiving credit!

Only down side is the male to female ratio:(

Bryan Carroll · · Los Osos, CA · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 165

How about giving Chico State in California a little love, check these classes out!

cypress.csuchico.edu/apo/ca…

pat mcgaugh · · Jackson, Wy · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 0

What about the Colorado School of Mines? Better academics than CU with similar climbing access make it a no brainer dude. Plus when you graduate you can actually get a good job, even in these tough times. If you're going to waste the time and money it takes to get a degree then get something worth while....and be close to the mountains.

Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061

Well, look: School runs fall-spring for most folks. Going to school at say U-Wyoming, with Vedauwoo just down the road doesn't do you much good when the climbable season is summer and you've gone back home.

So, if by "climbing" you mean on rock, rather than ice/alpinism then choose a warm/desert climate so you can climb all during the school year, and GTFOD during the summer heat. I.e. Tucson, SoCal, etc. There are shitloads of schools in AZ and CA, and I'm sure you could find one that meets your academic needs.

If you're going to be there year-round, it's a whole 'nother question. But I'd still say somewhere in California, no further north than Tahoe. Between the Sierra (Tuolomne, tahoe crags, Needles, Cal Dome, Whitney Portal), Bishop, the Valley, Bama Hills, Josh, etc etc...there's always something in prime season.

somedude wrote:if you're looking for the best climbing town in America - it's Boulder
U.R.RONG. If you're looking for a lot of people with excessively high opinions of themselves, and more than your allotment of trustafarians, sure the People's Republic of Boulder is grand. But Eldo, the Flatirons, and BCanyon do not make up "the best climbing town" by any stretch of the imagination. It's not even the best climbing town in colorado, I'd pick Junction over boulder everytime if rock climbing is the criteria.
Will Butler · · Lyons, CO · Joined Sep 2005 · Points: 56
mattnorville wrote:CSU unless your a trustifarian
CSU unless you got into CU.
fossana · · leeds, ut · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 13,318
deepsprings.edu/home

Only 42 miles from Bishop and no distractions from pesky girls.
Davi Rivas · · Ventura, CA · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,335

I love it that I belong to a community where many are collage educated and are passionate about their alma maters. I think there are as many quality schools as there are crags in this country. The hardest part I suppose would be picking just one....
With that said, I've got to put down for the Central Coast; UCSB, SLO and Channel Islands. We've got tons of climbing/surfing here on the CC and were 90minutes from Stoney Point and Malibu Canyon, 3 hours from JTree and the Berdo crags and about 6 hours from the Sierra(either side).
It is rather expensive to live and go to school in Cali, but I dont think any worse than some college towns in CO or back east.

By the way, I'm one of those dads whose wringing his hands over having to pay for college for his own kids someday soon.
Good luck to you kido.
davi.

Andrew Vojslavek · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 55

So I want to plug a lesser known school...

- All of my classes were 25 students or under for my General Electives.
- My major courses had no more than 8 students...
- A bouldering wall on campus
- 30 minutes from Morrison
-30 Minutes from Clear Creek Canyon
- 45 from Boulder
- 1 from ELDO
- 1 From Mt. Evans
- 2 Hours away from the park
- Tons of plastic
- 7 Hours from Joes
- 9.5 hours from Hueco
- Moab 6 hours

Regis University is a great school. I loved every year, and had a real relationship with every professor. It is a private school and its tuition can be steep. However, if you work hard and have good grades you will get scholarships.

All in all, find a school that you feel is home. If there is climbing around, awesome. School should always be the focus.

Edit: Almost 70% of the population are women. Regis has one of the top nursing schools in the nation

Choss Boss · · Barrre, VT · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 25
Ian G. wrote:UTEP (El Paso) -> Hueco Tanks Baybee!!
On the Hueco note NMSU in Las Cruces is only a little over an hour from Hueco and there is some great climbing right outside of Cruces in the Organ Mountains, the Dona Ana Mountains, some sport climbing at the Rough and Readies, bouldering at Pena Blanca, and as an added bonus there is really hard sport climbing an hour and a half from Cruces at The Tunnel. NMSU is a good school as well, I recieved a decent education from there. Good luck.
Will Wallace · · Olympia, WA · Joined May 2005 · Points: 520
pat mcgaugh wrote:What about the Colorado School of Mines? Better academics than CU with similar climbing access make it a no brainer dude. Plus when you graduate you can actually get a good job, even in these tough times. If you're going to waste the time and money it takes to get a degree then get something worth while....and be close to the mountains.
+1 for CSM

Golden rules and you will get a good job.

The obvious drawback to CSM is the guy to gal ratio but that is what CU/CSU/DU/Metro are for.

+1 for Western State if you are not super concerned with academics.
W.S. · · Montana · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 65
ler wrote:MSU Bozeman, Montana. climbing gym, tons of ice, some of the best ski areas in the US, some good rock, best alpine climbs 3 hours away, the list goes on. Central Oregon community College/ OSU Cascades campus, Bend, Oregon an REI to work at, Smith rocks, a good gym, super good bouldering, skiing, one of the best mt biking trail networks in the us and a good place to start mountaineering.
Depending on what you study, MSU can actually be a great school (Think engineering, ag, or architecture). The climbing around here, while not world class, will make you strong and potentially fearless (just ask Kelly Cordes). And it's hard to argue with a ski area as awesome as Bridger Bowl 15 minutes from town.
freddy burg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

CSU bro.....Awesome town pretty good school. Really it all depends on the climbing you want to do. There's a school in durango that would be cool close the creek and tones of local craigin. Good luck study up in high school though. Just make sure when you graduate you dirtbag it for a year or so before you get a job....Best decision I ever made cause working SUCKS.

Stephen Berwanger · · Montrose, CO · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 290

Mesa State in Grand junction is a good choice. Every type of climbing close. If I started to list the climbing within 5 hours it would take up 2 more pages in this thread. Check it out.

willeslinger · · Golden, Colorado · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 25

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. No question. Sunset Park and T-Wall are 20 minutes away from campus, Little Rock City is 30 minutes. Foster Falls is about 40 minutes.

That is more climbing than you can do in an entire lifetime.

Oh, and our student gym has a free climbing gym with a 5.12 crack, and our Outdoor Program rents out gear from tents, to Kayaks, to Stand up Paddleboards and pretty much anything in between for a $20 deposit.

Find me a better outdoor college.

Will S · · Joshua Tree · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 1,061
willeslinger wrote:Find me a better outdoor college.
Uh, ok. Every college in CA, AZ, UT, CO, OR, WA.

Don't get me wrong, I grew up in the SE and started climbing in the TAG region. The rock is fantastic, and TWall is one of the best, most stacked crags in the country IMO. But again, the weather. During the school year it's raining, cold, or stupidly humid. Ignorant rednecks abound. The longest free routes in the entire region are Grade III. And you actually have to live in the 'Noog, which no offense, is a shithole decaying rustbelt kinda town.

I'm a GaTech alum, and wouldn't wish the SE on any college kid who wants to climb rock.
Evan S · · Denver, Co · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 510

Move to CO asap, get residency, then go to the Front Range Community College system (campuses in Longmont, Westminster, Greeley, Ft. Collins?), or even Redrocks College in Denver. The money you save on tuition over a 4 year school will be enough to finance magical climbing adventures all over the world, and barring a few professions, and depending on your own personal motivation, you will come out with just as good an education and job prospects. Live the dream when you're young, don't be one of these people who heads straight to school and work so they can "someday" do the things they want, it never works out the way people plan it.

JJNS · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 531

What are you interested in studying? My suggestion would be to go climbing until your ready to focus on school. Take a year before college to travel and climb. You could check out different areas and schools. Then you could make an educated decision. College is such a huge investment you don't want to make the choice based on the best climbing in the area. Maybe check out NOLS or some community colleges.

tallguy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 0

I am surprised there has been no mention of the University of Nevada, Reno, as a destination climbing school. Tahoe and the Sierra East Side will keep you busy..

As for girls.. just barter for one at Burning Man, or buy one at some of the local establishments. Hotness just depends on the amount of cash in your wallet.

Asa Reynolds · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 0

I would also agree with just about any college along the wasatch front (cant really recommend BYU being a University of Utah fan). Weber State, UofU, Westminster, Utah Valley Univ. All within an hour of either Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, or American Fork canyons. If you are willing to drive a little further (3-4 hours) you can get to City of Rocks, Castle Rock, Maple Canyon, Moab.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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