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Evan Sanders
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Jun 30, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2010
· Points: 140
So having used to live in the Front Range/Colorado, I would go climb a multipitch route 3-4 times a week (sometimes 1 day, sometimes 5 days, but that's an average). Now I've gone from a climbers heaven to somewhere where the nearest multipitch climb is 3 and a half hours away (I don't count the 2 pitch in Big South Fork). So that 3-4 times a week has now turned into once on the weekends, sometimes twice a week. This isn't an advice thread, more so a "what would you do" thread. Me, I've started to focus on some bouldering, working on developing some power. There's a prime sport area 25 minutes from me, but I don't really enjoy sport climbing. The nearest gym is an hour away. So...has a move to a different location stopped you from climbing as much? And even if you haven't been in this situation, what would you do? This doesn't have to be just about trad, it can be about lack of sport or lack of bouldering, whatever you're into.
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Nate Manson
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Jun 30, 2011
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San Diego, CA
· Joined Jun 2010
· Points: 135
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Derek M
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Jul 1, 2011
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VA
· Joined Feb 2010
· Points: 100
Get over it and learn to love cragging? Tennessee has lots of good climbing. The only real complaint about the state has to be the heat.
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jack s.
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Jul 1, 2011
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Kamloops, BC
· Joined Jan 2011
· Points: 10
I quickly learned that 8 hour (one-way) drives are made possible every weekend by listening to audiobooks to keep your brain from going crazy. Once I learned how to survive 8 hour drives, my quality of climbing actually improved. It's not all bad, but it does take a lot more work to continue climbing than it does when the climbs are right out your door. If I get too tired of driving to justify the excellent trad/ice climbing, I settle for the local sport crag. Not to change this thread into advice, but I would look into technical caving if I moved to Tennessee.
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Evan Sanders
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Jul 1, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2010
· Points: 140
mission wrote:Get over it and learn to love cragging? Tennessee has lots of good climbing. The only real complaint about the state has to be the heat. Someone didn't read the whole post...
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Evan Sanders
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Jul 1, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2010
· Points: 140
jack s. wrote:Not to change this thread into advice, but I would look into technical caving if I moved to Tennessee. I've heard Tennessee has some of the best caving in the US, but I'm claustrophobic so that may not be the sport for me
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Derek M
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Jul 1, 2011
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VA
· Joined Feb 2010
· Points: 100
Evan Sanders wrote: Someone didn't read the whole post... If I lived somewhere that didn't have anything good in my preference but had lots of stuff not in my preference, I would just climb the other kind of stuff.
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Rick Carpenter
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Jul 1, 2011
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Marion, NC
· Joined Aug 2010
· Points: 1,315
Linville Gorge or Shortoff sunday????
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Evan Sanders
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Jul 1, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2010
· Points: 140
Rick Carpenter wrote:Linville Gorge or Shortoff sunday???? Never heard of Shortoff. But I gotta work, gas money is kicking my wallet's ass. I'll hit you up the weekend after though
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Kilroywashere! London
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Jul 1, 2011
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Harrisonburg, Virginia
· Joined Oct 2009
· Points: 280
you'll probably find that a lot of the caves are closed in the southeast due to the white nose thing that has been going around with the bats...rough shit
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Rick Carpenter
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Jul 1, 2011
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Marion, NC
· Joined Aug 2010
· Points: 1,315
Evan Sanders wrote: Never heard of Shortoff. But I gotta work, gas money is kicking my wallet's ass. I'll hit you up the weekend after though Ok yea sounds good I'll be free. You would really like shortoff, great routes!!!!
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jack s.
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Jul 1, 2011
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Kamloops, BC
· Joined Jan 2011
· Points: 10
Evan Sanders wrote: I've heard Tennessee has some of the best caving in the US, but I'm claustrophobic so that may not be the sport for me I am (or at least was) scared of heights, but I still can't keep away from those multi-pitch super-exposed alpine routes. Perhaps a little claustrophobia will enhance the experience :) I forgot about WNS...they closed most of the caves in the West too...lame. Perhaps the Grottos (caving clubs) will know what all is open if you find yourself bored and looking for a change of pace. I still would take decent climbing over caving if I had the choice though.
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Phil Lauffen
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Jul 1, 2011
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Innsbruck, AT
· Joined Jun 2008
· Points: 3,098
I would climb what I could when I could? I don't get what you're whining about with a "primo sport crag" 25 min away. Suck it up and get stronger so you can crush harder trad :)
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Rob Kepley
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Jul 1, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2005
· Points: 1,005
Find other interests.. more to life than climbing. It took me almost 15 years to figure this out.
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Ryan Williams
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Jul 1, 2011
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London (sort of)
· Joined May 2009
· Points: 1,245
Dude, I used to live 50 meters from my home crag and had access to a ton of quality climbing. My job also allowed me to take a 3 to 6 month road trip every year. Heaven right? Now I live in London (maybe the worst city in the world for a climber to live) and it hasn't taken my drive away, not at all. I'm probably a better climber now than I was before moving here because I've been forced to stick to a schedule and give every day 100% instead of just saying "oh I'll give it a burn tomorrow." I've also focused more on bouldering, which always helps your climbing. Another thing is that most of the climbing here is trad, even when there is no gear. And the locals make fun of the fact that most US climbers use a lot of cams... they opt for hexes instead. So I'm not only learning more about my gear systems and placing a lot more passive gear than I used to, but I'm also learning how to focus and climb way WAY above my gear. A lot of the 40 to 50 foot grit routes have deck potential all the way to the top, which is not something I'm used to, even in NC. You just climb what you can and take it as a learning experience. The more types of climbing you do, the better you'll be. Southeastern Sandstone is a lot different than Eldo and the granite in NC is a lot different than what you guys have in CO. But learning how to climb on different stuff will only make you a better all around climber. Don't bitch just because you're not getting 600 feet off the ground every day. PS, if you're closest multi-pitch area is Linville then you're probably about the same distance (or closer) to Whitesides, Laurel Knob, and a ton of other wonderful multi-pitch areas.
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JohnWesely Wesely
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Jul 1, 2011
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Lander
· Joined Nov 2009
· Points: 585
Learn to love cragging. It won't kill you. Getting way off the ground isn't all there is to climbing. Multipitch climbs are just single pitch climbs stacked on top of one another.
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Evan Sanders
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Jul 1, 2011
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Westminster, CO
· Joined Dec 2010
· Points: 140
I'm not bitching and whining guys, just curious about other people's thoughts. Personally, I'm enjoying the time bouldering during the weekdays. Driving not so much, but I'll learn to appreciate it.
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TresSki Roach
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Jul 1, 2011
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Santa Fe, NM
· Joined May 2002
· Points: 605
I'm living this right now. I still live here in sunny ColoRADo but circumstances in my life have sadly caused climbing to take a back seat. So I'm building a wall in my garage. I live in an area that is surrounded by lots of hiking and biking trails. I've been getting out on those and off the beaten path to seek out climbing close to home. I've been successful. I'm finding that even though I can't get out 3 times per week to climb my first love of multi-pitch trad, any chance that I get to get out on rock simply makes me feel better. Getting out for a good run or mountain bike ride coupled with some hot yoga also keeps me sane. Ive trained my brain to regard activities outside of climbing as training for climbing so that helps. Like Rob says there is more to life than climbing. It's taken me 10 years to figure it out but I'm not quite ready to accept it.
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Jeremy K
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Jul 1, 2011
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Evergreen, CO
· Joined Nov 2007
· Points: 0
Head to T-Wall? Or Obed? You can be sad that there is a ton of great single pitch nearby, or you can use it to get strong. I wouldn't discount sport based on your front range experience. The experience at, for example, the Y12 wall at Obed, is very different from most front range crags.
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rock-fencer
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Jul 1, 2011
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Columbia, SC
· Joined Dec 2009
· Points: 265
so your a half hour from Obed, which has great climbing, even if it is mostly bolts. Great bouldering too i've heard. For gear, you are going to have to travel a bit south to the chatty area, which is really only 1.5 hrs. Look up Sunset, for this time of year, T-wall for winter, amongst many other crags that litter the chatty area. If your looking to get really high then your about 4 hrs from the greater Cashiers area, which includes Shortoff, Laurel Knob, Big Green, as well as 4 hrs from linville area which has more crags than i can list. The most you are going to find in the south east coast is up to 7 or so pitches in height. Cheers T
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Culver
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Jul 1, 2011
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Colorado Springs, CO
· Joined Jul 2010
· Points: 70
Train close often, adventure far when possible. Maybe since you won't get to climb multipitch as much, you will have higher quality trips when you can do them.
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