Is AZ worth it??

Hi MP community. I am thinking of moving to AZ within the next year or so. I am originally from NM, but havent done any climbing in either state. I moved to Smith Rock when I started climbing. The climbing is great, but I am about ready to move on. Maybe its because I started climbing trad, and touched granite? I am also seeking a warmer climate due to lower back issues and riding a motorcycle year round.

I climb primarily trad but will pull on holds too if need be. At this point, climbing is my primary goal and I climb year round. I currently lead .11 on gear and plan on pushing much harder. This being said, if you could live anywhere in AZ (for climbing) where would it be? Why? What is the job situation like? Cost of living? How far, and what are your favorite climbing areas?

I appreciate any info! Might be taking a trip down sometime in the spring to check out climbing areas so hopefully I can get some good info on here

Tuson= climbing at mt. Lemon and chochese in the winter.

you want trad and want to push it? Yosemite and Joshua Tree CA.

Good luck

Mike, the climbing in Tucson is incredible and has a lot of trad climbing. However, the trad climbing on Mt. Lemmon is somewhat different than granite crack climbing. It is crack-protected face climbing, for the most part. There are some pure cracks there, but not many. Cochise Stronghold is a mix of cracks and slab. Both areas are awesome climbing areas, but you don't want to go in thinking they are going to resemble Yosemite or Squamish.

At least the place is nice and copacetic; free from drama, access issues and personality conflicts

I am also considering moving to Cali in order to be closer to The Valley, and The Needles, but I am not super keen on living in Cali... Still plan on going to Yosemite to push limits, but looking for a new training area. Smith crimps and pockets dont hone slab and jamming skills.

Mike,

The climbing is terrific around Tucson and one can climb here the whole year. The cost of living is also quite low.

Regarding your motorcycle, I have found it to be uncomfortably hot in the summer for motorcycle riding.

Mike Rowley wrote:Smith crimps and pockets dont hone slab and jamming skills.

Salt Lake City.

Geir wrote:Mike, The climbing is terrific around Tucson and one can climb here the whole year. The cost of living is also quite low. Regarding your motorcycle, I have found it to be uncomfortably hot in the summer for motorcycle riding.

True. True. And TRUE (imagine a convection oven).

Mike Lane wrote:At least the place is nice and copacetic; free from drama, access issues and personality conflicts

You are a funny guy Mike! And here I thought you guys had forgotten how much fun we have here in the SW.

Mike, if you drive a motorcycle you can survive a lot better in AZ than in Oregon. Lots to do here. Sport, trad, Sedona, Granite Mountain, Forks, Oak Creek Canyon, Isolation, Mt. Lemmon, Cochise Stronghold. This is if you can handle all the crap Mike Lane alludes to. Ha ha!

Az is rideable all year long. It is hot in summer, I avoid afternoon riding then.

Lot of climbing to choose from in AZ. Yosemite is @ 10 hrs and JT about 4.5 hrs from Phoenix.

Mike Lane wrote:At least the place is nice and copacetic; free from drama, access issues and personality conflicts

Actually, pretty much! If you like climbing year round with minimal crowds on a variety of quality stone, it's pretty cool. The internet dramz gets a bit caliente, I suppose.

If you are climbing 5.11 trad, you can push your limits right in Az. At the Waterfall (which is a predominately trad area) things don't really start until 5.11 and the picks are great from 5.11d to 5.13. In my opinion the best trad routes (the best quality rock and best looking lines) really start at 5.12 and into 5.13's, not to say there isn't amazing lines in the 5.10 and 5.11 range. If you are climbing 5.11 trad, Paradise Forks is a good place to push into the next level.

Also, being from Flag, I'll day trip to the Creek with it being 4-5hrs away. If Red Rocks is your thing, its 4hrs away.

Arizona blows... better to move somewhere back east.

Back East.... NEVER gonna happen. I wont go any further East than NM/AZ.

AZ is more or less in the middle of a lot of areas. As someone else said about 10hrs from yosemite, a little less to zion, and similar time to cochise and then the creek is like 6 hours, jtree is a little closer. Red rocks is around 4 hours I believe, and of course all of the great climbing in AZ. Granite Mountain is fucking awesome in Prescott....Work is another story. A little hard to find, but winters are pretty mild and there is still places to go when its wet and shitty. I grew up on the east coast and now that I have been living in AZ have no reason to really leave, everything's just so close.

jbak wrote:Arizona blows... better to move somewhere back east.

You don't go anywhere that other folks will go John. Mike will not make it a crowd.

Yes. It's good.

Mike... if you are touched by granite, and love trad, you need to move to Bishop, Ca. All the granite you could love in a lifetime is all up an down the Sierra eastside... then you have Tuolume, Tahquitz, the Valley and J-tree in your backyard. If you insist on living here in Az. go to Flagstaff or Tucson; much nicer than Phoenix (too many rats in the cage)...
cheers..
lou

prescott az

I agree with Bishop. I will certainly look there for work after I finish school. I miss Cali rock. Hi Rob, whatcha doing on AZ forum, lol! :0)