Top 10 Best Climbing States

Sweet! I'm expecting an uptick in my property value now.

12 responses so far on the online survey. Thanks and keep them coming. I will weight based on rank to get the final list.

PTZ wrote:New England is not a state.

It's a state of mind maaaan. Minus CT, to hell with them :).

Having lived/worked in a number of the states that are being repeatedly mentioned, I would list the following:

1) Utah
2) Colorado
3) California
4) Idaho
5) Washington

Utah takes #1 for me (not because I currently reside there) but because there is such a diversity of experiences to be had on any/all of the rock types. No other state offers the quality on EVERY rock type on for every discipline (including ice)that Utah does. I know that there are other great states (ex: North Carolina) but I have not been there so how would I know except for taking someone else word. I also, wonder about New Mexico. I haven't seen any love for it yet and I have not been there but I know it has TONE of stuff. Or is this all part of some big secret?

Rob Fielding wrote:California's got my pick... does any other state have a 3000 foot wall with a ten minute approach?

This same argument can be used to say that New York is the best state to play baseball in because it has Yankee Stadium. El Cap (what you are obviously referring to) is amazing, but yet is still is only done by a select few (relatively speaking). But Zion in Utah, Black Canyon in Colorado, and I am sure Alaska all have incredible huge walls (some as tall as El Cap) with approaches that won't kill you.

North Carolina already been put up here How about {West Virginia The Mountain State} not to mention Florida!
Cheers,CC

CDC wrote:North Carolina already been put up here How about {West Virginia The Mountain State} not to mention Florida! Cheers,CC

finally some WV love.......and come on!!!! Florida has that awesome V3/14 boulder problem!!!

My list would include Texas and Wisconsin.

Here are the results from day 1 of the survey (45 participants):

Survey says...

It looks like the clear consensus is that there are 3 obvious forerunners, and then there is everything else. Among the forerunners, the scores are pretty close to a tie.

Basically, there is a 3-way tie for first place, and which one comes in front comes down to personal preference. The other 47 states, meanwhile, are just fighting for 4th place.

Jon Moen wrote:Survey says... It looks like the clear consensus is that there are 3 obvious forerunners, and then there is everything else. Among the forerunners, the scores are pretty close to a tie. Basically, there is a 3-way tie for first place, and which one comes in front comes down to personal preference. The other 47 states, meanwhile, are just fighting for 4th place.

Except for Maine of course, which is so supreme that it wouldn't deign itself to be involved in a lowly thing like voting ;)

Actual climbing in the state itself aside, another great thing about Utah is that it's smack dab in the middle of all the other great climbing states. They're all easy to get to from Utah.

uhhhhh. West Virginia contains arguably the best sport climbing venue in North America....

Tristan Higbee wrote:Actual climbing in the state itself aside, another great thing about Utah is that it's smack dab in the middle of all the other great climbing states. They're all easy to get to from Utah.

Great point...

I think that it's hard for people in the west to rate climbing areas in the east, and vice versa. Most people havent lived or climbed an extended amount of time in both to make a fair comparison. I rate the states in the West higher because I've climbed there and know about them.

While I think Utah is a great state for climbing, I dont think that it has the power to beat either CO or CA. Just my opinion. Yeah, there is lots of Sandstone, some of it excellent, some of it not so excellent, but I dont think that Utah has the variety of rock that CO or CA have. Tons of sandstone, some quartzite and limestone, and only a little granite (though excellent).

I fear for LCC as the popularity of climbing based out of SLC grows. Great granite like LCC is already hard enough to find in Utah.

Tristan Higbee wrote:Actual climbing in the state itself aside, another great thing about Utah is that it's smack dab in the middle of all the other great climbing states. They're all easy to get to from Utah.

By "Easy" do you mean the 7 hour drive to Colorado, the 5 hour drive to Lander, or the 12 hour drive across the great basin to get to CA? Yeah, it borders other good states, but the drives are not for the faint of heart... or for those without 3+ days off in a row.

Spri wrote:but I dont think that Utah has the variety of rock that CO or CA have. Tons of sandstone, some quartzite and limestone, and only a little granite (though excellent). I fear for LCC as the popularity of climbing based out of SLC grows. Great granite like LCC is already hard enough to find in Utah.

Actually, Utah has one of the largest formations of limestone in the world. It is continuous almost along the entire western border of the state and extends well into Arizona and Nevada.

It doesn't get much press because there aren't many towns out that way and only those with the FA bug have spent much time exploring. But the potential would fill plenty of lifetimes.

BTW: TONS of granitic formations out that way too.

But this is what makes rating the states so difficult. How many people have a thorough enough knowledge of each states full scope to really make a judgement? Maybe John Sherman?

Christian "crisco" Burrell wrote: Actually, Utah has one of the largest formations of limestone in the world. It is continuous almost along the entire western border of the state and extends well into Arizona and Nevada. It doesn't get much press because there aren't many towns out that way and only those with the FA bug have spent much time exploring. But the potential would fill plenty of lifetimes. BTW: TONS of granitic formations out that way too. But this is what makes rating the states so difficult. How many people have a thorough enough knowledge of each states full scope to really make a judgement? Maybe John Sherman?

Yeah, I lived in Utah for 8 years and got around quite a bit. Not that much granite out that way. Some in painter springs and other outcroppings, certainly not much and not all of it good quality either. Probably more in Nevada, but that is a different state.

Yeah, Utah has some limestone, but I wouldn't say a ton by comparison to some other places. Or as accessable.

You need to explore more...again, only the most excited FAers are getting out there and finding the stuff.

Spri wrote: By "Easy" do you mean the 7 hour drive to Colorado, the 5 hour drive to Lander, or the 12 hour drive across the great basin to get to CA? Yeah, it borders other good states, but the drives are not for the faint of heart... or for those without 3+ days off in a row.

I think that's kind of his point though right? Climb at home when you want, and if you get the itch and have the time you're only a long weekend away from climbing in some of the other "greatest states."