Road Trip Advice

Hi there,

I'm a Canadian climber from Squamish heading down south in search of dry rock through the western States. I would really value some advice from American climbers on where I should go.

I love trad especially pure crack climbs, 5.9 - 10+, follow to 11+, but also enjoy clippin' bolts.

Definitely will visit Trout Creek in Oregon, and would like to end up in Moab / Indian Creek before it gets to cold.

Anything recommendations along the way? City of Rock? Little Cotton Wood Canyon?

When it gets cold, will probably head to Flagstaff/Sedona if no snow.

Where should I go after when winter hits?

I'll be leaving friday so given the weather, what's the best road trip this time of year?

Any suggestions advice would be sincerely appreciated...always looking for partners along the way too.

Devils tower WY

City of Rocks +1
Stout and Indian Creek also +1

When it gets cold I will be heading to Bishop Area, J-Tree, then Hueco Tanks. If your in those areas I will need a partner as well.

Feel free to shoot me an email if you're passing through TC in the near future. I'll be out there friday and possibly monday and there's usually a small crowd on the weekends if you're short partners. Trout is perfect right now and Indian Creek is just getting good and will be better longer, so if you're just looking for pure cracks, start here and work south. It's worth swinging by Vegas and ticking Cloud Tower, The Warrior, and Triassic Sands. (the three splitterest Vegas routes-and they'll all be cold and shady)

As far as other venues go, I'm not sure of the season, but the Waterfall Wall in Arizona (well documented here) is high on the short list of crags I would travel to that are less than 300' tall. (but I haven't been yet) Given its location, I'd imagine it could be a good winter venue. Zion can be incredible in the winter if you can work around storms. (most stuff goes at 5.11 with some french free if need be)

I hear a lot of folks seem to winter over in Joshua Tree. El Portrero seems like another warmer winter option.

Spider's Web in Keene Valley of the Adirodacks has a high concentration of hard cracks

Cochise Stronghold.

• Free camping
• Small crowds (if any)
• No stay limit

The Needles are still going.

Truly world class

Also The Valley

And when old man winter sets in...

Cochise.

Never been to IC, I know I'm missing out.

In the middle of winter you might want to
go to Josh.

Have fun....

Shelf road Colorado is good all winter!! Over 700 routes

Thanks for the great advice everybody. Really appreciate it.

Sounds like Trout Creek, then the City, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Moab, Indian Creek, Flagstaff/Vegas, then to Cochise. Will hit California on the way back up after winter passes. Any other crack climbing areas along the way I should check out?

Looking forward to the trip.

All the best.

Just out of curiosity, how long you have for your trip? I know a fellow Canadian about to come down for pretty much the same thing—but she has to get back up to BC at the end of Nov. Just thinking.

We'll probably see you at Indian Creek! Have fun.

Also, I'm working on Saturday, but if the weather is good, I'd love to head out to trout creek for a day or two (sunday, monday).

let me know.

I'll be in partnerless in Jtree for a week in december. Let me know if you'll be thataway and we should meet up, I climb about the same level as you but at that point I'll have been climbing ice for a month and a half so my crimp strength won't be worth shit, fortunately yer into jamming.