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Really good places to climb 5.5-5.8

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

squamish ;)

Lee Green · · Edmonton, Alberta · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 51

If you get north of the border, the Bow Valley area and the Jasper area in the Canadian Rockies have some really fun sport climbs (and plenty of trad also) in that range. There are even some bolted multipitch routes that are 5.7-5.8. Plus the scenery is just astounding.

Brian James · · Appleton, WI · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 100

Devils Lake, WI for a lifetime of moderates in a beautiful area.

Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

The Black Hills in South Dakota is also a terrific place - in my opinion it has the best, most, and most unique under 5.9 climbing in the US. Plenty of both sport and trad 1-3 routes on a forest of granite spires at Rushmore and in the Needles. Nearly every route ends on a cool summit. There are also a handful of routes at that grade on the limestone near Spearfish and Rapid City. Devils Tower 2 hours northwest also has a few routes at the grade, but they tend to be won the wide side and will feel hard for the grade.

The Gunks is a close second, though there is no sport climbing.

john strand · · southern colo · Joined May 2008 · Points: 1,640

Sierras, Gunks..that should keep you busy a few lifetimes.Remember the Gunks have several crags that don't get nearly as much attention as the trapps.

Monitor Rock and 11 Mile here in CO also have quite few climbs

Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480

Squamish!!! The Apron and the smoke bluffs

The Adirondacks Pete's farewell, Tilman's Arete, CP Slab, Spanky's Roger's Rock

Seneca Rocks Too many to list!

New Hampshire neclimbs.com/forum.php There's a great thread on easy multipitch climbing

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

If you can travel the country,,it's simple,,,THE GUNKS is your answer..it's marvelous and you will even be very pleased with the 5.3 routes there that are oh so fun to do..and multipitch too. GO>

DavidCollins · · Grand Junction, CO · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 20

For quantity and quality in that range it would be hard to beat the Gunks. The good routes in those grades at the Gunks are wonderful. The density in those grades at the Gunks is high; probably typically less than 100ft between adjacent routes at those levels. And even when the popular routes are jammed, there are many lesser known lines that are still fun.

City of Rocks is also excellent. Some of the best car camping anywhere and the generally scenery and landscape is tremendous. The formations are out of this world and the climbing is excellent but there is less in the lower grades than say the Gunks. E.g. Too Much Fun might be one of the nicest bolted 5.8s that you could do, but there is not much else in that range within a 15 minute walk.

Another possibility is Maple Canyon. There are a few walls each with a ten or so bolted routes at that range, with others scattered around and there are multipitch bolted routes at those grades too. It's some of the strangest rock that you might climb (standard comment for a new climber after the first ten feet: "This is the weirdest rock.") Super convenient camping and very compact. You probably won't have to move your vehicle while you are there.

Seneca: Fewer routes than the Gunks and chossier rock but a 5.3 there can feel like an adventure. Many of the worthwhile routes are multipitch with the reward that you end up on the top edge of a giant cornflake! On some of them you even get to climb the edge. It's a rustic and beautiful Appalachian area. The town is tiny and there is camping within walking distance of the crags. Downsides: it will rain while you visit.

J Tree and Red Rocks would be great outside of summer.

LEG · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

+1 Lovers leap, also check out phantom spires.

Trevor. · · Boise, ID · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 830

If you go to City of Rocks, make sure to go the the adjacent Castle Rocks park, it has way more moderate bolted routes.

Justin Meyer · · Madison, WI · Joined May 2012 · Points: 47

+1 for Devil's Lake in Wisconsin.

J. Serpico · · Saratoga County, NY · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 140

Gunks or Seneca.

Between the two probably 300-400 routes below 5.8 of a high quality, I'd guess the Gunks have about 200 routes below 5.6. Both easily accessible. Granted the grades are supposedly stiff (i learned to climb at the Gunks and the Adirondacks, so I'm used the the grades, I don't really find them to be absurdly stiff).

Seneca is steeper, more exposed but similarly accessible and with good gear. Rock seems a bit more suspect, but overall comparable to the Gunks.

Gunks have many routes in the 5.4-5.5 range with plenty of exposure...they even have 5.2s and 5.3s with clean rock and exposure.

You'll be pulling roofs on 5.4s and up. Usually no roofs on sub 5.4 routes, but occasionally even they have roofs. Routes tend to meander, so route finding and rope management are skills you should have.

Clean rock, solid rock, great pro. Not many vertical cracks, mostly face climbing, roofs and chimneys.

J. Serpico · · Saratoga County, NY · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 140

also, while the 3 star classics are often lined up 4 parties deep on a weekend. There are hundreds of 1 or 0 star routes that are great climbs and probably would be 1 star or 2 stars at many other areas in the country. And on a Friday in November, I usually can hop on any 5.6 classic I want without another group in sight.

I actually finally got on Long Walk for Man last weekend. Literally the last climb in the Trapps (where climbing becomes illegal on Mountain House land) that probably sees just a few dozen ascents a year. Rock was clean, good exposure, thoughful traverse and top out (alright, the topout was scary, 60* mud slope or a hanging belay on a huge but dead tree). 0 stars in the book, but probably 1 star at many many places. Passed by a few climbs in the 5.8 range that looked equally fun and good.

Stuff like that is all over the Gunks.

Thomas Willis · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 0

If you will be in Eldorado,CO in September consider traveling to Ophir Wall/Crack Canyon in southwest Colorado. It is about 10 miles south of Telluride and the climbing is at 9800 ft in a spectacular alpine setting. Several moderate routes on clean rock. Usually not crowded even on weekends.

Dallas R · · Traveling the USA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 191
Thomas Willis wrote:If you will be in Eldorado,CO in September consider traveling to Ophir Wall/Crack Canyon in southwest Colorado. It is about 10 miles south of Telluride and the climbing is at 9800 ft in a spectacular alpine setting. Several moderate routes on clean rock. Usually not crowded even on weekends.
Probably spend a day or two in Silverado, looks like there is a county road that will take us to Ophir. Although MP says there are only two 5.7's trads. We really want to beef up our rack and do some 5.4-5.5 trads before we jump on harder stuff.
MarcHL · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2014 · Points: 0

Red River Gorge, Kentucky

An over all great place to climb and visit. Beautiful country and Lexington is not bad for a day off. Best visited in the shoulder seasons.

Not to mention one of the thickest guide books out there.

+1 Eldo & The Flatirons
+1 Devils Lake

Jorge Gonzalez · · San Gabriel, CA · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 0

Bishop is a good destination, there are lots of areas nearby. However, being older myself, the Alabama Hills above Lone Pine, California (one hour south of Bishop), is "Moderate Heaven," bar none.

I have climbed at many other areas (you know the old saying - "I've forgotten more climbs than you'll ever do") and none are as climber friendly as Lone Pine. Ample and inexpensive camping with a creek running through it, 30 second approaches to the climbs, 90 percent of which are 5.6 to 5.10 sport, and town 5 minutes away with awesome breakfast places, coffee bars, and regular bars.

Try Jackie's Titties for a 5.6 crack (trad) as a diversion.

Get too hot in the summer? Go up into the portal and have lunch at the Portal store. Take a day off climbing and hike up into the approach to Mt. Whitney, or even top out if the fancy strikes you.

One other tip, check out the DelaCour Ranch with small cabins and its eco gardening.

There is an interesting museum regarding cowboy movies, and Manzanar is within half-an-hour. El lay is 3 hours away and the best tacos north of the border.

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2
MarcHL wrote:Red River Gorge, Kentucky An over all great place to climb and visit. Beautiful country and Lexington is not bad for a day off. Best visited in the shoulder seasons. Not to mention one of the thickest guide books out there.
I'd disagree with the Red. It is a great destination for climbing, sure, but not in the 5.5 - 5.8 range. Yes, there is some climbing in this range, but the Red really starts around 5.9, and starts to shine in the 5.10s. Most of the stuff under 5.9 is scattered, or trad, or both.
Thomas Willis · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 0

Hi Dallas
Ophir Wall/Cracked Canyon have:
Six 5.3
Two 5.4
Two 5.5
Nine 5.6
Sixteen 5.7
Twenty 5.8
And numerous >5.9.
All were first led on nuts/hexes. No need to buy those $$$cams

There is no Silverado in Colorado. You may be referring to Silverton. If so, the county road between Silverton and Ophir is actually a 4-wheel drive road over Ophir Pass. It is a very easy pass as far as 4-wheel drive roads in Colorado go. It is very easy on the Silverton side. From the summit of the pass it is very rocky the first mile on the west side and then becomes easy again. A Subaru can make it easily over the pass.

Have fun on your climbing retirement no matter where you go. I am envious to say the least.

david goldstein · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 2,541

An aside on the notion that the Gunks has "the best easy climbs in the world". The Gunks might be unrivaled in the 5.6 to 5.8 range but in my experience, Arapiles in Australia kills the Gunks in the easier grades. This opinion is based on having done about 90% of all routes 5.9 and below in the Mentz's Arapiles select guide book and and around 75% of all two and three star routes 5.9 and below in Williams' Gunks select.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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