Universities Fit for a Climber

Hi Climbers!

I need your help. I recently finished my freshman year at University of Colorado at Boulder and i'm taking this year off after a serious bodily trauma. I fell in LOVE with Boulder but the school was not a good fit, aside from out of state tuition being absurdly expensive (i'm from CA.)

I am reapplying to schools this fall and I'm looking for a 4-year institution in the western half of the US. I will probably be studying environmental science but i'm still undecided so any school with strong academics will be fine. Basically I'm looking for lots of trees, reasonable climbing access, and a strong climbing community. No metropolis. Snow is a big plus.

I'm perfectly fine with lots of gym climbing during the week, outdoor on weekends/every other weekend, and a solid haul during spring break. I have other interests including road cycling, slack lining and yoga, so a solid climbing community and green (pref. mountain) setting are somewhat more important than world-classs crags super close-by. I am considering UCSC. Is it true that the closest routes are seriously polished?

Thanks so much for your input!!

I've met several groups of climbers from Colorado College, which is a small mountain school. It seems to be pretty climber-friendly, you might check it out.

Consider the University of Montana or Montana State. I've experienced the scene at both schools and would give a slight nod towards Bozeman.

Both are great schools though!

NAU is good

University of Utah. Literally 15 minutes from wilderness. World class skiing and awesome climbing. Still in a city, but the rest of it makes up for that. You can be in the mountains on your lunch break. Besides, that means we get good music that comes through and 10 different types of Indian Food within a few mile radius.

There's also Western State Colorado University

+1 for u of u. I go there and absolutely love it. Climbing is close enough that even with a heavy class load you can get three days a week in. The skiing is killer as well.

What about the school itself in Boulder was a bad fit?

generationfourth wrote:NAU is good

NAU/Flagstaff is awesome. I wouldn't recommend Western State in CO, it's the coldest town in the lower 48 and Gunnison is kind of a black hole

Western washington university is cool, plus only a few hours from Squamish

I have to second NAU (Northern Arizona University). Flagstaff is a little smaller than boulder (maybe 70000) but the quality of climbing is some of the best in the country. I have lived in Boulder, Tahoe, Missoula, and here in Flagstaff and in my opinion Flag has the best climbing. Boulder certainly has more but for me, Flag is better. We have five different rocks to choose from, Limestone, Sandstone, Basalt, Dacite, and Granite down in Prescott. Excellent sport climbing in a handful of areas close to town (admittedly Boulder has better sport). World class bouldering and the best crack climbing outside of the Moab area with three columnar basalt crags with cracks up to 13+. We are at 7000 feet so it is an ideal town to be any sort of endurance athlete and the biking and trail running communities are probably even bigger than our climbing community. We have four climbing gyms (small compared to Boulder), two strictly bouldering. If you like multi pitch climbing, Sedona has upwards of 1000 routes now on its fine sandstone spires and walls up to 10 pitches. Granite Mountain in Prescott also has many amazing 3-5 pitch trad lines. We have one ski resort and i'll be honest, it's not the best compared to to other towns i've lived in but it gets the job done if you're more of a climber than a skier. It's a small resort but still has 2300 vertical and endless dry pow when the conditions are right. Although in these damn drought years conditions are not right very often. As far as trees, this is the largest Ponderosa Pine forest in the world and we have thousands of miles of trails from 4000 feet down in Sedona to 12600 above town here if you're into mountain biking or trail running. Also if you want to get out of town to climb, Indian Creek is 4.5 hours, J-Tree is 5, RedRocks and Zion are 4 and the Phoenix area is 2.5

Northern AZ University has grown a lot since I graduated in 03. Pretty sure the environmental science program is strong. At least it was when I was there as a Forestry and Parks and Rec major. I'd guess there are 20,000 students now. Okay, I'm done spraying about my town now. Come through for a visit, October is our best month for outdoor sports and all the aspen will be golden soon.

Jake

There is very little climbing in New Mexico and the crags that we have get LOOONG lines and HUUUGE crowds all the time waiting to get on the not-so-classic pitches. New Mexico is also not known for being sunny >300 days per year and not known for good micro-brews.

- NAU: Flagstaff population is ~60k. Endless climbing on the Colorado Plateau. Scene can be divided between "hardcore locals" and everyone else.

- University of Nevada, Reno: Reno metro area is ~400k. Tahoe on your door step, eastern Sierra and Yose for weekend trips. Lots of local riding, skiing, etc etc. I'm at grad school here now (Natural Resources and Environmental Science Dept.), academic community is awesome, Tahoe climbers are awesome, city is up and coming, gyms leave something to be desired.

- Humboldt State University: One of the two really good Natural Resources schools in CA (other being UC Davis). In state tuition is a big plus. Super cool scene in Arcata/Eureuka, lots of trees, local areas including the north coast and trinity aretes, a decent (7+) drive to world class areas like Yose, Smith, Bishop.

- UC Davis: Also very good Natural Resources program, close to the Sierra, cool small college town. Downside is that you have to live in the central valley.

Let me know if you want any more info on the Reno/Tahoe area.

Wyoming has a good, well-funded environmental science program. Puts you reasonably close to the front range for winter climbing, and all of the Wyoming climbing during the summer and fall. Its also cheaper out-of-state than CU was in-state.

University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA is small and liberal artsy if you didn't like the big school environment. Tacoma isn't right in the mountains but there's a strong outdoors vibe, lots of climbers, cyclists, yoga folk, etc... and the PNW is loaded with outdoor rec opportunities. The school has a decent climbing wall in the rec building and the Expy where you can rent gear, sign up for trips, take outdoor courses, etc... They also have some themed living options including an outdoors house. Lots of students carpooling for weekend trips.

PSO Flickr - flickr.com/photos/31968235@N02/with/4578630517/

Expy - pugetsound.edu/student-life…

Nobody has mentioned Chatt. TN, If you are looking for college chatt. state has plenty of what you are looking for. But university, try SAU good school good people and good outdoor department. Climbing access is pretty spot on great climbs all around you and rivers to if you care to adventure into other sports. Lastly the city of Chattanooga is exactly what you mentioned, super chill, foods good, and one of the best climbing gyms right in the heart of it all. (I'm really bias cause I live there, but really its a good place to be.) I know you said west but this city will make you want to move.

I attended a semester at the Colorado Mountain College in Glenwood Springs. They have an environmental science associates degree and sustainability bachelors degree program. Glenwood Springs has a lot of climbing around (Rifle, Black Canyon, Independence pass, etc.) I'm taking a semester online but I'll be back. It's a great spot and a lot cheaper than CU Boulder!

Venture up the road to Fort Collins. Colorado State has a good environmental program and Fort Collins has a completely different vibe than Boulder.

My son can help you get connected to local climbers and CSU's Environmental Science program.

Santa Cruz is a good place to live if you're into the outdoors, but not necessarily for rock climbing. The closest is Castle Rock, which is polished and will leave a bit something to be desired after living in boulder. Anything else will take a few hours to get to - the sierras or the pinnacles (the next closest). That being said: at least there is a decent gym to keep you in shape. Other than that there is good mountain biking, some hiking, and of course the ocean (good surfing, but super crowded).

Kyle Blase wrote:University of Utah. Literally 15 minutes from wilderness. World class skiing and awesome climbing. Still in a city, but the rest of it makes up for that. You can be in the mountains on your lunch break. Besides, that means we get good music that comes through and 10 different types of Indian Food within a few mile radius.