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Universities Fit for a Climber

Joe Forrester · · Palo Alto · Joined Aug 2005 · Points: 2,112
ccalpinejournal.org/

Second to ^^^. CC will open up doors and is a phenomenal education in a special environment.
David.Jones · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 10

There is always Canuckistan:

University of British Columbia....50 mins to Squamish but you'll have to ski/mountaineer/road-trip Nov-March to remain sane.

Chris Dickson · · Telluride, CO · Joined May 2011 · Points: 678
Rising Light wrote: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.
To the OP, there is really only one school that satisfies all of your requirements, and that is CC (Climbers College or also known as Colorado College). If you can withstand the rigorous academics, then you'll earn all the climbing you can handle. 3 local crags to choose from, 4 different types of stone within an hours drive, world class sport climbing at Shelf Road and world class crack climbing at Turkey Rocks (both within an hours drive). Block break trips to the Black Canyon and Indian Creek, and Spring Break trips to Red Rocks, Zion, and Joshua Tree.

The climbing community here is unparalleled. Just take a poll of professional climbers and I bet at least half of them are CC alums or have climbing partners that went to CC. Come join our epic climbing cult and good luck getting in! I hear that the acceptance rate dropped to 18% this year...
David Coley · · UK · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 70

Why stay in the USA?

Unless you have personal reasons to go to University in your home country, or you want to do a particular degree at a particular university, then I would suggest you will gain more from your university years if you go to a different country.

Lots of climbing in Europe, and in the UK we even speak English (badly). Also, several European universities now teach in English as it makes it easier to attract overseas students.

Mark R · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
David.Jones wrote:There is always Canuckistan: University of British Columbia....50 mins to Squamish but you'll have to ski/mountaineer/road-trip Nov-March to remain sane.
Quest University is right in Squamish and operates on the block plan like CC.
Kevin Shon · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2009 · Points: 65

West Virginia University is 2 hours from Seneca Rocks, 2.5 from the New River Gorge. Great bouldering at Cooper's Rock State Forest.

NC is 7 hours away.

NY climbing is 5.5

It is a great central location for the mid-atlantic, but not sooo close to crags that they'll distract from studies!

Christian RodaoBack · · Tucson, AZ · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 1,486

U of A. Though it's kind of hard to get in...

youtube.com/watch?v=k1JOqCJ…

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30
Chris Dickson wrote: To the OP, there is really only one school that satisfies all of your requirements, and that is CC (Climbers College or also known as Colorado College). If you can withstand the rigorous academics, then you'll earn all the climbing you can handle. 3 local crags to choose from, 4 different types of stone within an hours drive, world class sport climbing at Shelf Road and world class crack climbing at Turkey Rocks (both within an hours drive). Block break trips to the Black Canyon and Indian Creek, and Spring Break trips to Red Rocks, Zion, and Joshua Tree. The climbing community here is unparalleled. Just take a poll of professional climbers and I bet at least half of them are CC alums or have climbing partners that went to CC. Come join our epic climbing cult and good luck getting in! I hear that the acceptance rate dropped to 18% this year...
Except he mentioned excessive tuition costs at a colorado state school...

Montana State in Bozeman, University of Utah in SLC, University of Oregon, University of Washington, University of Arizona all fit your bill. Eastern Washington University is near lots of cragging and is small/cheap, but the town sort of is a bummer. Plenty of cheaper places to get an education at a small state school that is as good or better than those offered at ritzy private schools with flashy academic plans.
Joe Forrester · · Palo Alto · Joined Aug 2005 · Points: 2,112

OP and frankstoneline,

Colorado College isn't a Colorado state school, it is a private liberal arts college. And yes, it is expensive, but worth the cost.

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30
Joe Forrester wrote:OP and frankstoneline, Colorado College isn't a Colorado state school, it is a private liberal arts college. And yes, it is expensive, but worth the cost.
I am aware, I was stating that the OP had mentioned high cost of schooling as an issue at his previous state school, so CC doesnt fit all of his criteria for a school.
Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
frankstoneline wrote: Except he mentioned excessive tuition costs at a colorado state school... Montana State in Bozeman, University of Utah in SLC, University of Oregon, University of Washington, University of Arizona all fit your bill. Eastern Washington University is near lots of cragging and is small/cheap, but the town sort of is a bummer. Plenty of cheaper places to get an education at a small state school that is as good or better than those offered at ritzy private schools with flashy academic plans.
If you are a *rock* climber, and you're poor, the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon, will make you want to die. The nearest good rock is hours away, and the cost of living, let alone the cost of attendance, is excessive, even for in-state students. As far as I can tell, there isn't a Eugene area climbing community, but there's definitely a lot of mountaineers who hit the gym in the off-season. And, last but not least, the University administration has made it a policy to roll over as quickly as possible to the needs of their principle donor, Nike, so that if you aren't one of the hundred or so Division 1 athletes at the school, they're happy to take your money then tell you to fuck right off.

But you know, go ducks right?
Eric D · · Gnarnia · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 235

Why are you considering paying out-of-state tuition rather than staying in CA?

Andrew Morrison · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 30

No one has considered the other option: Boise State University.
It's cheaper than most of the other suggestions, with an excellent engineering program, and growing rapidly in all other disciplines. It's Idaho's little secret, aside from some chatter about football or whatever.
There was a beautiful brand new environmental research building that just opened recently, offering all the environmental studies you need. The rec center has "the largest collegiate climbing wall in Idaho" (not saying much, but it's not bad, really). The local crag is 10 minutes from downtown, with hundreds of sport and trad routes, an extended climbable season, and is only a few hundred feet from parking lot to cliff.
There's a decent ski resort 16 miles up the mountain that offers season passes for under $300, lessons included. The resort has summer trails for mtn biking or whatever, and the foothills are city-adjacent, with miles of trails.
Within a couple of hours is The City of Rocks, with granite climbing for days. 5 hours from salt lake, half a day to Portland or Seattle, and 9 hours to Moab.
The only thing this place is missing is rain, the ability to drive up to the speed limit, and ice/alpine climbing.

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30
Brian Scoggins wrote: If you are a *rock* climber, and you're poor, the University of Oregon, in Eugene, Oregon, will make you want to die. The nearest good rock is hours away, and the cost of living, let alone the cost of attendance, is excessive, even for in-state students. As far as I can tell, there isn't a Eugene area climbing community, but there's definitely a lot of mountaineers who hit the gym in the off-season. And, last but not least, the University administration has made it a policy to roll over as quickly as possible to the needs of their principle donor, Nike, so that if you aren't one of the hundred or so Division 1 athletes at the school, they're happy to take your money then tell you to fuck right off. But you know, go ducks right?
I admittedly know little about the financial end of things at Univ. of Oregon, I just have met crews from there on serveral stints in Bishop and other spots, they seemed to have buddies and a gym scene and stuff, good to know about the rest.
Petsfed 00 · · Snohomish, WA · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 989
Andrew Morrison wrote:No one has considered the other option: Boise State University. It's cheaper than most of the other suggestions, with an excellent engineering program, and growing rapidly in all other disciplines. It's Idaho's little secret, aside from some chatter about football or whatever. There was a beautiful brand new environmental research building that just opened recently, offering all the environmental studies you need. The rec center has "the largest collegiate climbing wall in Idaho" (not saying much, but it's not bad, really). The local crag is 10 minutes from downtown, with hundreds of sport and trad routes, an extended climbable season, and is only a few hundred feet from parking lot to cliff. There's a decent ski resort 16 miles up the mountain that offers season passes for under $300, lessons included. The resort has summer trails for mtn biking or whatever, and the foothills are city-adjacent, with miles of trails. Within a couple of hours is The City of Rocks, with granite climbing for days. 5 hours from salt lake, half a day to Portland or Seattle, and 9 hours to Moab. The only thing this place is missing is rain, the ability to drive up to the speed limit, and ice/alpine climbing.
That pretty much sums up why I'm here, although there is ice/alpine to be had in the Sawtooths, its just not city adjacent, so shit can get real in a hurry.

Still, I spent the last two years in Eugene, and was really unimpressed with the commercial gym, and the university gym wasn't that great either. Both are small and crowded, and have screwy policies. Hard to get stoked to train when its you and 30 of your closest friends on very limited climbing space.
coppolillo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 70

Keep in mind quality, too, especially for env science/conservation. Not sure on Western Washington's program, but consider it. Way better school than Gunnison and I'd compare programs against ones within Montana State.

Colo College prob the best small school mentioned, but SPENDY without financial aid!

Good luck....enjoy it!

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

"Climbers fit for a University",,now there's your topic of discussion at the admissions office..

andrew thomas · · Orcas island · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 105

Heck yeah that was cool seeing Humboldt State in this thread

John Buchenauer · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 35

As a current Banana Slug, I'll throw my hat... er... slime? into the rink on this one. Castle Rock is a great local crag with enough for a years worth of climbing every other week or so. Only the popular stuff is super polished. I'm not a boulderer, so I haven't done the hard classics, but everything I've been on has been grippy sandstone. I prefer to run down to the Pinns though, it's a little over an hour or so away, but it's not bad. The routes tend to be longer, scarrier and it's devoid of boulders entirely (a plus for me). If you're adventurous, two bridges on campus had tons of rocks epoxyed to them back in the 70's or so and are decent for bouldering practice. They also managed to get a route all the way up an abutment. It's not bolted and the only way I see of reaching the anchors involves shimmying along some pipes, but it's cool. There's a crack on campus, goes about .11 or so, but it's very loose and scary. The Rec runs trips to CR and Pinns every so often, my friends say they're okay, but usually I can go for a day with one or two people and spend only a few bucks.

The local gym is very small, but amazing. The routes are usually high quality, tall and rated very stiff for indoors. The bouldering is great, theres even a room in the back that has ~20 foot boulder problems, which is sweet. The gear shop is cheaper than anywhere else and the staff is super nice. Plus they run tons of free clinics on lead belaying, crack climbing, footwork and stuff. If you're a member, you also get a free yoga class each week.

About the school, it's the #3 pretties campus in the US, but should be 1, soo... Anything Bio at UCSC is amazing. There culture is super left and quirky, but everyone is super nice. Ton's of local roads running through the mountains, I see bikers all the time and they set up slack lines and a rock wall (read portable thingy with autobelays and very easy "routes") every wednesday on campus.

EricF · · San Francisco · Joined May 2012 · Points: 120

UC Davis would be much better that UCSC. Great road cycling, Tahoe, both big chief, and rt 50 are perfect distance for a weekend, really good community at the gym in town. Easy to get to bishop or Yosemite for a 3 day weekend or spring break.... also in-state tuition and world class environmental program. There is also some decent outdoor bouldering about a twenty minutes drive from campus if you have to be outside for the day. Central Valley really isn;t that bad. Davis is a nice college town, if you want the city Sacramento and SF are both easy trips for the day, the coast is close, the mountains are close, and it is a world class University. UCSC is an extra 2 hours from any decent climbing.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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