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My list of best cities/towns to live as a climber (feedback appreciated!)

Original Post
James Thomas · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2015 · Points: 20

Hey MP!

I'm looking for a new job and quality of climbing is going to be a big part of where I'm willing to move. To help me figure out where to search I made a ranking of various cities/towns by climbing scene. I made the list using my own limited knowledge and several hours on MP so it's far from perfect. I'd really appreciate your input to improve the list!

I'm looking for a job at a research university so I've only included cities/towns with a university. Fortunately, there are universities scattered across the country so the list could be useful for others as well.

In making the list I tried to factor in quality, quantity, variety, distance to crags, and length of climbing season. I didn't include anything else about the cities (cost of living, city quality, etc.)---it's all about the climbing.

Also, I love both trad and sport but I'm not a huge fan of bouldering. So places that might be great for a boulderer (Tuscaloosa) didn't get much love from me...sorry boulderers!

Finally, I know there are already threads ranking cities by climbing scene---I read several of them before making the list---but they almost always focus on the best places like Tahoe, Boulder, SLC, etc. I couldn't find anything comparing a broader range of towns/cities.

Anyways, here is the list. Please let me know what you think!

List 1
List 2
List 3

ChrisN · · Morro Bay, CA · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 25

Don't limit yourself to Rumney when looking at northern New England towns. The White Mountains have a lifetime's worth of sport and trad climbing (although the season is short).

matt c. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 155

Albany- As mentioned, right between Daks and gunks but there is not local climbing at all. Driving to the Daks is cool but most of the areas at around 3 hrs drive not 1.5. If you do ice the Catskills are 45 min away. Most of Albany is in the getto.

Irvine- There is no real climbing options in Irvine. Irvine is a giant mall.

Riverside- In such a small city there are also three climbing gyms. The local climbing is really good. As you noted 1.5 hours form JT. In addition, it is 1.5 hours from tahquitz and suicide rock. This is important because J tree is almost unclimbable in the summer months. On a side note,most of Riversidians are red necks. It is mullet central.

jdejace · · New England · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 5

Rating Western Mass (Amherst) below Boston and NYC is bananas. I lived there for a few years and there's a great climbing community. Farley is a good local crag and was literally 30 min from my door. On long summer days I was climbing outside on weekdays after work. Try that living in the city. On weekends it's 2-3h from both the Gunks and the Whites.

And the best part is you don't have to deal with anyone from New York or Boston :-) You also won't go broke paying rent.

But anyway, go West young lad.

Bill Czajkowski · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 20

You're missing Fort Collins.

I think your rating of Albuquerque doesn't show much insight to the actual situation. I'm curious why Taos is highlighted. I've lived here 5 years and only climbed up that direction (Tres Piedras) once though occasionally go up to El Rito.

Scott Phil · · NC · Joined May 2010 · Points: 258

What is your area of research? There are many good labs and doctoral programs based in regional comprehensives.

fossana · · leeds, ut · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 13,318

+1 to adding Tahquitz. You can also throw the E Sierra and Red Rocks on your SoCal list in the 3-4 h range. It's pretty nice to be able to get to the E Side year round in the same amount of time when Bay Area folks are struggling with winter pass closures.

I would subtract some points from the PacNW for unclimbable rainy days. Laramie also has bitter winters compared with places like the Front Range.

Duncan · · Seattle · Joined Feb 2010 · Points: 220

Just in skimming here's what comes to mind
Missed:
Tucson, AZ. U of A
Fort Collins, CO, Colorado State
Knoxville, TN, UT
Laramie, WY UWYO

I'm missing a few for sure

Also
Nashville is not 1.5hrs to the Obed and the Red is over 4hrs

Love New England and am glad I got to call it home for a few years but if ice climbing isn't being factored in the weather and flies are major negatives

Kyle Edmondson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 250

Flagstaff should top the list for Arizona cities, and it's not close. The climbing in the Phoenix metro area is not close in quality, and the access to the Moab region is key. Also, there are truly year round options. I didn't love living in Arizona, but the climbing in Flag is top notch.
Another note, Southern California is not great. I grew up in Santa Barbara, and the climbing is poor. Soft sandstone with not much variety, and driving to destination areas is long given traffic. I saw Irvine high on the list, again, poor local climbing and long drives to Jtree and Tahquitz (which are both great). I've only lived in the west, so that is all I can comment on. Note, I am only responding based on climbing, not other aspects you may be looking for.

christoph benells · · tahoma · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 306

as much as Fresno, CA (and surrounding areas) suck ass,

it could be a pretty good spot to live as a rock climber.

I am pretty stoked on north conway NH climbing scene. Amazing variety and quality.

Aaron Furman · · Golden, CO · Joined Oct 2011 · Points: 20

Haha, Albany NY should be no where near Boulder CO or Salt Lake UT - meaning not even on the same page :-) I lived in albany in the 90s and been in Boulder most of my life and they are two different animals

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180

You didn't say what type of research but you missed OSU, BSU, and Utah State. OSU is the same distance to Smith Rock as UofO. BSU has some local climbing at Hells Canyon and in Twin Falls as well as City of Rocks. Utah State and BSU are relatively close to the Tetons. Your list misses all of Washington.

Bill Czajkowski · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 20
Be Esperanza wrote:I second the recommended downgrading of Pacific northwest locations as the weather eliminates the possibility of going rock climbing for more than half of the year. I also think that living in Boulder or Utah comes will plenty of associated negatives that may be worth considering. You may find you occasionally do things besides go climbing, and it may be nice to be in a place that accommodates other needs.
What kind of things can't you do out of Boulder (and nearby Denver) that you could do in other climbing friendly cities?

I can understand the drawbacks associated with a lot of the state of Utah.
Eric Carlos · · Soddy Daisy, TN · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 121
Bill Czajkowski wrote: What kind of things can't you do out of Boulder (and nearby Denver) that you could do in other climbing friendly cities? I can understand the drawbacks associated with a lot of the state of Utah.
I just left Boulder due to high traffic anytime you want to do anything. The front range is insane, and although there is a ton of climbing, there are more people.
Bill Czajkowski · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 20
Eric Carlos wrote: I just left Boulder due to high traffic anytime you want to do anything. The front range is insane, and although there is a ton of climbing, there are more people.
Yeah, that's true.

I was more curious about the activities besides climbing that you might want to do that the Front Range doesn't have available.
J Sundstrom · · San Diego, CA · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 185

San Diego isn't a bad option either.

Local areas are climbable all year but the summer (unless you go in the evening). 2 hours from Tahquitz, 2.5 to JT, 4.5 to Lone Pine, 5 to Red Rocks. And UCSD is a good research university.

Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

No mention of North Conway. I climb classics before 9am work, weekdays.

christoph benells · · tahoma · Joined Nov 2014 · Points: 306
christoph benells wrote: I am pretty stoked on north conway NH climbing scene. Amazing variety and quality.
J. Albers · · Colorado · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,926

Wow. Placing Madison, WI as a 7 is crazy talk...I should know because I was born and raised there. I mean comparing Madison to Davis, CA?!? Really? Davis has Tahoe, Shuteye Ridge, the entire high Sierra, the Eastside crags, the Valley, Tuolumne, the Needles, etc. etc. and Madison has Devil's Lake and and Jackson Falls and then Devil's Tower 12 hours away. Not exactly equivalent. Living in the midwest is like climbing purgatory. I know that sounds harsh, but all I remember about living there was long road trips to get OUT of Wisconsin.

IMHO having real mountains and the crags that come with that within at least weekend striking distance is huge. That pretty much means anything east of the Mississippi gets minus points and the Midwest is a big sinkhole. My map would more or less be three categories: (1) east coast pretty much anywhere close to climbing (Rumney, Gunks, the New) = 3-6; (2) anywhere in the Midwest = 1-2; and (3) the mountain west, say AZ,NM,CO,WY,MT,UT,CA,NV are = 7-10.

Idaho Bob · · McCall, ID · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 757

Did I miss it? Las Vegas. Red Rock. UNLV.

Ray Pinpillage · · West Egg · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 180
Be Esperanza wrote:I second the recommended downgrading of Pacific northwest locations as the weather eliminates the possibility of going rock climbing for more than half of the year. I also think that living in Boulder or Utah comes will plenty of associated negatives that may be worth considering. You may find you occasionally do things besides go climbing, and it may be nice to be in a place that accommodates other needs.
The is what happens when you count to potato.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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