good beginner winter crag?

Long story short, I'm on gap year between high school and college and I broke my climbing cherry while I was travelling in India. I did about a month of bouldering and sport climbing in Hampi and Badami. I just got home, and I have another eight months to kill before college starts. I'd like to find a climbing area in the states near enough to a city that I might be able to find work. Any ideas?

Like I said, so far I've only done sport and bouldering, but I'm much more interested in trad. I'd like to find an area that's pretty beginner friendly. I was looking at Indian creek, but I'm concerned about finding partners this time of year.

Indian Creek really isn't the best beginner area, nor is it close to any "city". It's great for learning crack climbing, but the climbs of quality start at 5.10. Possibly look into Cochise Stronghold/ Mt. Lemmon or any of the Arizona S or Central areas (proximity to Phoenix or Tucson), or even Joshua Tree (3.5 hrs from LA). Tons at both for all disciplines and excellent year-round climbing.

Red Rock could be a contender, given proximity to Vegas, though this time of year it can be cold and windy. If you have 8 months though, things would start to get really good around Feb/March. However, there is TONS of climbing of all disciplines, of all grades, and is a good place to pop your multipitch cherry if you are so inclined.

Hell, go to Colorado like everyone else on this godforsaken website. The Front Range gets mild enough weather (in spurts) throughout the winter that climbing at Shelf Road, the Flatirons, South Platte etc. etc. can all be very good.

Wish I was in your position!

For what its worth, this is the in time at the Creek. If it is where you end up, you wouldn't be lacking partners. Thanksgiving and Christmas are two very famous holidays at the creek.

Bishop

The reason why I was thinking of Indian Creek is because crack climbing interests me!

I'm in an odd situation, I was planning on staying in India for the entire year off, but ended up coming home because several family members were getting married. I have enough money to go back to India, but I'd prefer to keep climbing, and climbing in India is a pain in the ass. Outside of Hampi (which will be too hot to climb in a month or two), every notable climbing area outside of the Himalaya is a pain to access, and , should anything go wrong, the quality of healthcare is a concern.

The guys who helped me cut my teeth in invited me to come to France, to Fontainbleu in april, and I'd love to go, but I'd need to save another two or three grand to make staying in Europe for a few months a possibility. I have family and friends dotted across Europe, so I think I could do it cheaply, but the fact that breakfast in Europe costs more than my daily expenditures in India is a concern.

This leads me to my main point, which is that I can either climb and bum for the next eight months anywhere in the states, or I can climb and work for three months in the states then head to Europe. I'd prefer the second, but if there's nowhere anyone can think of where climbing is a short drive away from a city, than I may just stick around here for a while.

J-tree, tell locker we sent you

Why not Lexington and the red?

The red has good climbs of every grade and there is a lot of work in Lexington and it's cheap. Also isn't that far from the new river or chatt. Also you would be closer to home for the holidays.

I made this mistake of traveling to a climbing area when I wasn't a strong enough climber to really enjoy it. Ended up climbing for three days and hiking and site seeing for 6.
Don't waste all your money going to a area with a ton of hard classics and not much easier stuff. Go somewhere that has it all. THE RED!!