Best summer sport climbing in North America?

I am looking for a sport climbing destination to spend the summer in. I plan to hang out at the RRG this spring until it gets too hot to climb, than I am off somewhere else. I am down for anything 5.10 - 5.12, suggestions? Is there any sport in Canada worth visiting (its a long drive from KY!)?

If you've got time and are climbing strong, I'd say Rifle. On the topic of the Red, I was hoping to make my first trip out there this season, around when does it get too hot to be fun?

Wild Iris is great, and the temps were pretty good when we went in early August. Not a lot of crowds, and amazing rock.

Ten sleep canyon, Wyoming. CHECK. IT. OUT........... its sick

braden herbst wrote:Ten sleep canyon, Wyoming. CHECK. IT. OUT........... its sick

YES! This place is incredible so don't go here...actually do go and be prepared to get you mind blown wide open

20 kN wrote:I am looking for a sport climbing destination to spend the summer in. I plan to hang out at the RRG this spring until it gets too hot to climb, than I am off somewhere else. I am down for anything 5.10 - 5.12, suggestions? Is there any sport in Canada worth visiting (its a long drive from KY!)?

rockies ... canmore, banff, lake louise

if you can do 10-20 pitch sport climbs .... canadian rockies is the place to go

Spend your time 70/30 between Ten Sleep and Lander. Free camping at both and more beautiful limestone bolted routes then you could do in many summers. And if for some reason you would buy a rack somewhere along the line you could hang out in the Winds for awhile and climb a route or two at DT.

bearbreeder wrote: rockies ... canmore, banff, lake louise if you can do 10-20 pitch sport climbs .... canadian rockies is the place to go

There is multi-pitch sport there? Do you know what guidebook covers those areas?

20 kN wrote: There is multi-pitch sport there? Do you know what guidebook covers those areas?

This one

Its written in more of an alpine guide style, heavy on topos and light on text.

EDIT: Note that a Sixth edition is due out in mid-May, so you may want to hold off a bit on ordering this guide.

20 kN wrote: There is multi-pitch sport there? Do you know what guidebook covers those areas?

canadian rock, select climbs of the canadian west also has quite a few multipitch sport routes

there is quite a few multipitch sport in the canadian rockies .... bring trad gear as well ....

If you're coming from the East you should go to Wyoming via Illinois (Jackson Falls), Wisconsin (Devil's Lake), Minnesota (North Shore), and South Dakota (Needles, Mt. Rushmore, Spearfish Canyon).

By the way, Jon Jones, one of the authors of that Canadian guidebook spends a lot of time in Potrero Chico.

bearbreeder wrote: canadian rock, select climbs of the canadian west also has quite a few multipitch sport routes there is quite a few multipitch sport in the canadian rockies .... bring trad gear as well ....

I am assuming bring gear for general trad climbing, not the mentioned multi-pitch sport climbs? Have to ask, I know of areas that label mixed climbs as sport.

braden herbst wrote:Ten sleep canyon, Wyoming. CHECK. IT. OUT........... its sick

+1 for Ten Sleep and all the other awesome climbing in Wyoming.

20 kN wrote: I am assuming bring gear for general trad climbing, not the mentioned multi-pitch sport climbs? Have to ask, I know of areas that label mixed climbs as sport.

some "sports" climbs say to bring the occasional cam or nut ... others are pure sport ... i almost always have a light set of nuts and tricams even on multipitch "sport" climbs ...

itll say in the guidebook though ... but if yr coming to the canadian rockies you definately want to bring a trad rack if you want to do classic bottom to top alpine wall climbs

not to say there isnt more than enough sport around the area to keep you busy for years ...

a short drive to central BC will yield more sport, and more 2-5 pitch sport routes

and then the drive to squamish will give you the best trad in canada

Dave Alie wrote:On the topic of the Red, I was hoping to make my first trip out there this season, around when does it get too hot to be fun?

You better get on it. It was 88 last Sunday, and it will be getting worse soon.

and what ever you do avoid the Black Hills Limestone on your way to WY, stuff is just horrible, big ole choss pile.... ;)

bearbreeder wrote: some "sports" climbs say to bring the occasional cam or nut ... others are pure sport ... i almost always have a light set of nuts and tricams even on multipitch "sport" climbs ... itll say in the guidebook though ... but if yr coming to the canadian rockies you definately want to bring a trad rack if you want to do classic bottom to top alpine wall climbs not to say there isnt more than enough sport around the area to keep you busy for years ... a short drive to central BC will yield more sport, and more 2-5 pitch sport routes and then the drive to squamish will give you the best trad in canada

So which areas specifically are worth visiting for sport? Can you recommend a guide book for central BC as well, or does the one you suggested earlier cover all of Canada? What are the most popular guide books for the main sport crags? Thanks.

Has anyone climbed at Acephale in the Canadian Rockies? I've heard that place is pretty cool.

I'm also trying to plan a trip that does not include Rifle in the summer circuit. Thinking VC then up to Acephale/Canmore area...how is that zone in June/July? Too early still...?

20 kN wrote: So which areas specifically are worth visiting for sport? Can you recommend a guide book for central BC as well, or does the one you suggested earlier cover all of Canada? What are the most popular guide books for the main sport crags? Thanks.

sport in western canada

rockies ... just go there and jump on the multipitch routes ... select climbs of the canadian west by kevin mclane, but only list the "best climbs" ... also bow valley sport climbs by quickdraw publications, but wait for the new version out in may

skaha ... select climbs of the canadian west by kevin mclane, but only list the "best climbs" ... skaha rockclimbs by richardson

squamish ... go to cheakaus and pet wall ... select climbs of the canadian west by kevin mclane, but only list the "best climbs" ... squamish select by bourbon ...

Lander has some cool new areas north of Wild Iris that stay out of the sun, but unfortunately the locals seem to be keeping it all on the DL. Tensleep has probably eclipsed Lander as the WY destination at least as far as publicized areas goes.