Best sport climbing in Feb?

Looking to get out of the US for winter.  I'm spending Jan in Mexico (El Salto and El Potrero).   I have to be in SE Asia by mid March... where to spend the time?  I spend last winter in Spain so looking for something different.  Turkey seems to be a little iffy weather wise, tho it still pops to the top of the list.  South America doesn't work super well flight-wise but not out of the question... but I'd like to reserve that until I can spend more time - optimizing travel expenses.  If we did go there it would be to Chile.

I'm not too keen on Thailand based on reports of crowds and the party scene..

I'll be a solo-climber so need somewhere where it's easy to find partners.    I'd prefer mostly sport - versed in trad but due to luggage issues I'm not taking trad gear.   Climb ~12a.  Not a requirement but a big plus would be someplace near a good city - or at least an interesting place for my non-climber wife.  If it so happens, I'll go to a 'climber-centric' place and she can travel somewhere else, but we would like to find a place where we can rent an apt for a month and she can chill doing non-climber things and I can climb.  Antalya works for that - just not sure the weather is ideal. 

Unleash the suggestions...

Several areas on the Peloponnese section of mainland Greece are being suggested as new winter venues--most notably Leonidio which has seen very extensive climbing development in the past few years. While Kalymnos can have good stretches in winter, it is definitely not the best time of year to be there.

I was in Geyikibari in October and found it too hot to climb in the sun--and the majority of the sectors were in the sun for much of the day, so I would expect that February would be a good time of year to visit. To the extent that they have a 'winter' there, it is mostly December/January, with February already being spring. Some excellent climbing there and a very pleasant and interesting place to visit.

I recently had someone--can't remember who--strongly recommend Laos as a winter climbing destination. He said it was similar climbing to Thailand but much less crowded and less humid. Might be worth looking into since you are already heading to that region.

Southern France does have a strong appeal to me. Probably just because I love France - esp the south.  I just wasn't aware of winter areas.. seemed like most of the big spots are more for early summer.  I'll check into these areas you suggest.     

Mainland Greece looks to be a bit too new... I went to a newer section of Chullia last winter and it didn't take long to decide that newly developed limestone is a choss-fest I don't want to partake in.    And I am kinda seeking the bigger areas.. 1) so I can find partners and 2) so I can experience them and find my own favorites.  

Jeremy Lubkin wrote:

Looking to get out of the US for winter.  I'm spending Jan in Mexico (El Salto and El Potrero).   I have to be in SE Asia by mid March... where to spend the time?  I spend last winter in Spain so looking for something different.  Turkey seems to be a little iffy weather wise, tho it still pops to the top of the list.  South America doesn't work super well flight-wise but not out of the question... but I'd like to reserve that until I can spend more time - optimizing travel expenses.  If we did go there it would be to Chile.

I'm not too keen on Thailand based on reports of crowds and the party scene..

I'll be a solo-climber so need somewhere where it's easy to find partners.    I'd prefer mostly sport - versed in trad but due to luggage issues I'm not taking trad gear.   Climb ~12a.  Not a requirement but a big plus would be someplace near a good city - or at least an interesting place for my non-climber wife.  If it so happens, I'll go to a 'climber-centric' place and she can travel somewhere else, but we would like to find a place where we can rent an apt for a month and she can chill doing non-climber things and I can climb.  Antalya works for that - just not sure the weather is ideal. 

Unleash the suggestions...

South Eastern Australia, Arapiles, and Grampians loads of varied climbing, and close enough to other interests. Bonus is, that it's cheap and easy to get to SE Asia from there too.

Squeak wrote:

South Eastern Australia, Arapiles, and Grampians loads of varied climbing, and close enough to other interests. Bonus is, that it's cheap and easy to get to SE Asia from there too.

Pretty hot in the Piles in Feb tho isn't it?

I thought Gramps/Arapiles was pretty far from everything.  "relatively close" is something I might need to clarify.  My wife is disabled, so what most consider non-climber friendly is not so much for her.  No hiking, biking, dirtbagging, etc.  My understanding is the climbing there is more semi-remote camping.  No city or anything for hours.  Also when I do make that trip I want to combine it with diving around Adelaide.  But I'll peak into it.  I'll do that trip for sure, but likely without her.  We will have been apart for Dec/Jan so I'd like to spend Feb with her before taking off again for a month of diving in Indonesia.

Laos might actually work well as she will be in Bhutan just before.  Or France... a little more travelling, but spending a week in Paris would prob do me some good.

Jeremy Lubkin wrote:

I thought Gramps/Arapiles was pretty far from everything.  "relatively close" is something I might need to clarify.  My wife is disabled, so what most consider non-climber friendly is not so much for her.  No hiking, biking, dirtbagging, etc.  My understanding is the climbing there is more semi-remote camping.  No city or anything for hours.  Also when I do make that trip I want to combine it with diving around Adelaide.  But I'll peak into it.  I'll do that trip for sure, but likely without her.  We will have been apart for Dec/Jan so I'd like to spend Feb with her before taking off again for a month of diving in Indonesia.

Laos might actually work well as she will be in Bhutan just before.  Or France... a little more travelling, but spending a week in Paris would prob do me some good.

ok then The Blue Mountains in New South Wales then. Close to transport and suburbia good climbing

Viñales, Cuba. Thakhek, Laos.

*edit, Sorry, didn't see your wife is disabled, might have to scratch both of those.

Great diving/snokeling for you and your wife.  No crowds.  Laid-back and relaxing.  Great climbing.   And  I can get you hooked up with good partners (like me).   Find me in Rifle sometime, or PM me.

Yeah Loas sounds like it wont work as there is not much to do and getting around from her would be bad. Cuba - we went a few years ago so looking to get somewhere new - and that (and Cayman) are kinda the wrong part of the world.  Being around Europe/Asia makes the most sense since she will be in Asia beforehand and I will go after.

Southern France and Leonidio rise to the top of the list, with Greece maybe ahead as it would be fun to live there for a bit and I think I might spend summer in France.  

I just worry about

 1) Climate... MP says it's a wet part of the year

2) Finding partners -will there be enough people around in Feb/Mar?

3) Choss - I saw somewhere routes are still pretty new so a bit chossy? But another friend said this is not so true.

Don't write off Thailand. I am not into the party scene but the climbing scene is very different. I loved my time in Railay/Tonsai (if your wife likes relaxing on beaches or sipping fruit shakes and beer from bars by the beach - also close to the city of Krabi which I never visited aside from heading to the airport to leave). Very easy to meet other climbers there and it's like climbing in paradise. Chiang Mai area has Crazy Horse Buttress. Plenty to do in Chiang Mai and you can hop on a daily minivan (public transport for dirt cheap) to get to Crazy Horse Buttress for climbing everyday. Get off at Jira Homestay almost across the street and you will meet climbers there (anyone can go there and make use of the outdoor restaurant). You can also post or look at the climbfind ads at the local climbing gym in Chiang Mai. I was in Thailand in Jan and Feb.

Thanks Helen... I'll look a bit more.  Tho I'm kinda stoked for Leonidio if the climate works... I just think its better Oct/Nov and might be a bit cold and wet. Certainly climbable in places but I want to go doing the 'best' time.

Thailand. 

Jeremy Lubkin wrote:

Yeah Loas sounds like it wont work as there is not much to do and getting around from her would be bad. Cuba - we went a few years ago so looking to get somewhere new - and that (and Cayman) are kinda the wrong part of the world.  Being around Europe/Asia makes the most sense since she will be in Asia beforehand and I will go after.

Southern France and Leonidio rise to the top of the list, with Greece maybe ahead as it would be fun to live there for a bit and I think I might spend summer in France.  

I just worry about

 1) Climate... MP says it's a wet part of the year

2) Finding partners -will there be enough people around in Feb/Mar?

3) Choss - I saw somewhere routes are still pretty new so a bit chossy? But another friend said this is not so true.

I lived 7 years near Leonidhion, in fact directly across the gulf and could see the lights of town from my balcony and one of my friends had a house there, I´ve also been to just about everywhere in the Med as well. Feb is the rainy season overall, it´s luck of the draw how good or bad it can be around that time of the year anywhere though the bad weather moves across from west to east so Spain gets the crap earlier and Turkey around a month later, Greece somehere in the middle which is normally Feb.

Leonidheon is in the rainshadow of some high mountains and the snowline is round 700m until early Easter, i´ve been snowed-on camping in the mountains and had my car stuck in a snowdrift as well. The ski season usually stops at the start of March. The town is uninteresting and mostly shut anyway, the monastary is interesting enough but there ain´t much else. Sicily (San Vito lo Capo is an improvement but still not really a destination for what you want. Around Athens would be a better bet, the climate is considerably better and there´s a lot more to do and see.

Personally if I had a disabled wife and wanted to go somewhere in February it would be SE Asia, South Africa or maybe Brazil.

Thanks Jim... Maybe we will re-think SE Asia.