What Is Life Like as a Climber in LA?

Hey y'all,

My wife and I both received job offers that would require us to relocate to LA. Both offers are interesting, but I'm wondering what our climbing life might be like in and around the city? I know there is a plethora of rock around, but how easy is it to do weekend or day trips outside/around of the city? Are the crags usually packed on the weekend? Is it easy to get out and have a climbing day to ourselves or will be be around crowds? How much of a hassle is it to drive in and out of the city for a day trip? Any tips on diving into the climbing community?

Side note - My job would be near UCLA and my wife's would be right downtown near City Hall. So, we would probably look at living somewhere in between those two or closer to UCLA.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

What are the best bouldering guidebooks to grab before moving?

Plenty of climbing outside and inside to be had. Key criteria will be where you choose to live. It can easily add or subtract an hour to either climbing or work.

Don’t move to the westside or near the beach, that automatically adds an hour to your drive out of town.  It may be cooler on the west side but the traffic isn’t worth it.   Tons of climbing within an hour.   Its easy to avoid crowds if you know where to go. 

Depends on where you live and what you do for work. We all drive a ton, I put 30,000 on a new GTI one year. Before I retired I was a General Manager for a engineering firm located in Ventura County. Located in the NW part of the Megatropius  this location allowed us to get into downtown and northern Orange County, and San Bernardino for meetings and such without problems. And where I live is semi-rural and subject to the daily sea breeze- this allows one to not deal with insane hot conditions.
The climbing. I live 15 min from Stoney Point, 25 from Malibu Creek and I can be looking at Mt Whitney in 3 1/2 hours, Josh is 4. Lots of unknown crags closer to home- I only go to crowded crags by choice.
And one last thing, we can climb outside almost 365 days per year.
Lots of good things can be had. 

Climbing in Los Angeles is a motorsport.

Also, if you're bouldering V11 as your profile states, there won't be much for you to do without getting in the car for *at least* a few hours unless you're heading to a gym.

AKSClimbs...definitely pick up a copy of the Texas Canyon Guidebook.
I 2nd Kevin's warning regards moving to the westside or the beach.
Many great venues for climbing in S. California, but you need to strategically plan and time your commutes to optimize your climbing to driving ratio. If you only have weekends to climb you'll be dealing with crowds at the crags and congested freeways. You won't truly appreciate the Friday night and Sunday night gridlock until you're in it.

location and schedule prob the most important factors that would impact climbing.  sort those out first.  then people can help you more

LA is huge, very spread out with heavy traffic in btwn even diff areas of the city.  you'll have to get specific, whether decided on a place or favoring some spots

flexible sched with wkdays off would allow you to live in more areas, since you could then go climb on wkdays (just stick to opportune windows to work around the heavy gridlock hrs).  even flex sched like every other Fri off would help lots.  if you'll have plenty of vacation days, burning some for the other Fri (or Mon) now and then would make that work pretty well

the quality rocks are 2+ hrs away, to drive out to JT, Idy, Big Bear, Sierra Eastside, Yosemite, RR or beyond

more decent local climbing on the west side, not just Malibu but esp quality bouldering (since you mentioned) way west in Ojai and Santa Barbara. better air quality and mostly brisk traffic as well.  others' warning regarding heavy traffic handicap is very true tho, for other times when you want to go east.  so depends on what's important to you

if restricted to wknds off only, then yes, lots of crowds no matter where you go.  just too many people (and cars) in SoCal, and the vast majority go play on the wknds.  early morning starts won't even matter in many cases.  plenty others would already get out to say JT ahead of you on Fri or even Thu.  many wknders resign themselves to wknd daytrip on Sat out that way, as the Sun return traffic has become more and more awful.  some still suffer thru that like it's just the norm

Unless the offers are a huge increase in pay and quality of work I would really think hard about the move. Living expenses are generally much higher in CA, esp. around here. I live in Long Beach currently, which is about as far from climbing as you can be, but anywhere gives you terrible traffic and tons of people.

I know a lot of people like the LA area, but I do not think there are enough positives to really make it a good choice. You can live other places cheaper, nicer, and closer to climbing. I think a pay cut of even 25% would be worth living elsewhere. 

LA is excellent for climbing.  There are many crag options. Close to the Sierra Nevada/Yosemite.  The warm dry weather makes good climbing all year round.  Also, many gyms in all areas.  Plenty of guide books at REI and all the major crags can be found here on MP.   As it has been said, Los Angeles is just one G'-damned beautiful day after another.  

I agree with much of what has been said, but would suggest that you find housing nearish to work as the weekday commute is what will dictate your quality of life. Also, it helps to know morning and evening traffic flows and look at housing that generally would have you travelling opposite these.

Anywhere somewhat nice to live will be much more expensive than you might think. And, when you say "LA" that really doesn't have enough specificity to give anything but super general advice.

If you are primarily getting outside on weekends, then an early morning drive makes Josh, Tahquitz and other local areas quite easy to make day trips. Sierra Eastside, The Needles, and other amazing southern Sierra climbing are reasonable weekend trips.

Tons of climbing/bouldering gyms, to be found in all parts of LA or OC.

I day trip JTree all the time from El Segundo. Leave at 5 am and its 2 hours and 10 minutes from my house to kiosk on Park. Really not bad at all for day tripping tbh.

Good advice from everyone.  I believe how much you’ll enjoy the move depends on how important climbing is compared to other lifestyle choices and, as others have mentioned, where you’ll live in proximity to where you work.  Climbing outside during the week will be tough (unless you’re like Guy and live close to a place like Stoney Point).  Your choices on the weekend, however, are limited only by how far you’re willing to drive.  Two world class areas—Josh and Idyllwild—around a couple hours away.  Four to five hours and you can be at the Needles, Eastside, southern Sierra, with Yosemite only slightly further.  

Most of those place will be closer if you live on the north or east side of town like Pasadena or La Canada.  Kevin‘s advice about the westside is true if you want to be closer to the climbing.  I live and work on the westside, and like being close to the beach (it’s also cooler and better air quality), so for me the trade off works. Maybe if I actually got out more it wouldn’t.  Finally, I’m not sure if you and your partner have or are planning to have children but, if so, check out the school district.  I’ve got three kids in private school (ouch) but would have gladly availed myself of the good public schools in La Canada or Calabasas, etc.  

Good luck with your decision.  People not from LA love to bag on it, but it’s an amazing world capital with an amazing blend of nature, culture, entertainment and food that few other places can offer.  The traffic will make you forget that often if you plan poorly but there is a reason why so many folks choose to call this part of the world home.

If you move to Yucca Valley the commute to Los Angeles isn't too bad.

Where are the jobs located? The hot ticket for climbing in SoCal from L.A. is to live on the outer edge of the city. Easy out and easy in for the most part. I lived in Northridge and worked in Studio City for a long time. The commute was reasonable, but partly because my workday usually started about 10:00 AM. Getting out of town was easy except on the major holidaze... Stoney Point was a stone's throw away, perfect for those late summer evenings.

This might not be such a good strategy if your jobs are in the belly of the beast. 

For climbing even though it burns me to say this it’s great. Not excellent rock near city but fun. And out of city obvi super high quality. Also something to think about is the traffic and culture of life out here. REALLY think about it before you move. I’ve lived here my whole life, and I love it, but I hate it too lol.

I live in Burbank which is a pretty good place to live if you have to live in LA.  I climb two days a week during the weekdays.   I can leave my house  and be at the Tunnel Crag at 7000 feet in just under an hour.   It’s a great summer afternoon crag, when it’s 100 degrees in the valley it is usually 75 up there.  I can leave my house at noon, climb for 3-4 hours and be home by sunset after climbing several multi pitch routes.  I have a love hate relationship with LA, the reality is that it really is a good place for climbing.  

Kevin Mokracek wrote:I have a love hate relationship with LA, the reality is that it really is a good place for climbing.  

Hey, quiet down. It's not like we want this place to get crowded!!!

Kevin Mokracek wrote: Don’t move to the westside or near the beach, that automatically adds an hour to your drive out of town.  It may be cooler on the west side but the traffic isn’t worth it.   Tons of climbing within an hour.   Its easy to avoid crowds if you know where to go. 

Thanks Kevin! Any suggested neighborhoods to look at? We don't have kids, so schools aren't a factor.

Ned Plimpton wrote: Climbing in Los Angeles is a motorsport.

Also, if you're bouldering V11 as your profile states, there won't be much for you to do without getting in the car for *at least* a few hours unless you're heading to a gym.

Ned, hard ascents aren't happening much these days now that climbing has taken more of a backseat... Just looking for fun days outside!