How cold is too cold?

We're relatively new to outdoor climbing and don't have superhuman cold tolerance. How cold is too cold to climb outside?

< 0 F (unless we're talking about ice).

I don’t think I’ve had fun climbing technical rock below about 20 deg F 

learning how to layer appropriately will be the key to learning how to take advantage of the cold.
(they’re called R1’s) 

I can boulder no matter the temps if it is in the sun, I boulder all winter here at Farley.  Hang out in a down jacket on the pads and you are only on the rock for a short time.

Rope climbing, not so much.  Grabbing carabiners with bare hands sucks the heat out of your fingers in a hurry.  Below maybe 30 degrees or so  in the sun gets tough.

Fadi Awadalla wrote:

We're relatively new to outdoor climbing and don't have superhuman cold tolerance. How cold is too cold to climb outside?

Never too cold if you bring a blow torch bouldering.

Eleven degrees on wind sheltered south facing black rock was fine for me, but I’m hearty.

And motivated.

40°F and Sunny is my cold limit.. lol.  But I'm one of those weird people who thinks 80° is a great day for climbing!!  But man, 40°, in the shade, little wind...I just couldn't keep my hands warm enough to function.

If the sun has been hitting the rock 35-40 degrees is fine as long as it’s not really windy. 45-50 degrees is the sweet spot IMO, perfect grip but no issues with hands going numb. 

It is too cold to climb when you pee and your piss is frozen before it hits the ground.

I used to be pretty tough (stupid) but these days i don't like to climb ice unless above 0F. 

I like above 50° unless we are talking full sun.   For ice I like above 20°. I hate it when the ice dinner plates

wtf just go outside and figure it out

Its too cold when your tips go numb, then you overgrip everything and pump out.  

42

The gym is always warm! Best not to climb outside.

on a serious note, for me low 30s and sunny at 6000’ is fine as long as there is no wind or clouds

Ezra Ellis wrote:

Eleven degrees on wind sheltered south facing black rock was fine for me, but I’m hearty.

And motivated.

Damn that must be so hard being alone like that 

Seventeen. 

almostrad wrote:

Damn that must be so hard being alone like that 

Nope, I never climb alone, 

my partner was Scott V.

One of the finest partners I have!

It’s not just a temperature reading. It’s very dependent on both humidity and sun on the rock. You’ll figure it out of your locale. Here in SoCal I like it to be sunny and over 55 for winter climbing, but I am very cold intolerant. My New England friends are much tougher. 

Climbing in winter / mixed conditions / night is good training.   During cold Washington winters I’ll run up the standard route or similar many times.  Night climbing makes routes you’ve climbed many times new and exciting. https://www.mountainproject.com/v/112371705