Thinking about moving to VT, how's the climbing?

My wife and I are seriously considering moving from the Boston area to the VT area to raise our 5 YO twins in more space and more in nature. I love to climb, almost entirely sport and trad but would maybe get into ice if I lived around more of it, and climbing access is a pretty top priority for me. Can any local VT climbers fill me in on the climbing scene? I've never climbed in VT. We're thinking the Burlington area, how is the climbing in Bolton?

Schools, "stuff to do", and the like are also of course important considerations. I'd be working remotely so job opportunities are less important. Appreciate any input, thanks!

Climbing is fine, especially for the first couple of years and if you sport climb somewhat hard. Nothing amazing unless you're willing to drive up north to the granite crags (black, ect), west to the daks, or east to cathedral/whitehorse/rumney. I would recommend a trip up there to check out the climbing - 82 has some of the best sport climbing near Burlington imo, or if you drive 3 hours north to black you have really good granite trad climbing. 

Maybe a biased opinion because it’s where I live in the state but, living around St Johnsbury area gets you to Bolton in under an hour, Rumney in hour, Franconia in 35 min, Conway in an hour, Burlington an hour n a half, black mountain about 45 min, plus tons of ice climbing close by as well. To me, it’s a great location. Plus if you’re raising kids, The Academy is an amazing high school that’s built like a college campus & offers so much for students.

Can't really comment on family raising in Vermont and the housing market. It is a more expensive place than average to be moving to but I suspect coming from Boston it might not seem so severe? 

I haven't been ice climbing this winter as I've had to heal a small shoulder injury and I feel motivated to train for rock more anyway at the moment, which has let me realize how bad the winters are up here if you only have rock climbing on your mind! But if you don't ice climb, ski, or have some kind of winter activity you feel passionate about, the winters can feel very isolating! The rock climbing season can variably be from March to December depending on tolerance and seasonal weather- as in, there are probably a few days where rock climbing will be reasonably pleasant during those months. Reasonably it's best to assume maybe April through October have the most reliable rock climbing days. July and August can be hot, but access to swimming holes and beaches make it much more tolerable.

The climbing is pretty good locally, the developers in Bolton always seem to be finding more of it too. I think it has enough to be engaging throughout the grade ranges. But still, Bolton isn't Rumney, Lone Rock isn't Rifle, etc. It is nice to have a variety of climbing in a short radius, between a selection of limestone near Lake Champlain, schist along the Green Mountain Range, granite in the Northeast Kingdom, and then pretty mellow drives to the Adirondacks and New Hampshire. The Gunks are a bit more involved. Still, there are much worse states to be in, and we have enough quality climbing to keep people busy for years! And places like the Bolton Dome are fairly kid friendly, and it seems like there's a lot of climbers with families around here that seem to enjoy some of the balance the area offers.

Burlington also has an airport, which can be very handy, plus a variety of good restaurants. Relative to the restaurant scene, Vietnamese and Nepali are especially well represented here from Burlington's immigrant population. You'd probably enjoy it best to be located a bit outside Burlington though, maybe in towns like Richmond or Underhill, which still have convenient climbing access but will also have more of the space you're looking for. I'd say you should definitely visit to get a taste for things when the weather is nicer! 

Nate Doyon wrote:

Maybe a biased opinion because it’s where I live in the state but, living around St Johnsbury area gets you to Bolton in under an hour, Rumney in hour, Franconia in 35 min, Conway in an hour, Burlington an hour n a half, black mountain about 45 min, plus tons of ice climbing close by as well. To me, it’s a great location. Plus if you’re raising kids, The Academy is an amazing high school that’s built like a college campus & offers so much for students.

OK great, I'll definitely check this out. St Johnsbury wasn't really on the radar but it is now. The Academy looks great but I don't think private school is in the cards, do you happen to know how the public schools are?

Nol H wrote:

I haven't been ice climbing this winter as I've had to heal a small short injury and I feel motivated to train for rock more anyway at the moment, which has let me realize how bad the winters are up here if you only have rock climbing on your mind! But if you don't ice climb, ski, or have some kind of winter activity you feel passionate about, the winters can feel very isolating! The rock climbing season can variably be from March to December depending on tolerance and seasonal weather- as in, there are probably a few days where rock climbing will be reasonably pleasant during those months. Reasonably it's best to assume maybe April through October have the most reliable rock climbing days. July and August can be hot, but access to swimming holes and beaches make it much more tolerable.

The climbing is pretty good locally, the developers in Bolton always seem to be finding more of it too. I think it has enough to be engaging throughout the grade ranges. But still, Bolton isn't Rumney, Lone Rock isn't Rifle, etc. It is nice to have a variety of climbing in a short radius, between a selection of limestone near Lake Champlain, schist along the Green Mountain Range, granite in the Northeast Kingdom, and then pretty mellow drives to the Adirondacks and New Hampshire. The Gunks are a bit more involved. Still, there are much worse states to be in, and we have enough quality climbing to keep people busy for years! And places like the Bolton Dome are fairly kid friendly, and it seems like there's a lot of climbers with families around here that seem to enjoy some of the balance the area offers.

Yeah having a winter sport is key. I ski, hike, and do a bit of ice climbing in the winter so that's how I get through.

Thanks for the info on the local scene. I think that would be enough for me but I guess I'll just need to plan a climbing weekend there. How are the gyms around Burlington?

Ian Smith wrote:

Yeah having a winter sport is key. I ski, hike, and do a bit of ice climbing in the winter so that's how I get through.

Thanks for the info on the local scene. I think that would be enough for me but I guess I'll just need to plan a climbing weekend there. How are the gyms around Burlington?

Metrorock is the larger of the two, which features the most roped climbing, bouldering and training facilities. Word of mouth is that it is the best of the Metrorock gyms. Petra Cliffs is a bit smaller and has more of an old school feel. Both have good setters, though it has been a few years since I've been to Petra. Both are very kid friendly, many climbers might simply opt for whichever gym is more convenient for them. 

Former VT native here, so I go back to visit a lot. The VT climbing is pretty OK. There are die hards who love it, but it's honestly outclassed by NY and NH. What kind of climbing do you want? From the Burlington area, there is locally accessible cragging and bouldering at Bolton (could be a half day activity). Full day options, you have a bit more. If you're willing to drive up to 3 hours on the weekend, there is a TON. Gunks, Daks, Whites, etc., lots and lots of good stuff. As a weekend warrior I think Burlington could be a great place to live. Depending on what parenting looks like for you, you might find it hard to get to the good climbing if you aren't doing overnights or ultra long day trips.

The metro rock gym is sweet, and can hang with most modern facilities. Nice people. 

St J is close to Jay Peak, the only VT resort worth skiing IMO, but it's a pretty small town. Big lifestyle change from Boston.

Ian Smith wrote:

OK great, I'll definitely check this out. St Johnsbury wasn't really on the radar but it is now. The Academy looks great but I don't think private school is in the cards, do you happen to know how the public schools are?

St J academy is a hybrid of sorts: it's a private boarding school that people from around the world attend, but it also has day students who live in the area. If you live in St. Johnsbury,  it is the default high school and your kid attends for free. I just toured it with my daughter, seems pretty sweet . 

The climbing access in St J is arguably better than Burlington too. But it's a much smaller town without much in the way of "culture" or nightlife or whatever Burlington has going for it.  It's a great area for being antisocial. 

I think the key to climbing in VT is to have a flexible schedule.  The weather sucks a lot of the time. If you have one day a week to climb, chances are its gonna rain. The ability to mold your work/kid schedule around the good climbing days is important.  Also, you gotta have other hobbies. If it's too wet/cold/buggy to climb, a backup plan is crucial for your mental health. 

Eric Chabot wrote:

Former VT native here, so I go back to visit a lot. The VT climbing is pretty OK. There are die hards who love it, but it's honestly outclassed by NY and NH. What kind of climbing do you want? From the Burlington area, there is locally accessible cragging and bouldering at Bolton (could be a half day activity). Full day options, you have a bit more. If you're willing to drive up to 3 hours on the weekend, there is a TON. Gunks, Daks, Whites, etc., lots and lots of good stuff. As a weekend warrior I think Burlington could be a great place to live. Depending on what parenting looks like for you, you might find it hard to get to the good climbing if you aren't doing overnights or ultra long day trips.

The metro rock gym is sweet, and can hang with most modern facilities. Nice people. 

St J is close to Jay Peak, the only VT resort worth skiing IMO, but it's a pretty small town. Big lifestyle change from Boston.

Ah this is what I was worried about, that it's just OK. I'd be fine with cragging a bunch if it's good cragging you know? It's hard to compare to the US but I lived in Hong Kong for 4 years and that was excellent cragging, like 20 different crags within an hour, all of which you could climb all day at. I'm guessing VT doesn't have that haha.

Curious if you have any particularly recommended towns in NY or NH? We've thought about North Conway but it doesn't quite have the diversity we're looking for. Which is a lot to ask for from a mountain town, but still... New Paltz would have the diversity as a college town but from the couple weekends I've been there, there doesn't seem to be much else to the town besides SUNY and the Gunks. From what I've gathered so far (but would love to be proved wrong!) Burlington seems like the best/only combo that offers outdoors but also more than that in the Northeast. I mean my ideal place would be Boulder but located within driving distance of our family in Boston.

Ian Smith wrote:

Ah this is what I was worried about, that it's just OK. I'd be fine with cragging a bunch if it's good cragging you know? It's hard to compare to the US but I lived in Hong Kong for 4 years and that was excellent cragging, like 20 different crags within an hour, all of which you could climb all day at. I'm guessing VT doesn't have that haha.

I would agree that the climbing access and quality in Vermont is "just ok" when compared to Hong Kong and Boulder, sorry to disappoint you

Nol H wrote:

I would agree that the climbing access and quality in Vermont is "just ok" when compared to Hong Kong and Boulder, sorry to disappoint you

Vermont is actually referred to by many as the Hong Kong of the Northeast. 

If you're coming from Boston, I wouldn't call Boulder or Burlington diverse.

I think the key to nailing where to live for climbing is to really be honest with yourself about how willing you are to drive and also how much time you really spend climbing.

If you climb 20 days a year VT has plenty of climbing to keep you busy especially if you are willing to drive 2-3 hours to explore the state.

VT has better food, better access, less crowds than NY or NH.

If you prefer the climbing in MA,NH, or NY i would still choose to drive there to climb and spend the rest of my not climbing time in VT.

Personally I think Boulder is one of the most overrated places to live as a climber. The front range is mega crowded, expensive, and the climbing is not world class.  

Ian Smith wrote:

OK great, I'll definitely check this out. St Johnsbury wasn't really on the radar but it is now. The Academy looks great but I don't think private school is in the cards, do you happen to know how the public schools are?

Public schools in the area seem okay, most of the surrounding schools still offer their students to go to the academy to take elective courses because they don’t offer them so they have buses take the kids to & from the Academy for those courses. Being from the area & going to the academy I always forgot it was a private school because it doesn’t really have that vibe other than a dress code which is pretty minimal in my opinion.

I moved to the Upper Valley (roughly the area in NH/VT surrounding Hanover, NH/Dartmouth) this summer. Small town feel with good culture because of Dartmouth. (Not diverse, though. Really nothing outside of Boston or Portland in New England really is…) I’ve been astonished at how awesome it is to be an hour from Rumney. Long day trip to N. Conway or the Daks is possible (weekend is easy). Gotta learn to love to ski to really love it year-round. But you’re from Boston so you know the drill weather-wise. (Whoever said Jay is the only thing worth skiing in the east is wrong. Lots of great mountains and small hills. The ski culture here makes up for the lack of snow/terrain.)

This area is closer to your family in Boston than Burlington and has better climbing access, I think, because of proximity to Rumney. Schools are very good. Finding housing can be hard. 

Alec O wrote:

I moved to the Upper Valley (roughly the area in NH/VT surrounding Hanover, NH/Dartmouth) this summer. Small town feel with good culture because of Dartmouth. (Not diverse, though. Really nothing outside of Boston or Portland in New England really is…) I’ve been astonished at how awesome it is to be an hour from Rumney. Long day trip to N. Conway or the Daks is possible (weekend is easy). Gotta learn to love to ski to really love it year-round. But you’re from Boston so you know the drill weather-wise. (Whoever said Jay is the only thing worth skiing in the east is wrong. Lots of great mountains and small hills. The ski culture here makes up for the lack of snow/terrain.)

This area is closer to your family in Boston than Burlington and has better climbing access, I think, because of proximity to Rumney. Schools are very good. Finding housing can be hard. 

Thanks, this sounds great, the wife and I will check it out! And yeah, I'm used to New England weather and know what I'd be getting into with VT/NH. I actually think it would be better because hopefully there's more snow and you could consistently ski, cross country ski, snowshoe, etc. whereas around Boston we'll get dumped with snow and then it melts a couple days later.

DR wrote:

I think the key to nailing where to live for climbing is to really be honest with yourself about how willing you are to drive and also how much time you really spend climbing.

If you climb 20 days a year VT has plenty of climbing to keep you busy especially if you are willing to drive 2-3 hours to explore the state.

VT has better food, better access, less crowds than NY or NH.

If you prefer the climbing in MA,NH, or NY i would still choose to drive there to climb and spend the rest of my not climbing time in VT.

Personally I think Boulder is one of the most overrated places to live as a climber. The front range is mega crowded, expensive, and the climbing is not world class.  

I hope to climb a lot when I move, like multiple times a week ideally. So local access would be important, even if it's just a crag a half hour away. Then I could drive to bigger places when I have more free time.

As many have said before, the local rock is very meh. However, It is close to town and many crags are nice for after work sessions. Since you're from New England I'll assume you are already aware of the weather situation. I was unprepared for the realities of the rain/bugs/cold/heat/humidity.

With respect to raising kids, the schools here are fantastic. The cultural and racial diversity is not. 

Brian E wrote:

As many have said before, the local rock is very meh. However, It is close to town and many crags are nice for after work sessions. Since you're from New England I'll assume you are already aware of the weather situation. I was unprepared for the realities of the rain/bugs/cold/heat/humidity.

With respect to raising kids, the schools here are fantastic. The cultural and racial diversity is not. 

Great, thanks for the perspective. Will have to think it through, obviously no place is perfect so we'll have to weigh what we want that's close to family. 

Yeah man look at the Upper Valley--Hanover/Lebanon (NH), White River Jct (VT) and surrounding communities. It's where I grew up, and being a kid there kicked ass. You're not far from Rumney, which is vastly superior to Bolton, so if you're within afternoon cragging range of there, you'll be stoked spring summer and fall. There's no modern gym in that area but word on the street is there is one in the works. But, towns are small. Order of magnitude smaller than Burlington.