Oklahoma Bouldering

Q and A

Mnt File wrote:

Sometimes I feel like the vids of okie shredding are of the same two blocs from different angles….which sometimes makes for the best areas, but is that the deal?

Oklahoma has some great bouldering.  The problem is... there's just not that much of it.  Zen Pen is really fun for instance but, you can kind of tap that area out within a day or two.  I've had some hilarious and simultaneously comically bad trips there.  It's got a truly special place in my heart, no doubt about it.  

Sentimentality aside though, I think that most people would be better served making the drive to Arkansas.  Even those from OK.  There's high density, high quality bouldering, and a ton of sport climbing as well.  It's by far the best climbing in the region and I hate to say it... it's nearer and dearer to my heart.  

IMO, the best climbing that Oklahoma has to offer isn't bouldering.  It is Wichita Wildlife Refuge.  Not only is the setting fantastic but the quality of the rock is superb.  An absolute hidden gem, and you could spend multiple days there without any problems.  Without a shadow of a doubt, it is worth a visit.    

Zen pen is about an hour from Tulsa and though it doesn’t have a ton of problems it has only been developed more of late and has more than a handful of classics from v easy to v double digit. Closer to Tulsa (about 10 min from downtown Tulsa) is the classic area chandler park. With limestone climbing. Hundreds of problems on short cliff span, most with flat landings, many classics. The rock is polished and an official guidebook doesn’t exist. Osage state park is a bit further than the above two options and has some pretty sandstone problems, including oklahomas only v13 (unrepeated and probably More difficult after a break or 2). The Wichita wildlife refuge has a ton of bouldering but often requires more of an approach. My buddy Ryan Sheldon recently wrote a bouldering guidebook for the area and many developers are adding to the boulders there.

In south East Oklahoma there is some pretty bouldering near robbers cave.

At quartz mountain there are some classic boulders as well.

4 rooms in Tulsa was a really nice area for incredible cave roof bouldering and but is recently off limits (private property).

A lot of bouldering was quietly developed near Tulsa at an area called the fort.

Shotgun isn’t much further than chandler park (and a bit closer than zen pen) and has a few handful of decent established sandstone problems including sky high.

Honestly there is more but this should be enough for now! Ask a local at one of gyms for more info. Yes Arkansas has much much more climbing. Mostly sandstone and you have to drive a bit further (4 hours from Tulsa to HCR). A closer area in Arkansas is fern creek, some excellent boulders and short cliff span though nothing compared to HCR or fountain red area. Good luck! 

Any climbing groups or pages for Oklahoma? 

E Sterling Black wrote:

Any climbing groups or pages for Oklahoma? 

Yeah there are a few, primarily on facebook here are a few: “Tulsa Rock Tribe” and the Climb tulsa gym page on facebook probably has some stuff too.

Or on Instagram, message @KevinDiaz , he knows the most about OK climbing of anyone i know.