A good city for climbing?

I've never been to Colorado or California but if it was me i would definitely look into those places. But with the knowledge I have of the southeast, I would move to Chattanooga in Tennesse.... all sorts of climbing is close.

I looked into Chatty...unfortunately, its the one place that doesn't have a bridge design unit in Tenn DOH...ugh!

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OH MAN! that really sucks! What about Slade, KY, lol....

In Climbing Magazine, there was a study done on the best climbing cities.
the top three were:

1. Denver
2. Las Vegas
3. Colorado Springs

I can get more details once I get home.

If I remember correctly, I think the top 10 climbing cities were all out west, except for Chattanooga, TN was ranked 5. Not surprising because there is a lot of good rock right around there (LRC, HP40, Sandrock, T-Wall, etc)

The sad thing is that I've lived in those top 3 cities, and didn't start climbing until I got to DC, which must be ranked like #247 or something like that. Glad I'm back in Colorado Springs!

-
http://www.paradoxsports.org
http://vegas.smugmug.com
http://www.coloradospringsrockratz.com

I'm with Climbing Magazine. There's also Salt Lake City to consider. Centrally located, not as crazy as Las Vegas.

What if you don't want to live in a bigger city? Small towns = close to the rock.
Licentia Haud Vestigium

I'm thinking Big City...I tried the Small Town thing and its pretty lonely. I checked into KY, but their DOH pays worse that WV! UGH! I'm thinking Boulder (or Colorado Springs or Golden or Denver or Fort Collins), though I'll check out Salt Lake City. I was wondering if anyone was going to mention it.

I'm going to look further into Chatty though.  I may be able to get a job in the private sector there...and I hear the cost of living isn't too bad. 

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One problem about moving out west though, is that I think my whole photography gig will crash and burn hardcore since there's a bunch of peeps with fancy cameras running around out there...

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A fancy camera does not make for a better photo there DB.
Licentia Haud Vestigium

Near DC, go to Senaca Rocks West Virginia scared the crap out of me.

Las Vegas is Hot!!! I like Red Rocks but if you go to Vegas check out all the climbing around St George. A great guide book has been put out. I cant remember the name I lent it to a friend. Probably the best lay out of any guide book I have ever seen. You have everything from Zion (Not in book ) to this park like place with a pool and benches for belaying. I think over 2000 routes have been put up in SW Utah since 1995. Also some climbing near Cedar City.

I like climbing in Salt Lake. Tons of routes in both Little and Big Cotton Wood Canyon. Just Remember you cant take your Dog!!

I will stay right here in good old Colorado.
Peace

Reno, You are right by Tahoe!

Fort Collins, Colorado. I live in Denver now but grew up in FC and I can say that FC has Denver by a mile. Don't get me wrong, Denver is good but there is no comparison.

agree that FCol or Springs are so much nicer than in Denver itself. Same climbing within 4 hours for all, so why not live in a nice place like FortCollins or even better, Loveland. That is one beautiful little city.

hey now,

285 corridor is the way to go. You have some of the best climbing in the STATE. We have some of the best mountain biking IE: Buffalo Creek. We are much closer to Wilderness areas that are virtually ignored IE: Lost creek wilderness. Don't even bring up the skiing. We can access some of the best back country in Colorado real quick. If you like ski areas: loveland kicks ass. When I Telemark ski in the area I ski LOVELAND.I even get a free pass with the fire dept somewhere else. So don't write off Denver. I better quite sharing the secrete before i get my but kicked!
Peace
JB

No one has said anything about Boulder???

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I don't think you have to say anything about Boulder. The climbing speaks for itself. It is busy and expensive. When I say busy I mean the climbing areas. Of course the more you hike the fewer the people.

Boulder is great but like ff113 says, its expensive. IMHO, theres better places with as good as, if not better climbing.

Probably bias opinion, but I would say Colorado Springs. Just here in the Springs itself you have Garden of the Gods, Red Rock Canyon, Cheyenne Canyon. North about 30 minutes you have Castle wood Canyon, and even further north about an Hour and half you have Eldorado Springs, and Boulder area. Head West through the pass and you have 11mile (about an hour or so) and just right down awesome climbing here! South you have Canyon city with shelf road (about hour and half).

That is just to name a few are some locations I have not been or just don’t know the name of, and Gonzo is right a fancy camera does not make a better picture, oh and of course you have the ice climbing you can get too around here, but AKC could comment on that better than I could, and then the big bonus you could hang out with CSRR [lol :)]

Hope you find a good place and wish you the best of luck!

"Need a Belay?"

Can you try and convince me of Colorado Springs? I'm looking for a good, after work bouldering destination (I can work FLEX time.) Also, I'd like a good climbing gym to hit up after work.

I'm a little worried about moving; Do you think I'll be able to find people to climb with in Colorado? I'm pretty sufficient with the whole belaying and climbing thing etc. Are people clicky?

Thanks everyone for the good info.

-Dan

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Pludos forgot to mention Ute Pass in Manitous Springs. Arguably, some of the best granite boulders in the state. Of course, theres bouldering in Garden of the Gods and Ute Vally also; both are sandstone. Theres only one gym (at the moment); the Sport Climbing Center. Theres also The Rock in Monument, which is north of The Springs.
If you like trad, there all of the South Platte, including Turkey Rock, amazing collection of cracks and I'm sure you'd love the Sheeps Nose Bouldering area.

Lemme see, climbing areas with driving times from Colorado Springs:

30 min: Garden of The Gods, Red Rock Canyon, Cheyenne Canyon, Ute Pass, Ute Valley
1 hour: Castlewood Canyon, Eleven Mile Canyon
1.5 hours: Shelf Road, Turkey Rock, Sheeps Nose
2 hours: Tanner Dome, Clear Creek Canyon, North Table Mountain, Some South Splatte
2.5 hours: Eldo, Boulder, More South Platte
3.5 hours: Vedauwoo, Penitente Canyon, RMNP, Lumpy

I think thats the major stuff. theres lots of little places too ;)

As for finding partners, theres plenty of folks in the Springs and all over the Front Range to climb with.

I personally like Teller COunty, which is west of the Springs. Quiet small towns but you're 30 min from Colorado Springs if you need to get to the city.

Agree to all above notes on the Springs are, just so it is clear of Denver city I say. I'm not a big Denver fan. Love all that is nearby, within the 4 hour drives, so why not work/live in one of those burbs instead of Denver itself? I checked out homes and jobs in Loveland about 5 years ago,and would have done it if the time was right for me.

I myself have not and never will live in a city. I have always been in small towns or the country. I have turned down a few job opportunities on the western slope of Colorado. The decision was tough. One of the major reasons for being close to Denver, Which the Springs and Ft Collins are is DIA. Everyone says WHAT DIA!!!! Well for all the bad publicity it gets let me tell you something good about DIA. How about a direct flight to Munich for 330.00. Sure I looked hard for that flight but I got it. Its not as good as Chicago or New York for getting out of town but were getting their.

One more point on Ft Collins and the springs. They are both great towns. If you ski or board or tele like me they are a bit farther from skiing. Ok, Fort Collins has Cameron Pass I will give you that. The springs you can go to Breck or Monarch without going on I 70. I myself like being close the skiing.

As far as Ice climbing they are all good.

A good Colorado small town. How about Salida! allot of new climbing activity in the Arkansas valley. You are also close to many other good areas.

I love Salida.

I hiked a couple of 14ers in that area and we stayed in Salida and on Friday night in the Summer the whole town dresses up 50's style and cruises main street. I had never seen anything like it, there were greasers, it reminded me of Happy Days.

I heard boulder just gets like super cold and snowy in the winter and you have to wait out to climb sometimes because of the snow.

Sooooo i advise to look more into chatty, because its the best. and you could do photography shoots in the southeast! and i climb in the southeast, sooo...... =)

I am climbing exclusivly at the Flatirons in Boulder this Winter and it does get cold but you can climb in Colorado all year. In fact Summer is probably the worst season, I would rank the seasons like this from good to bad -

Fall
Spring
Winter
Summer

Summer in Fayetteville (WV) sucks big time too....

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San Diego,

Bouldering is everywhere. You can't beat the weather, Joshua Tree and Black Mountain (Suicide and Tahquitz Rock) are within 2 hours. Within 15 minutes of anywhere in San Diego is great bouldering. 2 great gyms, Vertical Hold and Solidrock. Cost of living is high but who cares when you live in SD. A place called Pump Wall, Climb on the beach until your arms fall off. Hands down

There has been a similar discussion going on at another climbing bbs and Chattanooga, Vegas, SLC all came up. The sentiment on that site for CO was Fort Collins. Other suggestions included Boise, ID and Bend, OR. I had done some research into this subject a while back and decided that based on my chances for getting a good job in my profession (civil & environmental engineering) that Albuquerque, NM would be a good choice. ___________________________________________________________________ Support the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. Join the RRGCC's growing group of friends on MySpace.

God help you captain static, God help you.

I actually heard of really good climbing in New Mexico and apparently the locals like swear to an oath or something and they keep it way under wraps to keep people from coming in and jacking it all up. Any truth to that captain static?

BA, check my profile pic, Garden of the Gods in Feb., 40 degrees in Denver, and I'm climbing in shorts and no shirt, 'cause in the sun on the wall, it was closer to 70 degrees. The Front Range has to have upsloped winds, from an Easterly direction to get snow, so it isn't as bad as the mountains. If you can find a south, or west facing wall you can climb in the winter pretty comfortably.
Cheers!

I'm really feeling Boulder/Denver/Fort Collins, though from what I've heard, its really tough to be the quality of the rock at the New River Gorge.

Looking at Photos of like Foster's Falls, having climbed at Shelf etc....it doesn't look to be as good. I like the Red, but there's no way I could find myself a reasonable quality of life there....hrmmmmmmm......

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I could halfway consider California. One nice thing is that CalTrans pays moving expenses =)

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Shelf road and Garden of The Gods are probably my two least favorite crag areas in Colorado so don't make your judgement on that. The quality of rock in RMNP is the best I've ever been on, Lumpy Ridge is good, Vedawoo is 60 minutes from Fort Collins, Rotary Park, Duncans Ridge, Torture Chamber, and Piano Boulders are all 5 minutes away up at Horsetooth Reservoir with so many John Gill and Mark Wilford problems you may never get around to them all. The Crystal Wall and The Palace are 20min. from FC and host a slew of sport routes. It's hard to beat FC.

and of course, Boulder and Eldo aren't too far away from FoCo

True, and you don't have to live in Boulder.

I am in love with the Flatirons and will be stomping there this Winter a lot. I can't wait, no people, awesome feel with winter climbing, 4 - 12 pitch trad routes with rated R and X runouts. Can't wait.