Moving to Tucson AZ. Housing, Climbing Partners

MP,

Excited to say I am moving to Tucscon AZ after finding a job there. I am coming all the way from the south east, so it should be quite a change (in humidity). I'm pretty psyched - there looks to be year round climbing and positive comments on the community there.

I'll roll in about the 27th. It would be great to meet up with some fellow MP'ers at the gym, around town, or potentially the Catalinas.

• Almost equally important, if anyone could offer some leads for short term housing, that would be much appreciated.

-Raines

My friend has a rental house in Tucson that might be available for a short term lease. Shoot me an PM if you're interested.
Good luck on the move.

Where in the Southeast? I grew up in Chattanooga. In a year you will be bitching when its higher than 20% humidity here like I do. I blew my hamstring and wont be climbing for a while but welcome to town.

Watch out: Those guys and gals from Tucson are known to be horrible trail-builders that aren't accepting of any outside brethren. Good luck.

Locals are definitely protective of their Catalinas. In my opinion, they are nothing to brag about. Mostly sport climbs with a huge emphasis on 5.12 and up. Even on the classics there frequently have holds and parts of the climb that break. A few cool areas though. Don't lose the stoke the climbers are good people. I spent 3 months during winter there just recently and that's the time to be there. Summer is going to suck ballz...100+ temps in the city with a little relief in the mountains.

I have a room available for rent in my house in Tucson. Very well located, close to the U of A campus and next to Reid Park. PM me for more info...

Welcome to Tucson!
You will find that is terrific place to live. Great community and great climbing all year round. Even in the summer you got great temps on Mount Lemmon summit, so don't pay attention to naysayers...

I have to differ with some of the opinions offered by Ryan N. The climbing here is mostly good. A lot of vertical edging routes. In addition to good routes 5.12 and above, there are many great routes of lower grades especially in the 5.10 and 5.11 range. We have more climbable days per year than anywhere else in the country. Summer climbing is great! The top of Mount Lemmon has an elevation of 9,159 feet, more than 6,500 feet higher than town. So if you climb in the shade near the top of the mountain conditions are fine on even the hottest days.There are a number of other great crags nearby such as the Stronghold, The Dry, The Homestead, etc. I hope you enjoy your stay in Tucson.

I lived and climbed in Tucson for 6 1/2 years. It makes sense to think climbing in Tucson in the summer is a death warrant, but it's not. Not only can you climb all summer, but I'll go ahead and offer my opinion that the climbing near the top of Lemmon is the best on the mountain.

I've always thought it was unfortunate that out of towners come to Mt. Lemmon to climb in the winter, and miss out on what I think is, in many instances, superior climbing up top.

BTW: I don't know if anyone caught on to my sarcasm of my previous post. The truth is that the Tucson crew is top-notch and the climbing is incredible, year round. The summer offers some of the best climbing on Lemmon at the higher altitudes, especially the summit crags (make sure to check the Falcon nesting closures). Have fun!

RJ

Hey! I'm a recent transplant from the south as well (South Carolina). I've been here about 6 months, and have only recently started to get into climbing, but I'd be happy to partner with you if you don't mind a newbie

JoeS wrote:I have to differ with some of the opinions offered by Ryan N. The climbing here is mostly good. A lot of vertical edging routes. In addition to good routes 5.12 and above, there are many great routes of lower grades especially in the 5.10 and 5.11 range. We have more climbable days per year than anywhere else in the country. Summer climbing is great! The top of Mount Lemmon has an elevation of 9,159 feet, more than 6,500 feet higher than town. So if you climb in the shade near the top of the mountain conditions are fine on even the hottest days.There are a number of other great crags nearby such as the Stronghold, The Dry, The Homestead, etc. I hope you enjoy your stay in Tucson.

Not to continue bashing Tucson, but you just proved my point. To climb in the summer it's a 45 min drive up the mountain(if you don't get stuck behind a touron) to look for shade and hope the summit crags don't have high winds. When I lived there I was up in Starr Pass a fairly nice area. Though the city of tucson is quite the opposite. The roads are in a horrible state of disrepair, commuting on a bike is fucking dangerous to say the least. The climbing community is top notch no doubt, but as for the locals mostly comprised of Hispanic transplants you better have a good understanding of the Spanish language. The south end of town has all the road signs in kilometers so that gives you an idea of the culture there. There are literally 2 freeways in town which skirt the outside. To go a distance of 10 miles be prepared to take 45 min as the speed limits are 35 mph city wide and traffic is horrible. As far as the towns amenities go they are the same as any city of that size. FWIW, I spent 10 years in Scottsdale and loved it, but unless your in the far north like flagstaff summer is pretty shitty though.

Ryan N wrote:
" The south end of town has all the road signs in kilometers so that gives you an idea of the culture there"

Hah Hah! As a Canadian this makes me laugh. Ryan N. Please don't visit Canada as our metric road signs and inferior culture are sure to offend you.

Raines: Welcome to Tucson. Please ignore the trolls and come experience the place for yourself. Like anywhere there are advantage and disadvantages, however Tucson has one of the nicest climbing communities of anywhere I have ever lived.

"Canada" Eric Ruljancich wrote:Ryan N wrote: " The south end of town has all the road signs in kilometers so that gives you an idea of the culture there" Hah Hah! As a Canadian this makes me laugh. Ryan N. Please don't visit Canada as our metric road signs and inferior culture are sure to offend you. Raines: Welcome to Tucson. Please ignore the trolls and come experience the place for yourself. Like anywhere there are advantage and disadvantages, however Tucson has one of the nicest climbing communities of anywhere I have ever lived.

I didn't reference the km signs as a way of disapproving. It's a measure of how many Mexicans are in town. The fact that they only know km not miles. I actually wish the entire us would switch to metric system it's much easier to understand. Also the first hundred miles of the highways in Mexico are not in miles...

Also I'm on track to be in Canada for this winter. Look out!

The south end of Tucson isn't Tucson. It's South Tucson, different town different attitude,different culture.That being said South Tucson is a place to avoid.

I recently moved here from New Hampshire and couldn't be happier. The climbing is great with a very big community. I started climbing outdoors these past few weeks and it's great. Interesting secluded crags with great weather on the summit this time of year. I'm still definitely a newbie to outdoor climbing but have really been enjoying myself ( I did a few tens that had some really interesting moves while my friends were doing some really cool 12's)Shoot me a message if you want to do some climbing when you get to town. Overall Tucson is a big city surrounded by some by beautiful wilderness on all sides. It has the friendliest people I've ever met and so much to explore in the mountains. Enjoy.
As far as housing I would look towards the north side of town. Tucson is massive and depending on where you live the crags can be a very long drive. I live on river and campbell and it's close enough to the city that I feel like I'm in it ( 3 or 4 miles to downtown) but also relatively easy to get to the mountains on the north west and east of the city. Access to Mount Lemmon is on the northeast side.

Thanks for all the info guys.

For those that offered, I'll give you a pm when I'm in town and I'd be psyched to brave the heat to go climb (or even just pull in the gym)

I did end up finding a spot in town that apparently has two other climbers/hikers living there, so I feel good about that. I will be pretty close to downtown and my work - I think I can even walk to the Rocks and Ropes down there? Could be worse.

Raines, you will enjoy it here, the climbing quality gets better on the mountain the higher you go which is a plus in the summer. Also, the "Hispanic" population is firstly not the "majority" here nor is there any issue surrounding it unless you simply hate culture. They have a different culture (which I see as a plus) but honestly, I have lived in both South Tucson and Barrio Hollywood, I was the minority in both and most white people would say "stay clear" yet they were the best places I've lived in Tucson, helpful, a sense of community, good folks in those areas willing to help you if you need it.

I will say that the climbing community has some issues, a lot of friendly people but sickeningly incestuous for my tastes, maybe that's how all climbing communities are I don't know. I also have like 30 hobbies I juggle so in all fairness I may be less invested in some of the issues than others. All the same, even with that we all tend to have each others backs politics or differences of opinions aside.

You will love it here, get used to sharp crimps and elevation with a pack and enjoy yourself and the really awesome people you'll meet!

Adam its funny you say that because of all the places I have lived in Tucson my favorite places are my parents house in the Foothills and when Kristina and I lived in Barrio Hollywood (and we are white).

Raines, feel free to shoot me a PM if you need someone to climb with.