Top 10 "best" climbing destinations in the world?

Hey,

I was just curious as to what people think are the 10 best climbing destinations in the world for variety of routes, beauty, culture of climbing, etc.

Obviously Yosemite is up there, as are Trenton, New Jersey and Gary, Indiana. Where else? Gotta be some amazing climbing in Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Norway.

Passaic River rail road bridge River RD Chatham NJ,
The Dead Dog Wall,railway RD(?) in Edison NJ , Johnson & Johnson wall Highland NJ
Behind the Irish pub in Suffern NY(Black Irish Boilermaker .12c/d bolted, no hangers)
The quarried caves, arches and shafts off Creeklocks RD in frosenbale ny
Joplenberg mtn,Merry widow Cave.Binniewater RD, frosenbale NY
Don't use THOSE Leaves( to Ashwipe) Quarry, Kingston NY
The Falls & Garrett Mnt., Patterson NJ (The backside of police department building,see MP,)
The backside of the Morristown NJ police department building
Quarried slot canyon RT 32 Esopus NY
Ivan Green's Coffee shop, Pudge Nuckels, in Brooklyn NY
(well, only if you like good coffee)
These are all real climbing areas,
where TROLLS LIVE

EDIT; My other list, (only places I've climbed) no order of preference

(Arikok National Park (Is. ARBa), Devil's Head CO , Lone Peak Cirque UT, Lee Vining CA, Fremont Canyon WY, Cathedral Spires SD, Baths Virgin Gorda BVI, Devils Tower WY, Enchanted Tower NM, Finale Italy)

My list, not necessarily in order of preference (and only based off of the handful of places I've climbed)

1) Kalymnos, Greece (Sport)
2) Squamish, Canada (Trad)
3) Canmore/Banff, Canada (Sport/Trad)
4) Fontainbleau, France (Bouldering)
5) Red Rocks, US (Trad)
6) Gunks, US (Trad)
7) Arco, Italy (Sport)
8) Dolomites, Italy (Trad)
9) Chamonix, France (Sport/Trad)
10) Bugaboos, Canada (Trad)

What about Red River Gorge, And Bishop?

I can't judge places that I haven't climbed at. I'd be interested to see other people's top 10 list based only on places that they have climbed. Obviously 'best' is entirely subjective, but I still think other peoples personal lists are interesting.

David Morgantini wrote:My list, not necessarily in order of preference (and only based off of the handful of places I've climbed) 1) Kalymnos, Greece (Sport) 2) Squamish, Canada (Trad) 3) Canmore/Banff, Canada (Sport/Trad) 4) Fontainbleau, France (Bouldering) 5) Red Rocks, US (Trad) 6) Gunks, US (Trad) 7) Arco, Italy (Sport) 8) Dolomites, Italy (Trad) 9) Chamonix, France (Sport/Trad) 10) Bugaboos, Canada (Trad)

Funny the Gunks makes your list but not Yosemite. The Gunks is a gym compared to Yosemite.

If you like crack climbing, hands down Indian Creak is the best in North America, if not the world, for splitter cracks.

For sport, there is the obvious names: Smith, NRG, RRG, but Ten Sleep ranks pretty high on the list of "really good crags many people wont ever visit."

Tonsai, Thailand
Verdon Gorge, France
Dolomites, Italy
Riglos, Spain
Potrero Chico, Mexico
Yosemite, CA
Moab (includes Indian Creek and towers), UT
Eldorado Canyon, CO
Gunks, NY
New River Gorge,WV
Plus Squamish!

My list of places I'd place in top ten. I've climbed at all of them and would return in a heartbeat. I like sport and trad climbing equally. They are in no particular order as far as "best" but I would love to live on the edge of the Verdon Gorge.

Places I have been that I think deserve world recognition(In no particular order)

Rumney, NH (Sport)
Adirondack Mountains, NY (Adventure Trad)
Red River Gorge, KY (Sport / Trad)
Canmore, AB (Sport, Trad, Alpine)
Yoho National Park, BC (Trad, Alpine)
Purcell Mountains, BC (Trad, Alpine)

I do have many other favorite areas, but they are not very much known outside the region and wouldn't be considered world class by any stretch of the imagination. (Val-David, Luskville, Cap-Des-Peres, Montagne d'Argent, Calabogie, and many more...)

While local crags may not have the exposure, quantity of climbing, and legendary reputation (ha!) big destinations have, I do find myself attached to them simply because of the classic days i've spent there and because of the projects that still spit me off.

20 kN wrote: Funny the Gunks makes your list but not Yosemite.

Cause I am a sad climber who has not yet made the pilgrimage to Yosemite.

Jfaub wrote:Places I have been that I think deserve world recognition(In no particular order) Rumney, NH (Sport) Adirondack Mountains, NY (Adventure Trad) Red River Gorge, KY (Sport / Trad) Canmore, AB (Sport, Trad, Alpine) Yoho National Park, BC (Trad, Alpine) Purcell Mountains, BC (Trad, Alpine) I do have many other favorite areas, but they are not very much known outside the region and wouldn't be considered world class by any stretch of the imagination. (Val-David, Luskville, Cap-Des-Peres, Montagne d'Argent, Calabogie, and many more...) While local crags may not have the exposure, quantity of climbing, and legendary reputation (ha!) big destinations have, I do find myself attached to them simply because of the classic days i've spent there and because of the projects that still spit me off.

I wouldn't consider Rumney to be world class. Its good and since it is the only major sport climbing area in the NE it has a special quality. However I would never take a long distance trip to go to Rumney. I don't think it is even half as good as the Red or New.

I love the ADKS though. They are something very special for the East Coast.

Here are my top seven in United States, never been to Europe or Canada so I will keep 8, 9, and 10 open. Climbed a few spots in Thailand 12 years ago and it was like an overcrowded gym with very bad guide services seizing the crags...

1. Yosemite, California
2. Eldorado Canyon, Colorado
3. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
4. Red Rock, Nevada
5. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
6. The Gunks, New York
7. Lovers Leap, Strawberry, California

This list is more a list of where people climbed, that the 10 best. I understand the limits of the question though. Here's my list, assuming the question is geared more toward cragging than big ranges:

Yosemite (that includes Tuolumne)
Arapiles
Moab
Buoux/Ceuse/Verdon (I know that's three but hard to pick which one--best limestone in the world)
Eldo
Fontainebleau

I think the Grit, in totality, should warrant consideration. The climbing there is just so brilliant as the Brits would say.

If I had to pick a range for rock climbing potential, I'd have to include the Sierra, though the Winds look strong too.

Though I include the Font, if I had to pick another area for pure bouldering, it would be hard to overlook Hueco Tanks.

There have to be a ton of other places that would be contenders that I'm just not familiar with. I see pictures of a place like Ratikon, for example, and it looks rad; but never been so hard to say.

jamesldavis1 wrote:Hey, I was just curious as to what people think are the 10 best climbing destinations in the world for variety of routes, beauty, culture of climbing, etc. Obviously Yosemite is up there, as are Trenton, New Jersey and Gary, Indiana. Where else? Gotta be some amazing climbing in Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Norway.

Yeah, Trenton, NJ and Gary, Indiana are hidden gems. Everyone should put those on their "must-do" list.

i don't see little devil on anybody's list, which is total horse shit...

manuel rangel wrote:Tonsai, Thailand Verdon Gorge, France Dolomites, Italy Riglos, Spain Potrero Chico, Mexico Yosemite, CA Moab (includes Indian Creek and towers), UT Eldorado Canyon, CO Gunks, NY New River Gorge,WV Plus Squamish! My list of places I'd place in top ten. I've climbed at all of them and would return in a heartbeat. I like sport and trad climbing equally. They are in no particular order as far as "best" but I would love to live on the edge of the Verdon Gorge.

Tonsai is really dope, Thailand def one of the coolest places in the world.

Go devils!

For variety, beauty and climbing culture, haven't been a ton of places but here is my list:

1) New River Gorge
2) Grand Teton National Park
3) Red Rocks
4) Yosemite
5) Sierra + Owens River + Bishop
6) Sardinia (The Whole Island is a playground, cheap, with few but mazing people)
7) Smith Rock

I would think Verdon, or Ceuse, Chamonix, Dolomites, Squamish, Bugaboos might beat out a few of mine but haven't been to any before

1. Charakusa Valley, Karakoram, Pakistan
2. Nangma Valley, Karakoram, Pakistan
3. Choktoi Glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan
5. Baltoro Glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan
6. Biafo Glacier, Pakistan
7. Deosai Mountains, Karakoram, Pakistan
8. Thalle Valley, Karakoram, Pakistan
9. Hispar Glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan
10. Sath Marau Glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan

Yes I know its biased but I only put up big walls over 5000 feet high, and most of those happen to be in Pakistan. I was assuming the list was for rock climbs only, otherwise Id throw the Himalayas and Hindukush mountains in there too.

Hueco
bishop
Redd rocks
the red
Joes
maple
af
Charleston
Poux (kidding)

jamesldavis1 wrote: for variety of routes, beauty, culture of climbing, etc

Using these guidelines, and considering only places I've been ...

1. Squamish (mainly for trad, bouldering, and long routes - there are better sport climbing areas, if that's your thing - probably the most friendly and accessible place for visiting climbing that I've seen)

2a. Yosemite (like Squamish, but bigger, though without the ocean and with rangers)

2b. Bishop and area (mainly for bouldering, but there is a lot of alpine rock climbing very close by - some sport and single pitch trad too)

2c. The Bugaboos (alpine trad only, but it's sooooo nice)

5. Red Rocks (trad, long routes, sport, some bouldering - but unfortunately with Las Vegas as the backdrop)

6. The Gunks (not a lot of variety or beauty, but a great town and well worth a visit if trad is your thing - possibly the highest concentration of gumbies in the world)

I've climbed a lot in North America, particularly in the west, but never outside of North America so take this all with a grain of salt.

The Chaltèn Massif has to be somewhere on the list. I haven't been anywhere else that's close. Every route is big, beautiful, challenging and entirely unique.

Ali Jaffri wrote:...but I only put up big walls over 5000 feet high, and most of those happen to be in Pakistan. I was assuming the list was for rock climbs only, otherwise Id throw the Himalayas and Hindukush mountains in there too.

NBD