Escaping the cold from Moab/Indian Creek

Hey guys,

I'm currently on a road trip heading back west toward Louisiana but still have 2 weeks left before i have to return home.

Currently i'm in Moab/Indian Creek area doing some local cragging but the weather is about to take the turn for the worst next week so i'm trying to see what options are available in Arizona if the drive isn't too long.

Gear wise, i have a tripple rack and wouldn't mind some more trad/crack climbing or sports. Could you help me out and recommend some areas with relatively low hassle for car camping? My ability clocks in around 5.10-5.12 range depending on style and i do enjoy long moderates.

Thanks,

Tao

mountainproject.com/v/cochi…

If cochise is too far off route, consider white rock outside of Los Alamos. Car camping their is great, although it may cost and may be very windy. The Jemez has some great sport climbing but will probably be too cold now. Don't try car bivying in the city of Los Alamos, though, because it's illegal to be homeless there.

If you check out Cochise, you won't regret it

Northern New Mexico's crack climbing destination is in season:

Capulin Canyon

Car camping at the trailhead/parking.

Jason Halladay wrote:Northern New Mexico's crack climbing destination is in season: Capulin Canyon Car camping at the trailhead/parking.

Possibly now snowed in?

SEDONA!!!!

SEDONA! X 2

sedona is supposed to be getting some weather tomorrow. they said that friday too, but they got less than an inch of precip and was dry the next day. so, depending on how much weather they get, give it at least a day before you jump on the rock.
the prescott area is also pretty nice this time of year, if you wanna jump on some granite

Hey Tao,

I'm in Prescott, AZ. We just got a about 2" of snow here, so any climbing around here (within the hour) is probably too cold for the next couple days. I've been looking at phoenix areas but it seems it'll be mostly highs in the high 40s for the next couple days. Before this weekend, the best option might be Cochise.

Depending on when you go, I might be able/interested in joining ya if you find something warm. I'd be looking for some of the same types of climbs as you. Though I'm just barely pushing into the 5.11 range

Sedona is indeed a great place to climb, but I was there yesterday and it was veeery cold. And looks like it'll stay like that until the weekend as well

Thanks for the replies, guys.

zion is good till thursday

We got weathered out of Indian Creek a few months ago. The whole 4-corners region was soaked so we ended up in Joshua Tree. It's a long drive (9 hours), but it was dry. If everything else it wet, it may be worth a shot. Otherwise, shorter drives are definitely more appealing.

Jason,
Would it be reasonable to plan a trip to capulin canyon for the week after christmas? Is the road open still and would the climbing weather be bearable still?
Thanks,
Ross

Ross Hokett wrote:Jason, Would it be reasonable to plan a trip to capulin canyon for the week after christmas? Is the road open still and would the climbing weather be bearable still? Thanks, Ross

We did get about eight inches of snow up that way a week ago but the road is still open. It looks to be pretty nice weather this next week so it'll melt pretty quickly I'd suspect. That said, the forecast is grumbling about a potential system the day after Christmas.
Definitely still very climbable (perfect temps and conditions really) if the sun is out or it's not terribly windy. The approach trail is on a north-facing slope so it'll be snowy dropping down into the canyon. Traction (e.g. kahtoola microspikes), boots and gaiters would be ideal for the approach. If I hear of the road conditions or closure, I'll post here.

My wife and I were in Indian Creek late last fall and it started to get really cold and started to be not so much fun. The nights were really long and cold. So we went down to AZ and it wasn't too bad of a drive down. Cochise is quite far south, but its worth it because the temps are warmer. We spent a lot of time near the Sheepshead formations and had a lot of fun. The camping is really chill and pretty. Tombstone is a cool old west city and was fun to visit multiple times.

Thanks Jason, that place looks awesome.

TAO are you still looking to climb in the Tuscon area? I'm looking for a partner for Christmas Day. I started another thread on this forum, for anybody who wants to get outside on Christmas message me on there: mountainproject.com/v/phoen…

Thanks :)