Climbing in the Summer

I will have two months free this summer to explore climbing areas throughout the US (and possibly abroad). Which areas should I visit? I plan on doing mostly sport routes and bouldering, and am currently thinking of: Rumney, Boulder, Ten Sleep, and Smith Rock. Any other areas that will be reasonably cool and dry? I am also open to possibly going abroad for a bit.

I boulder up to ~v7 and climb routes into the 5.12+ range (in case this affects which areas may be best for me).

The Seven heavens:
Red Rock
J-Tree
Smith Rock
Indian Creek/Moab
Gunks
Boulder/Golden
Red River Gorge

I find it "interesting" when people ask where they should climb in the USA.

If you're not a trad climber, I wouldn't bother with J Tree, especially not in the summer when it's 100 degrees. Same deal with Indian Creek and the Gunks.

Smith is also much hotter than most people realize in the summer. I'd go there as close to spring or fall as you can, and spend the hottest part of the summer up at high altitude in Wyoming. Also check out Sink's Canyon and Wild Iris, then get a trad partner and go up in the Winds or Devil's Tower.

grog m wrote:The Seven heavens: Red Rock J-Tree Smith Rock Indian Creek/Moab Gunks Boulder/Golden Red River Gorge

Did you bother to read his question? He's climbing in the summer and looking for sport and bouldering. J Tree, IC/Moab, and the Gunks are really only worth going to if you're going for trad. Red Rocks and Smith Rock are deserts that will be baking in the summer. The Red is likely to be dripping with humidity in the summer.

Seek elevation and/or northern locales!

Bishop.... Tahoe.

canmore ... sport climbing capital of canada ... nice and cool in the summer with multipitch sport routes to boot

theres like 10+ sport crags within an hour or so drive

not to mention yr yankee dollah will go long and strong here right now

for pebble pulling and some sport go to squamish, especially if you need to find partners

;)

The Rushmore area in the Black Hills has a ton of climbing, though mostly beautiful single pitch needles and spires of granite. There is a limestone area somewhere up there that should have some boulders. It was beautiful in August last year.

At elevation in the Rockies is pretty amazing in the summer, but those storms roll thru at will.

good luck finding good temps. The best way to beat the summer heat is heading into the alpine! Heres a few places I've been to that might be good for bouldering/ sport

Vedauwoo
Squamish
Theres a cave outside of Squamish on Victoria Island with fixed draws, might be up your grade levels
Washington state has some great shady crags, exit 32/38.
Wild iris/ ten sleep in Wyoming
Tahoe

From your list of locations it would be pretty easy to hit up some stuff in utah. Maple canyon is a pretty cool place, and is not to hot during the summer.

AF canyon isn't the climbing destination it once was but its got alot of options in the 5.12 range, I wouldn't come to utah for it, but if you were going through utah I would stop there.

LCC has a lot of bouldering you could check out as well. Joes and tarrasic are probably hotter then you would like during the summer though.

jacob m s wrote:From your list of locations it would be pretty easy to hit up some stuff in utah. Maple canyon is a pretty cool place, and is not to hot during the summer. AF canyon isn't the climbing destination it once was but its got alot of options in the 5.12 range, I wouldn't come to utah for it, but if you were going through utah I would stop there. LCC has a lot of bouldering you could check out as well. Joes and tarrasic are probably hotter then you would like during the summer though.

AF Canyon is good, just make sure you bring a partner. The last three times I rolled through there midweek looking to climb, I left empty-handed.

Not sure why the winds was posted. I guess all those bolts make it a world class sport climbing location.

Red River Gorge
Wild Iris/Sinks Canyon/Tensleep
Shelf Road/Turkey Rocks
Smith Rocks

Plan accordingly for the seasons.

Red River Gorge -Great but hot. easy to find partner
New River Gorge-See Above
Ten Sleep-
Lander
Maple-Super fun but not close to much. Not sure about partner situation.
Smith Rocks is not great in summer as most stuff bakes in the sun.
Boulder is not worth going to for a climbing destination if you are on an extended trip for bouldering and sport. Really good climbing around there, but sub-par sport compared to the above listed areas.

DavisMeschke wrote:Not sure why the winds was posted. I guess all those bolts make it a world class sport climbing location.

'Cause I told him to get a trad partner and head up there!

For what it's worth, I think exit 38 is mostly garbage. Exit 32 would be quite fun for someone who can climb 5.12+, but I think a sport climber would be better off heading up to Squamish, wrestling pebbles, and pulling hard at Chek and Murrin Park.

Thanks for the responses. I will definitely look into some of these areas! Especially Wild Iris and Exit 32 in Washington.