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Really good places to climb 5.5-5.8

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Dallas R · · Traveling the USA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 191

We are retired, we travel, we climb to the best of our ability. So having lots of options available presents a bit of a problem, where to go.

Smith Rock State Park near Bend, OR was awesome. The guide book just for the state park is as thick as the guide book for many states. But we want to see more.

Please take a minute or so and let me know of area that you know about that may be of interest to us. Your help is appreciated.

Magpie79 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 0

Eldorado Canyon SP on the Front Range of Colorado is spectacular. There are a ton of great routes in that grade range.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

Provided you're competent at trad climbing, then the Flatirons, Tahquitz, a decent amount in Eldorado Canyon, Castle Crags, Joshua Tree. I'm sure there are a number of other areas that I'm missing.

Travis Haussener · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2012 · Points: 60

Are you looking for places specific to the PNW...if not Yosemite still has plenty of options for easy climbs...Munginella, The Grack, After Six, Sunnyside Bench, etc. That'd be my first recommendation. Some others destinations off the top of my head would include City of Rocks and of course The Wasatch (but I'm biased).

Cheers

Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781

Lumpy has a lot to do in that range. The Gunks do as well, but that range tends to gets swarmed, so mid-week climbing recommended.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Aera 13... next door to Clark Canyon, near Mamouth Mt. Ca.

Has some of the most fun 5.7 - 5.9 steep sport climbing, I have ever done.

Owens River Gorge is close also, with some really fun lower grade sport climbing.

Or go to "IRIS" ... up Rock Creek, fun EZ climbing with easy gear placements and really fine bouldering.

All three of these places have free camping (rock creek has pay camping)

Bottome Line..... BISHOP is the place you need to visit.

and head south just a tad, to Lone Pine, Alabama Hills.... plenty of moderates to do.

It must be dificult to have so much time on your hands. :>)

Rui Ferreira · · Boulder, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 903

If you are looking for trad climbing and if you ever make it to the North East then the Gunks is highly recommended followed by the Adirondacks. North Conway, NH also has plenty to offer.

You can do virtual tours of these places right here on Mountainproject

Dallas R · · Traveling the USA · Joined May 2013 · Points: 191

Wow, thanks for the great responses. Some of them we have been to.

There looks to a lot in California. This makes the second time someone has told me to go to Bishop.

NH near Conway is great, we did Square Ledge up by Mt Washington. That's where I learned a stopper knot on rappel is a really good idea.

We totally blew by City of Rocks, ID. Didn't know it was there.

El Dorado Canyon CO is now on the tick list. Be there in September.

Gunk's keep coming up. So if we ever head back to the NE we will definitely make a point of it.

Wasatch, did Rock Canyon down by Provo. Awesome place, we will be back in SLC in March for skiing, but perhaps we can find a sunny place to climb as well.

No more weekend climbing for us. Well sometimes we do, it's great to get someone to ropegun a harder route so can struggle to improve our grade.

"Competent" at trad, not yet, but working on it.

Thanks again for the great responses.

LLubchenco · · Carbondale, CO · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 25

City of Rocks! Absurdly good climbing in that range with great rock, a good atmosphere and beautiful scenery! Oh, and right next to it is Castle Rocks State park, also stacked in moderate climbs and bolted more recently.

Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60

Had forgotten about Clark Canyon and completely spaced on the Gunks. Maybe the highest concentration of quality easy routes in the country.

Re the Valley, a good list of some of the easier climbs, but there aren't too many more than that in the lower range. I'd suggest Snake Dike, but that's a big undertaking and you need to be comfortable running it out close to a whole rope length on easier terrain. Not for everyone. Zee Tree in Tuolumne looks pretty tame (for the area). Some quality but runout stuff on Stately Pleasure Dome. Hobbit Book is insanely good but, again, kind of a bigger outing if you're near your limit and are just working on trad. Golfer's Route is terrific as well, but a little run for the rating.

M Santisi · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 1,879

You would probably want to wait until the fall when the heat calms down but Red Rock out in Las Vegas in incredible. Plenty of moderate stuff whether you're clipping bolts or on gear.

Brian Payst · · Carrboro,NC · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

Second vote for Red Rocks in cooler temps. Lots of great and long routes there in those grades.

Dan 60D5H411 · · Colorado Springs, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 3,239

I don't think the Gunks can be beaten in that grade range. The midweek suggestion is dead on. I also highly recommend going in the fall when the bugs and humidity levels have dropped and the autumn colors are in full bloom.

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2
Dallas R wrote:We are retired, we travel, we climb to the best of our ability. So having lots of options available presents a bit of a problem, where to go. Smith Rock State Park near Bend, OR was awesome. The guide book just for the state park is as thick as the guide book for many states. But we want to see more. Please take a minute or so and let me know of area that you know about that may be of interest to us. Your help is appreciated.
In that climbing range, in North America, you're going to find a lot more trad options than sport options. I would suggest getting experience and becoming comfortable with leading on gear -- that will open up lots and lots of choices.

Climbing Trad:
Red Rocks, Nevada. Lots of good multi-pitch climbs in this range.
Joshua Tree, Ca. Lots of good climbs, often with <5min approaches in this range.
The Shawangunks.
The Adirondacks, particularly Chapel Pond Pass area.
North Conway, NH area.
Lover's Leap, CA

Climbing sport - more difficult.
Rumney, NH: probably 3-4 days worth of sport in that range and combines well with a visit to the North Conway area.
Tronald Dump · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 10

Leavenworth, WA will keep you happy for about a week at that grade. Multi-Pitch slab, alpine, and cragging

slim · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 1,103

lover's leap in CA has a bunch of great routes in that range. the rock is really cool and the whole setup is user friendly.

like Dan G0D5H411 said - the gunks are probably the best place on earth in the lower grades. super fun climbing that, if you have spent most of your time climbing in the west, will feel like you are on another planet.

red rocks, NV has some great routes in these grades, and it is a really cool area. beautiful canyons, fun climbing, grab drinks/buffet in vegas afterwards. pretty fun getaway.

city of rocks, ID - another really fun, user friendly location. ultra featured granite with all sorts of domes, corridors, fins.... really cool.

flatirons, boulder CO - really fun, beautiful, and interesting rock. tons of adventures to be had there.

joshua tree is fun too.

i envy you guys, sounds like a great gig.

Gail Blauer · · Gardiner, NY · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,051

El Potrero Chico, Hidalgo Mexico.

Wow, what a collection of multi pitch moderate sport climbs. Well bolted, oodles of fun, cheap eats etc.

Just stay out of the way of the cartel(s)

Ross Hokett · · Great Falls, MT · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 266

I would recommend HCR in Arkansas if you looking for bolted moderate routes there is literally hundreds there. Also sams throne near by has many moderate trad routes.

rgold · · Poughkeepsie, NY · Joined Feb 2008 · Points: 526

5.5-5.8 is a wonderful range for what we call alpine climbing in the US, which is to say typically back-country rock climbing. The Sierras, the Tetons and Wind Rivers, and the Cascades have endless opportunities in fabulous settings.

If you have the time and ability to travel and aren't averse to shouldering a pack and walking a bit, then you're really missing out if you stick to cragging routes only.

Greg Barnes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 2,060

This time of year:

Tuolumne - Cathedral Peak, Matthes Crest, West Ridge of Conness. Fair bit of convenient cragging as well.

Lover's Leap - go midweek, you'll love it. Avoid on Fri/Sat/Sun.

Clark Canyon - awesome easy sport climbing on pockets. Rough road, not for low slung vehicles (one short section). Get the Mammoth guidebook, there are lots of granite cragging areas around that are super fun as well (Mammoth Lakes basin has a bunch, Rock Creek, Benton Crags, etc). Very close to Tuolumne & Bishop.

Courtright Reservoir - tons of easy cragging, featured low angle slabs generally, and lots of toprope options. No crowds, no amenities, no cell service anywhere nearby, but nice camping.

Bishop - fun stuff at various crags, generally head there in the fall (definitely getting too hot at the Alabama Hills which have tons of fun cragging routes at easy ratings).

Red Rocks - endless awesome climbs…but too hot now.

GhaMby Eagan · · Heaven · Joined Oct 2006 · Points: 385

City of Rocks, Idaho.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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