AZ climbers: throw me a bone?

Peoples My Peoples,

I'm a perpetual 5.9+ trad climber moving from CA to Phoenix in Dec for a career position on the Tonto NF. Before the ink dried on my contract, I was on rc.com, sp.com, mp.com trying to convince myself that my passion for climbing will find a home in Phoenix and AZ.

To prime my veins, I picked up a truly great book by Mellor (American Rock: Region, Rock, and Culture in American Climbing), but honestly, I can't tell if AZ climbing is regional famous or regionally infamous... in fact, all I've heard from friends so far is that Phoenix is blazingly hot and the women are some of the flyest on earth. That opposing duality notwithstanding, I've gotten no feedback on climbing.

The deal is done, and I'm headed out either way. But it would be great to hear from some dyed-in-the-wool AZ rock hounds about how sweet the climbing is out here....

cheers,
sam

Hey Sam, I grew up in Prescott and my take on AZ climbing is as follows...some really fun stuff in prescott, for the trad climber some cool basalt columns (Sullivan's Canyon) to some of the best granite you'll ever climb (Granite Mountain). Flagstaff has great climbing as well (for the the trad climber-Paradise Forks). Tucson has great trad climbing from what I have heard from my climbing partner who goes to school there up on Mt. Lemon, additionally Cochise Stronghold is epic from all I've seen and Heard. Phoenix is one of the weaker links for rock in the state however there is some, and because of its location all the best rock is an easy weekend trip, even a day trip is some circumstances. And the real reality of it is, J-Tree is an easy drive of a around 4 hours or so...point is you can find great rock of all varieties with a little effort.

Sam,

Rest your weary nerves... There is more than enough quality rock in AZ to keep you running for several lifetimes. Just because it isn't published somewhere doesn't mean it doesn't exist. From backcountry to craggin, you might just end up quitting your new job just to climb.

JJ

...what Jeremy said.

Just don't go telling everyone about it, okay Sam?

Sorry James, I'm gonna blow it wide open.

I moved here (Tucson) from Northern CA 8 years ago. Can't speak much about PHX, but the rock down here is plentiful and more accessible than I ever imagined possible for an urban area. On top of that, something within an hour's drive is in a climbable temp all year round. Still seems too good to be true. Even better, the summer temps in town scare everyone away, so only the most popular crags are even remotely "crowded."

Flagstaff is also full of great climbing, and from what I've heard, so is Prescott.

Outside of the urban areas, the back-country opportunities within 1 - 3 hours drive are practically endless.

Enjoy!

There is an awesome book called Phoenix Rock II by Greg Opland. There is plenty of climbing in the immediate Phoenix vicinity, even several pitch granite areas. Furthermore, the Superstitions, i think otherwise known as the "yosemite of arizona" can be seen from town. Phoenix's central location means almost anywhere in Arizona is only two hours away.

Gracis, hombres.

CBos... spent a much-too-short year in FC,CO myself and I'm coming from Davis, so as you say the bar is high but at least we didnt move to north dakota.

Marshalldrake... I know Tucson by academic reputation and expect to learn the lessons of lemmon, but my spidey sense tells me that Prescott town is the understated gem of the state. And yes, the beeline drive to Jtree is an unexpected bonus.

Pete - if im not mistaken, the Supes are in the Tonto NF, and i'll be getting to know them quite well - crumbling igneous adevtures and all. Any truth to the statement that Phoenix offers some of the best municipal climbing in the West? How about the choice of rock gyms?

... James, I hear ya, same as I hear my ski-addict friends in SLC who say the same... sorry bout the overpopulation. If it's any consolation, I'm more likely to trade smug glances about the yahoos next to us tr-ing off rap rings than I am to actually being that yahoo practicing bad form.

thanks to all. Look forward to maybe seeing some of y'all around in 2009.

-sam

"Some lines are so striking, so aesthetic, they make you redefine your acceptable level of risk." - the Verm

I've been climbing in AZ about 10 years now. California has more high quality granite and of course bigger walls but AZ is littered with enough rock to keep you busy for many lifetimes. If you need perfect rock to pull super hard on that is 10 minutes from your car then maybe arizona isn't for you. If you like variety in rock types and climbing styles, not to mention wilderness and adventure that doesn't have a traffic jam leading to it then AZ might be your thing. You are never more than an hour from climbable rock and if you decide to camp at almost any AZ destination the stars won't have to compete with fire haze, smog, or city lights.

Just to beat the horse...Arizona is a great climbing state. There isn't as much big chunks of granite as I'd prefer, but I can't complain. Phoenix at the very least is centrally located and you will find easy drives to great climbing destinations with tons of free camping in any season. Arizona allows you to run up to the high country to escape the heat or run to the low country to seek the warmth all year round.

Not a single person in this thread, I'd wager, would be still living in Arizona if this weren't the case. So welcome!

"...tons of free camping..."

...*shaking my head* ... hope you're not exaggerating, cause that's somethin special right there, for sure.

... wow.

-sam

You made a good choice. I moved to Prescott from Cali 15 years ago and have never regretted it. Get me your address and I'll send you a new Granite Mt Topo as a welcome to AZ gift.

Bill

There is a lot of climbing available in the Phoenix metro area though I can't really compare it to any other metro areas out west because I have only lived here and Portland. Here you will only loose a couple of days a year to rain but you will loose 4 months to boiling temperatures. Of course this is only an inconvenience because it isn't hot at 5:30 am and the higher parts of Arizona are more reasonable year round. There are I think 5 or 6 rock gyms in Phoenix. I have only been to the east side ones which have their strengths and weaknesses. Proximity to where you are living will probably decide which one you go to most because they are pretty well spread out.

I'm trying to remember the last time I paid to camp in AZ...

I can't think of one.

Hi Sam, I'm sending my pre-welcome now.

Phoenix has a lot to offer for a climber. Not exactly the walk out your back door type of climbing but fine choices just the same.

As many others have mentioned it is centrally located which makes Phoenix/AZ a great place to live. There once was a fantastic map that was posted here on MP showing all the different destinations...perhaps that person will post it up (hint).

The following list is just a small representation of what is available. There is more, much more.

Within 1 hour:

Pinnacle Peak
Queen Creek
McDowells
Camelback (cough cough)

Got a few hours:

Mt. Lemmon (which provides year round fantastic climbing)
Flagstaff area crags
Tamo (enter subject at your own risk)
Sedona area crags
Prescott area crags
Isolation Canyon

2 hours not so bad what happens with 3?

Cochise Stronghold east/west
Milagrosa Canyon
The Forks (where perpetual 5.9+ climbers go to cry)
Jacks Canyon
Winslow Wall

4 to 5 hours....

Joshua Tree, CA
Hueco Tanks, TX
Enchanted Tower, NM

Wow, lookin' good huh.... 5 to 6 hours.....

Red Rocks, NV
Tahquitz/Suicide, CA
Snow Canyon, UT
Zion, UT
Indian Creek, UT

7 to 9 hours.....

Start to factor in Southern Colorado
Eastside Sierra Nevada
Moab

YMMV but I don't think you'll be left with nothing to do. As for week day activities, it's pretty hard to go out in the afternoon and get anything in. It can be done but for most clock punchers the gym it is.

Tempe:
Phoenix Rock Gym
Climbmax

Scottsdale:
AZ on the Rocks

Phoenix:
Solid Rock X 2

What I find most puzzling so far is not that you would like to introduce yourself as a future local, find out what the climbing will be like once you're here, but moreover the fact that you like Hip Hop.

Please do tell us more about this Hip Hop phenomenon.

~Susan

edit:

CBoas wrote:......and Queen Creek (until it closes) is supposed to be OK.

Comments like that are often considered fighten' words around these parts and had there not been a Layton Kor slideshow a few days ago I suspect that someone would have crawled right up your cooliss.

Sam- I dj'd in Prescott for several years and Phoenix has a thriving hip-hop scene. Between Phx and Flagstaff a ton of great acts come through, and plenty of worthy local events too. Z-Trip and Radar are both from Phoenix and make yearly appearances. The Old Brickhouse Grill has some great events as well as other places.

Sam, Queen Creek is awesome. Only an hour away from Phx. I have climbed there year round (I was desperate). Tamo is going to be awesome. Once we get a road in.

Perpetual 5.9 trad climbers are gonna be happy here. In town, Camelback is good for adventure climbing; South Mtn park has bouldering; Courthouse rock (1,000' rhyolite monolith) has a nice route or two in the desert 1 hr west of town; Supes are huge with some good lines in your range. And of course, all the areas aforementioned are probably enough to keep you busy.

The Tonto Nat'l Forest has a lot of rock I haven't mentioned. Where exactly will you work? Are you a ranger? I'd love to show you some of the rock. Email me.

susan peplow wrote:Comments like that are often considered fighten' words around these parts and had there not been a Layton Kor slideshow a few days ago I suspect that someone would have crawled right up your cooliss.

yeah it's a good thing the Steel Monkey was in CO

Soil Scientist. I'll be all over the forest but based out of Phoenix. Finishing out the final phase of an ecological inventory on the Tonto. Some resource management work mixed in.

Judging from the direction this thread is taking, Mellor seemed to be spot on about the factional tendencies of AZ climbers. Wonder who I'll fall in with myself... probably the ones who tread lightest on my forest.

-sam

kirra wrote: yeah it's a good thing the Steel Monkey was in CO

Historically it has not been SteelMonkey who comes out swinging over such comments. I was referring to someone else.

Climbing in AZ??? Are kidding? Better go back to California. And be sure to tell everyone there that AZ doesn't have any climbing. LOL!

Actually there is quite a bit of climbing up in the northern part but nothing down south near Cochise or Lemmon.

susan peplow wrote:Historically it has not been SteelMonkey who comes out swinging over such comments. I was referring to someone else.

historically that couldn't possibly be you trying to "stir the pot again" ~funny how it's still only your pot.
Try not to ruin this guys thread

btw ~ Jacks is not a trad-climbing destination