Knoxville or Chattanooga?

So I am in the midst of applying to grad schools and both branches of UT in Chattanooga and Knoxville have great programs in what I am looking for. Now that I am kind of sure that TN is where I will be heading, the more important question of "Where does the best climbing lie..." is what I am asking.

Chatty: I know has lots of fantastic bouldering and the T Wall. I am not a huge boulderer, so this isn't a make or break feature for me.

Knoxville: I know is 2 hours from the Red and 3 from the New...which is HUGE for me. The Obed is very close as is Chatty and western NC. For me, this seems like a better fit.

Other important questions that I am curious are: How's the food culture? Music scene? Job market? My girlfriend is a middle school teacher and is quitting her job to make this move also...so any info from teachers out there would be awesome too.

Thanks!

I like the city of Chat better. On a river, cool aquarium, nice downtown, and the climbing is VERY close; T wall and LRC are near enough for quick after-class sessions. It's very close to most of the good rock in NC, GA, and AL as well.

Knoxville is bigger, seemed to have more suburban sprawl, etc. Like you said, it is closer to the Red and the New, and the Obed is nearby, but not close enough for less than half-day sessions.

In other words, Knoxville is a nice, centrally located city for a lot of good climbing, but Chattanooga is a destination and a hub. If I had a choice between equal programs, money, etc. at both, I would definitely take Chat.

hope that helps.

Blake Cash wrote: Knoxville: I know is 2 hours from the Red and 3 from the New...which is HUGE for me. The Obed is very close as is Chatty and western NC. For me, this seems like a better fit.

I would also go for Chattanooga. Nicer city overall.

Also, Knoxville to the Red and New are only 2 and 3 hours, respectively if you drive about 100 MPH. They are 200 (Red) and 275 (New) miles +/- from K-ville.

TS

If proximity to climbing is your primary factor, I think Chatty is the way to go.

In addition to LRC and TWall, you've also got Sunset Park right up on Lookout (10 minute drive?) and Foster Falls another 30 minutes past that. The Obed is great (especially if you're into super-steep sport routes), but there's not much there that you can't also find at FF. Even still, Obed's not that far from Chatty. You'll probably be camping at Miguel's either way if you went up to the Red. You can use the extra time on the road to ponder all the routes you've done within ten minutes of your door.

As far as the city scene, it just depends what you're into. Knoxville is a college town, through and through. If you want Saturday game days, and you don't mind the color orange, Knoxville may be a better fit. If you're not craving that kind of atmosphere, I think Chatty has more to offer the general population.

Not sure what your girlfriend's teaching wants/needs are, but there are three very well-regarded private schools in Chatty (McCallie for boys, GPS for girls, and Baylor for both). I'm sure each has a pretty active outdoor program.

Chatt' wins by far. Long before the now popular bouldering destinations became well known, there was tremendous trad climbing opportunity at Tennessee Wall and many other locations. It IS a very climber friendly place.

Looks like Chatty for trad and bouldering. But what about good sport? Obviously all of this is contingent on which grad school I get into/like better, and am visiting the area this month for a few weeks...but just want to get some opinions also.

Must admit. I was leaning towards Knoxville...but am being swayed towards Chatty. I suppose the deciding factor is if I get into either grad program...and how I like the towns upon visiting in the next few weeks.

Thanks for all the feedback...and keep it coming.

UT Girls are hotter!

My vote would be for Chatty.

Lots of good food. Many great restaurants [Lupis, Taco Mamacitas, Aretha Frankenstiens] and Greenlife grocery.

There is some local music. Atlanta is close and has lots of 'big bands'.

I have a cousin that just moved there from Wyoming and got a job in the school system. PM me if you want I can give you her email. Don't know if she has any advice.

Back the train up! Your gf is quitting a paying job in this economy, so that you can waste money on more education?? Have you seen the news in the last 2 years? Do you know that the average salary of a PhD in this country is $38,000? You could make more working construction, selling cars, being an assistant manager at McDonalds....and those are all lower stress and fewer hours.

Assuming that you'll ignore this advice and forge ahead anyway, I would choose Knoxville for the following reasons:

1. Cooler climate. It doesn't matter how close the climbing in Chatt is when it's 90% humidity.

2. The climbing in Chatt isn't that close. My friend lives in suburban Chatt...it takes us 45 minutes to get to the TWall from his house. LRC was 30 minutes. They don't look far on the map, but that city is a pain in the ass to get around in.

3. Proximity to other areas. Everything in and around Chatt is Nuttall sandstone, which kicks ass, but it will get old eventually and you will seek out other crags. Knox is closer to the NC crags (Granite, quartzite, gneiss), the New, the Red, and it's reasonably close to Chatt. It's more centrally located, and if you're a roadtripper, it's way better to be central than to be on the outskirts, like you would be in Chatt.

4. The climbing scene. This is all hearsay from friends, but I've heard the Chatt scene is very "cliquey". People have been climbing there for awhile, they have their "crew" and they aren't interested in expanding membership. I've found the climbers from Knoxville to be very friendly (at least those that I've climbed with at the Red).

5. Closer to Dollywood. NUFF SAID!

Good luck.

I lived in knoxville for quite a while and although Chattanooga is nice and has closer climbing, I'd vote Knoxville. After all chattanooga isn't too far from Ktown either.

UT-Knoxville has a nice climbing wall for student use and cherokee bluffs, although not the best sport, is just on the south side of the river from town and can be a good spot before or after work/class (nice view too).

Knoxville, in my opinion, has a much better, larger and diverse music and art scene, great radio station (WDVX), two awesome theatres (Tennessee and Bijou), good music venues (Pilot light) downtown seems to be on the up and up right now and has been getting a lot more music and attractions. South knoxivlle rules all around and the new parks they're working on establishing will be nice.

Knoxville is a little more blue collar and the folks seem more easy going, although Chattanoogans are probably equally good but more money in that town.

Game days and the sprwal are headaches but can easily be escaped if you don't live near the university or the west part of town.

Yes, one should read Suttree, living in Knoxville or not. Not sure it's the best representation of life in the town but a great book and for McCarthy's writing fairly positive. Made me want to move back.

Probably wouldn't go wrong with either place though. Enjoy beautiful Tennessee.

I lived in Knoxville, and I would +1 Mike Anderson and Dan Carter.

Other than T-Wall I was rather dissapointed in the climbing around Chat. Fosters was not as good as Obed for sport, Sunset isn't that great (sorry to all you Sunset devotees) and the whole scene there is a pain in the butt. T-Wall is good for about one month out of the year, and isn't really all that big, even though that is the best trad climbing in the SE I have done. I'm sure there are lots of locals only climbing around there...there is a buttload of rock all around there. I have heard good things about the bouldering at LRC but, not that much of a boulderer myself.

I debated for a long time whether I should live in Chat or Knox, and when all was said and done, I chose Las Vegas.

Once I'm done with Blood Meridian, I'll give Suttre a shot.

We're driving back east next week and checking both towns out and climbing for a couple of weeks...so I'll get a good feel for both I think.

I'd rather proximity to great climbing areas than having a lot of mediocre climbing areas in the town personally.

Mike Anderson wrote:Do you know that the average salary of a PhD in this country is $38,000?

Damn. I wish I made that much.

And yeah, Ben, I moved to Ohio, and have been trying to subsist on a steady diet of Eastern Sandstone. It's pretty good for the most part, minus all the damn humidity.

camhead wrote: Damn. I wish I made that much.

I think it's all the military scientists and defense contracters that drag up and skew the average. You need to figure out how to weaponize your degree.

can't beleive no one's mentioned the other LRC in Alabama, all the sport you want at about 50 min. from Chatt.

any info anywhere on little river canyon? I'm psyched on checking it out during my break.

Blake Cash wrote:any info anywhere on little river canyon? I'm psyched on checking it out during my break.

Good luck with that . . .

JL

saxfiend wrote: Good luck with that . . . JL

Thanks for the help.

Blake Cash wrote: Thanks for the help.

Sorry about the black humor at your expense; I realize you don't know the situation with Little River. It's kind of a sore spot with me. Send me a private email if you want details.

JL

Three words for Knoxville... Big South Fork. 1hr 15min to the park from Knox. If you are into adventure trad then K-town is the place. If you are into sport trad then head to Chatty. Also K-town is closer to the big stone in NC, the red, and the new. You have also got Cherokee Bluff and Devils Racetrack close to town.