Winter road trip, where is it warm enough?

Hey guys
So I'm probably getting laid off at the end of January and am looking to go on a roadtrip for 5 weeks after. There will be two of us, both climb 5.12 sport, 5.11 trad, boulder v6 etc. We will have a pad, a big rack and are looking to camp as cheap as possible.

Here are the crags/bouldering spots I thought of hitting in chronological order. I live on the Canadian East Coast and will be driving.

Tennessee: Tennessee wall, Obed, Stone Fort (Early Feb)
Alabama: HP40
Arkansas: Horseshoe Canyon Ranch
Colorado: Anything climbable and WORTH it in Colorado mid-Feb?
Utah: Indian Creek (Mid-feb)

then back East
Kentucky: RRG
West Virginia: New River Gorge and maybe Seneca (Early March)

So with this very tentative itinerary can someone confirm that these crags will be climbable in the Winter? I don't mind if it's down to 32F during the day, as long as there is sun and not too much wind.
Does Indian Creek get really cold in February. From my experience of climbing when it's below freezing, cracks have to be avoided because they stay really cold. On the other hand, small face holds will warm up in the sun.

Also, any crags along the way that would be worth stopping to?

Thanks eh!

Arkansas climbing in the winter can be great if you hit it at the right time. There is usually about a week of cold nasty wet weather in February but if its nice it gets up around 50.

PM if you would like more info on Arkansas climbing and camping there are a lot of awesome free camping areas with great climbing. I wouldn't recommend Horseshoe if you are trying to go cheap though. 10$ a day to camp and climb is pretty steep with free stuff just down the road.

Austin

If you come through North Carolina, there are some good winter climbing sports. Rumbling Bald (boudering and trad), Stone Mountain (slab climbing), Laurel Knob (longish 5-8 pitch slab/water groove trad climbs), and Looking Glass (more crack/slab climbing) are the places that come to mind first. It can be a good stop off on the way to/from TN or Alabama.

Colorado can be good in the winter. Just stay in the sun, out of the wind, and lower in altitude and you can generally get quite a few good days in.

It's definitely not on the way, but the weather in Cochise Stronghold is pretty tits that time of year.

...Red Rock? Bishop? Joshua Tree?

Some years, Indian creek can be really cold in February. Other years, it can be climbable. You could hedge with a back up plan to hit the St George area or Red Rocks.

Dom wrote:Colorado: Anything climbable and WORTH it in Colorado mid-Feb?

We sometimes get stints of warm weather in Jan/Feb. You'd probably want to play it by ear and wait for the forecast to line up last minute. South-facing formations at Shelf Road would be a great choice if it's sunny, 40+ degrees, and no wind! Check out Cactus Cliff / Spiney Ridge. But be warned, if it's a sunny & calm weekend in January/February, Shelf Rd will be overrun by every single climber in Colorado who's been locked in the gym for months and dying to get outside.

Marc H wrote:It's definitely not on the way, but the weather in Cochise Stronghold is pretty tits that time of year.

Nailed it.

Arizona in winter is not a bad bet, plenty of crags and bouldering, and usually great conditions in winter.

Isolation canyon: trad/sport
Jacks Canyon: sport
Homestead: sport
Queen Creek: sport/some trad/bouldering
Sedona: sport/trad/bouldering

etc., etc., etc.

SMR wrote:Some years, Indian creek can be really cold in February. Other years, it can be climbable. You could hedge with a back up plan to hit the St George area or Red Rocks.

sorry to the OP for trying to hijack the thread, but does this mean the creek will be too cold for climbing in January??

Looking Glass is in Pisgah National Forest and you can camp anywhere so long as you are a certain distance from the road (so the guide book says) and they have some great 4-5 pitch stuff.

T-wall/Obed/Foster Falls are all nice places if all your looking for is single pitch sport/trad.

If your around Chattanooga you could stay the Crash Pad Hostel.

trr2ke wrote:Looking Glass is in Pisgah National Forest and you can camp anywhere so long as you are a certain distance from the road (so the guide book says) and they have some great 4-5 pitch stuff. T-wall/Obed/Foster Falls are all nice places if all your looking for is single pitch sport/trad. If your around Chattanooga you could stay the Crash Pad Hostel.

hows the odds of finding partners down aorund T-wall/obed in jan/feb/march? If I was travelling solo.

Also, sorry to add to the derailing of the OP's thread.

Dom wrote: Colorado mid-Feb? Utah: Indian Creek (Mid-feb) then back East Kentucky:

That is a TON of driving for that length trip. I would say don't waste all that money, time and gas bouncing around the continent. Choose one region (SE or SW) and stay there for the trip. Either has more than enough to keep you occupied for your entire trip. You'll get in more climbing and actually get to see more areas by not spending a bunch of time driving back and forth across Kansas. Yes, you'll only get to see crags in one region, but you can save the other region for a future trip.

If I were planning a trip at that time of year, I would just spend the entire month of February around Chattanooga. Screw camping, get an apartment. Seriously, it is the way to go. Rent should be pretty cheap in Chatt; go on Craiglist and find a one-month lease. Something cheap and sketchy. It really doesn't cost that much more than paying $8/night for camping, plus money for showers, etc. Plus, you'll save a ton of money on gas by staying put and not driving all over kingdom come. The cost of gas to drive to the Creek and back from the Southeast would easily cover a month's rent. If you find a cheap enough lease, you may actually save money by staying in one place and living indoors.

The main motivation is to avoid camping in the winter...it sucks. You will climb way better if you get to sleep somewhere warm. But honestly, you'll also get in more quality climbing by staying in one zone and really getting to know it. Chatt will keep you occupied for a while.

Shelf Road!!!! The best winter climbing around

johnthethird wrote: hows the odds of finding partners down aorund T-wall/obed in jan/feb/march? If I was travelling solo. Also, sorry to add to the derailing of the OP's thread.

you wont have a problem finding a partner at either place. especially t wall

Thanks for all the info and keep it coming. Jon I do acknowledge that is a ton of driving...My reasoning is that it's only 5hours extra for me to drive through Chattanooga to get to Indian Creek. So instead of traveling through the northern mid-west, I can cut my trip in two and go check out Chattanooga. The other destinations would be something like ''passing-by'' crags.

The plan is very tentative for now and it seems like Indian Creek might be too much of a gamble so I might just hang around the Southeast...it's too early to tell at this point.

Michael and Johnthe3rd, you guys are contributing to the thread with your questions, not hijacking it! Keep 'em coming!