HELP PLEASE!! a confused Kiwi

Hi All.

So I am from New Zealand, and am coming to America to do a summer camp, and will have a month after camp to check out some spectacular climbing!

So my question is, I will be climbing from:
Late August - Late September

I am not too sure where I am best to head, but I believe at that time of year, Utah will be far too hot, and Yosemite may also be a tad on the hot side, Many people have suggested Colorado,

So I will not have transport except public transport. wanting to do good quality sport climbing, possibly consider trad, but am limited to what I can fit in my bag for weight!

what areas would you recomend? either in Colorado or elsewhere that would best suit the time of year and lack of transport?

Thanks in advance, and I look forward to seeing your stunning rock and country side!

First: where is the summer camp located? Lower 48 states is a little larger than Australia.

Second: how far are you willing to travel?

Will you have a partner?

In general, elevation is your friend in the summer. As a Californian, I recommend Tuolumne Meadows (higher elevation part of Yosemite), or anywhere in the High Sierra.

Colorado would be good at that time of year (Lumpy's Ridge & Estes Park, BOulder Area, Eldorado Canyon). Might be the easiest to get around without a car. Plus the concentration with your limitations... this might be the best area in general.

City of Rocks/Castle Rocks in Idaho is starting to cool off (and you can chase the shade). But getting there without a car would be hard. Salt Lake City or Boise would be your closest major town (2.5-3 hr drive)

Red Rocks in Vegas would be too hot (unless you chased the shade all day).

Smith Rock OR, closet town (with flights) is Bend about 30 miles. August might be a little warm, Sept. would be nice..

Not having a car really limits your options... I can't speak for Colorado, but Utah and Nevada don't really have anything good that's accessible with only public transit. Any way you could swing a car rental?

lots of replies... awesome!

well my camp is about 2 hours north of New York, but am happy to fly/bus to another state for climbing.... with a month in hand I would rather go somewhere for GOOD climbing, rather than just go to the nearby climbing for convenience.

I may be able to rent a car, just really depends on cash flow. I have been in the UK for a few months, about to do a road trip through France and Spain. before flying to america for summer camp and then a month of climbing..... none of this makes me rich.... so a car rental is an option, but money talks!!

I will have a partner in crime for climbing, so not so worried about gettign somewhere easy to meet climbers (although meeting the local climbers is always part of the fun)

if anyone has ideas/recomendations for a good/cheep rental car company (maybe even a camper agency) then I will be happy to look into that, as I realise it will open up my options hugely!

thanks for the replies so far, at this stage its all about getting good information to build on!

I guess another big consideration is not just rock quality, but somewhere nice and scenic too. nothing beats climbing a great route with a beautiful view to really appreciate a country!

If you want to sport climb that time of year, I would suggest Rifle (Colorado), Ten Sleep and Lander area (Wyoming), and Maple and Uintas (Utah (may be cold in Sept.)). Keep in mind that public transport to these areas will be non existent.

Just saw that you will be in NY. May I suggest Rumney, the New River, and the Red River. Hot and humid in August, but should be fine in September. You also should not miss the Gunks.

You might be able to get a ride in to Yosemite, seeing that it's such a popular destination. If I was visiting the USA from the other side of the world, I'd for sure want to at least see it. Then maybe Smith afterwards? Seems like you could probably hitch hike from Bend and be alright.

As far as rentals go, I see a TON of these minivans road-trippin around the west : jucyrentals.com .

No idea how affordable they are, but I know they're popular.

Just been taking a look at Smith Rock, which looks like a stunning place! definately high on the options list at this stage!!

thanks again for everyones help. and Im always open to more ideas... still have a fair few months before I need to lock anything in firm

I second the vote for the New River Gorge and Red River Gorge. Excellent sport and trad climbing, swimming holes to beat the heat, and not too far to travel from NY.

Rob Lucking wrote:I may be able to rent a car, just really depends on cash flow.

Are you under 25 yrs old?
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Rob Lucking wrote:lots of replies... awesome! well my camp is about 2 hours north of New York, but am happy to fly/bus to another state for climbing.... with a month in hand I would rather go somewhere for GOOD climbing, rather than just go to the nearby climbing for convenience. I may be able to rent a car, just really depends on cash flow. I have been in the UK for a few months, about to do a road trip through France and Spain. before flying to america for summer camp and then a month of climbing..... none of this makes me rich.... so a car rental is an option, but money talks!! I will have a partner in crime for climbing, so not so worried about gettign somewhere easy to meet climbers (although meeting the local climbers is always part of the fun) if anyone has ideas/recomendations for a good/cheep rental car company (maybe even a camper agency) then I will be happy to look into that, as I realise it will open up my options hugely! thanks for the replies so far, at this stage its all about getting good information to build on! I guess another big consideration is not just rock quality, but somewhere nice and scenic too. nothing beats climbing a great route with a beautiful view to really appreciate a country!

Well the climbing in NY is definitely GOOD as well as local, and September is probably the best time of year for climbing in the northeast. But I would recommend checking out the nearby climbing on your weekends off during the summer, and then traveling somewhere else for your month off. (although summer is less ideal than fall in the northeast, it's still great).
I don't know what it's like in New Zealand, but unfortunately with the exception of getting around certain big cities, the US doesn't really have a great public transportation network. So I think your best options are:

1. Find a partner, maybe meet someone at the camp you'll be working at, preferably one who has a car.
2. For that amount of time, you may be better off buying an older, crappier, but mechanically sound car off craiglist and then reselling it at the end of your trip - if you get lucky you may break even on this, of course if you get unlucky (esp. if your departure date is non-negotiable) you may end up eating the cost. The plus side to this option is if you pick up a car when you first arrive you can use it on weekends to explore NY climbing during your camp season.
3. Pick a single climbing destination, get there, and stay put without need to drive around during your month of climbing. Yosemite is good for this in the sense that between the buses, walking, and maybe picking up a beater bike, you can get to a ton of world-class, scenic climbing without a car. Yosemite is bad for this in that there's not really a legal way to stay there for a whole month during the summer. There are certainly ways to deal with that but it can be a pain. You may also find a place like Boulder with a lot of climbing in a close area, and find partners with cars day by day. Camping in/near Boulder is difficult though, and August-September is outside prime cheap sublet season. I'm sure there are other spots with a month's worth of good climbing and reasonably easy access once you're there, you'd just have to commit to one location and get yourself there. Having a car definitely opens up your options though.

Good luck, and have fun!

bus service from san fran to yosemite, climb tuolumne and high country climbs.

YARTS bus gives rides all over the park, brings you down to mammoth and bishop area as well. bring backpacking gear and do some high country classics also.

christoph benells wrote:bus service from san fran to yosemite, climb tuolumne and high country climbs. YARTS bus gives rides all over the park, brings you down to mammoth and bishop area as well. bring backpacking gear and do some high country classics also.

The climbing areas in Tuolumne are spread over 10 miles of route 120. It would be a royal PITA to be there without a car.

Rob - I'm a new yorker living in Wanaka. I think you're underestimating the distances involved. Having been on many long distance bus trips in the US and Canada I cannot recommend them. Either fly somewhere or stay local. If you do choose to stay local, there is some awesome climbing in NY/area. The Adirondacks, Rumney, Canon if you want some adventurous trad, the gunks are like a more crowded and not as cool arapiles. Rest assured that just about anywhere you go will be better than NZ (except maybe castle hill) and that having a car is going to make your life so much easier. Do not expect to get picked up hitchiking with any sort of certainty.

California climbing is year round.

I would suggest going to Yosemite. It's beautiful, it has a little bit of sport climbing, and there's plenty of climbers to catch a belay from. The high country (Tuolomne) will be good in late August, and the valley will start to cool off in September.

The main U.S. summer sport crags are Rifle, in Colorado, Ten Sleep, in Wyoming, and Maple Canyon, in Utah. I imagine they would all be fairly difficult to reach by public transportation, but you'd have to look into it. Rifle probably wouldn't be too bad.

The Red and the New are world class climbing destinations that are geographically much closer to New York, but they might be very hot and humid that time of year.

Squamish
Fly to seattle. Catch ride or bus.
Once there easy to get to town to buy food.
Actually has a fair bit of sportclimbing but like other granite, the best climbing is trad. Bouldering is great there.

Yosemite. Easy to get there and live there but ranger issues abound and sportclimbing there is not destination worthy

Rifle, maple, ten sleep will be dependant on a car or extensive rides but great sport

Gunks. Trad. Great ez routes. Ez to get there, stay and get food and water

New river , red river gorge . Great sport. Bit spread out. Possible with public transport but not ez

Have fun!!!!

West long routes. East coast great single pitch sandstone, good in autumn

Squamish
Fly to seattle. Catch ride or bus.
Once there easy to get to town to buy food.
Actually has a fair bit of sportclimbing but like other granite, the best climbing is trad. Bouldering is great there.

Yosemite. Easy to get there and live there but ranger issues abound and sportclimbing there is not destination worthy

Rifle, maple, ten sleep will be dependant on a car or extensive rides but great sport

Gunks. Trad. Great ez routes. Ez to get there, stay and get food and water

New river , red river gorge . Great sport. Bit spread out. Possible with public transport but not ez

Have fun!!!!

West long routes. East coast great single pitch sandstone, good in autumn