Austin Climbing in the Rain?

Hey folks!

I'll be in Austin this Weekend and I'm wondering if there's an area that would be okay in the rain (because it's, say, overhanging or something like that). I have a feeling Seismic Wall might be okay since it has the roof.

Thanks!

I haven't been to all the areas on Seismic Wall but the ones I have been to you won't want to climb in the rain. Those walls are so polished that even a damp fog would suck. Not to mention you have to cross the creek to get there (again depending on the area) and that isn't something you want to do in Texas when it's raining.

Marco Munizaga wrote:Hey folks! I'll be in Austin this Weekend and I'm wondering if there's an area that would be okay in the rain (because it's, say, overhanging or something like that). I have a feeling Seismic Wall might be okay since it has the roof. Thanks!

You can climb Seismic's roof section in the rain, though some of the variation finishes will be wet.

If the creek is too high to cross, you can head left at the bottom of the trail and use the bridge to cross. Having said that, if the water is mid-thigh or higher on me (I'm 5' 10") I'd bet my money that most of the belay area for the roof section is underwater. YMMV.

Yeah, you can belay from the more immediate base of the roof section, but I personally wouldn't advise it if the ground is wet at all. While I try to embrace the polish on the climbs themselves, I do not embrace it whilst belaying. But that's just, like, my opinion, man. YMMV.

If there is water in the creek, exercise caution. People have drowned there.

You might take a look at the Urban Assault area, it is covered by a big roof and if you access off Barton Skyway you may not have to cross the creek though finding a dry way there can be a challenge. The stuff there is fairly hard... Here is a vid of one of the roof routes.

vimeo.com/123907055

Also there has been an explosion of high end gyms you might want to check out.

James Crump wrote:You might take a look at the Urban Assault area, it is covered by a big roof and if you access off Barton Skyway you may not have to cross the creek though finding a dry way there can be a challenge. The stuff there is fairly hard... Also there has been an explosion of high end gyms you might want to check out.

Good call on Urban Assault, James.

OP, I'll throw this out there just for the sake of it: Portions of the New Wall area are climbable in the rain, though if it is raining while you're there, [I think] all of the finishes will be wet. It's great in the summer when a quick shower blows through, then the sun burns off the moisture on the finishes. However, given the time of year and the forecast, I don't have a lot of confidence in that happening. No creek to cross, though!

I know it's not what you want to hear, but gym climbing this weekend seems to be on order for a lot of us here. There is a competition at NARG this Saturday if that's the sort of thing that excites you.

Thanks everyone!