Climbing Suggestions for 1st/2nd Week of May

Hello all!

Could you please help me with climbing suggestions for the beginning of May? I may have 2weeks off and would like to start thinking about it now. Hypothetically, it could be anywhere....although money will play a factor when it comes down to the details of course.

Thoughts/info:

• I climb sport and trad
• Would love something multi-pitch/ tall
• I'd probably be there by myself most of the time so I'd probably have to get a guide as I am not into Soloing
• I really don't care what I'm climbing grade wise - it's the experience/views/rock that matter to me
• that being said: I'll probably not want to follow anything more than 5.9 trad (5.10 sport maybe)....but would probably want more moderates in the 5.7/5.8 range (or even 5.4-5.6!!!!)
• I'm a chicken leader (and have absolutely no shame announcing that!) ....meaning I lead well below my physical ability...so I'd also like a place with easier trad leads (5.4-5.6) if my partner is able to come climb with me for a bit (maybe 5.8 - 5.10 sport leads...and below is fine of course)
• I'd prefer it to be somewhere I haven't climbed before but may settle for a "familiar" place (list is too long to put here, plus - I want to keep it open to your suggestions)
• My home range is the Gunks and the Daks (so please no suggestions on those places)
• I can get by with speaking Spanish (just sayin' in case suggestions lead me outside the U.S. ...which I'm open to ANYWHERE right now).
• I don't want mountaineering/snow routes as my experience is very very VERY minimal (although maybe a mountaineering course somewhere may be neat...although in May?!?!)
• Looking for rock!!

Help!

p.s. Those with personal experience in their suggestions are HIGHLY appreciated....although I'll take "word of mouth" as well I think.

Thanks in advance!!

hey, i built a site exactly for this purpose!

climbcation.com will help you filter through world class climbing destinations and get trip beta. When you find something that piques your interest you can use a site like mountain project to find more specific details on the climbing!

It's crowd sourced and open source so if you're interested in contributing feel free!

Let me know if you have any questions or feedback as I'm always trying to improve the site

Anyways, I was recently in Paklenica in croatia and I think that place would be pretty good for you. Tons of multipitching(there is even a massive 350m wall with lots of routes on it). May might be a bit more rainy compared to summer but it's definitely in season. If you get tired of long multis you can go climb single pitch in the canyon or go to hvar for some island fun, DWS, and single pitching... Also, the seafood in croatia is out of this world.

Smith rocks in central oregon. Lots of routes, camping is $5 a night and right next to the climbing. There is also bouldering there, and the town of Bend is not too far (most breweries per capita in the United States). They have a ton of sport and trad routes and some awesome multipitch. there are always people trying to find partners to go there. Best of luck.

Blair

So, to summarize your list, you want to climb easy multi pitch in early may. You will not have a partner, so will need to find someone to climb with. There are a lot of places in the US that would provide good options, so it really just comes down to how far you want to travel, and what places are motivating to you. Some great options include:

Seneca Rocks, WV
North Conway, NH
Boulder, CO (Eldo, Flatirons, etc)
Red Rocks NV (getting hot then, but still manageable in the shade)
Idyllwild, CA
Yosemite, CA
And others...

All have pros and cons. All should have good May weather. Partner situation varies, but should be possible at each. There are many threads about each. Read up and post back here with questions.

Red Rocks or Zion. The weather is a factor. If the weather is warmer, then Zion would seem to fit your bill better and has a better vib.

dsauerbrun wrote:hey, i built a site exactly for this purpose! climbcation.com will help you filter through world class climbing destinations and get trip beta. When you find something that piques your interest you can use a site like mountain project to find more specific details on the climbing! It's crowd sourced and open source so if you're interested in contributing feel free! Let me know if you have any questions or feedback as I'm always trying to improve the site Anyways, I was recently in Paklenica in croatia and I think that place would be pretty good for you. Tons of multipitching(there is even a massive 350m wall with lots of routes on it). May might be a bit more rainy compared to summer but it's definitely in season. If you get tired of long multis you can go climb single pitch in the canyon or go to hvar for some island fun, DWS, and single pitching... Also, the seafood in croatia is out of this world.

Very nice site! Great UI and tons of good info. I'll see if I can provide any critical feedback once I play around with it some more, but I'll definitely be using it in the future!

Yosemite Valley could work out nicely. There's a one week camping limit, but there are ways around that. Braille Book, NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral, E Buttress of Middle Cathedral, DNB and E Buttress of El Cap all sort of meet your criteria. If the snow melts in the high country soon enough, Snake Dike is an option. There is a guide service (Yosemite Mountaineering School), or you can find partners in Camp 4 pretty easily. Almost no sport climbing to speak of, but the trad climbing is good enough to make up for that.

mark felber wrote:Yosemite Valley could work out nicely. There's a one week camping limit, but there are ways around that. Braille Book, NE Buttress of Higher Cathedral, E Buttress of Middle Cathedral, DNB and E Buttress of El Cap all sort of meet your criteria. If the snow melts in the high country soon enough, Snake Dike is an option. There is a guide service (Yosemite Mountaineering School), or you can find partners in Camp 4 pretty easily. Almost no sport climbing to speak of, but the trad climbing is good enough to make up for that.

Aside from Braille Book, those suggested routes are well above the OP's stated ability. He asked for 5.4 to 5.8. You need to be a solid 5.10 leader for many of those suggestions. Why do people always insist on making irrelevant and/or sandbagged suggestions?

Still, though, Yosemite would be a great place to visit and there are enough easy routes to stay busy, plus many beautiful hikes.

2 weeks, early may ? I'd head for Boulder at your pay grade, even allowing for bird closures, there's hundreds of great climbs. Lots of other stuff nearby too.

Another option would be the UK,,The weather may suck a bit, but literally thousands of routes at all grades..Pembroke, Wales, Grit..etc..etc. good $$ exchange now as well.

You'll even be speaking a different language !

Never had a moderate experience in ZION. not exatly the best place to send a self professed chicken leader... red rocks yes.

Agree with that Nick ! Even the "easy" climbs in Zion are grippers. I'd want to be solid at 5.10 and easy aid for trip there. Of course the fact that 3 million people will be there as well kinds sucks

Tahoe.

Close to home, Seneca. There is plenty there in the grades you are talking about and in May there should be enough people there that you could find someone to partner up with. If you are without a partner then there is a local guide service.

If you're up for a road trip, Yosemite would be a real good choice. A lot of good climbing and finding a partner shouldn't be a problem.

You will get so many different answers, you may end up worse off than before you asked. Criteria should be narrowed.

JCM wrote: Aside from Braille Book, those suggested routes are well above the OP's stated ability. He asked for 5.4 to 5.8. You need to be a solid 5.10 leader for many of those suggestions. Why do people always insist on making irrelevant and/or sandbagged suggestions? Still, though, Yosemite would be a great place to visit and there are enough easy routes to stay busy, plus many beautiful hikes.

She indicated a willingness to follow 5.9, maybe 5.10. She also mentioned hiring a guide. If she doesn't hire a guide, there's a good chance that someone in Camp 4 will be willing to do all the leading on those routes, especially if the second is a personable female.

^ same with Zion

dsauerbrun = THANK YOU! You are wonderful for making that site. That will be helpful for me.

Russ Keane = Thanks. But didn't want to narrow it too much as I'm currently thinking about places all over the world (including U.S.) and then narrow it down from there. Plus - I didn't want it to be so narrow to exclude any wonderful ideas for me that may come out of this post.

and as far as Zion = yes, not quite what I was looking for this time. I have been there, had the wonderful opportunity to follow Aid on Moonlight Buttress for which I am forever grateful. (for the record - not too interested in Aid so no need for Aid suggestions, maybe next time).

JCM and a Blair = Thanks for the suggestions!! I have been to those places (except California..have yet to climb there.)..and actually been to Seneca a bunch as well since it's kinda the "next closest" multi-pitch trad area from where I am. Of all those, Red Rocks is more on my mind. I'd like to do NH again, but probably not this trip. That could change tho - still early in the planning phase.
Idyllwild might be cool. Could always then drive over to JTree for a change if needed. (been there once so kinda sorta know the rock).

Mark Felber = I would say I'm personable. So long as a partner doesn't get snippy when I double check things / belay technique..I'm a firm believer in ALWAYS double checking and never assuming anything no matter HOW long you've climbed with a person. I stopped climbing with one partner after a few incidences of "snippy-ness". Sucked cause that person is a good person...just not a good climbing person match for me.

John Strand = HA!! That's an idea. And "speaking British" may be fun. British humor cracks me up. (unrelated - ever seen "Top Gear" show?)

One thing maybe I should clarify is "snow routes". What I mean by that...is nothing that requires mountaineering boots. I have strap-on crampons and microspikes...just no mountaineer boots. I am still in search of mountaineering boots but it's been hell trying to find a pair (so taking a break from it). As a woman - my options are limited and all the pairs I've tried have sucked for me (that's a story for another post).

Thank you all (and thanks in advance to the future posters as well). Happy New Year!