Potentially moving to Louisville

Hello! I was hoping to get a read on the outdoor/climbing community in Kentucky. I can technically live anywhere in the great lakes region for work but Louisville seems to have the most things going on but I'm not sure about the outdoor scene?  I know the RRG is amazing but I'm going to be moving from the western united states and I'm a bit nervous about finding good people that live in the area to regularly climb and do other outdoor activities with. Anyone out there? 

Lots of amazing people/climbers in Louisville. It's a friendly scene for sure. Most people are happy to have someone else along for a climbing weekend.  Most of the climbing cliques are formed out of either Rock Sport (small rope gym), or Climb Nulu (bouldering gym, filled with mostly sport climbers that go to the Red, and on bouldering trips). Lots of lady climbers in town, too. If you make it here, im positive you'd be able to find plenty of climbing buds.

I'm moving that way soon myself. I know some folks in the area. Hit me up if you want to climb and meet some people living in the area

Lexington is a bit closer to the Red.

amariuswrote:

Lexington is a bit closer to the Red.

The city is pretty lame and the traffic is awful, but their gym is far superior to anything in Louisville, and they're 45 mins closer to the Red.

Matthew Jaggerswrote:

The city is pretty lame and the traffic is awful, but their gym is far superior to anything in Louisville, and they're 45 mins closer to the Red.

I was wondering about Lexington too! Thanks for the lowdown 

Marissa Beewrote:

I was wondering about Lexington too! Thanks for the lowdown 

No problem. People like different things, so to be fair, I know some people that like Lexington, but it's not for me. LEF Climbing gym is top notch though. Louisville doesn't have a gym even half as nice.

Climb Nulu's setting is pretty incredible, the gym itself is just not up to par.

I'm good friends with the manager and a few others at climb nulu in Louisville. Its a bouldering gym so when they go to the red they fall or take after 20'.  I don't recommend you climb with them.  Haha

Really there are three cities that are "local" to RRG; Lexington (closest, ~1hr to RRG, but has the least culture, unless you love college sports, and whoever designed the freeways there should be shot, it has the worst traffic), Louisville (~2hrs. to RRG,  mid size city with lots of culture, kind of a mid-western version of Austin or Portland, getting around the city is generally not a problem), and Cincinnati (~2 hrs., which is a larger city with lots of culture, kind of like St. Louis, traffic can be bad depending on where you live).  The major problem you'll find with any of them is that there isn't before/after work climbing; you're going to be living the weekend-warrior lifestyle if you work a 9-5.  If you've climbed at the Red you already know it's a huge area and getting to some crags from Miguel's can easily take another hour or more each way.  I don't know many people in any of these cities who would drive to the Red for an hour or two of climbing, at least not with any regularity.

I've been climbing in the Red for about two decades and have lived in Louisville for most of that time.  Never had a problem finding partners, and the community is a good one.  As Matt Jaggers, pointed out, Louisville has a so-so gym situation.  RockSport is the roped gym, and it's old-school 90s style (short routes, old facilities, in the burbs, lead routes are pretty sus).  NuLu is our modern gym (Walltopia, lots of space, training facilities, in a cool part of town), but it's just bouldering.  A lot of NuLu climbers end up driving to Lexington to climb @ LEF to get their rope fix in because the gym is great for lead.  Conversely, Lexington climbers often drive to Louisville to boulder on rainy weekends because the setting @ Climb NuLu is way better.  I personally buy a LEF punch pass to get a few days on lead before the Fall/Spring seasons. Both NuLu and RockSport have good people climbing there, I don't think you'd have a problem finding a crew at either place if you put in some effort.

I'd ignore the comments about falling off routes because of only bouldering.  Climb NuLu has tons of crushers who have no problem with the enduro routes @ the red.  It's all about how you train and what/how you climb on the weekends.  Anecdotely most of the better climbers are @ NuLU, not RockSport.    

You also mentioned other outdoor activities; none of these cities are outdoor towns.  Sure, there's some mountain biking, and some kayaking, and some hiking, but they're not Moab or Buena Vista.  If you're into that sort of thing you'll be driving to WV, TN, and NC a lot (lots of us do).  Again Lexington has the advantage there because it's an hour closer each way to most of the good destinations like New River, Nantahala, Asheville, Chattanooga, etc.  This is the one area where some of the northern cities have us beat, especially in Michigan.

Whiskeybulletswrote:

I'd ignore the comments about falling off routes because of only bouldering.  Climb NuLu has tons of crushers who have no problem with the enduro routes @ the red.  It's all about how you train and what/how you climb on the weekends.  Anecdotely most of the better climbers are @ NuLU, not RockSport.    

Haha yeah everyone should ignore it, was being sarcastic.   

Dane Bwrote:

I'm moving that way soon myself. I know some folks in the area. Hit me up if you want to climb and meet some people living in the area

I just moved from the Boulder area myself! Just yesterday as a matter of fact- just for a three month contract, but also looking to meet people for weekends in the RRG!! Would love to meet up some of ya'll! 

Whiskeybulletswrote:

The major problem you'll find with any of them is that there isn't before/after work climbing; you're going to be living the weekend-warrior lifestyle if you work a 9-5.  

I have lived in Lexington around 8 years now and regularly get out climbing after work.  I can get off work at 4 and be at the Beer Trailer by 5 and get 5 pitches in before dark.  

Whiskeybulletswrote:

The major problem you'll find with any of them is that there isn't before/after work climbing; you're going to be living the weekend-warrior lifestyle if you work a 9-5.

You also mentioned other outdoor activities; none of these cities are outdoor towns.  Sure, there's some mountain biking, and some kayaking, and some hiking, but they're not Moab or Buena Vista.  If you're into that sort of thing you'll be driving to WV, TN, and NC a lot (lots of us do).  Again Lexington has the advantage there because it's an hour closer each way to most of the good destinations like New River, Nantahala, Asheville, Chattanooga, etc.  This is the one area where some of the northern cities have us beat, especially in Michigan.

So much amazing info here that was much needed on my end. I ended up taking job thanks to you and everyone else that chipped in so thanks! I’ll have a very flexible schedule and kind of just need to do a few hours of emails every day when I’m around so I don’t think spending a lot of time at the red will be a problem!

And I didn’t think about the lack of other activities but (relatively) close proximity to ashville and other hubs. It’s great to know that Kentucky folks are heading elsewhere regularly to get their fix in other sports!

Scott Curranwrote:

I have lived in Lexington around 8 years now and regularly get out climbing after work.  I can get off work at 4 and be at the Beer Trailer by 5 and get 5 pitches in before dark.  

Hmmm this sounds like I should also be considering living in Lexington

Marissa Beewrote:

Hmmm this sounds like I should also be considering living in Lexington

If you like water sports - WW kayaking/rafting, hiking, MTB, New River Gorge is something you should definitely check out. You can probably figure out what major cities/towns are in the area.

Marissa Beewrote:

Hmmm this sounds like I should also be considering living in Lexington

Lexington is really fantastic. It’s smaller than Louisville but has the same amenities (on a smaller scale). It’s a college town, and the traffic only really gets wild when there is a UK basketball game. If affordable housing is your gig, there is a lot. It’s never really a hassle to park anywhere, but that isn’t an issue because you can bike through the city with ease. I loved my time in Lexington, and would definitely put it on the list of places to look in to.

also, “Tortilleria Y Taqueria Ramirez” is the best Mexican joint in the Midwest. (And sits right across from a bakery that is also very good)

Sawyer Wwrote:

“Tortilleria Y Taqueria Ramirez” is the best Mexican joint in the Midwest. (And sits right across from a bakery that is also very good)

this is the type of beta i come to MP for   

Kentucky is in the great lakes area? Jfc, I need a geography lesson on all your weird little states out east.

Yes

I lived just outside Lexington in college and enjoyed it. Aside from the traffic, which really isn't that bad, it's a cool little city. I'd much rather live in Lexington than Louisville. Louisville had a bit better music and culture scene, but it's so close that you can catch a concert or festival in Louisville and easily live in Lexington. It would be harder to regularly commute from Louisville to the Red. I'm surprised nobody has opened a nice rope gym in Louisville. It seems like it would do very well. 

It's cheaper, has a nice gym, and is an hour closer to the red. If climbing is your priority, live in Lexington. 

Also, since when is Kentucky in the great lakes region? 

Southeast climbers are very friendly and welcoming.  Year 1 of moving from Boulder back to Ohio I was climbing at the Red with new people every week, year 2 felt like I had a community... People from all over the surrounding states drive in every weekend, you can make little circuits of places to go - the Red, Obed, Chattanooga, the New - and they all have great communities of locals/regulars.  Obviously the closer you are to any area, the better..