California sport climbing in September

Hi MP! I have a week to climb first week or so of September. Would Owens River Gorge be too hot, or manageable? Of course there's also the risk of fires, so will have backup too. Looking for <10c sport routes that aren't too stiff/sketch, just getting into sport climbing. Would love any CA recs. Also thinking Auburn Quarry, Lover's Leap, Yosemite (I know it's very hard!). Appreciate any advice here

You’ll be better off at higher altitudes than Bishop. First week of September, I’ve had snow flurries or scorching heat at 8k. This looks to be shaping up as one of the scorching years.
mammoth area, lots of stuff in the Lewis guidebook fits your needs.  Clark Canyon, Rim View, stuff right in Mammoth, Rock Creek, etc.

 Tahoe area, Big Chief in the AM. Other scattered crags. 

A F wrote:

Would Owens River Gorge be too hot, or manageable? ...  Looking for <10c sport routes that aren't too stiff/sketch, just getting into sport climbing. Would love any CA recs. Also thinking Auburn Quarry, Lover's Leap, Yosemite (I know it's very hard!). Appreciate any advice here

Owens is a greta moderate sport area but is quite hot in early September. Go elesewhere if you can.

The other areas you mention are also not suitable for summertime moderate sport climbing. Auburn Quarry is too hot and not really a destination. Lovers Leap is nice in summer but is almost entirely trad. Yosemite doesn't really have moderate sport climbing either.

Phylp's advice above is good. Your best options are:

(1) Mammoth Lakes area. Various small sport crags scattered around at high elevation. Do your research on what has shade when.

(2) Emeralds/Bowman (Tahoe area). Middle elevation, but most crags have morning shade. Climb in morning, swim in the afternoon. Not a major sport destination, or ideal for hot summer conditions, but it would do.

Zooming out a bit: why California? CA isn't really the best destination for summer sport climbing. If you have the flexibility, go to Utah instead. A trip to Maple Canyon and the Uintas would be a better choice for summertime moderate sport.

Thank you both! Fair enough on it being a challenging time for the heat. Was being hopeful, I suppose, and honestly considering CA since it'd be easier to drive there with all of the camping things. Could drive a lot further to get to Utah instead...

What would you think about City of Rocks in Idaho if in the Cottonwood Canyon/Uintas area? Would Red River Gorge (probably humid, I know...) be a viable option?

I have climbed in the City of Rocks a number of times in mid-summer. It is often hot but you can always find climbs in the shade, so early September should be fine--always a chance of thunderstorms.

Early September is usually very 'transitional' in the Red River between sticky summer and beautiful autumn, so will be a gamble, but worth it if you 'win'.

Alan Rubin wrote:

I have climbed in the City of Rocks a number of times in mid-summer. It is often hot but you can always find climbs in the shade, so early September should be fine--always a chance of thunderstorms.

Early September is usually very 'transitional' in the Red River between sticky summer and beautiful autumn, so will be a gamble, but worth it if you 'win'.

Thanks for intel on both Alan!

A F wrote:

Thank you both! Fair enough on it being a challenging time for the heat. Was being hopeful, I suppose, and honestly considering CA since it'd be easier to drive there with all of the camping things. Could drive a lot further to get to Utah instead...

What would you think about City of Rocks in Idaho if in the Cottonwood Canyon/Uintas area? Would Red River Gorge (probably humid, I know...) be a viable option?

What is your starting point for driving? This is useful info that could identify other areas to suggest.

Plenty of diverse climbing areas in the mammoth and lee vining area to fill a week

JCM wrote:

What is your starting point for driving? This is useful info that could identify other areas to suggest.

The Bay area!

splitclimber wrote:

Plenty of diverse climbing areas in the mammoth and lee vining area to fill a week

Will definitely have to go back in October!

A F wrote:

The Bay area!

Ah OK that makes sense. I wouldn't neccesarily suggest a trip to CA from out of state to sport climb in September. But for someone living here there are of course plenty of viable options to make use of your local/regional areas.

As mentioned above, good options are Mammoth area (high elevation; best summer options) and the Emeralds (closest reasonable summer sport climbing to the Bay Area, though a bit on the warm side). 

Another viable option not mentioned yet is to do a tour around various areas up on the Redwood Coast. A different zone than the typical CA climbing experience. Plus can have a visit to the Redwoods while up there.

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/109219793/land-of-the-lost

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/113508276/cold-springs

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/106024808/promontory

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105882032/moonstone-beach

Ah just seeing these. Awesome list, thank you for sharing the links! Would definitely make sense to stop by these, especially if going to/from Smith Rock or something the long route too!

A F wrote:

Ah just seeing these. Awesome list, thank you for sharing the links! Would definitely make sense to stop by these, especially if going to/from Smith Rock or something the long route too!

Obvious change since this thread was originally posted is that much of NorCal is on fire. Best bet at this point is probably Mammoth area climbing and Pine Creek, which have been less impacted by fires than areas further north.

Owens is fine in the morning if going to upper gorge Gotham city, dihedrals and other great walls are in the shade till 1!

Chasing shade at Owens may be the best option now that the National Forests are closed. Or just drive to Utah or Idaho if you have time for a longer trip.

JCM wrote:

Chasing shade at Owens may be the best option now that the National Forests are closed. Or just drive to Utah or Idaho if you have time for a longer trip.

That's the plan! Going to Utah briefly (cottonwood canyons) and then Idaho (city of rocks). Still worried about the smoke, both driving through it and climbing/camping in it, but hoping for the best.

A F wrote:

That's the plan! Going to Utah briefly (cottonwood canyons) and then Idaho (city of rocks). Still worried about the smoke, both driving through it and climbing/camping in it, but hoping for the best.

Best of luck with the smoke! City of Rocks is amazing and you should have a great time.

A F wrote:

That's the plan! Going to Utah briefly (cottonwood canyons) and then Idaho (city of rocks). Still worried about the smoke, both driving through it and climbing/camping in it, but hoping for the best.

Can't speak to Utah, but I was just at City, and headed back there on the 10th.

As with everywhere, it is extremely dry there, even for high desert. It was sad to see in looking like late August....way back in June. So don't do an open fire at all, please, even though it's still allowed.

Smoky, yes. Idaho has been smoky all season, either from CA smoke coming up, or N. ID smoke drifting down. I see no change for many weeks to come.

That said, the smoke is usually not terrible, and the Park just got online with PurpleHaze. Dunno where you find that. There are also pretty good smoke forecasts out there. I'd simply assume NorCal and NV will continue in the just awful category, until snowfall.

The pattern I saw at City, is enough smoke to turn the surrounding hills into silhouettes, but not quite where you smell it all the time. It will be a bloody sunrise. Later in the day, the usual breezes kick in, stir it up some. You'll still see stars at night, milky way, maybe, maybe not. Then, presunrise, the smoke settles in again, and the stars are gone. That makes a strange false dawn glow, way before the real thing, if there's any moon out there. Much darker nights, too. 

Temps were great! Almost toasty in the sun, but still quite climbable, and cool to almost cold, overnight. Socks and a sweatshirt in the morning, strip down to shorts and flip flops later. It made the pool especially welcome!

Have a great time! If you are there around the 10th on, if you see a dinky old lady, yeah, probably is me. 

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote:

Can't speak to Utah, but I was just at City, and headed back there on the 10th.

As with everywhere, it is extremely dry there, even for high desert. It was sad to see in looking like late August....way back in June. So don't do an open fire at all, please, even though it's still allowed.

Smoky, yes. Idaho has been smoky all season, either from CA smoke coming up, or N. ID smoke drifting down. I see no change for many weeks to come.

That said, the smoke is usually not terrible, and the Park just got online with PurpleHaze. Dunno where you find that. There are also pretty good smoke forecasts out there. I'd simply assume NorCal and NV will continue in the just awful category, until snowfall.

The pattern I saw at City, is enough smoke to turn the surrounding hills into silhouettes, but not quite where you smell it all the time. It will be a bloody sunrise. Later in the day, the usual breezes kick in, stir it up some. You'll still see stars at night, milky way, maybe, maybe not. Then, presunrise, the smoke settles in again, and the stars are gone. That makes a strange false dawn glow, way before the real thing, if there's any moon out there. Much darker nights, too. 

Temps were great! Almost toasty in the sun, but still quite climbable, and cool to almost cold, overnight. Socks and a sweatshirt in the morning, strip down to shorts and flip flops later. It made the pool especially welcome!

Have a great time! If you are there around the 10th on, if you see a dinky old lady, yeah, probably is me. 

Best, Helen

Helen! This is SO helpful. We called the rangers ("it's been.... hazy"), have been religiously checking AQI reports, etc., but it's just not the same as knowing an on the ground report, so thank you so much for taking the time to share. Kind of strange about those false dawn glows. This gives a little more confidence in making the trek out there (though we are camping so breathing in that nice air for several days straight...), and hoping for some very lucky days.

I would have absolutely loved to say hi, but we are leaving on the 9th :(. If we end up staying longer for some reason will definitely look for ya!

If you get hosed on City of Rocks AQI, it looks like the air in central Utah (i.e Maple Canyon) has been holding strong.

I was in Owens last weekend and you can chase shade