What famous crag do you least want to visit, based on its reputation, and why?

Maybe we'll burst some assumptions here, yet reinforce others. And maybe my mind will be changed.

RIFLE

My understanding is that the routes under 5.12 are slick as snot, and crowded, just an awful combo. Plus I'd have to watch much better and tinier climbers wearing kneepads effortlessly get up routes 5.12 and up that they have ruthlessly wired, feeling as weak as I'll ever feel. No thanks.

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON

My understanding is you can only climb these routes after many, many raps in. Then once you start the only option for retreat is a sketchy river crossing followed by an extremely long walk of shame back to your vehicle. No thanks. Maybe 20 years ago I'd have been up for the anxiety of having to finish, or else. Also, you'll encounter mandatory loose unprotectable bands of pegmatite on these routes. Your lead, bro.

VEDAUWOO

I mean, I can climb offwidth, and sometimes I even like it. No self respecting trad leader will say they "can't climb offwidth." But I usually only climb them as a mandatory part of a multi or an otherwise normal width crack. But to purposely go here knowing I will receive a bloody and humbling beating on a 5.7? No thanks.

South Woodson

In my sixth decade and a little out of shape - most all.  ;)

Indian Creek, there just seems to be a lot of other options with less people

Tonsai and Railay, Thailand.

Same polished holds problem combined with tropical heat and humidity, horrible corrosion issues making fixed hardware lottery, and "Bali belly".

Sam M wrote:

Tonsai and Railay, Thailand.

Same polished holds problem combined with tropical heat and humidity, horrible corrosion issues making fixed hardware lottery, and "Bali belly".

I’ll second this, if in Thailand go to Chaing Mai

Yosemite, I feel like the rock is just too good and climbing anywhere else just won’t be the same afterwards 

Rifle is gorgeous and special. Even 11’s there can teach you many valuable lessons. Sure it is polished and crowded. But it unfailingly rewards your attentions. 

Of crags I have been to Woodson never again. Joshua tree is the worst famous crag for me. I climbed four days in a row and my skin was so wrecked I couldn’t climb for a week.

Crags I haven’t been too, any famous long multi pitch area. I hate standing on a ledge, I hate hiking, the idea of managing medications and the bowel issues all the time isn’t ideal. Gear, I hate talking, planning or thinking about gear. I hate waiting. I would rather just keep traversing rifle than be stuck behind 30 people trying to replicate some historic experience.

El Potrero. The language barrier wouldn't be too bad if not for all the stories and warnings about getting your truck stolen on the drive in. The climbing looks sick though.

For crags I haven't been to, agree with the Tonsai posts. No interest in flying to the other side of the world to climb in 90 degree heat and get food poisoning.

For crags I have been to, agree with Puppy Lover on the J-Tree post. 

TJ Bindseil wrote:

Yosemite, I feel like the rock is just too good and climbing anywhere else just won’t be the same afterwards 

Don't worry about this. The rock quality in Yosemite isn't anything mind blowing. It's in the same league as any other good granite area, and there are various places with better granite. Especially if you value friction.

What sets Yosemite apart is the scale of the rock. The quality is plenty good enough, the walls are huge, and there are some nice crack lines. Plus the scenery and history. This is what makes the climbing great, not really the rock itself. It's good quality granite, but nothing magical.

Based on all the comments on Mountain Project, Smith Rock sounds absolutely awful.  People leaving gear all over, other people stealing gear, and everybody there sounds like their condescending assholes.  Always wanted to go there until I started following the forums on MP.

bryans wrote:

BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON

My understanding is you can only climb these routes after many, many raps in. Then once you start the only option for retreat is a sketchy river crossing followed by an extremely long walk of shame back to your vehicle. No thanks. Maybe 20 years ago I'd have been up for the anxiety of having to finish, or else. Also, you'll encounter mandatory loose unprotectable bands of pegmatite on these routes. Your lead, bro.

The Black Canyon is not exclusively like this and is a beautiful national park and great climbing area. Most routes on the north-facing south rim usually get done via rappel approaches (no river crossing) but the north rim side has much more climbing and more variety and amazing camping. Most of those routes are approached by casually walking down a (rocky/talus) trail and climbing right back into the campground. You start and end on the same side of the river. It's true that if you rap back to the start of your climb, you need to hike back out/up. I definitely think the 5.10 5.11 classics there are destination worthy.

I've never wanted to go to the VRG because of the trucks and highway right next to the walls when there is a fair amount of other sport climbing in the region.

blakeherrington wrote:

I've never wanted to go to the VRG because of the trucks and highway right next to the walls when there is a fair amount of other sport climbing in the region.

It’s a 10 min hike but absolutely was a pile of choss that just got climbed into oblivion.

I had to work in Vale for a couple concrete jobs and was told that rifle was a shit show, slick and crowded. I found it to be beautiful and super fun climbing and would recommend it if you are traveling through.

Not strictly an answer to this question but I spent an afternoon in the gunks and while the climbing itself was interesting and unique enough, the inescapable groups of loudly spraying people constantly shouting gear beta, what they were going to solo, and seemingly anything that popped into their heads seriously made me want to kill myself.

I've climbed there years ago, so just just on reputation, but place I have no interest in visiting (again) is Wild Iris. No interest in exploding my fingers in pockets. My lumbricals can't handle it.

I thought the climbing on the Namaste wall was incredibly boring

Exiled Michigander wrote:

Based on all the comments on Mountain Project, Smith Rock sounds absolutely awful.  People leaving gear all over, other people stealing gear, and everybody there sounds like their condescending assholes.  Always wanted to go there until I started following the forums on MP.

the thing about smith is that it's big enough that you don't have to interact with a lot of that mess. just don't go to morning glory, heinous cling or to the 2 miserable dudebros TRing karate wall into oblivion. The marsupials will give you all of the solitude you want, or any of the multitude of routes on the smith formation or monument area. 

and re: joshua tree, yeah, the climbing is so-so, and the season is as short as most of the routes, but it's just a cool place to hang out. and the boulders are not to be slept on, if you've got the skin for it.

as for crags that I least want to visit: probably the gunks. Everything I've heard about the gunks tells me that it would be a local pile if it weren't the closest rock to the densest popuation center in the US. also people raving about this "classic 5.3" or whatever... really? it's that good, at 5.3? oh, but it's a gunks 5.3 as if that means something. who knows maybe i'll climb there one day and love it

Adam bloc wrote:
South Woodson

Princess Puppy Lovr wrote:

Of crags I have been to Woodson never again. 

What's the reasoning for Woodson? Curious since I just moved into the area and was looking forward to checking it out