Have a chance to move to LA. How's the climbing?

jt newgardwrote:

Thanks Guy! It was great, read my book "Two Years Before the Mast" on the train. Back then they complained about having to climb the cliffs in Dana Point to grab the cow hides. Seems SoCal has been choss-nanza since before the Gold Rush !

Cherokee, if the bullet train isn't finished, that means there's still time to route it to Tahquitz   

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I think tensions flared in this thread because most of us don't take kindly, to folks not taking kindly to where we choose to live. Everyone gets their opinion I suppose! I traded climbing pines for climbing rocks, it's pretty great although sometimes I do miss the north woods.

Two Years Before the Mast is one of my favorite books that gives a good glimpse into early California history.   I have a expensive hobby of trying to collect the unattainable Zamorano 80 books of which Two Years Before the Mast is one.  Im collecting first editions and have made a good dent but some of the books are simply too far out of reach.

Growing up a AirForce Brat I was very used to moving every 2-3 years. To keep from getting to depressed one had to learn to embrace what was around locally to see and do. Living in Omaha taught me how to get out hunting, fishing and XC skiing. In Stuttgart I went skiing, a lot.
So the question is this. Is living somewhere how you define yourself?

Kevin Mokracekwrote:

Two Years Before the Mast is one of my favorite books that gives a good glimpse into early California history.   I have a expensive hobby of trying to collect the unattainable Zamorano 80 books of which Two Years Before the Mast is one.  Im collecting first editions and have made a good dent but some of the books are simply too far out of reach.

You're talking to someone obsessed with lists (working on the Sierra Club SPS peaks list) and collections ... so color me intrigued !! Someone recommended Two Years right after I moved to California. It is a phenomenal read. Some of the earliest depictions of free soloing depicted in Richard Henry's volume, as the sailors climbed the masts, and out onto the yard arms to reef the sails. The ship rocked so heavily rounding Cape Horn, they would get dipped in the ocean and had to hang on with frozen fingers. Talk about on sight lifestyle, no redpointing allowed !!

Guy, I couldn't agree more. We are blessed here in California but wilderness and adventure can be found anywhere. It is an attitude more than anything else! 

Guy has LA city created left turn arrows?

Diego Climberwrote:

Guy has LA city created left turn arrows?

A few, but not enough. People don't obey the traffic lights anymore anyway.

jt newgardwrote:

You're talking to someone obsessed with lists (working on the Sierra Club SPS peaks list) and collections ... so color me intrigued !! Someone recommended Two Years right after I moved to California. It is a phenomenal read. Some of the earliest depictions of free soloing depicted in Richard Henry's volume, as the sailors climbed the masts, and out onto the yard arms to reef the sails. The ship rocked so heavily rounding Cape Horn, they would get dipped in the ocean and had to hang on with frozen fingers. Talk about on sight lifestyle, no redpointing allowed !!

Guy, I couldn't agree more. We are blessed here in California but wilderness and adventure can be found anywhere. It is an attitude more than anything else! 

If you liked that you deserve to also read Steinbeck's The Log from the Sea of Cortez. Different time period, entirely, but really wonderful. 

Nice, thanks for the rec. Andrew !

I'm a Steinbeck fan 4 sure. I yell "Timshel!" at my friends whenever they get angsty about whether they'll send or not (subtle East of Eden reference). Was perusing my friend's copy of baja! by Doug Peacock lately so some more baja blast material will be most welcome .

Sorry everyone, this thread is California book club now   

There are other things to do here besides climb rocks ??? Like surfing, diving, fishing and stuff ?

Any John Fante fans here? Bukowski?

The fact that the thread drifted proves LA is a cesspool 

jt newgardwrote:

Not My Name, your authoritative and exemplary contributions to the Southern California climbing scene are truly without parallel. We are all planning to hold an awards ceremony for you, at the LA crag of your choosing of course, before year's end.

Sorry Guy, couldn't help myself   

P.S. I'm max chilling on the Surfliner at Union Station. No traffic to report from here!

What does your shilling your unrelated book have to do with living in LA?

Diego Climberwrote:

What does your shilling your unrelated book have to do with living in LA?

maybe they read more in LA. makes this thread a little more interesting to know folks in LA have books on their bookshelves, aside from guides...

Nobody Reads in LA.

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I liked the raw honesty of Ham on Rye. Wish I had discovered it in my younger years. It was like what you might get if Catcher in the Rye exploded out of a fiery star. That kind of hard-boiled intensity could only be borne from a cesspool as bottomless as Los Angeles. 

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Surprised no one mentioned the world class big wall approaching to be had by the ocean here! The water was flowing like wine, from the friendly gang of convict fire fighters, to the Mexican farm hands. Everyone helping each other out on a hot day, it was good times. As per usual I had the natives in stitches due to my piss poor attempts at speaking Spanish    

Hay de viento en LA cumbre!

After living in San Diego for 2 years, I feel the So Cal climbing (at least bouldering) is extremely overrated. Black Mountain was heralded as World Class, but it is basically the chossier version of South Lake Tahoe. Joshua Tree is cool if that's your thing, I particularly find the sharp and crumbly rock as well as weekend crowds anything but relaxing. LA does have SD beat in that there is less traffic to get to LV or Bishop. One can blow through most of the accessible climbing fairly quick and the sheer quantity of rock is far, far smaller than Nor Cal.

Frankly, the cost of living isn't lower than up north either. I did drive slightly further to climb, but it was worth driving 3.5-4hrs to Yosemite vs traffic and 3.5 to get up to Black. There are for sure worse places in the country to move for climbing and I'm a bit jaded at how oversold LA/SD were.

Karl…. I can drive 3 hrs one way and be in the middle of the southern sierra. FA’s everywhere to be found- the rope kind- and we walk through untouched boulder fields to get to them. If Boulders are your thing, why do you follow the crowds and go to Black Mt? It’s nice and all that but if you searched around for the spots- that smart folks do not post on MP- you might find some gems. You know that about 3 hours- due north from LA one can find probably THE finest bunch of pebbles this side of Utah! No lie. I have said enough, some of my friends might do me harm if I gave up the goods. A hint: knowing how big boulders are born and the fact that they roll down hill to valleys and google earth is your friend.
And heck everybody knows that LA has Stoney Point our shining jewel. :>) 

Be well 

It is overrated and over crowded. That’s why I say don’t move to Cali or leave if you’re here. It’s  weird and disturbing that cheerleaders want more people to clog up the roads. Spend an hour in rush day traffic or day in rush hour traffic first then decide. Don’t listen to the profiteers. Look at what your money gets you. $200,000 in Cal is like 50,000 in most of the USA. Your valley  shack costs one million. 
you can pull plastic anywhere and that’s what most cal climbers  do.

Guy, no you can’t. The outbound drive is ten hours on every holiday and every weekend and returning from anywhere on any road is ten hours. Stop making up fantasies. And you’re in a distant suburb. Not all of so cal is distant suburbs. Enough with the delusional cheerleading. People who work 8-5 live in the real world. 

Diego Climberwrote:

you can pull plastic anywhere and that’s what most cal climbers  do.

We live in a state with some of the greatest alpine rock and stable weather, with the Sierra. Throw the Needles and Yosemite, into the mix, and yet, your statement rings true.

Bring back Kevin Worrall and his rants against the gyms.  Actually, more people should stay in the gym.  The crags got trashed more during COVID when the gym crowd drifted outside. 

Grendles Modorwrote:

We live in a state with some of the greatest alpine rock and stable weather, with the Sierra. Throw the Needles and Yosemite, into the mix, and yet, your statement rings true.

Bring back Kevin Worrall and his rants against the gyms.  Actually, more people should stay in the gym.  The crags got trashed more during COVID when the gym crowd drifted outside. 

If we ban sport climbing they will stay in the gym, safer for them anyway.

Diego Climberwrote:

Guy, no you can’t. The outbound drive is ten hours on every holiday and every weekend and returning from anywhere on any road is ten hours. Stop making up fantasies. And you’re in a distant suburb. Not all of so cal is distant suburbs. Enough with the delusional cheerleading. People who work 8-5 live in the real world. 

Very tactful. You would make a great diplomat. Or not.

Diego Climberwrote:

People who work 8-5 live in the real world. 

Most people don't work 8-5 any more, gramps.