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Multipitch destination with reasonnable access from airport for 1 week holidays

Original Post
Franck Vee · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 260

Hi!

Looking for ideas for some interesting destinations that are reasonably accessible for 1-week long vacations. So let's say less than 4 hour's drive from a decent airport, and not a day-long hike in. Anytime that has a good collection of 4-5 pitches + is interesting (trad), though if there are some longer route I'd be interested. A regional airport is fine.

Something like Squamish or Red Rock would definitely make the cut, but looking for other ideas that might not be on my radar.

Thinking late summer/early fall, though that is flexible somewhat.

Thanks!

E MuuD · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2018 · Points: 190

Mazama WA??

Andrew Leaf · · Portland, OR · Joined Aug 2017 · Points: 0

Lover's Leap.

John Clark · · BLC · Joined Mar 2016 · Points: 1,408

If 4 hours drive from airport is your radius, literally the entire Sierra range (Bishop, Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne, pine creek, rock creek, lovers leap, hwy 50 corridor, Calaveras dome, SEKI, Hulk, needles, etc)

Adam Fleming · · SLC · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 531

Honestly, Salt Lake City fits the bill. Very easy access, decent airport, not crazy expensive food or lodging. 

Jack Bushway · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Oct 2018 · Points: 10

I know you already are aware of red rock but just go there! The gambling industry makes flights and lodging cheap, and the climbing is amazing. And there’s a chance of a wild Honnold sighting 

Wren Cooperrider · · Flagstaff, AZ · Joined Jul 2019 · Points: 420

Hard to beat red rock with those criteria, but I'd say southern AZ is a good bet too

Andrey Romaniuk · · Prudentopolis, PR (Brazil) · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 967

Itatim - Brazil

2-3h drive from Salvador International Airport (SSA). 

Great weather, easy approaches and awesome climbing! Two of the fifty Brazilian classic climbs are in Itatim.

https://tradfriends.com/2022/01/03/itatim-a-brazilian-climbing-paradise/



Josh Rappoport · · Natick, MA · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 31

August/Sept in RR might be a scorcher!

How about flying into Calgary, staying in Canmore, and climbing in Banff?

I did this once in mid-Sept and it was just starting to frost overnight

The Butt-Shot Whisperer · · Colorful Colorado · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 0

imagine if usa had a one week holiday instead of one day

what would it be called? when would it be?

Big B · · Reno, NV · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 1
The Butt-Shot Whispererwrote:

imagine if usa had a one week holiday instead of one day

what would it be called? when would it be?

FREEdom week, on the 4th of July 

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
E MuuDwrote:

Mazama WA??

WA Pass also (for the more traddy inclined). I think WA Pass is underated as a summer trad multi pitch destination for out of state visitors. 3.5 hour drive from SeaTac airport. Good camping nearby, or stay in Mazama. Mazama sport climbing (single and multi pitch) available as a drier rain-shadow option if it gets stormy at WA Pass. 

Late summer / early fall is an ideal time to be there.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115

Other options that would be good for late summer / fall:

South Tahoe: Fly to Sac or Reno, go camp at Lovers Leap. Climb at Lovers Leap, plus option to visit nearby areas Phantom Spires and Sugarloaf for other good stuff. Rest days over at the lake.

Tuolumne: Reno is the best airport, fly there and drive down the Eastside. Tuolumne camping is still a mess, so stay outside the park on the east side and commute in. Other options down in Rock Creek, Mammoth, and further down the Eastside, but Tuolumne by itself is plenty to keep you busy.

RMNP / Lumpy: Lots of good trad multipitch. Late summer / early fall is an ideal time. Less than 2 hours from the Denver airport. Lodging options and provisions in Estes Park. Could make a side visit to Eldo also if the weather is on the cooler side.

New Hampshire (Cathedral, Whitehorse, Cannon) would work well also, and it is nice there in Fall. But it looks like OP is northeast-based and might want something different. 

Squamish is an obvious mega-destination (as already mentioned by OP). Fly to Vancouver or Seattle. Late summer is a great time to be there. IMO early September is the absolute best. The summer crowds have left, it has cooled off a bit, but the rain hasn't started yet.

Canmore area would definitely work also. Close to Calgary, amazing scenery, big (chossy) mountains.

Tahquitz/Suicide in SoCal also meets the criteria, but IMO it's an inferior destination to the bigger granite options in the Sierra and PNW. 

---

Overall, I'd suggest Squamish, Tuolumne, or RMNP/Lumpy as the best options to consider.

JCM · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 115
Adam Flemingwrote:

Honestly, Salt Lake City fits the bill. Very easy access, decent airport, not crazy expensive food or lodging. 

Though what destination-quality long multipitch climbing is there? There's climbing to be done, but I'm not convinced that it would be a great choice to travel for, based on OP's criteria. Lone Peak Cirque looks cool, but that hike is off-putting. I'm not sure I'd travelling distances for LCC, if better areas in CA or WA are an option.

Edit, since SLC is mentioned more below - SLC has good climbing, but it is not really a destination for big multipitch trad.

-----

Other places suggested up-thread that I'd argue against: Red Rock and SoAZ/Cochise. Amazing areas, but OP said late summer / early fall. It is technically possible to climb at those areas that time of year (early start, shade, lots of water), but I'm not sure why you'd choose to go somewhere with marginal conditions when you have other options.

MattH · · CO mostly · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 1,401

Every mountain town in the alps is <2hrs from a major airport. Late summer/early fall is prime alpine rock season over there. 

If you like granite, the US has it beat (just go to the Sierras, no question), but if you like gear-protected face climbing, the dolomite/limestone/quartzite trad over there is #1.

Cherokee Nunes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2015 · Points: 0

imagine if usa had a one week holiday instead of one day

what would it be called? 

"Over-crowded"

Michael Catlett · · Middleburg, VA · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 175

No brainer....not sure where you are flying from, but SLC is just a 4.5 hour direct flight on Delta from DC. The airport is 30 minutes from the Wasatch and an hour to the Uinta. Look up these climbing areas

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood Canyo

Uinta

Rock Canyon

Maple Canyon

American Fork

And thwre are mamy more in tje Wasatch. If that is not enough, it's just about 3 hours to City of Rocks ID.

Safe travels and climbing

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Michael Catlettwrote:

No brainer....not sure where you are flying from, but SLC is just a 4.5 hour direct flight on Delta from DC. The airport is 30 minutes from the Wasatch and an hour to the Uinta. Look up these climbing areas

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood Canyo

Uinta

Rock Canyon

Maple Canyon

American Fork

And thwre are mamy more in tje Wasatch. If that is not enough, it's just about 3 hours to City of Rocks ID.

Safe travels and climbing

Recall that the OP said “…has a good collection of 4-5 pitches + is interesting (trad)…”

Most of the areas around SLC and mentioned above aren’t that long or are exclusively sport. 

grug g · · SLC · Joined Jul 2022 · Points: 0
Michael Catlettwrote:

No brainer....not sure where you are flying from, but SLC is just a 4.5 hour direct flight on Delta from DC. The airport is 30 minutes from the Wasatch and an hour to the Uinta. Look up these climbing areas

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood Canyo

Uinta

Rock Canyon

Maple Canyon

American Fork

And thwre are mamy more in tje Wasatch. If that is not enough, it's just about 3 hours to City of Rocks ID.

Safe travels and climbing

Salt lake area doesn't have great rock or multipitch. 

ddriver · · SLC · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 2,175

You haven't bought tix yet to DIA? Obvious answer is obvious. Go up to Lumpy or down to Eldo.

Adam Fleming · · SLC · Joined Jun 2015 · Points: 531

Okay Salt Lake haters, we don't have a TON of long stuff, but we do have plenty of good rock out here in the 3-4 pitch range.

Pentapitch, Multiple lines on The Thumb, The Fin, Tingey's Terror+Torture, Outside Corner, Steorts' Ridge, Gladiator, Stiffler's Mom, Hogum's Heros

Though I will admit, Denver might be the choice. You can go to RMNP or Eldo and have a blast.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Trad Climbing
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