What is Climbing season?

I’m new to outdoor climbing. I live in Southern California 2 hours west of Joshua Tree. I tried listening to a podcast about skin health for rock climbing and they kept using the phrase ‘upcoming season’ and even referred to November and December as peak times. Is this correct? When is peak climbing season and why? I’d imagine it depends on what side of the equator you’re on. Less sweaty hands in the winter? Easy to say something like that but I imagine it’s more complicated which is why I’m asking. I can’t find a good answer online because they’re talking about climbing seasons for like Mt. Everest. 

Also the podcast was kind of a bust, not to rant but as someone trying to learn information about the sport, it’s incredible how everything online is just a vehicle to sell a product. If I wasn’t so vigilant in that respect, I probably would be researching how to build a home wall with real granite holds, be eating supplements and spraying my hands twice a day, etc. No shade if that’s your thing and if it’s worth it for you. But it’s not what I need right now.

Great question. Typically "climbing season" refers to periods where weather is conducive to climbing with daytime highs under 75 and consistently sunny. In the US, this is usually spring and fall. That said, "climbing season" can refer to specific popular areas, or even particular cliffs, or worse, even particular routes or styles of routes. Because of the peculiar demands all of these conditions supposedly require, companies (such as with skin care products) try to gin up demand by creating a scenario of coping with imagined impending time pressure.

A more realistic vision for "climbing season" is that it starts anytime you can get out the door to climb, including going to the gym.

The best way to prepare for "climbing season" is to be training and climbing when it's not "climbing season."

Thanks for the great answer. I go to the climbing gym 3-4 times a week and weather is pretty good year round here, so I’m looking to have outdoor climbing as part of my weekly schedule. My only outdoor experience was on sandstone, it was easy on my hands when vertical, but I couldn’t stand an overhang, unlike in the gym. That will be a goal for me as far as acclimating. I think I’ll work toward a Joshua Tree trip next year, whenever a good time would be for me. Cheers

By the power of crowd sourcing, mountain project has data on the best seasons to climb at various locations.  on the main page for an area, if you scroll down to the bottom of the page just above the photos on the desktop site there are a set of 4 graphs showing weather data for each month of the year, and 1 graph that shows the relative number of ticks recorded for each month label "prime climbing season"  for jtree this peaks in the fall and winter and drops to near zero in the hot summer months.

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105720495/joshua-tree-national-park

But as peter points out, the prime climbing season is extremely location specific. for example just a few hours away from Joshua tree you have the high Sierra, which has a prime climbing season in the peak of summer with no one climbing in the depths of winter, for obvious reasons.

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105791817/high-sierra

Living in California breaks the concept of havening an outdoor climbing season since there's somewhere withing a few hours of you that will be in season all year long.  Back on the east coast and Midwest they typically have the fall as their prime climbing season when the summer temps and humidity are over and before all the crags get snowed in.

For easy climbs, it’s mostly a question of personal comfort. Climbing hot rock in the middle of summer can be a bummer. Many climbing areas still have snow in the spring or more frequently get rain. Fall is dry and cool. As Peter mentioned, this varies, so the peak season might be July or August for alpine climbs or December for desert climbs.

For people climbing hard stuff, they might prefer temps in the 40s or even lower. This reduces hand sweat, and the rubber on climbing shoes is actually engineered to work best at this temperature (at least that’s the claim I’ve heard). Fall generally has lower humidity in spring, and if you’re trying to climb at cold temperatures in dry conditions with clear skies, fall is your best bet in most places (although wildfire smoke is starting to impact this).

There is also a dynamic where in many areas, people can’t climb outside in winter (because of snow/rain) so they might get weak or just not used to outdoor rock and be a bit rusty in the Spring. By fall, they’ve had several months of outdoor climbing, so they are in peak climbing condition. That aligns with the weather to maximize the chance that someone will be able to send a hard-for-them climb. Don’t overthink it too much as a beginner, as it’s unlikely to be the limiting factor for you as long as the conditions are comfortable (not burning hot or freezing). Some older threads on this:
https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/118338151/shoe-rubber-technology-why-performance-is-better-in-colder-conditions
https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/120193716/at-what-point-are-there-diminishing-returns-of-friction-from-temperature

I live in Southern California too and the short answer is that we are very fortunate because our climbing season is year-round. I climb most weekends all year long, it's just a question of where. For example, generally speaking (as a trad climber primarily):

• September/October to April/May: Joshua Tree, Yosemite for part of that window, Red Rock for part of that window
• May/June to September/October: Tahquitz/Suicide Rock, Yosemite, Eastern Sierra, Big Bear

If you sport climb it's similar in that some spots are good certain times or the year and too hot/too cold other times of year. Colder temps tend to be better for the hardest stuff you're working on due to better friction, less sweat, etc. but it's a fine line with still being able to feel your fingers. Low 50ish degrees is my ideal when small, hard crimping and friction smearing is involved.

Thanks everyone. I wasn’t asking the question because I was under the impression I need to climb at the best possible time, I had a really good time climbing at Stoney and it was in the high eighties with the sun scorching down. I wouldn’t mind going again in those conditions, I just wanted to know what the deal was. Appreciate it!

Climbing season in the eastern Sierra is all year. Aside from infrequent low snowline winter storms, there is great climbing during winter. When it’s too hot in the valley in summer we head to higher elevations and chase shade. The cooler temps keeps skin firm and dry and keeps shoe rubber nice and edgy. What is climbing season? It’s whenever you are psyched to go climbing. 

Eso Brevwrote:

Thanks everyone. I wasn’t asking the question because I was under the impression I need to climb at the best possible time, I had a really good time climbing at Stoney and it was in the high eighties with the sun scorching down. I wouldn’t mind going again in those conditions, I just wanted to know what the deal was. Appreciate it!

In time, just like this you will dial in what qualifies as "in condition" for you and your goals. Depending on the goal, different conditions will change your approach or desire for a given goal. Also, people tend to get more and more picky over time was to what conditions they consider "sendy temps" that are more in touch with their own physiology.

If you liked temps in the 80's I'd guess you are thin and your hands don't sweat much. 35 degrees might be a shiver fest and dry air might play havoc with your skin as an example at the opposite end of the spectra.

Consider this as a seed planted in your head. It will make more sense as you gain experience.

I don't mean to be cold, but... It's when people in Boston get to climb outside again. It really doesn't apply to SoCal. You can gloat January through December, there's your climbing season.

"there is no good place to climb in summer. If you don't already know this, you're obviously not a serious sport climber"  

Whenever you go out climbing. . .

Same answer as always. 

"It depends".

I'm in southern Idaho, with 4 honest to god seasons. Below zero, is possible, so is way over 100. Not usual, but still happens some years. Nonetheless, I've climbed outside every month of the year here, often. Including in a t shirt on January 2. 

But not every month of EVERY year. 

So, if conditions are what you and your partner are okay with, then it's "in season". You figure out what works for the places you go to often. Sun, no wind? Yeah, been out with a hard core boulder guy when it was in the 30s. He was working a double digit boulder problem. We both brought hand warmers. In the 40s on the low end, sunny, no wind? I'm generally happy. Too hot...is too hot, lol! We don't need to worry much about precip or bugs here.

Hot days? My local black basalt is horrible, like, your feet feel like they're going to catch fire with that black rubber, and the stone is quite hot to touch. Slippery, too. So, get up early. Really early. 

You'll get the hang of it. Or not. On the or not days, there's always lattes or ice cream, to mitigate freezing your ass off, or melting into a puddle of sweat.

Oh.

But stay hydrated, no matter what. 

And always share your post climb pizza.

Enjoy!

Helen

Cosmic Hotdogwrote:

I live in Southern California too and the short answer is that we are very fortunate because our climbing season is year-round. I climb most weekends all year long, it's just a question of where. 

Yes, the concept of the Climbing Season doesn't really apply to those of us who live here in Southern California. I climb outside year round, but I am retired and can easily get a bit further away during the death-hot months of July-Sept. 

As you are new to outdoor climbing you might be interested in the article I wrote to help newer climbers stay safe:

https://climbingdangers.net/

I live in socal, also about 2 hours outside of Joshua tree. I climb all year long.

Winter is easy, everyone knows the standard places. Joshua Tree, new Jack, etc.

Summer beta: Boulder at tramway, sport climb at Monkeyface. You just have to be choosy about which climbs you do. Find the shade.

Also, night climbing is awesome.

Don't forget Holcombe (Big Bear) is about 4000ft higher than Joshua Tree (so much cooler).

Yeah in SoCal it’s basically fall → spring for Joshua Tree, summer is brutal unless you like cooking on rock 😅 winter is actually prime because dry + cool = better friction.