11 DAY CLIMBING TRIP IN JULY

Hi I have 11 days to climb, i'm leaving from oklahoma so has to be in reasonable driving range. Where should I go that has long-longish multi pitch? preferably trad and not super hot.

Devils tower, Colorado alpine stuff, mount charleston in Red Rocks, Yosemite, Sequoia NP, Sierras Cascades and other WA stuff, squamish but that's a bit far of a drive.  

Do you really think devils tower would be cool enough?

Ten Sleep, perhaps?

Tristan Bradford wrote:

Do you really think devils tower would be cool enough?

If you mean temperature, that's peak season AFAIK, although the voluntary climbing ban is in effect for June, so it would be decidedly "not cool" to climb there now.

eli poss wrote:

Devils tower, Colorado alpine stuff, mount charleston in Red Rocks, Yosemite, Sequoia NP, Sierras Cascades and other WA stuff, squamish but that's a bit far of a drive.  

Much of what you listed is borderline climbable in the summer heat. Take it from an out of tower that didn't have the benefit of local beta for a two month trip out west.

Yes, you can chase shade, but you'll be highly limited in what you can climb, how fast you can climb it, etc. Tahoe is a nice option, although if you're looking for long multi, make the drive to tuolomene, not the valley. 

BrianWS wrote:

Much of what you listed is borderline climbable in the summer heat. Take it from an out of tower that didn't have the benefit of local beta for a two month trip out west.

Yes, you can chase shade, but you'll be highly limited in what you can climb, how fast you can climb it, etc. Tahoe is a nice option, although if you're looking for long multi, make the drive to tuolomene, not the valley. 

Perhaps you and I have very different heart tolerances. I climb all summer long in places that are lower in latitude and/or altitude than most of those places without chasing shade. 

I grew up in the south so the dry heat here (and also all of the places I mentioned) is much easier to deal with than the humid heat I'm accustomed to. I would think that somebody who is accustomed to the humid heat in Okie would fare  similarly

eli poss wrote:

Perhaps you and I have very different heart tolerances. I climb all summer long in places that are lower in latitude and/or altitude than most of those places without chasing shade. 

I grew up in the south so the dry heat here (and also all of the places I mentioned) is much easier to deal with than the humid heat I'm accustomed to. I would think that somebody who is accustomed to the humid heat in Okie would fare  similarly

There ya go again, Eli...  Same ole, same old.

John Byrnes wrote:

There ya go again, Eli...  Same ole, same old.

Just because you may not be able to handle the heat doesn't mean that nobody can handle the heat. This is the outdoors, it's not supposed to be room temperature

eli poss wrote:

Perhaps you and I have very different heart tolerances. I climb all summer long in places that are lower in latitude and/or altitude than most of those places without chasing shade. 

I grew up in the south so the dry heat here (and also all of the places I mentioned) is much easier to deal with than the humid heat I'm accustomed to. I would think that somebody who is accustomed to the humid heat in Okie would fare  similarly

Eli,

You have a tendency to do this- give people bad beta for summer areas and then justify it by talking about how amazing your heat tolerance is. Good for you, but who benefits from you posting this garbage?  You may enjoy climbing in the heat, but the OP already said that he doesn't want to go somewhere super hot. So you are just giving bad beta, then following up with irrelevant spray.

And then there's the guy suggesting Tensleep, which is a great crag, but the OP asked about multipitch trad. Do people even read the question before posting?

Anyway, places like Squamish, Tahoe, Tuoloumne, the High Sierra, etc. are great, but probably much too far to drive for an 11-day trip. So the best/closest option is probably Colorado. If you are interested in alpine multipitch, RMNP is a classic destination, though thunderstorms can be a limiting factor in summer there. Lumpy Ridge is nearby and offers another large selection of multipitch climbs. Lumpy is lower and warmer, but still pretty OK in July. Boulder/Eldo is nearby also, and while it is hotter at those lower elevations, it is still pretty manageable in the shade. So you could have a great 11-day trip of multipitch trad by mixing your time between the shady walls in Eldo, a few long routes in Lumpy Ridge, and some big alpine rock routes in RMNP.

eli poss wrote:

Just because you may not be able to handle the heat doesn't mean that nobody can handle the heat. This is the outdoors, it's not supposed to be room temperature

I never said I couldn't handle the heat.   You made that up, just like most of the crap you post on topics you know little or nothing about.  

I totally agree with JCM, both on you and the recommendations of where to climb.   Multi-pitch trad that's cool in July is kinda hard to find, except in the alpine or the very few north-facing cliffs.    If you can be satisfied with single pitch stuff, Vedauwoo is high up (8,600ft) and has lots of north facing climbs.

JCM wrote:

Eli,

You have a tendency to do this- give people bad beta for summer areas and then justify it by talking about how amazing your heat tolerance is. Good for you, but who benefits from you posting this garbage?  You may enjoy climbing in the heat, but the OP already said that he doesn't want to go somewhere super hot. So you are just giving bad beta, then following up with irrelevant spray.

And then there's the guy suggesting Tensleep, which is a great crag, but the OP asked about multipitch trad. Do people even read the question before posting?

Anyway, places like Squamish, Tahoe, Tuoloumne, the High Sierra, etc. are great, but probably much too far to drive for an 11-day trip. So the best/closest option is probably Colorado. If you are interested in alpine multipitch, RMNP is a classic destination, though thunderstorms can be a limiting factor in summer there. Lumpy Ridge is nearby and offers another large selection of multipitch climbs. Lumpy is lower and warmer, but still pretty OK in July. Boulder/Eldo is nearby also, and while it is hotter at those lower elevations, it is still pretty manageable in the shade. So you could have a great 11-day trip of multipitch trad by mixing your time between the shady walls in Eldo, a few long routes in Lumpy Ridge, and some big alpine rock routes in RMNP.

I made the assumtion that, because this guy lives in OK, he would have heat tolerance more similar to mine than to that of the average climber. Perhaps that assumption is wrong, and if that's the case, I'm sorry I gave bad beta.

You're right that Colorado alpine would probably fit this guy's criteria, hence why I suggested it, but I wanted to give the guy more than just one option. 

By the way, thanks for staying civil despite the disagreement and not resorting to insults. The internet needs more people like that.

Chill, guys.  What's with all of the hostility on the forums lately?

s.price wrote:

The Black. You might get a little warm but nothing like the Oklahoma I know. Ophir wall and Cracked canyon fit the bill although the canyon is not multi pitch.

Ophir wall has some great routes and incredible scenery. Quick drive into Telluride for grub and suds. 

V rock outside of Pagosa Springs if you are looking for exploratory climbing and having the place to yourself. Miles of free camping and hot springs in town.

Shit, why didn't I think of that. The black would probably be your best bet. Stay outta pagosa unless you like the smell of cow patties ;) 

Thank you for all the suggestions! Oklahoma is actually an awesome place to climb if you ever get near here, just wayyy too hot in july. 90-100 every day, or 85 and muggy.

Campgrounds in Tuoloumne are closed until  July 31 due to snow pack

Not planning on bringing backpacking equip, but could. Planning on camping in my truck that has a camper shell top.

I don't know if Tuolumne meadows is closed until July 31st, it says undefined opening date. Tioga road has never opened later than July 1st. Tuolumne is awesome, worth checking out in July.  

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

EDIT: "177% snowpack" "projected to open in the fall"

maybe not

Pikes Peak.   Fantastic granite trad climbing.   High up, really high, like 12,000'.  Pray for 90's down in the Springs.   

I can recommend climbs on the Sphinx (Wild flower & The Flame), Bigger Bagger Spire (Finger Fanger) and the Pericle (don't miss Arching Jams).  Only downside is the toll for the road, and the upside-down approaches (you go down from the parking, then have to hump back up at the end of the day).

If you PM me, I actually have some approach, route and gear beta written up.

DGraham wrote:

I don't know if Tuolumne meadows is closed until July 31st, it says undefined opening date. Tioga road has never opened later than July 1st. Tuolumne is awesome, worth checking out in July.  

https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tiogaopen.htm

EDIT: "177% snowpack" "projected to open in the fall"

maybe not

Great link, I scrolled a little further down to find the latest opening date in the past.

June 24th 2005 at 163% snow pack

June 29th 1983 at 224% 

So at 177% and probably better snow removal equipment than in the 80s id stay optimistic for it to be open in July. Which is a good thing as I'm hoping to do cathedral later in july

Just FYI take it from a transplanted southerner that "hot" to a Coloradan is anything in the sun and temperatures greater than 50 degrees.