Best Locations for the Climbing Bum...

Ok, so I've been asking around alot and doing research, but the jury's still out: What's the best place on the US West Coast (as far east as Colorado) to be a climbing bum?

Here's the thing: I have no money and no car, though finding a ride via craigslist or thumbin' has turned out to be easier than I though. What I DO have, is my own climbing gear (minus a freakin rope), all my backpacking gear/survival gear, and the time and eagerness to go set up camp and climb.

I spent 2 weeks at Smith in March, and I'm about to head back out there soon (I'm nearby in Bend, OR) now that the weather's flirting with spring. Other than Smith, where?

What I need:

-Somewhere I can camp for free within 5 miles of the climbing. Showers, of course, are a plus, but I'm trying to be reasonable here. Any way to do this in Yosemite? Camp in the backcountry is free, I think?

-Somewhere with a general store nearby so I can gather food supplies as needed.

-Someone mentioned Boulder Canyon, near Boulder, CO? Any other ideas?

Thanks so much.

-jamie

Camping within a 5 mile radius of Boulder can be harder than you might think. Plenty of bums do it, so obviously it's possible, but it won't be comfortable or easy. Without a car OR a house you're kinda screwed around here.

Evan Simons wrote:Camping within a 5 mile radius of Boulder can be harder than you might think. Plenty of bums do it, so obviously it's possible, but it won't be comfortable or easy. Without a car OR a house you're kinda screwed around here.

Yeah, I think we're all set with homeless people here. Boulder now offically has a begger on every second block.

Scott McMahon wrote: Yeah, I think we're all set with homeless people here. Boulder now offically has a begger on every second block.

More like two on every block, literally. There are even people begging at Jay and 119, and at Niwot Rd, it's a little out of hand

caughtinside wrote:Lover's Leap Yosemite & Tuolumne (although there will be some hassles) advantage is that hitching is easy and there are free shuttle busses. Squamish? (haven't been but heard it's good)

Lover's Leap sounds perfect! Cheers! Yuolumne is at least $20 a night, so, yeah.

Scott McMahon wrote: Yeah, I think we're all set with homeless people here. Boulder now offically has a begger on every second block.

This would be assuming I'm a begger. Not all homeless people beg. I have all my own gear/equipment and food aplenty. No need to be a classist ass (there's probably another forum for that), especially when it doesn't answer my questions. Oh, and thanks for confirming the rumors about Boulder.

Jamie R. wrote: This would be assuming I'm a begger. Not all homeless people beg. I have all my own gear/equipment and food aplenty. No need to be a classist ass (there's probably another forum for that), especially when it doesn't answer my questions. Oh, and thanks for confirming the rumors about Boulder.

Wasn't really a comment directed at you, more a comment in general. Sorry you took it out of context, but please refer to rule #1 as far as the name calling is concerned. I didn't realize it made a classist (nice work on the ass part)because I don't really like the fact that instead of getting help from the community, we just allow beggers to stand on every corner.

But then again you're not here...sure there are some legit homeless, but there are plenty that are here because there is decent weather and the town lets them stand on the corner or hang in the parks my taxes pay for all day long. I do volunteer work for the community, and contribute finacially as well...do you???

Additionally I'm not broke because I have a job, but I grew up working for everything I got. I have a hard time passing out money to a 19 year old kid with an Arcteryx backpack that is drunk begging for money.

Please feel free to find another town to contribute nothing to...Boulder's full.

Jamie R. wrote: This would be assuming I'm a begger. Not all homeless people beg. I have all my own gear/equipment and food aplenty. No need to be a classist ass (there's probably another forum for that), especially when it doesn't answer my questions. Oh, and thanks for confirming the rumors about Boulder.

I've met Scott, and he is believe it or not a really nice guy. However, we are all kinda pricks around here, maybe not the best place for sensitive types.

Thanks Evan...Alright, now I have to apologize. Jamie, you may not accept it after my scathing post, but I'm sorry....

As much as I like living in Boulder, you get a little tired of people opinions of a place they don't live. You don't live here, so you can't make assumptions or judgements about who we are and what it's like to live here.

Thanks again Evan...way to take the wind of my "mean guy" sails!!

Back to the happy bubble!!! :oP

Scott McMahon wrote: Wasn't really a comment directed at you, more a comment in general. Sorry you took it out of context, but please refer to rule #1 as far as the name calling is concerned. I didn't realize it made a classist (nice work on the ass part)because I don't really like the fact that instead of getting help from the community, we just allow beggers to stand on every corner. But then again you're not here...sure there are some legit homeless, but there are plenty that are here because there is decent weather and the town lets them stand on the corner or hang in the parks my taxes pay for all day long. I do volunteer work for the community, and contribute finacially as well...do you??? Additionally I'm not broke because I have a job, but I grew up working for everything I got. I have a hard time passing out money to a 19 year old kid with an Arcteryx backpack that is drunk begging for money. Please feel free to find another town to contribute nothing to...Boulder's full.

Scott, I do plenty of volunteer work, did about 20 hours so far this week. I'm also a veteran. I was also just in Boulder a few months ago spending money.

This is turning into an argument which I bet neither of us need, so I'm not going to respond to it anymore. Thanks for your input, though. Peace.

It's been a long week!!

Meter

Scott McMahon wrote:Thanks Evan...Alright, now I have to apologize. Jamie, you may not accept it after my scathing post, but I'm sorry.... As much as I like living in Boulder, you get a little tired of people opinions of a place they don't live. You don't live here, so you can't make assumptions or judgements about who we are and what it's like to live here. Thanks again Evan...way to take the wind of my "mean guy" sails!! Back to the happy bubble!!! :oP

No worries. I was a bit snarky as well. I can relate to your position on other people's opinions of where you live.

I don't want to simply be homeless somewhere and live off the communities good graces. I've been a wage slave my whole life and never homeless until the last few months. So now I'm thinking maybe it's time to try something a little different. Anyways. Take care.

Two sort of countervailing things about Boulder for a would-be climbing bum:
A good thing is you could get to a lot of good climbs on public transportation and/or bicycle.
A bad thing is that there isn't really camping anywhere near here.

And as good as (some of) the climbing is here, most people seem to think the climbing is better somewhere else, and I wouldn't argue with them.

Typical Boulder holier-than-thou attitudes - it would be a great place if it weren't for all the entitled self righteous aholes. I'd rather deal with homeless people over Boulderite yuppies any day of the year. Do you know why they call them Boulderites? Because they are always right - (or at least they always claim to be)! And yes I have lived in and around Boulder for the last ten years now.

I know you specified West Coast but if you ever get the chance, the New River Gorge in West Virginia (Fayeteville) is a great place to be a climbing bum. Best summer of my life was spent there although it can get a little hot and humid at times. Spring or fall is probably better. Stay at Roger's camp ground. Lots of climbers stay there so there are plenty of people to hook up with. And there is a lot of fun stuff to get into on rest days or bad weather days.

Hope you have a great time bumming it and thank you for your service Jamie.

Hey Jamie, sent you a PM. I'm headed out on a road trip and am looking for a partner! Have a truck, camper, room for two people and two dogs, looking to do mostly west coast for the summer and fall and then Bishop for the winter. Drop me a line if you'd be interested in joining in for some of it!

Boulder is pretty awesome, and I've been loving it for over three years now.

But it's pretty tough living if you don't have somewhere to live, and the camping situation is rough. Boulder Canyon would be very difficult.

BUT, I haven't had a car since I've been here, so I just find partners on MP who do. It's pretty easy. Unlike finding a job that pays enough and allows for enough climbing time.

When I went up to the Needles (of South Dakota) last year, we found FREE camping up there (legal as well), and poached showers from paysites (not so legal). It was great!

Best of luck, and you can crash our floor for a few days if you ever pass through!

And what you've heard of Boulder is TOTALLY true, no exaggeration whatsoever..............................not!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tR91q59gFo

Izza wrote:Typical Boulder holier-than-thou attitudes - it would be a great place if it weren't for all the entitled self righteous aholes. I'd rather deal with homeless people over Boulderite yuppies any day of the year. Do you know why they call them Boulderites? Because they are always right - (or at least they always claim to be)!

Yeah...pretty typical for Boulder...Damn self righteous Aholes that don't exist anywhere else...

"During his 1993 campaign, Giuliani proposed to drastically curtail city services for the homeless, setting a limit of 90 days for stays in shelters. Opponent Dinkins accused Giuliani of punishing the children of the homeless with the policy. This contrasted with Giuliani's campaign promise during the 1989 campaign to build hundreds of new homeless shelters around the city. Advocates for the homeless sued the mayor over an alleged failure to provide proper medical treatment to homeless children.

During the Giuliani administration, police conducted sweeps of parks and other public places to arrest homeless people and move them to shelters. Critics charged that the purpose was not to help the homeless but to remove them from sight. The pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rev. Thomas Tewell, said: "I think the police and the administration in New York were a bit embarrassed to have homeless people on the steps of a church in such an affluent area. The city said to us that it's inhumane to have people staying on the streets. And my response was that it's also inhumane to just move them along to another place or to put them in a shelter where they are going to get beat up, or abused, or harassed." The church sued the city of New York, Giuliani, and Bernard Kerik, asserting a First Amendment right to minister to the homeless on its steps".

Sorry for hijacking your thread Jamie!! But legal camping around here does suck!!! There is actually some lawsuits about sleeping "outside" that going on right now about that in the city.

Ironically everyone has something to say, but in the Summit and Vail counties you can't even sleep in your car the night before a powder day.....But we could all have worse problems and should count our blessings!!

Jamie, To actually answer your post, having done the same thing myself and still wishing I was most of every day at my 9-5, I have a few suggestions other than Boulder. I spent about a month in boulder and I must say its tough to do living like that, the only no hassle "free" camping we found was up Boulder canyon outside Nederland Res., and some squatter spots in the canyon proper.
Honestly as a Salt Lake local, living right by Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, this is a fairly easy place to bum around, you can find fairly comfy spots in the minor canyons in the area, and with craigslist and MP postings on rideshares to the creek, City of Rocks, Maple Canyon, etc etc you wouldnt be too hard pressed to get a lot of climbing in. LCC has some epic trad and bouldering, and BCC has some good stuff too.
Moab is a good beat too, but its going to be getting a bit hot soon.

You could also check out couchsurfing.com for generous people that will let you stay with them for free when you get to a new town like Boulder (or if you really need a shower!)

Camping at Lover's Leap now costs $10 per night, and they charge even for day use parking at the crag. Plus, no stores very close.
For spring and fall, Castle Valley and Indian Creek near Moab have free camping, great climbing, and you can get a ride to town for shopping. I spent several weeks there this April - May and it's fantastic. Squamish charges $10 per night for a site, which allows several people to share the cost; has great climbing 5 minutes from the campground, showers at the rec center, and it's easy to hitch to town (a 5-minute drive) for shopping. I was there for about a month each during summer 2007 and 2008.
My other favorite crag for road trips is Arapiles, Australia. The campground costs $ Au 2.00 per night, has running water in the bathrooms. It's 5 minutes to the climbs and easy to hitch into town. We spent March - April 2009 there, without a car, and it was terrific.

Do climbing bums "beg"? does this make them bums who climb or climbers who bum? I was a bike bum for a couple months but begging never crossed my mind--I had some money saved up. What ethic do you have for begging? Is it right to play when you haven't worked...