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How would living in Syracuse be for a climber?

Adam Bunger · · Someplace in the Northeast · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,025
foodgeek wrote: You live in Sacramento and think the Thai food in Syracuse is good?
I never said there wasn't good thai here...
Jacob Dolence · · Farmville, VA · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 806

Thanks for all the feedback from folks! I'm looking at a PhD program there and am just trying to figure out how livable it would be. I'm super intrigued by the Northeast. Looking for a very good school to do a PhD in Education or Political Science. Thanks again for all the info!!

Kevin Heckeler · · Las Vegas, NV · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 1,616
Rick Blair wrote:Mark, Albany is not Syracuse. I don't know where all of this North East defensiveness comes from. He didn't ask about New Hampshire or Maine or even Albany. He asked about Syracuse which pretty much universally sucks whether you are a climber or not. I love the Adirondaks, great place, but I would never trade that for what I have access to out here.
^^^

I finished high school in Utica, and haven't gone back since graduation. The entire central NY area is depressed. It's the classic everyone who works at Walmart shops at Walmart kind of economy, meaning there's no new industry and much of the job base has fled to greener pastures. You couldn't pay me to live west of Amsterdam in Upstate.
Merlin · · Grand Junction · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 10
Rick Blair wrote: You're just a complainer. Cough up those taxes to pay a full time state worker to hand out the tickets when you enter the Thruway, you know, the thing everywhere else in the world that is done by a machine. They are counting on your mortgage payment to pay for that guys way of life. Did you think they were going to allow you to build personal wealth or something?
I had totally forgotten about the joys of paying to drive on every interstate in the NE, fun fun.

I'll echo the Albany NE Syracuse. Albany would be tolerable temporarily, it has good proximity to MA and VT and the Daks. I don't know if it has the same weather as Syracuse though.

For me the worst part of it wasn't the cold or snow, that's what gear is for, it was the 5 month stretch where the sun didn't come out once. Depending on how you do that can be a real killer if you like sunlight. I tried scuba diving in the great lakes, mountain biking, hiking in the Daks, climbing in the Daks, skiing, kayaking, etc. Once you are used to the scale of what's available in the west it all feels like a pale shadow of your old existence.

I moved from Phildelphia to Boulder 9 years ago then Boulder to Rochester 2 years ago then to Grand Junction 1 year ago. Upstate NY would have been an upgrade from Philadelphia but take it from someone with personal experience. Don't do it.

I work with a grad student out there that has seriously contemplated suicide, sunlight deficiency related depression is a very real and serious thing for transplants.
Nathan Stokes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 440

For PhD candidate where you may have more free time and less disposable income than a full time desk jockey the climbing life is going to suck because you are going to spend that free time burning expensive gas to get anywhere with outside rock.

If you grew up out west and you are open to experiencing other parts of the US, then Syracuse is a good example of North East depressed rust belt without the problems of say Detroit. It has plenty of cultural undercurrent if you know where to look and don't expect it to just fall in your lap. Plus there is plenty to see and do in NY beyond rock climbing.

(As an aside, at least in my industry, the saying goes you can spell sucks without SU).

As far as miserable places to live relative to climbing Syracuse is no where in the top 10.
Try Houston, all of Florida, Georgia south of Atlanta, Rochester, Buffalo.

NYClimber · · New York · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 85
Kevin Heckeler wrote: ^^^ I finished high school in Utica, and haven't gone back since graduation. The entire central NY area is depressed. It's the classic everyone who works at Walmart shops at Walmart kind of economy, meaning there's no new industry and much of the job base has fled to greener pastures. You couldn't pay me to live west of Amsterdam in Upstate.
Kevin is right....unless your a nurse (like I am) the only jobs out that way are one's like Wal-Mart, Taco Bell, Burger King, and the Turning Stone Casino, and crappy minimum wage positions. Not the job mecca of the world - believe me. Lots of farm country out what way....
Justin Sanford · · Broadalbin, New York · Joined May 2009 · Points: 555

I went to college in Syracuse and was very thankful that home was only two hours away and back towards the Adirondacks. I found myself travelling home every weekend to get away from the area so I could climb, hike and camp in a much nicer setting. I got a decent education out of Syracuse but I too have not been back since graduation and don't have any plans on even visiting in the future. I was able to get my climbing fix in by building a home wall in our college house attic, one day a week at the jewish community center wall, and frequent trips to Clarks Reservation to touch actual rock...but honestly I couldn't wait to finish school and get out of there for good!

Rick Blair · · Denver · Joined Oct 2007 · Points: 266
Nathan Stokes wrote: As far as miserable places to live relative to climbing Syracuse is no where in the top 10. Try Houston, all of Florida, Georgia south of Atlanta, Rochester, Buffalo.
West Texas has amazing climbing I hear, no one goes to Florida for climbing but I'm pretty sure there is a reason it is a top vacation destination and the Souteast is supposed to have some pretty nice climbing as well. I'll agree about Buffalo and Rochester.

Look, someone asked a question and, unless they are headed off to prison, I'm doing them a huge favor.
Auto-X Fil · · NEPA and Upper Jay, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 50
JacobD wrote:Just wondering if anyone who climbs a lot has any experience living in Syracuse, NY. I enjoy all types of climbing from alpine to bouldering. I'm willing to drive on the weekends to get to good stuff. Is there a climbing gym in town? Good climbing community? Also is it a nice place to live? What do folks think? Thanks.
If you need to be in Upstate NY, Albany is much better. Then you're only an hour and a half from tons of good rock and ice (Gunks, Southern/Eastern Daks, VT). There is a nice climbing community there (much more than Syracuse, Buffalo, or Rochester), and there's plenty of good skiing in the winter. Winters are also much milder than just a little further west.
Nathan Stokes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 440

Now if you are considering Cornell, Ithaca would be much more tolerable for culture snobs, minus the lack of close climbing part. The saying goes "Ithaca, 10 square miles surrounded by reality"

Better options in the NE for schools closer to climbing would be Dartmouth, UVM, Boston (take your pick). Vermont is an entirely different world comparatively speaking.

The main thing Syracuse has going for it are a couple of niche industries that pay big city salaries without the associated big city headaches, and the Wegmans Grocery store chain.

Adam Bunger · · Someplace in the Northeast · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,025

oh man, I miss Wegmans...

Auto-X Fil · · NEPA and Upper Jay, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 50
AdamB wrote:oh man, I miss Wegmans...
You should. Did you leave before they started doing burritos? Incredible!
Adam Bunger · · Someplace in the Northeast · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 1,025

dammit!

Ben · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2003 · Points: 10

I just moved to the 'cuse area, Cazenovia specifically, after 14 years in Boulder, CO. Not cus its a dream spot, but my girlfriend is here. Anyhow, while its only been a few weeks, there's still plenty to do. It might help that I live across the street from the lake. Yes, climbing is like everyone has said, not close, and the good stuff is a haul. I've yet to be disappointed with the food. Armory Square has a great scene, restaurants and bars. Personally I'm psyched to check out the NE climbing. Its legendary, the rock and the ice. Supposedly the best ice in the lower 48. The NE seems to pump out hard-men, so if you have motivation and aspirations, seems like a decent spot. Buy Gore-Tex. Humidity, rain, bugs, etc. is definitely an adjustment coming from the West but nothing is burning down here anytime soon. There's no gym in 'cuse but someone needs to build one. There seems to be a small community of committed folks. I'm still learning it, so take mine with a grain of salt.

Mark Wyss · · Denver, CO · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 255

Not sure about you Jacob...but I am packing my bags right now! After reading some of these posts I am sold on Syracuse...sounds like paradise.

Seriously, if your living in Flag now, you are getting some great advice, you will hate it and want to shoot yourself before you even get settled. If you are into mtn biking my guess is what you will see out near Syracuse is going to blow compared to what you are riding now.

4 hours to good climbing and just a few local lichen covered TR routes at your disposal?? I admit I am spoiled as shit cause I live in CO but that is a pathetic climbing scene. And the weather that the other posters are speaking of sounds hellacious. There are a ton of other cities to choose from. After reading all of this, it sounds like you can't do much worse in the NE than Syracuse.

Nathan Stokes · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 440

Ben,
During the school year the gym at Colgate is pretty nice and Caz is 1/3 of the way there. They have lots of routes and some good variation. The popularity has picked up a bit since we started making the trek, so its more like a college bar sometimes than a place to get a crank on.

Ben · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2003 · Points: 10
Nathan Stokes wrote:Ben, During the school year the gym at Colgate is pretty nice and Caz is 1/3 of the way there. They have lots of routes and some good variation. The popularity has picked up a bit since we started making the trek, so its more like a college bar sometimes than a place to get a crank on.
Thanks for the info.
mitchy B · · nunya gotdamn business. · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 0

If you can't climb as often as you would like at least there is PLENTY of POONTANG around for you.

Merlin · · Grand Junction · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 10
AdamB wrote:oh man, I miss Wegmans...
I'll second that, I actually saw chanterelle mushrooms at Wegmans, 40 bucks an ounce but still...
Greg DeMatteo · · W. Lebanon, NH · Joined May 2007 · Points: 315

What up Jake. If you really move back east you gotta get at me and we can hit the Gunks/Dacks. Hope you're doing well in Flag, man. Your trip pics always make me super mad.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Northeastern States
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