Mountain Project Logo

Help me decide where to move to in TX!!

Original Post
TradLovin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

My wife and I are looking to move to TX. My work isn't tied down to location so I can move pretty much anywhere. We want to enjoy all the freedom and wonderful people that Texas has to offer. I'm from the South originally and want to get back to common sense (we live in one of THOSE states now).
So.... We want a place to live that:
1) Is in the northern Houston metro area
2) Has good (not necessarliy great) trad climbing withIn 1-1.5 hours drive time.

So give me two suggestions, somewhere near N Houston and a second suggestion anywhere else in the state w good trad climbing. Thanks and help bring me home!

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520

Uh, there is not going to be any climbing period within 1.5 hours of north Houston. No, you going to be pulling plastic in that part of Texas.

Dave Swink · · Boulder, Co · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 285

I don't think there is any significant climbing that close to Houston. There is quite a bit of limestone crags in and around Austin, and there is Enchanted Rock (granite) near Fredricksburg.

San Antonio might be a compromise location for you? Austin will be best if you want to climb during the week.

Coppolo · · Denver, CO · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 10

Best thing about Houston climbing-wise is that its a United/Continental hub and you can fly somewhere else.

I'd obsess on golf while you live there, there are some great, cheap courses.

I grew up in Texas.

mattm · · TX · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,885

Only Trad Climbing around is at Enchanted Rocks. It's a 60-90 minute drive from San Antonio (where I live) depending on what side of town you're on. We have some limited Limestone climbing in town but you'll be at the gym a fair amount too.

Austin has a well established Limestone Sport Scene in town and is a 90 - 120min drive to Enchanted Rocks. However, based on your comment about "one of those states" I suspect Austin might be a bit to "blue" for your tastes.

I you want Trad climbing reasonably close to where you live it sounds like you should be looking into San Antonio.

Jeremy Bauman · · Lakewood, CO · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,067

Somewhere around Austin should be good since you'd be close to all the limestone craging in town and not too far from Enchanted Rock.

I would also submit that my hometown, Amarillo, TX, isn't a bad place to consider living for climbing. As a city, its small but still decent sized (200,000) it has a good job market and the people are as nice as I've ever met. The weather is much better than anywhere else in Texas also.

As far as climbing in Amarillo goes, there is a lot of bouldering in Palo Duro Canyon and a few good trad lines with potential for many more first ascents. The climbing community in Amarillo is great and has been further facilitated by the gym that opened about 3 years ago. Everyone is friendly and we don't get much snobbery that you'd find at a gyms in the big cities.

Where Amarillo becomes really nice, however is its proximity to climbing and skiing year round. In the f/w/s the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and Quartz Mountain in OK are only about 3 hours away and offers tons of incredible trad climbing. In s/sm/f, Sugarite Canyon State Park in Raton offers some great quartzite splitters and stellar climbing and is also only 3 hours away. Both of these make great day or overnight trips
We're 4 hours from Albuquerque and the multi-pitch wonderland of the Sandia Mountains and about 5 hours away from all the other wonderful crags of Northern New Mexico.

For the longer weekend trips, we're about 7h from Boulder making weekend trips to Eldo, BC, CCC, Shelf Road, Lumpy, the Flatirons, and RMNP totally doable. We have direct flights via Southwest to Denver and they commonly run for about $90 round trip if you'd rather fly.

Though I haven't made it up there yet, Indian Creek should be just 10-11 hrs. Red Rocks isn't too far either, (my bosses go climb there once a year).

As far as skiing goes, we're 4 hours from Sipapu. Though it might not be the greatest hill out there, the lift tickets are cheap and the runs are pretty fun. 6 hours will take you to ski at Santa Fe or Taos. 8 hours will take you to Wolf Creek in Co and 9hrs or so will bring you to pretty much any ski resort in CO except Telluride (11hrs).

As far as Texas goes, I think Amarillo is a great place to live simply because of the variety of climbing you can access year round and its proximity to skiing.

Jeremy

Hank Caylor · · Livin' in the Junk! · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 643
Stich wrote:Uh, there is not going to be any climbing period within 1.5 hours of north Houston. No, you going to be pulling plastic in that part of Texas.
And Gawd do those gyms blooooow... 7 million people in Houston and the worst gyms in the country.
TradLovin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

Thanks for the many and detailed notes already provided! See what I mean about the nice people in TX?

As for the comment about 'blue' cities/states. I'm not a card carrying member of any party and think they both really stink at times, I just want to be left to live and let live. im fine with living in a bluer city, I just want good neighbors and good fences!
We have regulations here about everything (coca-cola can't be poured down the sink here, to be technical) and the stories from friends in other states fill me with jealousy (county clerk to friend:"you OWN the land you want to put the shed on right?" friend:"yes." county clerk:"well then why would you need a permit?"). I respect the law and work hard to abide by even the ones I don't like; I'm just getting tired of feeling like a criminal about EVERYTHING. ***end of stump speech***

We have friends and family in the Houston area, that's why Houston is/was the focus, but being in Austin might not be too far. Amarillo is in the running with the 'new route potential comment. Lol to the "the best thing about Houston is you can fly somewhere else to climb." what do tickets cost to fly to Yo?

GonnaBe · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 135

TradLovin,
I lived in Texas for six years. I think you may be surprised by what you find you get back "down home." Small town Texas is the only place I've ever had a gun pulled on me-- and it was by a minor. My experience was that people were *polite* which is not the same thing as kind. You always knew someone was about to get trashed when people used the phrase, "Bless [person's name] little heart BUT..."

In general I felt Texans really wanted people to conform to their ideas of right and wrong as opposed to being open to difference. Pick your neighborhood carefully as Houston at least is full of neighborhood associations that have DEFINITE opinions about what is and isn't okay. See the deed restrictions I found in two minutes:
woodland-heights.org/deedre…

I'm sure Texas is just what you're looking for-- but it isn't heaven for everybody.

TradLovin · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 0

Wannabe, thanks for the info and taking the time To site your source. I really appreciate the time it took to be so thorough. From the way you talk, I was expecting the deed to forbid sale to homosexuals. (I am sorry to hear about the 'nice' back stabbing you mentioned, it is a valid point you make there.) The worst thing I could see was that you have to keep the lawn and other vegetation promptly and properly maintained. In our town it's illegal to cut down the most common native tree thats bigger around than 6 inches or any tree of any kind taller than 30 feet. oh, and you're not allowed to build above a 2nd story or have a wind turbine, build a truly green Eco-efficient home or... You get the point. This requires That I give up my right to not mow my lawn, but basically gives me the right to do anything else I please, this is probably based out of a controlling nature, but control freaks in Texas just haven't got as much control as the control freak's here.
besides, if we moved to Texas we will probably buy a few acres and eliminate the problem of neighbors altogether. Land is just so much cheaper there.

  • **end of self-inflicted hijack***

So does anyone else have any suggestions or comments? My wife was really surprised to see the depth and breadth of the speedy responses.
Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

Don't bother coming to Houston if you want to be near climbing. The only thing H-town has going for it is a stronger than average economy and a low cost of living. The stronger economy is a probably because it's in a republican state, there's a world class medical center, and there's lots of oil/energy money. The low cost of living is because it sucks to live here. As others have mentioned the nearest climbing is Austin and the nearest good climbing is Enchanted Rock. If you have to come to Texas consider Austin instead. And yes, the climbing gyms are indeed unimpressive.

wankel7 · · Indiana · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 10

Your post makes no sense and you joined mp yesterday.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Midwest
Post a Reply to "Help me decide where to move to in TX!!"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.