Knoxville TN

eli poss wrote:

Foster falls is a longer drive from Chattanooga than many make it out to be. I'm not saying Chattanooga doesn't have sport climbing, but that it doesn't have the same quantity and concentration of sport climbing that you find in the Obed. Even Foster Falls is pretty small in comparison to the Obed. I don't want to be misleading to somebody comparing and contrasting the climbing scenes in Knox and Chatty. 

Thanks Eli,  yeah obed is my kind of climbing. I'm totally sold on Knoxville. I thijnk I can deal with college kids and rednecks (if there are any)  I've delt with new Yorkers for 11 years and my skin got reeeaal thick. :) hows the crime rate? Is it dangerous?

Dave T wrote:

I had a friend move to Knoxville after living in NYC.  She lived there less than a year and moved back.  I would definitely try and spend a week there before making the move.  It's a significant cultural change.

But iwill be making a trip out prob jan or feb

eli poss wrote:

Foster falls is a longer drive from Chattanooga than many make it out to be. I'm not saying Chattanooga doesn't have sport climbing, but that it doesn't have the same quantity and concentration of sport climbing that you find in the Obed. Even Foster Falls is pretty small in comparison to the Obed. I don't want to be misleading to somebody comparing and contrasting the climbing scenes in Knox and Chatty. 

Deep creek is right next to stone fort.  You could argue that both of those places have the same quality as the obed as well as the new crag that just opened near fosters which is supposed to be just as good.  But Chattanooga does have boulder fields on top of boulder fields on top of boulder fields.  All in all a TON more climbing that is also a lot closer.  For the record foster is def closer to chat than obed is to knox

Jeremiah Nason wrote:

Deep creek is right next to stone fort.  You could argue that both of those places have the same quality as the obed as well as the new crag that just opened near fosters which is supposed to be just as good.  But Chattanooga does have boulder fields on top of boulder fields on top of boulder fields.  All in all a TON more climbing that is also a lot closer.  For the record foster is def closer to chat than obed is to knox

Cool, thanks for the correction about drive distance regarding obed vs foster falls.

Deep creek, as well as Leda and Lower Leda are right next to stone fort. However, regardless of the quality (because I don't know enough to comment on that), Deep Creek combined with the sport climbs in Leda, Lower Leda, T-wall, and Suck Creek don't make up the same quantity and concentration that you find at the Obed. If you want to be able hop on 10 different 5.10 sport climbs after work without having to drive to multiple areas, you might have hard time in Chattanooga.

That's all I'm trying to say, just don't expect to find the same quantity and concentration of sport climbing that you would find at sport mega-crags like Obed or RRG or Rifle. 

But you're definitely right about the bouldering. In fact, I would bet money that there is at least as much virgin, undeveloped bouldering out there as there is developed bouldering. Unfortunately a lot of it is on private property. But driving down the "W" road on signal you see a lot of undeveloped boulders, probably with a lot more that are either too far into the woods or just burried under the kudzu.

Come to think of it, Signal Mountain has a lot of potential climbing of all flavors (other than ice and alpine obviously). It's a real shame they banned climbing, because Signal Point has some really good looking cliffs and boulders that were developed way back when before the climbing ban. 

I used to live in Knoxville (07 to 09ish). It's a great outdoor-centric metro if you have a car and don't mind using it. Also, SUPER cheap housing compared to coastal cities.

There are some great neighborhoods, excellent coffee and beer and some surprisingly good restaurants. You're also a short drive from the Smokies and western-NC mountains.

I was not a climber when I lived there, but I'm aware of many crags in the surrounding region. I did enjoy the hiking and cycling however.

As with any college town (UT), you'll find traffic problems during football games and near campus. The interstate also bisects town, making it tough to get from one side to another.

All-in-all, Knoxville is a pretty decent place to live.

Disagree in quality.  Obed high qual but the quality in deep creek is insane and t wall and fosters.  Obviously Leda is crap but that's why people don't climb there.  I wouldn't want to make the drive to obed after work either when I could pop over to many places in chatt.  Can't really compare numbers considering just how much rock is available in chatt as well.  Knox is great and it's closer to red and NC but you never really need an excuse to leave chatt unless you're going west.

Chatt also won best outdoor city in the country and possibly best place to live not sure.  Either way you can't go wrong with Knox or chatt both cool places.  

Jeremiah Nason wrote:

Disagree in quality.  Obed high qual but the quality in deep creek is insane and t wall and fosters.  Obviously Leda is crap but that's why people don't climb there.  I wouldn't want to make the drive to obed after work either when I could pop over to many places in chatt.  Can't really compare numbers considering just how much rock is available in chatt as well.  Knox is great and it's closer to red and NC but you never really need an excuse to leave chatt unless you're going west.

Hey man, I like Leda. Especially some of the sport climbs at Lower Leda, like Guardian Angel. But you're not really understanding what I'm saying. I never said anything about the quality because Chattanooga has a fuck ton of very high quality rock. However, it doesn't have the quantity. Lot's of people will take quality over quantity (and rightly so) but I think that both are important in this case. 

What's better, having the 5 best sport climbs in the world nearby or having 50 decent or decentish sport climbs nearby?

I can't really speak to living in Knoxville, but I can speak from 16 years of personal experience that there's a whole lot of good reasons or excuses to leave Chattanooga. Aside from climbing, Chattanooga was pretty horrible and ass backwards a decade ago when I was growing up. There's a reason both my brother and I had to get the fuck out of that place in order to grow and thrive as human beings. 

eli poss wrote:

Hey man, I like Leda. Especially some of the sport climbs at Lower Leda, like Guardian Angel. But you're not really understanding what I'm saying. I never said anything about the quality because Chattanooga has a fuck ton of very high quality rock. However, it doesn't have the quantity. Lot's of people will take quality over quantity (and rightly so) but I think that both are important in this case. 

What's better, having the 5 best sport climbs in the world nearby or having 50 decent or decentish sport climbs nearby?

I can't really speak to living in Knoxville, but I can speak from 16 years of personal experience that there's a whole lot of good reasons or excuses to leave Chattanooga. Aside from climbing, Chattanooga was pretty horrible and ass backwards a decade ago when I was growing up. There's a reason both my brother and I had to get the fuck out of that place in order to grow and thrive as human beings. 

https://www.chattanoogafun.com/articles/post/chattanooga-best-town-ever-2015/  Ha I guess if you think it's bad that's up to you but everyone else thinks it's the best outdoor town in the country.  Also chatt has so much more rock than Knoxville along with better rock.  Maybe not as much easy sport climbing so I guess if you're only an easy sport climber than you're right.  

Having grown up in Bristol (far-east TN), I would have to say the same thing about the entire state. Fortunately, it has improved over the years. Chattanooga has matured into a decent town.

eli poss wrote:

Hey man, I like Leda. Especially some of the sport climbs at Lower Leda, like Guardian Angel. But you're not really understanding what I'm saying. I never said anything about the quality because Chattanooga has a fuck ton of very high quality rock. However, it doesn't have the quantity. Lot's of people will take quality over quantity (and rightly so) but I think that both are important in this case. 

What's better, having the 5 best sport climbs in the world nearby or having 50 decent or decentish sport climbs nearby?

I can't really speak to living in Knoxville, but I can speak from 16 years of personal experience that there's a whole lot of good reasons or excuses to leave Chattanooga. Aside from climbing, Chattanooga was pretty horrible and ass backwards a decade ago when I was growing up. There's a reason both my brother and I had to get the fuck out of that place in order to grow and thrive as human beings. 

I moved to Knoxville two years ago.I have lived all over in places like Nebraska (no climbing), Estes Park (amazing climbing), and Southern California and even Yosemite for a short time. Knoxville is nice. The cost of living is good, homes are not to expensive. I have not had any problems with crime although crime is everywhere. There were areas in Omaha and LA where I did not feel safe I have not found that in Knoxville although I’m sure it exists  the beer is good and crags are plentiful. There isclimbing all over the place you just have to know where to look. Red river gorge is close, new river gorge is close-ish, Obed has climbing for days and if you know where to look it even has plenty of trad routes, Chattanooga is not to far to drive and there are lots of crags around East Tennessee. There is even a local quarry in Knoxville that is now bolted for climbing if you don’t want to drive far after work. Let’s not forget how close you are to North Carolina, Laura Knob, Looking Glass, Linville Gorge and many others. There is a strong climbing community in Knoxville with year round climbing near by. 

To me it’s perfect everything is within a short drive and there is a large variety to choose from.

Let me know when you come down and I’ll go climbing with you. 

Jeremiah Nason wrote:

https://www.chattanoogafun.com/articles/post/chattanooga-best-town-ever-2015/  Ha I guess if you think it's bad that's up to you but everyone else thinks it's the best outdoor town in the country.  Also chatt has so much more rock than Knoxville along with better rock.  Maybe not as much easy sport climbing so I guess if you're only an easy sport climber than you're right.  

If you're able to only experience the "outdoor town" part of Chattanooga, then yeah it's pretty damn good. But if you can't manage to shut out all the other parts of life in Chattanooga, it looks a whole lot different. Also, it helps to avoid anything remotely social related on Signal Mtn or with people from Signal (there are a few exceptions, such as my family, but they are few and far between).

That being said, Chattanooga today is certainly a different town than the town where I grew up. Hell, there are even a few gay bars now, which almost certainly would have been vandalized if not destroyed when I was growing up. But remember, I'm only 21 and that wasn't very long ago. The change hasn't quite made it to all aspects and institutions of the town. 

For example, in Marion country on the way out to T-wall, there are still die-hard confederates, and it is unsafe to be on that road or in that area at night if you're black. Hell, if you're (un)lucky you might even see an old redneck with a shotgun in 1 hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other, sitting in a chair on the lawn.

Unfortunately, some of the best climbing in Chatty is in the land of rednecks and tweakers. I'm looking at you Marion and Sequatchie county

eli poss wrote:

If you're able to only experience the "outdoor town" part of Chattanooga, then yeah it's pretty damn good. But if you can't manage to shut out all the other parts of life in Chattanooga, it looks a whole lot different. Also, it helps to avoid anything remotely social related on Signal Mtn or with people from Signal (there are a few exceptions, such as my family, but they are few and far between).

That being said, Chattanooga today is certainly a different town than the town where I grew up. Hell, there are even a few gay bars now, which almost certainly would have been vandalized if not destroyed when I was growing up. But remember, I'm only 21 and that wasn't very long ago. The change hasn't quite made it to all aspects and institutions of the town. 

For example, in Marion country on the way out to T-wall, there are still die-hard confederates, and it is unsafe to be on that road or in that area at night if you're black. Hell, if you're (un)lucky you might even see an old redneck with a shotgun in 1 hand and a bottle of whiskey in the other, sitting in a chair on the lawn.

Unfortunately, some of the best climbing in Chatty is in the land of rednecks and tweakers. I'm looking at you Marion and Sequatchie county

This all is pretty interesting.  Signal is kinda isolated from downtown anyways all the rich peeps kinda keep to themselves up there.  Also tons of rock there. But downtown is awesome with plenty to do with bars, festivals, restaurants,  and the sort.  I agree that going to suc creek is sketch at night or middle creek. But there are also plenty of places to go instead of that like sunset or rock town and fosters is a park so it's safe as well.

Jeremiah Nason wrote:

https://www.chattanoogafun.com/articles/post/chattanooga-best-town-ever-2015/  Ha I guess if you think it's bad that's up to you but everyone else thinks it's the best outdoor town in the country.  Also chatt has so much more rock than Knoxville along with better rock.  Maybe not as much easy sport climbing so I guess if you're only an easy sport climber than you're right.  

Is the obed easy? I heard it was steep. Is it just power endurance? Is the sport in chatty more technical with harder cruxes?

waldo wrote:

I moved to Knoxville two years ago.I have lived all over in places like Nebraska (no climbing), Estes Park (amazing climbing), and Southern California and even Yosemite for a short time. Knoxville is nice. The cost of living is good, homes are not to expensive. I have not had any problems with crime although crime is everywhere. There were areas in Omaha and LA where I did not feel safe I have not found that in Knoxville although I’m sure it exists  the beer is good and crags are plentiful. There isclimbing all over the place you just have to know where to look. Red river gorge is close, new river gorge is close-ish, Obed has climbing for days and if you know where to look it even has plenty of trad routes, Chattanooga is not to far to drive and there are lots of crags around East Tennessee. There is even a local quarry in Knoxville that is now bolted for climbing if you don’t want to drive far after work. Let’s not forget how close you are to North Carolina, Laura Knob, Looking Glass, Linville Gorge and many others. There is a strong climbing community in Knoxville with year round climbing near by. 

To me it’s perfect everything is within a short drive and there is a large variety to choose from.

Let me know when you come down and I’ll go climbing with you. 

Cool!  Lets keep in contact

For climbing Chattanooga is definitely better. And ones and all that still not far. But chat is so fucking good you won't make it to the ones anyway. I live in Colorado now but grew up in GA and climbed chatty for years. There are many areas in chart no one has yet mentioned. There is climbing everywhere. And yes it's steep. Some power, some endurance. Some power endurance. The new is more technical in my opinion. Rrg endurance.  

Feel free to pm me 

Lisa Haze wrote:

Is the obed easy? I heard it was steep. Is it just power endurance? Is the sport in chatty more technical with harder cruxes?

There are some easy stuff but yeah obed is known for steep routes but also so is jut sandstone port climbing in general.  Jay13 hit the nail on the head with all the rock in chatt.  Idk who said the obed has more rock but he couldn't be more wrong ha.  I'd say less than half of chatt is on my with places like middle creek, the apartment boulders, suc creek boulders, Zahd, and much more.  There's also 3 sweet gyms and one of the coolest downtowns.  I think Knox is cool but chatt is def the best place to live in the south if you're wanting to do anything outdoors let alone climb.

Also the hour and a half "short drive" to the obed can't beat the several 15 minute drive places in chatt

Lisa, 

I have visited Chattanooga several times and have always been blown away by proximity to climbing, and what a relatively progressive town it is for the south.

The food is pretty good and culture seems to be appreciated.  The climbing in Chatt literally burries Knoxville.

Do yourself a favor and visit Chattanooga when you check out Knoxville!!

Peace

Ezra 

Thanks everyone! I will def  check out Nash chatty and knox come January. Happy climbing!