Climbing commute time?

I'm curious to know what others see as an acceptable regular travel time to go climbing. Gym or crag? If you are talking about your crag, also mention the approach time.

1 hr to plastic
3 hr to rock

I used to day trip it from Seattle to Leavenworth all the time, and I have even day tripped Seattle to Squamish. Acceptable depends on you Psych for a place.

20 minutes to the local crag.

20 minute run/10 minute bike to the gym
20 minute bike to the Flatirons
45 minute bike to Eldo
3 hour bike to Longs Peak
2 day bike to Shelf

As a general rule,

Climbers that are trying to minimize their impact or active environmentalists tend to go to local crags mostly via walk, bike are carpool.

Climbers that are environmental activists or oppose local gas and oil exploration drive many hours to climb.

It depends on if I'm walking or riding my bike but never more then 25 minutes. Unless tioga is open. then 1 hour is acceptable.

For weekend trips the general rule is 1 hour of driving per pitch climbed.
It is a generous rule.

It depends, back living in NC the closest rock was almost 2 hrs away and the farthest I'd drive for a weekend was 3-4 (never made it to Tennessee and RRG). Now I live in Boulder and the closest rock is a 3 mile run from my house, yet I often find myself driving 6 hrs to Wyoming or Utah. Makes you think...

Alexander K wrote:yet I often find myself driving 6 hrs to Wyoming or Utah. Makes you think...

That makes me think that the grass is always greener on the other side.

15 minutes, walking or driving to plastic. 30 minute drive to rock. non negotiable

2-3 minutes from work to the gym.

10 minutes to rock.

You just can't beat Boulder Colorado. Please tell your friends.

(Ha ha).

Right now I have 3 minutes to gym.

For rock, unlike the above my day trip rule is one pitch per hour of drive time. Two hours, each way, means four pitch minimum.

I'm about 45 minutes from a gym. 10-20 minutes will get me to a few park/quarries and underdeveloped small areas outdoors, About an hour to govoner dodge or devils lake, each having hundreds of routes.
Everything I do is bouldering, so I don't spend as long getting gear ready.
Im also in Wisconsin, so mainly doing indoor for now

My rule of thumb is that you must spend more hours on the rock or at the crag than you do in the car. So, 3 hrs. one-way is about the limit for a day trip, 6-7 hrs for a weekend trip, and so on.

Fortunately, I'm about five minutes from the crag.

10 bike to plastic, 30 bike to endless rock.

brian n wrote: That makes me think that the grass is always greener on the other side.

It isn't that the grass is greener on the other side, it is that I don't find much adventure in going to the same places and hopping on the same routes. I find novelty, adventure and exploration intoxicating. Plus, after a week of the rat race, the last thing I want to do is hang around the city.

20 min drive to the gym
9 min drive to the crag, with a 10 min hike in

I guess I could bike or run, but then I'd be really pumped.

Its a sliding scale, based on where you are going, for how long, and how bad you want it.

"Ideal" is 1 hour (or less) of driving each way, per day of climbing. At this distance, it is a no-brainer and worth it every time, even if going to a mediocre crag or gambling on a questionable weather forecast. So, a half-hour each way for an afternoon, 1-hour each way for a day trip, 2 hours each way for a weekend, 7 hours each way for a week, etc.

"Acceptable" is 2 hours of driving each way, per day of climbing. I'll do this regularly- every weekend if motivated- but the conditions need to be right. A good weather forecast, a solid partner, and a crag I'm really motivated for. So, 2-hours each way drive for a day trip, 4 hours each way for a weekend.

"Desperate" is 3 hours of driving each way, per day of climbing (i.e. driving 6 hours for a weekend trip). This one is reserved for a big objective that you are really motivated for (such as a long alpine route), or when all closer options are ruled out (when it is raining everywhere closer). I end up doing this about once a year, it seems.

I don't go past 3 hours each way per day of climbing.

From work: about half mile to climbing gym, 5 or 10 miles to the local rock, both have bike trails right there, but I've not combined riding and climbing, yet, just riding and hiking.

From home: add two miles

Nonlocal: lots and lots of options under/around 2-4 hours one way.

Best, OLH

It is a three hour trip in about any direction from our home to the closest climbing spots.

Day trips are totally worthwhile but weekend camping trips are far more productive at those distances.

Plus it way easier to make climbing friends around a campfire after a good day of climbing.