View Full Version : SF Candidate Climbing Near Vegas
Dark Matter
03-11-2012, 13:23
I will be traveling down to Las Vegas for the last two weeks of March to camp/hike/climb at Red Rock Canyons about 10 miles West of the city. I would like to extend an invitation to any former, current, or prospective SF soldiers to do some climbing on the huge sandstone walls.
For those who are not climbers, the hiking in the area is magnificent. In addition, I used to work as a professional climbing guide, so I have no problems teaching anyone to climb if they are interested.
For pictures and a description of the area for those that aren't familiar: http://www.mountainproject.com/v/red-rock/105731932
If the draw of some of the best sandstone climbing in the world is not enough, I will buy the first round of any QP or prospective QP who comes out. Short notice, I know, but I am going to be down there anyway, and with Red Rock Rendezvous coming up at the end of March, I figured there might be some climbers from this site already inbound as well.
If interested, shoot me a PM for details.
Scimitar
03-11-2012, 23:52
Dark,
Some of the best climbing I've done is not too far from there up in Big Bear, CA, only a couple hours southwest.
High altitude kicks the ass, only good during the summer months of course.
But there are some of the most interesting 5.13s up there, with some cool leaps and such.
Anyway, best ass kicking I ever got doing the long climbs at 8000 ft.
I highly recommend
S
Dark Matter
03-12-2012, 10:56
Nice thing about Boulder is that Eldorado Canyon is only 10-15 minutes away, and there is beautiful alpine granite up in Rocky Mountain National Park. I doubt the conditions will be do-able before I ship in early May, but I would love to get on the Diamond of Long's Peak! Try 14,000' for altitude!
http://www.mountainproject.com/images/45/69/106264569_large_7ecac9.jpg
Does anybody know what the climbing scene in N. Carolina is like?
Does anybody know what the climbing scene in N. Carolina is like?
Any more I just piddle around a bit but if you haven’t been, may I suggest the Linville Gorge. Its pretty much traditional climbing and a variety of difficulties for all sorts of skill levels…
http://www.southeastclimbing.com/climbing_areas/north_carolina/linville_gorge.htm
East Face Table Rock:
21381
North Carolina Wall:
21382
Amphitheatre - Mummy & Daddy:
21383
Amphitheatre - Prow - southern end of NC Wall:
21384
MTN Medic
03-12-2012, 18:39
DM, if you are still in Boulder, PM me and we can hit up the flat irons, or meet up at shelf or something. I had a remarkably similar background to you. Would be fun to swap stories.
Does anybody know what the climbing scene in N. Carolina is like?
Crumbly.
Crumbly.
I second that. But there are quite a few nice areas to check out.
Pilot Mountain is fun and not too challenging for some beginner-intermediate 5.7-5.13s.
If you want bouldering, check out Asheboro. Pretty decent range of boulders, but watch out for snakes.
Best climbing is at Linville Gorge. Table Rock, Devil's Cellar, and The Mummy are awesome.
Linville Gorge is a beautiful place to climb. The hike out to the gorge is great. The hike down the gorge to get to the start of the climbs is a bitch but fun, and the routes are long easy trad routes. The Daddy is a fun easy route too. If you pack light, getting out of the gorge is great on the Prow (5.4).
There are a couple 5.11's/ 5.12's in the gorge too.
Table Rock (where you'd park to go out to the gorge has some good routes too. In the parking lot there are some great boulders (one V9) and a good place to meet climbing partners.
Couple classics you have to do- Cracker Jack 5.8, Peek-a-boo 5.5 (or the direct 5.10) route. The 5.5 version isn't hard but there's a pretty cool move across a crack/chimney.
There is an Outward Bound based there so you can always ask for route info.
NC Wall has some good routes too. The same rack you'd use at Linville works well at the Wall. Several 5.11&12's.
Looking Glass area is great too.
It's been a couple years since been there (Linville area) but it's a great trad climbing.
Dark Matter
09-21-2012, 16:44
I made it out to Ft. Bragg and am currently on an undetermined amount of SOPC hold. I would love to find some partners to go to the wall in town with in the afternoons and possibly trips outside on the weekends. PM if interested.
CDRODA396
09-21-2012, 17:55
Crumbly.
Maybe in some places, but overall, I very respectfully disagree. A quick google of Moore's Wall turned up these quotes right off.
"About Moores Wall: High quality metamorphic quartzite crag in the rolling hills of the piedmont."
"For exciting and unique trad on some of the best quality rock you'll ever touch, I can't recommend Moore's Wall enough."
"Amazing quartzite in the N.C. piedmont. With numerous classic routes, including one of the best 5.7s in the state (Zoo View), Moore's is an excellent destination for the trad climber. Routes at Moore's require a cool head, the ability to place good gear in sometime less than obvious placements, and the strength to hold on while doing it."
Including a description from the site the OP linked to, Mountain Project, ...
Description
Located just a short drive from Winston-Salem, Moore's Wall is the premier climbing destination of piedmont North Carolina. With its beautiful quartzite rock and juggy overhanging lines, Moore's more than holds its own with other great NC areas like Looking Glass and Linville Gorge.
I agree Pilot can be somewhat chossy, but its mostly single pitch top-roping, and Crowder's is very coarse, finger-tip removing rock, but Moore's Wall and Linville Gorge are very high quality (hard) rock, great for trad.
If you like scary, run out slab to test your foot work/friction climbing, Stone Mountain (white granite) has some awesome routes, its granite is anything but crumbly.
http://www.mountainproject.com/v/stone-mountain/105873297
All in all, NC has some great places to climb on some very good quality rock.
I agree Pilot can be somewhat chossy, but its mostly single pitch top-roping, and Crowder's is very coarse, finger-tip removing rock, but Moore's Wall and Linville Gorge are very high quality (hard) rock, great for trad.
Pilot Mtn is good for beginners, teaching people how to climb because of the top roping. Dane thing for teaching people trad. Table Rick is the same, good beginners spot.
I hate Moore's wall.. Its basically rotten granite.
Linville Gorge is the IMO the best place for Trad.
Dark Matter good luck.. 50m targets keep them down.
Just go to red point or climbing place....enough people to climb with. Even in their belay class. Which you have to pay for and do to climb there.. Safety and insurance.
mark46th
09-22-2012, 08:52
No more talk of Linville Gorge. It gives me flashbacks...
No more talk of Linville Gorge. It gives me flashbacks...
:D
I’ve always heard you guys were responsible for the huge eye bolts on the Chimney/5 dot area, that are still used today by Outward Bound and other large groups who teach climbing there. It’s a great area to tope rope and play around:cool:
Nevertheless, I’m curious if this area is, or was part of Pineland? :confused:
Golf1echo
09-23-2012, 07:13
A few more rocks out West, here: Whitesides Mountain, "Spear Finger's" home. More lightning than crumbly.
Laurel Knob, http://carolinaclimbers.org/climbing-areas/laurel-knob/laurel-knob.html
A few more rocks out West, here: Whitesides Mountain, "Spear Finger's" home. More lightning than crumbly.
Laurel Knob, http://carolinaclimbers.org/climbing-areas/laurel-knob/laurel-knob.html
I remember before I was SF I and a Eng buddy were climbing Laura with boots and climbing (trad) people were looking at us with that deer in the head lights look ...of how are you getting up this mountain. Love that slope
friction baby..it's all in the friction :D
frostfire
09-23-2012, 19:49
Crumbly.
surely no place can be crumbli-er than Sand Rock, AL :D
My first exposure to trad climbing. Hated it so much even years later with better skill I refuse to return there
Dark Matter, climbing is great core building and isometric exercise...and I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but injury prevention should be among the top fitness goals. After treating many injuries from MacKall as well as just any *insert SOF unit here* students/personnel pushing their mind beyond their body limit at various areas, I truly learn that there's hardass, then dumbass. Pain is weakness leaving the body. Injury is the body's telling you to stop or else. The line between the two is very fine. Of course, after treatment, the SF folks often say they have each foot on each side of the line:D