Top 10 Climbing Towns

[Meadows]

Yeah, but it's Vegas. You better start turning tricks Rhunt to afford it.

[Shamis]

Dude, who are you trying to fool? It has *never* taken me 20 minutes to reach Red Rocks in the evening because there is sooo much damn traffic and so many stop lights in Vegas at rush hour. Rush hour in Lexington is next to nothing since the city is so small so it doesn't affect the evening after work climbing sessions.

It depends on where you're coming from. I'm not trying to fool anybody. As a tourist, you're gonna face more traffic, because you're probably coming from a casino. But if you live anywhere on the west side of town with easy access to 215, then you can get to red rocks in no time at all.

Why shouldn't hiking time be included? Because the hikes in Red Rocks can be horrendous, that's why.

most of the hiking to the sport area's is very casual. Its only the trad area's that have nasty hikes, but they are also 5-10x higher than redriver trad climbs, so it seems like a reasonable trade off.

Also, the climbing in Red Rocks can't touch what we have at the Red.

for hard sport yes, you are right. But between Mt charleston, St. George, and Mesquite, and Arrow canyon, you've got tons of good sport. All within 1.5 hours.

And when comparing climbing towns doesn't cost of living mean anything? I can't imagine what our house would cost if it were in Vegas. And what's this about no climbing gym in Lex? Every time I look out of my kitchen window I see a pretty nice climbing gym.

Housing prices in vegas have deflated quite a bit. And when I got there in 2000 it was super cheap. Vegas was hit hard by the housing boom, but prices will probably plateau a bit. People thought it was going to be as expensive as southern california, but I think they overestimated the appeal of the desert.

In any case, No state or Local taxes is a pretty big thing for me. Not sure how much you pay, but I know I'd easily be able to afford an extra 500 bucks a month towards rent/mortgage if I didn't have to pay off kentucky, and lexington.

But anyway, I don't want to get into a long drawn out argument. Lexington is a good place to live. A good all around place to live. But when it comes to pure climbing, I don't think it can compare with vegas. And as stated previously, that isn't simply because of red rocks and mt charleston because the red is just about as good as those two, but I think you also have to take into consideration the proximity to other climbing destinations such as: The needles, Taquitz, J-tree, Moes Valley, Joe's Valley, The mesquite limestone, arrow canyon, Zion, moab, yosemite, ibex, bishop, maple canyon, all of arizona, etc etc. The list goes on. With a 3 day weekend in vegas, you have a lot of options. Not that we don't have some good options here, but they still can't really compete.

[Shamis]

But shouldn't livability be included in what makes a climbing town? Maybe I'm confusing the qualifications. I would think that a good climbing town has plenty of opportunities for careers, a good college, affordable housing, decent places to eat, good music, in addition to being close to climbing. If being close to climbing is the only qualifier then sure Lex is probably too far away. But for someone like me who likes all the good perks in life in addition to being able to climb at one of the best sport climbing cliffs in the country (the Lode) after work I can't imagine a better "climbing town". Hmmm....the slabs of the Flatirons or the monstrous overhanging Lode after work? No question.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Lexington's booming IT industry. lol.

[anticlmber]

MY point is that Lexington is so far from the climbing you can't even see it from town. I would think to be a great and classic climbing town you should at least be able to see climbing from town, or have rock that's not crushed in town or maybe even that the common average citizen in town knows all about the climbing because of the proximity.

That is not Lexington at all. All Lexington has going for it are climbers, not climbing. In fact, it couldn't even keep a commercial gym for very long. What should that tell you about the climbing culture in Lexington?
Face it, Lexington is not a "climbing town".
Lexington is too far away with no climbing culture to speak of.

Look at town like New Paltz. It's a small town, but the Gunks tower over it.

Boone is surrounded by climbing and there is bouldering all over around town.

you can at least see the rock from Vegas.

No, Lexington should not be one of the top climbing towns in the US. There are far too many better and more apt towns out there that deserve that title and Lexington doesn't compare.

you can also unfortunatly see vegas from re rocks so your whole "majestic view" crap is out the window.

can't see alot of the rock in boone but its there but you can't see it all. strike two

lexington DOES have a gym, its called the gorge. if you live in a "climbing" town then WHY THE FUCK WOULD I GO TO THE GYM??? i live in a "climbing" town NOT aq plastic town
strike three

by the way, what IS a climbing culture??? please explain because i've seen better culture in petri dishes then i have seen at most climkbing meccas.

one last point. many people live in the gorge or other "climbing" ares yet have no understanding or idea of what goes on and that is a good thing. all the fukkers in CO see it, want to be it without understanding it, and then end up in front of you in line for what they will soon kill themselves on.

like SCIN said, why all the hating??

[SCIN]

Shamis, you still haven't touched on one thing. The one-way loop for Red Rocks. Am I smoking crack or does it not take twice as long to get home from climbing as it does to get there because of the one-way loop?

[Ascentionist]

There really is no way to rate what makes the "best" climbing town. It's all subjected to what's important to the individual.

Amen!

And I refuse to address anticlimber's comments.

[gregkerzhner]

lexington DOES have a gym, its called the gorge. if you live in a "climbing" town then WHY THE FUCK WOULD I GO TO THE GYM??? i live in a "climbing" town NOT aq plastic town

A gym is a way to access climbing easily, in any weather, and possibly without a partner.

Case 1 on a shitty, rainy december afternoon in Lex, when its 30 degrees outside, what are your options to go climbing when you get off work at 5? You aren't going to drive to the red, and even if you would, noone would go with out. So, you will just go home, down a handel of Jim Beam and pass out to The Notebook.

This goes on for about 3 months, and you find that you only climbed about 4 days the whole winter and you were so weak during those days that you could barely whip out your frozen shlong to take a piss after the warm up.

No thanks. A gym is not only the perfect way to climb during times of bad conditions or time constraints, but also an assurance that once you ARE able to get outdoors, you will be able to appreciate it to the fullest and piss on Andrew's projects, like his new chossy 5.13 at Choss Valley.

[rhunt]

btw I ruled out Vegas a few years ago because things have changed for me. My first choice now would be Lexington if it were a move only for climbing. I guess now #1 for me is a place without a dark/wet/cold winter, a place where I can climb a little, hike a little, ride a little, paddle a little, play ultimate a little, etc ,etc.

[Shamis]

Shamis, you still haven't touched on one thing. The one-way loop for Red Rocks. Am I smoking crack or does it not take twice as long to get home from climbing as it does to get there because of the one-way loop?

yeah, the loop is 13 miles.

19 miles from Treasure Island to the entrance of red rocks. 13 miles through the loop, and 19 miles back.

So coming from the strip, you're round trip would be 51 miles. Still less miles that it is from downtown lexington to slade. Granted, it might take you the same time if you're stuck in traffic...but if you are anywhere near any of the major highways that will get you to 215 fast, and then get you to charleston fast, it won't take that long.

Also, lets not forget that I haven't even figured in the amount of time you need to get from the slade exit to either the southern region or Muir valley. And the hike times in both those places are probably worse than any of the major red rocks sport crags, although you and piggie probably have forgotten about that since you both drive to the crag.

[512OW]

I agree with Greg. If you aren't a full time climber, the best way to get, and stay, strong is to climb in a gym.

Every good climbing town should have at least a few good home woodies.

I wouldn't consider Lexington a climbing town. For me to call somewhere a "climbing town", first it has to be a "town". Not a city with a downtown, airport, and 4 malls. Also, the climbers have to play an integral part in the functions of the city, be it via business ownership, or by visiting climbers contributing greatly to the economy. They must have: good food, good coffee, good internet, good restday activities, and hot chicks.


Heres my list, in no particular order:

Lander, Wyoming
Fayetteville, West Virginia
St. George, Utah
Moab, Utah
New Paltz, New York
Boone, North Carolina
Chattanooga, Tennessee (almost too big, I think...)
Bishop, California
TwentyNine Palms or Idyllwild, California
?