RRC Archives

Something has changed from last Spring to this Fall.

It seems like even the "less popular, quiet crags" at the Red are now overrun with people and dogs. It's getting to be routine to have to wait in line (sometimes for 1-2 hours) for practically every route. Any tips (other than climbing trad) about how to get a work out in at the Red these days? I doubt I will get any stronger climbing 5 routes a day and sitting on my tail the rest of the time.
It's fun socially, but not good for training.
Help me! What do other people do?

climb trad

There is almost always an uncrowded sport crag, but it might vary from day to day. Sometimes it is Sky bridge or funk rock, sometimes the right side of military, sometimes something in muir or the southern region. The tricky part is just finding which one it is! If it is crowded where you end up, then most people are cool with letting you run draws, etc. So, you can still get a good workout, you just have to share a bit back. If it is really crowded, I just try to find one cool and somewhat challenging route and do laps.

If all else fails, just go to the newest mega, ultra secret crag!

Thanks Wes--
Maybe I just had bad luck this weekend. It was over the top ridiculous!

What crags are you going to? Waiting 1-2 hours? If I have to wait for more than one person, I pick another route or crag.

Th worst was the Gallery on Sunday I think there were over 20 people there and 5-6 dogs. Every single route had people on it. I mainly went there to do gold rush--that was the one we waited so long to get on. I am not complaining about the people who were on it--they were there first. It's just that every route there was like that. Three other people waiting gave up and left. Sunday we only have a few hours to climb before our 7 hour drive, so I didn't have time to leave and go somewhere else. This Fall has been more like that than usual it seems. I even went to skybridge last weekend and it was crowded too! What's up?

I have not had to wait in line for a route in years. If I showed up to a crag and there were a bunch of people on the route I wanted to do I would leave, but even that hasn't happened. Even Rockafest weekend there were only a few people at the main crag I wanted to climb at and not that many people at the other crags I went to. Never did I have to wait in line.

There are so many good routes at crags that people don't go to often, or good routes at the part of a crag that people don't go to often.

The Poacher's probably not going to be crowded.

steep..I walked thur that part of the gallery, and agree it was too crowded...and dogs were off leash every where...we moved on....volunteer wall was do-able.

btw, if your dog follows me when I leave, it is not my responsibility to call him, bring him back, and encourage him to turn around. my dog was leashed, so you are on your own. also, since when do folks let their dogs bark relentlessly?