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homegrown
Trad climber
munich, germany
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 22, 2006 - 05:27am PT
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Greetings,
I am at a great crossroads in life. Ive been living in various spots in Deutschland for the last few years. Ive decided to move back to lay seige on US stone. Im looking for advice from those of you who have either moved somewhere (to increase your climbing potential) and living standard or those of you who know some sweet areas...(Sweet area = great climbing potential + working potential)
I have recently finished a masters degree in Educational Psychology here in Munich and am looking for work, as well (preferrably not as a waiter at your local truck-stop restaurant).)
Im asking my fellow climbers for a real help. I hope for a sincere response or two. I appreciate your energy and thoughts.
Peace...Chris
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Aug 22, 2006 - 05:36am PT
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SLC, Utah offers lots of great rock very close by, and is big enough to find work.
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homegrown
Trad climber
munich, germany
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 22, 2006 - 07:17am PT
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thanks for the reply, I will check out the scene on-line....any sites you could recommend?
Peace
Chris
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Aug 22, 2006 - 07:20am PT
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Chris, when I head back (after nearly 11 years abroad this time around) it will definitely be the West, though I'm not sure if it will be my home state of California.
My dad is from Washington (Olympia) and I have a lot of family up there. All my older brothers were born in Seattle.
I am looking at perhaps the Lake Oyosoos area on the Canadian border in central Washington with Oroville being the main town. The lake is in both BC and Washington.
I don’t know what the job prospects are like, either as an actor or journalist, or in your case, educational psychologist.
But there is loads of climbing in the region, both in BC (as Radical will testify to) and in Washington, west in the Cascades.
There are also a number of wineries north in the Okanagan Valley, which Lake Oyosoos lies in. I don’t mind winery work if it puts me close to climbing areas. I’ve worked in wineries in Napa Valley and France. The town of Oyosoos in BC has a population of around 5,000. I don’t know what the work permit situation is like for Yanks wanting to work in Canada.
From wikipedia
Oroville is a city in Okanogan County, Washington, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,653.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oroville%2C_Washington
(note: Oroville sits on the southern end of the lake).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osoyoos%2C_British_Columbia
Osoyoos is a small town in the Okanagan Valley on British Columbia's southern border with Washington state. It boasts the title of having the only hot desert in Canada (the Arctic is largely a desert by precipitation standards). Its terrain fits this image nicely, with sandy hills, tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes, and a hot, arid climate. Its population swells in the summertime due to vacationers and retirees. Lake Osoyoos is Canada's warmest lake with average summer water temperatures of 24°C (75°F). Though it is very desert-like, irrigation enhances its agriculture.
In the summertime, the Okanagan Valley is the hottest area in Canada, and Osoyoos often reaches the highest temperature of any location in Canada.
There is also a border crossing between Canada and the United States between Osoyoos and Oroville, Washington.
(EDIT: it sounds nice, except for the rattlesnake bit. I was looking at a climbing website on the Skaha Bluffs and one of the pix was a rattler coiled up near a trail at Skaha.)
Skaha Bluffs is a rock climbing area located just south of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada on a hillside above Skaha Lake. The climbing takes place in three parallel canyons. Notable climbing walls include Fortress, Red Tail, Doctors wall, The Great White Wall and The Grand Canyon. The area is mostly a sport climbing area, though many traditional climbing opportunities also exist. The rock formations in the area are predominantly a coarse-grained gneiss and are generally under 30 meters tall.
Skaha Bluffs is slowly gaining recognition as a destination climbing area due to its mild weather, easy access and high number of sport climbing routes.
Penticton, with a population around 40,000, is about 47km (30 miles) north of the border on Highway 97 (97 goes from Weed, California to the Yukon border).
However, as an actor, and one who turned down a very good journalist job with CNN in August 1994 to pursue my acting, I’ll probably have to settle for the LA area – ugh.
I only came to Ireland in 1995 to be closer to my ex and because the Irish film industry was hot at the time (Braveheart, etc). I thought that being an American actor would make me somewhat ‘unique’.
Nope. Firstly, a lot of Irish actors can do okay to convincing American accents. Secondly, there isn’t even much work for Irish actors, never mind actors in general.
And thirdly, any large budget films that come to Ireland (not as many as 1996 when the tax relief situation changed, but the large studios like Disney still do come to shoot films) are cast in London or LA (maybe New York), not in Dublin. So that is where you have to be – London or LA. Seeing as how I spent June 1986 to January 1993 living and working in London (with a stint in north Wales), I don’t want to live there again. No offence against Londoners.
So it looks like LA – ugh (no offence against any Angelinos on the forum).
I don’t know when though, probably in the next 12-18 months.
Chris, Munich is my favorite German city.
Good luck in whatever decision you make.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Aug 22, 2006 - 01:13pm PT
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You might be able to get a good job in the educational system close to anywhere that's got rock. What you should do is investigate what would it entail to qualify.
Peace
karl
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Aug 22, 2006 - 01:26pm PT
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This is a big country, dude. Give us a little more to work with: big city, medium city, small town, cragging, alpine, sport etc?
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Jacob
Trad climber
yucky valley
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Aug 22, 2006 - 02:05pm PT
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palm springs area maybe? close to joshuatree np, close to idyllwild (sp) local area is awsome (palm springs has lots of work)
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
St. Louis
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Aug 22, 2006 - 07:53pm PT
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Try going to Findmyspot.com. Though this site doesn't ask about rock climbing per se, it does ask a lot about what you'd like to see in the place you live. At the end of the survey, it gives 21 or so cities that you should consider. It's fun because many of the cities I would never have considered. (At the end, they ask for your email. No worries, they've never sent me any spam).
Hopefully it will have a rock climbing question soon. A friend who just moved from North Carolina to Boulder is now doing the programming magic for this site.
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susan peplow
climber
Desperately Seeking Climbing Related Topic!!
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Aug 22, 2006 - 07:59pm PT
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Reno, Nevada
1) High Desert provides moderate temps year round
2) Close proximity to premier rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, wind surfing, and snow skiing.
3) Median home pricing around $170K
4) International Airport
5) No State Taxes
6) "smallest big city"
7) Good Commerce
8) Chris Mac owns property in Tahoe
9) Legalized Gambling
10) Prostitution in licensed brothels (ha! couldn't resist)
~Susan
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homegrown
Trad climber
munich, germany
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 23, 2006 - 07:12am PT
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Wow! I am amazed at the responses from the community. I am a virgin on this site and thought it may take awhile to receive some educated feedback...wrong! Thanks a million ;)
I will check all the web sites you all have suggested. If anyone is travelling to Europe in the next 2 months and needs to check out some sweet climbs (alpine, alpine sport, etc)send me a mail.
I really want to get out West, but must first start in Cincinnati (to collect some belongings and friends to drag out with me). Anyone in this area, as I will be searching climbing partners for the Red River Gorge and any other areas within reach???!!!
Whats the scene like in Cali? Im interested in being close enough to a "big" city (for work purposes and entertainment on occasion) but MOST importantly being within arms reach of LONG sport/trad. I also would like to live in an area where (if I get off at sometime in the afternoon from work) I would have a chance to work on a local project at the nearby crag.
One big factor that is lacking at the moment is having a "brother" partner. Finding partners that match my desire and need to cllimb seems a diffuclt feat. I hope that the US will reveal a side of its perosnality I havent seen...the climbing community, that is. I started climbing in Thailand (when I travelled around the world for almost 2 years), so have yet to experience my home court rock and home country climbing "freaks".
Again, I highly value your comments/suggestions. Each response is a unique avenue which I will contemplate. Thanks again
Peace
Chris
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Aug 23, 2006 - 08:10am PT
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Chris, if you want to be near a big city, I guess that rules out the Oyosoos/Okanagan area I suggested.
Hopefully it will have a rock climbing question soon.
Crimpergirl, is climbing that popular in the States now?
Chris I understand that Boulder is a pretty good place to live, and Susan makes some fine points in Reno’s favour.
As suggested, Palm Springs wouldn’t be a bad location, nor Provo, Utah.
Seattle may be another place to consider.
Does anybody know how far the Gunks are from New York City (miles and time by car)? That might be a place for you Chris.
Chris, there are actually a number of locations in the West that you could choose, I don’t much about the Midwest or the east coast, although that North Carolina climbing thread makes a good point for North Carolina.
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Aug 23, 2006 - 09:04am PT
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Gunks - New Paltz NY is a really fine choice. Lots of post-work bouldering or roped climbing there.
I am guessing hour roughly from NYC, might be less. It is two hours from Princeton NJ. Within 1 hour radius of New Paltz, especially to the south there is a large population - many schools...
Adirondacks a few hours north (ice in winter), cragging in Maine and New Hampshire several hour drive.
Patrick, IIRC, Gunks see 50,000 climber days per year. There are about 10,000 members (not all climbing members). Cost $80 per year.
Nothing really over 3 pitches though... except the great wall traverse - which at one time was the world's longest rock climb - but I don't think anybody really does that. :-)
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doc bs
Social climber
Northwest
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Aug 23, 2006 - 10:12am PT
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Seattle is great city! Same with Tacoma. And suburbs...
nice granite - index, squamish BC, plus big back country areas (stomping grounds explored by Becky et al) though this is summer mostly.
nice mountains and national parks and wilderness - N Cascades, Raineer, Olympic, Baker, Adams, blah blah blah
good year round snow in back country
hot and sunny dessert rock Frenchmans Coolie and Smith Rock (OR)-though its basalt/metomorph
probably would keep you busy a few years
no holywood glitz
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malaka
climber
gothenburg, sweden
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Aug 23, 2006 - 10:13am PT
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If I was in your seat I´d go for either Missoula, MT or North Conway, NH. Both beatiful places with plenty of climbing and relative closeness to work opportunities.
But hey, I´m swedish, what do I know..
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goatboy smellz
climber
bouldercolorado
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Aug 23, 2006 - 09:58pm PT
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Why limit yourself?
Buy a van and live in all these fine areas.
"Educational Psychology" work???
Good luck, happy travels!
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homegrown
Trad climber
munich, germany
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 24, 2006 - 03:08pm PT
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even though goatboy perhaps doesnt know the domain of an educational psychologist, he may just have the best suggestion thus far...buy a freakin' bus and go for it! Word.
any other brilliant ideas from goats, rabbits or any other farm-like creatures that may or may not climb things OR normal people are welcome too ? ;)
Thanks again guys and gals for the words of experience...
Chris
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goatboy smellz
climber
bouldercolorado
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Aug 24, 2006 - 10:42pm PT
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"munchmunch...heard there's over 30 colleges & universities around here...munchmunch...not that I care...munchmunch"
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Aug 24, 2006 - 11:15pm PT
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Whatever you pick will be fun. And you can always go to the other places with the folks you meet.
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homegrown
Trad climber
munich, germany
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2006 - 07:24pm PT
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All you guys, gals, and clowns that have replied just amaze me... I so psyched to come home (Ive been really nervous and probably will be upon arrival, plus culture schock....its crazy to experience it in your OWN country....had it once after travelling around the world for almost 2 years)...and experience the US again...honestly, it still concerns me...
Getting a "See America" beater sounds like the way, after I save some cash (in the Nati....Cincinnati, OH...still looking for partners...I have a crew there but always like to meet new people).
Still accepting suggestions. My list is growing rapidly thanks to you.
Loved the photo
Many thanks again to everyone ;)
Chris
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