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| Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic |
murse
Trad climber
San Clemente
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 3, 2009 - 02:02pm PT
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Thinking of grad school in portland, wondering if there is any climbing in the area or if i'll have to drive to Bend to get my fix. Thanks.
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smithygreg
Social climber
Portland,OR
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There are a bunch of smaller crags around Portland. Rocky Butte/Broughtons Bluff/Carver/Ozone/Beacon Rock are all within a 20-30 minute drive of downtown. The problem is that most of them are wet all winter. I did get 4 weekends on the rock this past February though so it's not guaranteed that you won't be able to climb outside.
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pFranzen
Boulder climber
Portland, OR
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Plenty of climbers here in PDX. The gym scene is what you make of it (great facilities, just choose the gym that best fits your attitude), and although the climbing in the immediate area isn't spectacular there is plenty within 3 hours of here. Smith is... Smith, and there is a lot of new development going on in places like Trout Creek and a couple of secret-for-the-time-being-but-if-you-aren't-an-as#@&%e-and-make-some-friends-we'll-take-you-there crags. Carver is having access issues, and Broughton's is decent if you need to get a couple of pitches in and can't make it out of the city, and other areas like Beacon Rock and Ozone are ok as well.
There are way more talented climbers in Portland than you'd expect given the rock that we have around town, and there is a lot of climbing here if you are willing to dedicate a weekend to it instead of just an afternoon.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Portland is a great city, laid back, cool vibe. Good climbing to be had nearby, although if you crave granite, its a long drive. Good climbing gyms for the winter off months, and Mt Hood is nearby if you can swing a pick. You'll be stoked here.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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If you don't ski, do alpine, or travel to JTree / RR and you really like to rock climb then winter here is pretty rough. I buckle down, work, get out when I can and try to get to RR a couple of times.
Choose wisely...
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tomtom
Social climber
Seattle, Wa
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There are plenty of climbing gyms with plenty of scene.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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If you have access to a car and don't mind some adventure driving, there are quite a few crags worth visitng a time or two. If you want to put up some routes a little off the beaten path, there are quite a few waiting. Leavenworth, Tieton, Smith, Squamish are all easy weekend get aways - OK Squamish might require a long weekend. You could stop off in Seattle's orbit - Index, Little Si. Those are just a couple of hours away. The alpine scene is decent in the Cascades, and peak bagging is popular.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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All in all P-town is a great place to live imho ... being a transplant from
Ca. and growing up climbing at Tahquitz , Yos. etc... I really miss granite but still enjoy my climbing locally.
I didn't realize how many ST'ers were here .... might be nice to organize
a Portland ST get together ? anyone up for that?
SD
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sky pilot
Trad climber
nomadland
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I moved to PDX in 2006 for grad school. Oh sure, I go to the gym a few times a week and I went to 7-8 climbing places in the pdx vicinity this year but really, come on, is gym climbing really a subsitute? Is Rocky Butte a 'destination'? I'm a 5.11-5.12 climber in the gym and now I cry and snivel on 5.6 trad when I finally do get on real rock. What has happened to me? These hands used to fit so solidly in cracks and now they are soft from rain & plastic holds. The places in WA are ok for a once in a great while road trip but way too far to go to every weekend. Personally, I can't wait to get out of the rain and move back to somewhere with some sun and real rock.
Take it from me, I lived in my car for 4 years climbing before I gave it up to go to grad school. PDX may have a lot of things going for it but climbing is not one of them.
(not peeved, just passionate!)
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| Messages 1 - 9 of total 9 in this topic |
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