I felt fortunate that world class destination Hueco Tanks was on my list of road trip stops. I had heard about this destination for years and happily rolled in mid-January, exploring the boulder problems for a month.
(I apologize prior to any of you readers scrolling through the pics. Usually my posts include pics of friends, but I was real lax on taking pictures in Hueco as there were always friends around with better cameras than mine. The result was good pics, but most of the ones I received were of just me. I apologize.)
One of my Red River Gorge friends hiking down North Mountain at sunset.
Me working through the crux of “Baby Martini”. This climb was a perfect way to wreck oneselves at the end of the day. Long and core intensive, it was an excellent way to ensure a great workout. Photo by Frank Wu.
Kenyon on “Fern Roof”, which he sent a couple days after this picture. Congrats, my friend.
Me on “The King Cobra”. I loved this line and had to put in quite a few days of work prior to sending. It was one of my proudest sends simply because it was a climb that wasn’t my style.
Daron on “Julio and Me”. Photo by Frank Wu.
Me on “Moonshine Roof”. The best part about this climb was the huge surfboard feature pictured here. Photo by Frank Wu.
A fun aspect of road tripping is continually running into the same people. I had climbed with Courtney, pictured here, in Rumbling Bald and then again in Hueco Tanks. She was in Hueco with her friend Shulpa, who I have now ran into in Joshua Tree and in Bishop. =) Here Courtney is climbing the fun line “La Delicate” in the New Meadow area.
Me on “Big Iron On His Hip”. This was by far my favorite line in all of Hueco, that I luckily sent right before the end of my trip. Though the line wasn’t really aesthetic, it included the coolest movement with techniques such as a heel-toe cam, a bicycle and a campus drive by move.. all of which were necessary (at least for me) in order to send. So much fun! Photo by Frank Wu.
I had lived out of my car for my entire road trip until I reached Hueco. In Hueco I had a place to stay in with fellow climbers, which worked out well for the sole reason that I didn’t know what I would have done with CB otherwise (as dogs are not allowed in the park). The Rock Ranch allows dogs to roam, but CB is so small that I would have worried about her. The people in the house were great. Pictured here is Tammy and Daron shaving the dog and James drinking jack and coke… all at 9:45am. =) CB absolutely loved James, and he was real great with her, petting her while he would play video games on his rest days.
El Paso is quite the unique place. Old buses, random open air living arrangements and buildings that look like space craft can be sighted on the way to the Park.
I love this picture. This is me, hanging out with The CragBaby and Johnny Utah.
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a dude ranch that also houses a good number of sport climbs (around 250+ lines) and boulders of sandstone rock.
Best Time to Visit
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a cool weather bouldering destination making the best time to visit when the temps are in 40 – 60’s. I visited in January and definitely experienced days that were in the 30′s, with temps below freezing at night. The best seasons to visit would be spring and fall.
Length of Stay
There is a good amount of climbing in Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and the surrounding areas.On my visit I was there to boulder only, and felt that I had pretty much bouldered it out within a week to week and a half.
How to Get There
Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is located outside of Jasper, Arkansas. From Jasper, travel 7.4 miles on State Highway 74. You will see a brown sign that says something along the lines of “Turn Now for Horseshoe Canyon Ranch” and you should immediately make a left turn on a dirt road. Follow this road for just over a 1/2 mile, seeing two different signs stating that Horseshoe Canyon Ranch is a 1/2 mile away. You will then come to the gate (remember to close behind you) and the road will take you right to the store where, if open, you can get all the information you need from Barry.
Guidebook
There is a Dr. Topo guide available, plus a book that is specifically about Horseshoe Canyon Ranch.The Dr. Topo guide is almost as good as the bouldering sections of the guide, so is a good alternative for a short stay.
Camping
Climbers are allowed to camp in Horseshoe Canyon Ranch for a cost of $5 per day.As a solo traveler, camping at the Ranch is probably the best idea if looking for fellow climbers.There is free camping somewhere nearby (within a 30 minute drive) but unfortunately I don’t know exactly where it is located. Another option is to stay in the cabins. A crew of us did this one night when the temps hit real low levels and the cost (in January 2009) was $80. The cabins are nice and can comfortably sleep 5+ people in beds and a handful more on the floor. Note that all animals on the ranch wander around so there is a good chance that your cabin could be surrounded by horses in the morn (reference picture above).
Wi-fi
Wi-fi is available at The Lodge.The Lodge is supposed to be used by cabin guests only, but Barry, the owner of Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, allowed me to use the wifi.
Wi-fi can also be found in town at The Library, which is located at the very edge of town by the car wash.
Rest-Day Activities
Jasper is a quant little town that can be explored on rest days.There is a great little restaurant, The Boardwalk Café, that serves excellent organic foods.There are a couple of national parks within a couple hour drives, but I did not check them out.
Other
There are many dogs that roam through the ranch.The guidebook suggests not to feed them and requests that climbers keep their dogs on leash.The dogs are friendly but are very protective of their food and the livestock.
When I rolled into Horseshoe Canyon Ranch and Jasper, I was coming in with 8 friends.Our presence increased the population of the town by 1.6%.This fact for some reason cracked me up. =)
If you have any additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.
I have been in Hueco Tanks for the past month, soaking up the desert sun and attempting to get stronger. I have absolutely loved the climbing here in Texas, but to be honest I am completely ready to move to the next destination. Whew! Next up is a quick stop in Joshua Tree, being there a mere few days, and then off to Bishop.
If any of you readers are close to either of these destinations, drop me a line as I would love to catch up.
After 4 great months in the South East, I pointed my vehicle west, heading to Arkansas to meet up with friends of mine from Boone, Rock Town and Chattanooga.
The Boone boys. I hadn’t seen these guys for at least a couple months, and it was superb to catch up again in a new location. Pictured (from left to right) are Erich, Tilley, Daniel, Luna (the brillant white dog) and Sparticus (one of the guard dogs).
Daniel on The Orbweaver. This was by far one of my favorite problems on this entire road trip. I didn’t get the send on this one, but it was so enjoyable to work.
Steve on the Sloping Joe boulder. Please note that he topped this problem with the beach whale. =)
Me working Razors Edge, a crimpy arete, in the South Idaho area.
Phil working Slopadon Milosevic on the Sloping Joe boulder.
Erich on The Crescent.
Camp during the morning goat migration.
My whole life in a pile, waiting for the house (aka my car) to be cleaned. =)
CB and Jonny Utah soaking up the El Paso desert sun.
I apologize for this blog’s silence lately. I am currently in Hueco Tanks and staying in a house with some climbers who have become good friends… meaning I am climbing, watching movies, sipping wine and doing anything but blogging. =) I am in the process of drafting some new posts, planning on publishing within the next couple days.
Camping with The Fire Fly. We accidentally over-shot the dog camping area, but ended up with this prime location for a day.
HorsePens40 (HP40) is a premier South East bouldering destination known for its abundant sloping sandstone holds. It is the location for one of the three annual Triple Crown Bouldering Competitions, the other two destinations between Little Rock City and Hound Ears.
Best Time to Visit
HP40 is a cool weather bouldering destination making the best time to visit when the temps are in 40 – 60’s.
How to Get There
HP40 is located near Ashville, Alabama and is approximately two hours from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Once in Ashville, go north on US 231 for about 4 miles ensuring to look out for the HorsePens 40 signs. Turn right onto County Rd. 35 and go about 2 miles to County Rd. 42 (Hyatt Gap Rd) at the Horse Pens 40 sign. Follow it to the top of the mountain, looking for a rail fence and large HP40 sign on the right hand side.
Guidebook
There isn’t a guide book for the area besides the small Dr. Topo print out. I was fortunate and had a couple friends give me a tour, definitely the optimal way to understand the layout of the area.
Classic Climbs
I really didn’t spend enough time in HP40 to give a good list of classic problems, but a small handful include the following:
Bum Boy – a definite area must do. Don’t be discouraged, because even though it is rated v3 – v4, it seems to take everyone hours to figure out.
Centerpede – located on the same boulder as Bum Boy
Millipede – located on the same boulder as Bum Boy
Great White – beautiful line that you must at least look at, even if not climbing
Camping
There is camping at HP40, currently costing $10 per day. The campground is compact and social, lying adjacent the boulder field. However, if traveling with a dog (reference the dog section below) one must camp in a separate designated area.
Food / Drink
The closet restaurants are in Ashville, a 10 – 15 minute drive from HP40. Selection is slim! For better options, the best bet would be in Gadsden. HP40 does have a small store where food items, but not drink, can be purchased.
Personal Hygiene
Showers: HP40 has a good size facilities with many restrooms and a couple showers. The facility is clean, heated and has outlets.
Laudry: I am unsure on this, but assume the drive back to Gadsden would be necessary.
Dogs
HP40 is NOT dog friendly. They highly recommend you leave your pet at home. However, if traveling with your pet, simply ensure to follow their strict dog rules. The basic rules are dogs are allowed in one field (a very large field) and in the dog camping area. DO NOT even consider taking your pet into the boulder field. Please follow these rules as HP40 is private property and ignorance could threaten access.
Wi-fi
Wi-fi is difficult to find in this area. The closest I found was back in Gadsden, an approximate 45 minute drive. The best location was either of the two Krystals as the hours of operation are long, the stores are open 7 days per week and wi-fi is free.
Rest Day Activities
I didn’t stay in HP40 long enough to check out rest day activities, but had initially planned to check out Birmingham as it was a mere hour drive away.
If you have additional beta, please feel free to email me or comment.
I list this portion of my trip as a 2 week stop, but unfortunately I was only able to climb in HorsePens40, Alabama for 2.5 days as the rest of the time it pissed down rain. Blah. The rain was seriously such a bummer as HorsePens40 was hands down the most unique climbing destination I had yet to visit on this trip. The property was owned by a southern gun-toting family, the boulder field was accentuated by surrounding barns and sloping holds were in over abundance. Plus due to the sandstone slopers, it was not rare to see climbers with perfectly circular bleeding finger tips. Unique!
I have only a small handful of photos from my days there, none of which do HP40 justice.
Me “attempting” to send the hardest v2 ever. The name of the climb is Sandbox. Seriously… has anyone ever sent this climb? =)
Little Rock City was one of my very favorite climbing destinations on this road trip. The bouldering area is compact, the sandstone problems quite easy to locate, but mostly there are numerous aesthetic, classic lines.
Best Time to Visit Little Rock City is a cool weather bouldering destination making the best time to visit when the temps are in 40 – 60′s.
How to Get There
Little Rock City is very easy to locate as the boulders surround the Montlake Golf Course. From downtown Chattanooga head north on US-27. I believe I used the exit for Chickamauga Dam and then followed the signs for the golf course. However, the google map instructions differ slightly and can be found here.
How to Receive Access Currently only 35 climbers are allowed into LRC daily, with 20 parking passes given out. To climb there, you must do the following:
The day wanting to climb, WAKE UP AT 5am (no later!) and log-in to the site. Click “Get a Pass” and state if you need parking or not. (Note: I was visiting the area during Christmas break so perhaps there were more climbers than usual. All I know, is there were days when all the climbing passes were taken by 5:12am.)
Park at the furthest side of the parking lot (furthest from the boulders) as this is the climber parking area.
Rumor on the street is the golf course is going to start charging $5 per day per car in 2009. The registration process will still be necessary and supposedly they will not be increasing the number of climbers allowed in daily.
Camping
There is definitely NOT any camping around LRC, but possibly some in Chattanooga. I was fortunate enough to have friends to crash with while in the city. If not as fortunate, it looks like the following campgrounds are located in Soddy Daisy.
Guidebook
There isn’t an official guidebook to the area, but there is a Triple Crown Series comp guide that is available in the club house. I might scan a copy and put it here on my blog, but I don’t have an access to a scanner at this time.
Wi-fi
Internet Access can be found at a handful of locations in Chattanooga. I usually went to GreenLife as their wi-fi is good and they have excellent, healthy food.
Rest Day Activies
Rest days are easily filled with Chattanooga site seeing.
Tennessee Aquarium – this aquarium ranked as one of the best I had visited in the US. Current cost is $20.
Walnut Street Bridge – this pedestrian bridge is located on Walnut Street. Take a couple minutes to saunter across as it gives a great view of downtown and the riverways.
Civil War Sites – Chattanooga was a key city during the Civil War, resulting in many historical sites.
Restaurants – there are a good amount of great restaurants in Chattanooga. For hamburgers, definitely hit up Tremont Tavern as it is far superior to Hair of the Dog. The best pizza joint is by far Lupis, plus they have a good beer selection. An excellent affordable Italian place is Tony’s in the Bluff View Art District. Good seafood can be found at Blue Water (the lobster mac and cheese is phenomenal!) but it is probably on the pricey side for a dirt bag climber. There is a fabulous authentic Mexican place, the name of which I forget, that is down the street from the sushi joint Hiroshis.
Other
Little Rock City does NOT allow dogs. Most climber simply leave their dogs in their vehicle, walking them in the adjoining field. This seems to be allowed.
If you have any additional beta, please feel free to post in the comments.
December 9th, I left Rock Town and made the hour drive to fabulous Little Rock City. The sandstone problems are aesthetic and compact in an easy to access area. Little Rock City immediately became one of my favorite destinations visited on this trip.
Keenan, a friend I met in the Red River Gorge, on classic line Tri-Star. Fun, fun, fun line!
I joined up with the Atlanta crew to work on Dragon Man. The climb was definitely out of my league… but why not hop on it? Here John is making a hard move to a small crimp.
Another aesthetic line, Decepticon, located in the Back 9 area.
Instinct was beautiful, but hard! Perhaps it felt so hard because the day we were climbing it the temps were 30 degrees. I know bouldering is supposedly best when cold, but I started to lose motivation on this day.
Daryl, pictured here, LOVED the climb Space. I must admit it was a cool line, but I got nervous the higher up I went. One day we had a whole crew of 10+ people working on it. Good times!
Justin, a fabulous artist, sending The Wave. (You can check out Justin’s artwork here and join his fan club here.) =)
I was fortunate to meet so many great people in Chattanooga. Prior to hitting Chattanooga I had only stayed in a house on 3 nights, but in Chatty (where the camping is hard to find) I had a place to crash for almost the entire time. Thank you! Here are good friends Tommy and Eric sparring with icicles on one freezing cold day.
My all time favorite picture of Eric, chilling in his local pub, Tremont Tavern, after climbing. Tremont Tavern cooks up the best burgers in town.
I met John and Matt while volunteering on Christmas. I became good friends with John (in the middle) and joined him a couple times for a night out or breakfast. Here is part of the Christmas karaoke crew.
I had so many great times in Little Rock City and Chattanooga, that I caught myself having a real hard time leaving. I finally moved on, making the trek to Horseshoe Canyon Ranch in Arakansas, but would suggest a stop in Little Rock City and Chattanooga to all you readers.
A couple days prior to Thanksgiving, I moved locations from Rumbling Bald, North Carolina to polar opposite Rock Town, Georgia. Good bye granite crimps, hello sandstone roofs. Goodbye sending, hello ass-whoopin’. =)
Issa on The Scoop.
Tommy crushing an extension to Crock Bloc. Awesome.
One of the Ohio boys climbing Turkish Resin.
Eric working The Vagina. He is so close to sending this one.
Joe on a crimpy warm-up near the Hueco Simulator.
Issa on Double Trouble.
Me working Police Brutality.
CB’s first encounter with Balsam. Um… yeah.
Amy and Trip, from Sheffield, UK. Such a cool couple who I hung out with for quite a few nights, including Thanksgiving. Our Thanksgiving feast included good pasta, sushi, chips and salsa, wine and Lindt chocolate. Quite the eclectic culinary mix but it was all so delicious. =)
And, of course, the obligatory picture of the CragBaby. Here she is soaking up some sun while I worked in La Fayette.
