The CragBaby

Hueco Tanks at sunset.  Photo by the beautiful Suzy Q.

Hueco Tanks is a premier bouldering destination located in El Paso, Texas with 1700+ boulder problems. (Please note that I had a house to stay in with friends while in Hueco, so much of this write-up is information I gathered from other climbers.)

Best Time to Visit

Hueco Tanks is a winter destination with the climbing season being from November to March, with the prime season being December to February. Expect it to still be quite warm during these months as the average temperature during my stay, from January 15 – February 15, was mid-60′s.

Length of Stay

The climbing is so numerous that a many month trip might still not be sufficient. I stayed for exactly a month and felt like I had just scratched the surface on the bouldering, and had yet to check out a single route.

How to Get There

Hueco Tanks is quite straightforward to locate. While in El Paso, navigate your way to Montana Avenue (also known as US-180 / US-62). Follow this road East until you see Hueco Tanks / Ranch Road. Make a left turn and follow this road to the visitor center of the park.

Guidebook

The guidebook is called Hueco Tanks and is authored by Matt Wilder and published by Wolverine. It is a phenomenal guidebook, making each area and problem easy to locate due to the inclusion of its 300+ color photos.

Climbing in Hueco

Hueco Tanks has a handful of rules and regulations. Basically there are 4 climbing area: North Mountain (the main area) and West Mountain, East Mountain and the East Spur (all 3 of referred to as the backcountry). North Mountain allows 70 climbers per day, 60 by reservation and 10 walk ins, with a cost of $5 per person. To make a reservation, call Texas Parks and Wildlife at 512-389-8900. The earlier you make a reservation the better, with people making reservations a year in advance.

To access the backcountry, you must have a guide. I believe there are 3 ways to line up a guide: commercial tours, volunteer tours and personal guide (meaning you personally know someone who is a guide and willing to take you out). Commercial tours are (I believe) ran out of the Rock Ranch and consist of groups of 10 people, $20 per person. The volunteer tours are free but it sounds like you are at the mercy of the crowd. My facts on these two types of tours could be a little off as I only went on tours with friends. If I were to do it again, I would strive to hop on more volunteer tours.

Classic Climbs

There are so many must do problems in Hueco, I am going to make this point its own blog post.

Camping

• Hueco Tanks Park – there is camping in the park, ranging from $12 – 16 per night. The upside of this camping is you are located right in the park. The cons include no dogs and gates shut at 6pm (meaning you can not drive in or out after 6pm.  Boo!).
• Rock Ranch – the Rock Ranch is located within a mile of the Park. The cost to camp is $5 a night, but discounted to $4 per night if staying for longer than 14 days. This is the main climber hang out and dogs are welcome.
• BLM Land – there is free camping on BLM land. I don’t know where it is located exactly (but could find out if one of you readers are interested). I just heard it was a little sketchy for the lone woman traveler, which I am.

Wi-fi

There is wifi in the park and at the ranger station. I think you are supposed to use this wifi only if you are a paid camper, but I believe most climbers would just walk over from the Rock Ranch.

Rest Day Activities

I usually worked on my rest days while in Texas, so don’t have too much advice in this area. Below are a few suggestions.

• White Sands National Park – I did take CB to this National Park and it was one of my favorite stops on my trip. The brilliant white sand looks like mountains covered in powder, including a handful of tourists sledding down the billows.  It is definitely worth the mere couple hour drive.
• El Paso – El Paso does have a lot to offer including a handful of museums and theaters.
• Carlsbad Caverns – I did not visit the caverns, located within a couple hour drive, but hear it is a worthy destination.
• Juarez, Mexico - Juarez is a mere 30 minute drive. In the past it was common for climbers to cross over the border to explore the neighboring country.  However, when I was visiting there was a lot of unrest and violence, especially in Juarez.  I only knew of one climber who made the trek on a rest day.
• Petroglyph tour – Hueco provides art tours of the many petroglyphs within the park.  I hear the tours are fabulous, but did not go on one.

Other

• Dogs – no dogs are allowed in the park (including the campground), nor can you keep them in your car due to the heat. The Rock Ranch does allow dogs to roam free on the lot, but this alternative didn’t quite work for me as I would have been nervous leaving CB (a chihuahua) to fend for herself.
• The Scene – the scene in Hueco is intense! Whew! Expect your visit to include fabulous climb after fabulous climb, but also expect to hear name dropping and lots of discussion of 8a cards. Expect to daily see v12′s crushed and don’t be surprised at all the photographers and their mass of gear. The climbing still makes it worth the trip, but the scene was by far my least favorite out of all the destinations I visited. I even heard a guy comment that he couldn’t send his project because of his shoelaces. Really?! Come on.

If you have any additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.

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.

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
• Mortal Combat – aesthetic, yet scary, highball arete.
• Mulletino – roof problem
• The Crown – a fun climb with a dynamic move
• Hammerhead – a prow begging to be climbed
• 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.

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:

1. The day prior to climbing, create a log-in on the Southeast Climber’s site.
2. 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.)
3. 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.

Rock Town, GA is known mostly for its bouldering though there is one wall, The Lost Wall, that has traditional lines and easily rigged top-roping. The boulders are sandstone with lines of iron deposits, with the majority of the problems being steep with sloping top-outs.

Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Rock Town is in the in the fall, winter and spring when temperatures range in the 40’s through 60’s (Fahrenheit).  The winter is the rainy season, so expect a handful of stormy days.

How to Get There

The closest town to Rock Town is La Fayette, which is the best city to use for a weather forecast.  True temps in Rock Town will be a bit cooler than La Fayette.

The exact location of Rock Town is in the Crockford Pigeon Mountain Wilderness Management Area.

To get there from Chattanooga, follow Broad Street through the small town of St. Elmo at the foot of Lookout Mountain, toward the Georgia State Line.  At this point, Broad Street becomes Georgia Route 193 south.  Follow Route 193 south for approximately 24 miles until you reach Uncle Jed’s Convenience Store on the left.  Take a right on to Chamberlain Road at this point and then turn right into Crockford-Pigeon Mountain Wildlife Management Area.  Follow this dirt road via switchbacks up the mountain for about 5 miles to an obvious fork.  Turn right at the fork and continue for 1.3 miles and make a left turn onto Rock Town Road. Rock Town road can easily be missed if coming up the mountain. Look for a silver box with signs signifying the station and something else (I can’t remember, sorry).  The turn on the left is the Rock Town Road.  The road dead ends and this is where you can park your vehicle.

For directions from elsewhere, visit this link.

Guidebook

The only available guidebook is a small Dr. Topo guide.  I found the guide to be just ok, if that.  It definitely only lists a handful of the problems and includes a topo that is not easy to navigate unless you somewhat know the area. I am considering compiling some better information, but not sure if that is taboo according to locals.  Perhaps if you are heading there, jet me an email and I will try to augment the Dr. Topo guide for you.

Camping

About .1 miles past the Rock Town turnoff, there is a turn on the right for SawMill Campground.  After making the right hand turn, the road will fork with a sign for camping and horse camping.  If you merge left towards the camping, there will be a big flat plain where many climbers camp.

Food / Drink

• Restaurants – The closest city of La Fayette has all the usual chain restaurants.  I didn’t eat out much there as there weren’t any spectacular finds.
• Beverage – Beverages (including wine and beer) can be bought in all grocery stores.  However, alcoholic beverages are not prohibited in the Crockford Pigeon Mountain WMA.

Personal Hygiene

• Showers – There is a recreation center in La Fayette with showers.  I don’t know if they usually charge, but they let me in for free.  They also have an air hockey table where I hear you can whiddle away many hours. =)
• Laundromat – There is a laundromat on main street that is open 24 hours.

Sites of Interest

• Chattanooga – Chattanooga is about 45 – 60 minutes away from Rock Town and has many cool sites such as the Walnut Street Bridge, one of the best aquariums I’ve visited and many excellent restaurants.
• Wandering through Rock Town – Rock Town is a maze of cool rocks and trails, perfect for some wandering on a rest day.
• Chickamauga Battlefield – This 5,500 acre Civil War battlefield was the scene for the last major Civil War battle.  The battlefield has a 7 mile road that winds through the battlefield, allowing the tourist to dial in for a mobile tour.

Other

One of the biggest things to note about Rock Town is it is often closed for hunting.  Make sure to call the ranger station prior to making the trip to ensure that climbing is allowed on the days of your visit.  The number is 706-295-6041.  (But to be honest, I have yet to get someone to answer this line and there sadly isn’t a voice recording with information.??)

If any of you readers have additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.

I thought I would write up a series of posts about transitioning into a nomadic life for all of you readers thinking about hitting the road for a climbing trip.  I figure this will be the first of the following five posts.

1. Just leave.
2. The Best Car for the Road.
3. What to Pack.
4. Where to Visit.
5. Tips and Tidbits.

My little home in Boone, NC.

Just Leave
I think the hardest part of road tripping (or at least for me) was simply leaving; basically driving away from the life you know in hopes of something better.  At the time of hitting the road:

• I was living in a city I really loved and that perfectly matched my outdoor enthusiasm
• I was working a job that I enjoyed (albeit the usual work frustrations )
• I had just been offered a promotion, in fact the promotion that I had been “working towards” as an analyst
• My work hours truly consisted of 9 – 5, allowing me to climb everyday after work if I wanted
• I was dating a great guy
• I had numerous friends and felt part of a community
• I was comfortable

Life was great… but if I didn’t leave I would always wonder what I had missed out on.  So I cut the ties and left, using the following steps to transform into a nomad.

• Make things happen NOW. There is never going to be an ideal time of life to do a big trip or any other life change.  When people ask how I was able to hit the road I catch myself often saying “I was in between careers”, but really I was in between careers because I MADE it be that way.  I could have easily transitioned into the new role at my work, but why not travel for many months rather than sit in a cubicle? =)  If I am a good worker, I should always be able to find work (or so I hope).
• Set the day on which you will turn in your notice. I was offered the promotion weeks before I was planning on submitting my notice.  I temporarily faltered, but decided to continue on with my plan, turn down the promotion and quit my job (though I have been very fortunate that my work requested that I continue to work from the road on my rest days. Best of all worlds.)
• Figure out the details for your belongings. If you can’t or you don’t want to leave your stuff at your apartment / house, simply pack it up.  Get boxes, some tape, a big black marker and start packing. And if you don’t need the belongings, rid yourself of their hassle by selling or throwing them away.  =)  I was planning on putting my belongings in storage, but first asked around to my house-owning friends  as I would rather pay a friend to store my stuff than a business owner I don’t know.  Sure enough I found a friend with a crawl space that wasn’t being used, and I have been paying a fee to her.  Easy as that. =)
• Set a day of when you want to drive away. I noticed it was real hard for me to leave SLC, and I actually purposefully stayed around the first 6 weeks of my time off.  I think it was hard for me to leave for a two reasons.  1) It was August, my birthday month and my good friends birthday month.  As many of you readers now, my birthday is a BIG DEAL to me and I wanted to celebrate it with friends. 2) I knew that part of this trip was to find a new home as I would really like to NOT return to SLC, except to visit. I felt like I still had a lot of climbing to do in the area, so spent 6 weeks exhausting the climbing in Utah and Wyoming while also wrapping up a bunch of personal items. But as soon as my date came up, September 15, I left to Rifle.
• Adjust to your new life. Sometimes change is hard, but soon you will surprise yourself how comfortable you become in your new way of life.  Find simple things that make you happy… coffee at the same place everyday?  Listening to a certain song each morning? Etc.

Next thing you know.. you will never want to go home. And if that is the case, drop me an email and let’s catch up. =)

If you have been on the road before, please feel free to post up your thoughts.

Robert on Rumble at the Bald.

Rumbling Bald is located outside the town of Chimney Rock, North Carolina and consists of granite trad lines and an expansive boulder field.  I initially hadn’t planned to add this location to my trip agenda, but was pleasantly surprised when it ranked as one of my favorite bouldering destinations. The town of Chimney Rock is quaint and boasts a beautiful view of granite walls (not open to climbing, but it sounds like might be in the future) and a small waterfall.  Rumbling Bald is within 5 minutes of the town’s edges.

Best Time To Visit

• The best time to visit Rumbling Bald, like many places in the South East, is in the in the fall, winter and spring when temperatures are in the 50’s and 60’s (Fahrenheit).

Guidebook

• A guidebook for Rumbling Bald was released within this last year and might be the best bouldering guidebook I have ever used.  The book includes over 900 boulder problems and is very thorough with topos and numerous photos, making boulder problem finding quite easy.  You can buy the book online from CarterBooks or directly from the author Chris Dorrity.  Other than that, you can pick it up in outdoor stores based in North Carolina (for instance FootSloggers in Boone).

Camping

• Coffee Crumbs – If car camping, you are allowed to camp for free at Coffee Crumbs, a coffee shop on the main street across from Duncan BBQ.  They allow up to 7 cars, but when I was there I was the only person staying in the lot for my whole two week visit.  The coffee owner is named Angel but often the whole family can be seen in the shop, including the daily presence of 2-year-old, Adler.  If in the area (and especially if camping at this spot) please frequent this establishment.  Their food is good, their coffee delicious (especially the snickerdoodle and caramel lattes), plus they have free wifi.
• There are campgrounds (Creekside Mountain Camping and Hitching Post Campground) around but the cost is usually $15 – 20.  However, free camping can be found along Highway 9.  Whatever you do, DO NOT CAMP at Rumbling Bald as it is strongly prohibited and can potentially impact access.

Food / Drink

• Restaurants: There really aren’t any good restaurants in Chimney Rock.  The best available is probably El Sureno, the Mexican restaurant located at the bottom of Boys Camp Road.  The food is ok and the service horrible.  I must admit that I really did enjoy their Sangria, but I have quite a simple palette. =)
• Beverage: Beverage can be bought at the Ingles on Highway 9.  Or there is a tiki bar behind The Geneve, which is just the typical bar.
• Other Coffee Shop: Another great coffee shop is Willow Creek.  It is a store with a coffee shop upstairs.  The coffee isn’t as good as Coffee Crumb, but two guys named Frank and Don run the store and are hilarious (especially Frank) and kind hearted folks.  When my friend Darvell joined me in my travels, they let us camp out on the back porch of their store since we couldn’t car camp at Coffee Crumbs.  It was one of the best camping spots I have had on this trip. =)

Personal Hygiene

• Showers and a laundromat can NOT be found in Chimney Rock.  The closest town with these amenities is Hendersonville, located about 30 minutes away.

Rest Day Activities

• Visit Asheville – On rest days, definitely check out Asheville!  What a fab city, that I definitely rank in my top 5 favorite cities.  This liberal city houses artists, great musicians and numerous fabulous restaurants.  I suggest Wasabi for sushi, The Sunny Point for breakfast, and the Noodle house (I can’t remember the name) on Broadway.  A local band I saw was The Firecracker Jazzband. They were superb!

Other

• Movie Rental – The closest movie rental place is Ingles on Highway 9, but they do carry only recent releases.
• Climbers Coalition – The local Coalition for this area is the Carolina Climbers Coalition, who were instrumental in keeping Rumbling Bald open to climbers rather than being developed.  Please join and consider donating if visiting the area.

If any of you readers have additional beta, please feel free to comment or email me.

The view of Linville Gorge from Table Rock.

Boone, North Carolina might be one of my all time favorite bouldering destinations with its gneiss boulder problems scattered amongst amazingly beautiful trees.  I unfortunately was unable to get into Hound Ears, but perhaps that is for the best as it may have resulted in me never leaving the city. =)

Best Time to Visit

• The best time to visit Boone is in the fall and spring when temperatures are in the 50′s and 60′s (Fahrenheit).  If it happens to rain while visiting, certain areas (like Blowing Rock) dry lots more quickly than others (like Grandmother).

Guidebook

• There isn’t a guidebook making the best resource for information being Boone Boulders.  I usually would post up beta here on the CragBaby site, but the Boone locals take great pride in the lack of available information and so I will definitely respect them on this matter.

Camping

• Campsites: There are a couple campsites in the area, but they seem quite pricey at $15 – $20 per night.  I heard that the Julian Price campsite on the Blue Ridge Parkway is very nice, but I did not stay there.
• Free Camping: There are a handful of pull offs along 221 where one can find free camping.  Or there is a great spot on Roseborough Road about 5 minutes past the Lost Cove area.

Food / Drink

• Restaurants: I didn’t eat out while in Boone but did hear that Melanies, located downtown is a good place for grub. (I actually tried to go to Melanie’s but it was closed the day I attempted.)  Also, the restaurant next to the Boone Footslogger (I can’t remember the name) is known to have great burritos.
• Beverage: Beer and wine are sold in all stores.  I did stop by the Sixpence pub in Blowing Rock and really enjoyed my night there.  Delicious brews with very friendly locals.

Personal Hygiene

• Showers: A couple minutes off Blowing Rock road in Boone is a swimming facility with nice showers, cost being $3.  It is a little tricky to find, but the Visitor Information right on Blowing Rock road can give you directions and a map.
• Laundromat: I used a couple different laundromats, but preferred Village Laundry adjacent to the mall.

Other

• Locals: Boone was (so far) the friendliest place I have visited on my road trip.  I seemed to always have a crew to boulder with plus I had numerous non-climbers stop and talk to me, giving me their phone number in case “I happened to need anything” while in town.  Amazing!  The level of hospitality made me feel like I was back in Ireland. =)
• Irrelevant Grades: I noticed that Boone climbers seemed to never talk about the grades of climbs.  Seriously.  They would point out a problem, give the name and everyone would try it.  I sometimes would inquire the grade of a problem after working it, but there was something real fun about just enjoying the climb without a number attached.

Sites of Interest

• Blue Ridge Parkway: The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful stretches of road I have ever driven, being rivaled only by the drive into Denali Park, Alaska.  It is seriously stunning, especially when the fall foliage is still visible.
• Linville Gorge:  Wow! Linville Gorge is stunningly beautiful!  Though a bit of a trek from Boone, it is worth every minute spent driving there.
• Downtown Boone and Blowing Rock: Both these cities have quaint downtowns that can entertain while taking a break from climbing.

Ginley on Kaleidoscope at The Drive-By crag.

The Red River Gorge is a stunning area consisting of long beautiful routes that give a whole new meaning to the word “pump”.  The area houses an abundant number of classic sport and trad lines, with a handful of boulder problems.

Best Time to Visit

• The best time to visit this is the Spring and Fall with ideal temps being in the 60’s (Fahrenheit) and below.  Plan on rain during your visit.

Guidebook

• The guidebook for the area is “The Red River Gorge: A Rock Climbing Guide Book. 2007 2nd edition” by Ray Ellington and can be purchased at Miguel’s.  New routes and areas, such as the La Bibliotech Wall, are listed online on the RRC site.

Camping

There are two main places were climbers camp: Miguel’s Pizza and Lago Lindas. Both have great access to crags, located at opposite ends of the Red.

• Miguel’s Pizza – Cost is $2 a night to camp (for tent or car).  There are showers, in little wooden shacks that are naturally decorated with cobwebs, and cost $1.50 per 5 minutes.  Food is available, at reasonable prices, as well as a climbing shop for any items you might have forgotten at home.  As a solo traveler, Miguel’s is the partner solution as crowds of 50+ visit each weekend during high season.  The downside to Miguel’s is the noise, especially on weekends. Also, there are only 2 bathrooms, a problem I hear that will be addressed this winter.
• Lago Lindas – Cost is $5 per night for car or tent, but includes a shower.  The facilities are a lot nicer with heated restrooms, with three stalls each, and a nice indoor shower.  The area is a lot quieter, due to the fact that population of campers are a little older (older in this case meaning 25+) and there are a lot of couples.  As a solo traveler it is definitely still possible to find partners, but you might just be a third wheel.

Food / Drink

• Grocery Store: The closest grocery store is Krogers in Stanton, 10 minutes west of Slade on the Mountain Parkway.
• Restaurants: I must admit that I only ate at two restaurants during my month stay in the RRG, and the only one I will really suggest is Miguel’s.  Everything I tried was delicious, but my favorite pizza combo (that was thankfully introduced to me by Ginley) included the toppings of chicken (or bacon), avacado, cilantro and tomato.  Yum!
• Alcoholic Beverages:  I thought Utah liquor laws were strange, but I think Kentucky might rival us.  Kentucky counties are either dry or not, dry meaning you cannot buy any type of alcoholic beverages.  I kid you not.  Miguel’s, the main climber hang out, resides in one of these dry counties.  Luckily it borders a non-dry county and so a beer trailer is about 5 minutes up the road on KY-11.  Prices are reasonable.

Personal Hygiene

• Showers: Showers are a non-issue when in the Red as they are completely accessible if you camp at Linda’s or Miguel’s.  However, if you stay at Miguel’s, which has the outdoor shack showers, you can go for a real shower at the hostel.  The hostel is located off the next exit on the Parkway with showers costing $3.  Note that the hostel has extremely odd hours.
• Laundromat: The closest laundromat is in Stanton.  It is located just down the adjacent street from Kroger’s and is open 24 hours.  Note that for some odd reason they don’t sell laundry soap.  I don’t understand why they choose to miss out on this revenue generator.

The Red River Gorge Coalition

• The Red River Gorge has a superb coalition, something I truly wish the Salt Lake Climber’s Alliance would emulate.  The RRGC is on the pulse of what is going on in their climbing community and is actively raising money that is directly used to buy crags, allowing permanent access.  Donations can be made on their website or by attending the annual Rocktoberfest.  If climbing in this area, please consider donating to this cause!

Other

• Theft: Theft is a problem in the Red.  Do not leave anything of value in your vehicle at the crag; rather keep these items in a vehicle back at camp.
• Torrent Falls Registration: Only a handful of climbers are allowed in Torrent Falls on a daily basis.  In order to climb there you must register the day of climbing.  Registration opens at 6am, is open Thursday through Sunday and can fill up quickly.  After registration the screen prompts you to print the page, but you can write the details on a sheet of paper if a printer is not accessible.
• Dogs: Two climbing crags do not allow dogs: Torrent Falls and Muir Valley.  Torrent is lax about the rule, as long as you call Dr. Bob (the owner of Torrent) prior to climbing.
• Snakes: There are two venomous snakes in the area, the most prevalent of the two being the copperhead.  The snakes are docile but will bite if you (or your dog) gets too close.  They have been seen on trails, underneath crags and in the cracks on route.  Also, there were two big (4 foot) snakes (non-copperheads) lingering at The Dark Side this year.
• Transportation: If you stay at Miguel’s, you can completely get away with not having a vehicle and still being able to get to the crag.
  

Sites of Interest

• The Natural Bridge – a natural arch located in a state park across the street from Miguel’s.  Very beautiful and makes for a good run on a rest day.  I did the Balance Rock trail, which is quite steep, but there is another trail that is more gradual in vertical gain.  The Balance Rock trail from Miguel’s door to door is probably 3.5 – 4 miles (I think).
• Keeneland Horse Races – Definitely fun!  They are located in Lexington which is an hour drive from Slade.  Races only run in April and October (I believe).
• Bourbon Tours – I did just the Wild Turkey tour (which I thoroughly enjoyed) but there is what is known as the Bourbon Trail that takes you to each of the distilleries.  I hear it is pretty cool.
• Snake Zoo – Everyone seemed to mention the snake zoo at the rest stop, but I heard it was closed and forgot to personally check.  Might want to check it out if you are in the area.

If you have been to the area and have any additional beta (or see a mistake in mine), please feel free to comment.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about travel (considering it is my current full time focus).  It is extremely helpful to receive beta from fellow travelers or locals prior to a trip.  In hopes of returning the beta karma, I thought I would start posting up trip beta from places I have visited or lived.

Since my most recent big trip was to Squamish, I will start there.

Guidebooks

• Three guides are currently available for the Squamish area, all with their own distinct purposes.  If looking to do a mix of classic routes (sport and trad) plus wanting integrate some bouldering, definitely get the Squamish Select by Marc Bourdon.  If wanting to stay right in Squamish itself and climb mostly around The Chief, buy The Climber’s Guide to Squamish by Kevin McClane.  If strictly bouldering, buy Squamish Bouldering by Marc Bourdon and Scott Tasaka.  I happened to have both The Squamish Select and The Climber’s Guide to Squamish.  Shaft and I were doing a mix of climbs, and though it was helpful to have both, I really only needed the Squamish Select for the routes we wanted to do and the length of our stay (2 weeks).  Yet, I must mention that  The Climber’s Guide to Squamish included a great history of the area and the Chief.

Camping

• Chief Campground – most popular campground for climbers.  Cost is $10 a site for drive in sites, which can be shared with up to 4 people, and I believe free for the walk-in sites. It is good to note that the campground gate is shut from 11pm to 7am.  Also, it was really helpful to have a tarp and some cord to shelter items from the rain.
• The Sound – there is free camping if you want to camp out of bounds.  However, run-ins with giant sea creatures can become a reality.
  

Food / Drink

• Howe Sound Brew Pub – great food, especially pizza.  They have great daily specials that the server never seems to mention, so remember to ask.
• Mountain Burger House – great hamburgers, great price.
• Eagle’s Nest – this restaurant is a little out of the way, but is a great place for a nicer dinner if getting tired of bar food or camp pasta.
• Sunflower Bakery – the usual bakery. Nice change from the usual oatmeal for breakfast.
• Alcoholic Beverages – Note that it is VERY expensive to buy alcoholic beverages, especially beer, in Squamish.  Customs allows one case of beer and 1500ml of wine to cross the border.  It is very wise to bring this in with you.

Personal Hygiene

• Showers – The Recreation Centre is the best place for showers.  Cheap, fairly clean, plus includes a hot tub, pool and steam room if wanted.
• Laundromat – The laundromat is a little tricky to find as it is nestled in a shopping center.

Other

• Gasoline – Fuel is also very pricey in Canada, so once again fill up prior to crossing the border.
• Internet – The adventure center offers free wifi if you have a laptop.  If not, there is an Internet Cafe on the main street.
• Currency – We had zero problems with currency and/or the dollar being accepted.  However, few places take the American Express card.
• Theft – Theft was surprisingly a problem in Squamish, even at the Howe Sound.  When climbing at the Smoke Bluffs, park a little south at the Adventure Center rather than the designated parking spot as your vehicle will be safer.

If you readers have any beta of your own, please feel free to comment.