The Best Rock Climbing Our National Parks have to
offer
Yosemite National
Park, CA - Yosemite is one of the world's greatest climbing
areas. Climbers here can enjoy an endless variety of challenges- from the
sustained crack climbs of the Merced river canyon to pinching crystals on sun
drenched Tuolumne domes to multi-day aid climbs on the big walls of the Valley.
Yosemite is not just a climber's playground, however- Its walls and crags are an
integral part of a larger ecosystem, protected as wilderness, that was set aside
for people to enjoy in a natural state for generations to come.
Joshua Tree
National Park, CA - Joshua Tree National Park is one of the most popular
rock climbing areas in the world. More than 4,500 established routes offering a
wide range of difficulty are concentrated within about 100,000 acres of park
land. Over one million people visit Joshua Tree each year, many of them rock
climbers. The National Park Service mission requires park managers to provide
for the enjoyment of the park by today’s visitor while conserving and protecting
park resources for future generations. Dramatic increases in the number of
visitors engaging in rock climbing contribute to an already difficult, sometimes
contradictory, task. Park managers are concerned about trash, soil erosion,
vegetation damage, human waste disposal, natural and cultural resource
protection, and the quality of each visitor’s experience.
Black Canyon on the
Gunnison National Park, Colorado - Black Canyon of
the Gunnison National Park is a destination that offers vast opportunities to
advanced rock climbers. The canyon is extremely deep and narrow. The depth of
the canyon at Warner Point (the deepest section of canyon) is 2,722 ft. The
Painted Wall is the tallest vertical wall in the state of Colorado with a height
of 2,250 ft. In the area of the North and South Chasm Walls, where the majority
of the climbing activity takes place, the depth of the canyon is 1,820 ft. The
canyon is at its narrowest point in the Chasm View area, with a rim to rim
distance of 1,100 ft.
Sequoia & Kings
Canyon National Parks and the High Sierras, CA - Bordered by a great
agricultural area on one side and an inhospitable desert on the other,
California's Sierra Nevada is the highest mountain range in the contiguous
United States, and some say it is the most beautiful. It has almost everything a
climber desires: rugged peaks, glaciers, and splendid, isolated chunks of
granite. And these attractions are set in a lovely locale of lake basins,
streams, and high meadows. The rock is generally good, the weather during the
summer months excellent, and the access is easy. What more could a climber want?
If there is any disadvantage, it lies in the hordes of people who have recently
found the range to their liking. The John Muir Trail, which runs the length of
the High Sierra, is a very crowded corridor in mid-summer, yet the climber who
is willing to wander just a few miles from it will find untrammeled lake basins
at the bases of peaks that see fewer than ten ascents a season.
– Steve Roper
Acadia National Park, Maine
- Acadia National Park offers a variety of fine climbs on small cliffs created
during the last continental glaciation. Most of these cliffs are composed of
solid coarse-grained pink granite. The longest routes are three pitches. Otter
Cliffs and Great Head provide a spectacular setting for sea cliff climbing not
commonly available elsewhere in the U.S.
Rocky Mountain
National Park, CO - Climbing has been a popular activity in and around the
area known today as Rocky Mountain National Park since the 1800's. The wide
variety of peaks and granite rock formations in the Park provide excellent
opportunities for a wide spectrum of climbing including rock, big wall, snow and
ice, bouldering and mountaineering. It is a mecca for local climbers, as well as
those from around the world. Opportunities for climbing exist in many areas of
the park including Lumpy Ridge and Longs Peak. Whichever activity you select, it
is your responsibility to respect the areas you visit, minimize your impacts,
and know and obey all park regulations.
Arches National Park, Utah -
The rock at Arches offers excellent climbing
opportunities, despite its sandy nature. Most climbing routes in the park
require advanced techniques. Permits are not required, unless the trip involves
an overnight stay in the backcountry.
Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
- Traditionally, Capitol Reef National Park has experienced minimal use by
technical rock climbers. However, recent years have seen an increase in climbing
in Utah's canyon country. Included here are the park regulations and concerns
regarding technical climbing. The rock at Capitol Reef is comprised
predominately of sandstone. It varies in hardness from the soft crumbly Entrada
to the relatively hard Wingate. The Wingate cliff walls are the most popular for
climbing, as natural fracturing has created many climbable crack systems. In
addition, the hardness of the Wingate lends itself more readily to the
successful use of chocks, nuts, and camming devices; however it can flake off
easily and be very unpredictable. Climbing in canyon country is not something to
be taken lightly.
Zion National Park,
Utah - Climbing on Zion’s
sandstone requires appropriate hardware and technical skills. Climbing
information is available at visitor centers. Some routes may be closed to
climbing when Peregrine falcons are nesting. A permit (fee) is required for
overnight climbs.
Grand Teton National Park, WY- High-quality rock, easy accessibility, and a
wide variety of climbing conditions make the Teton range some of the best
mountaineering territory in the nation. From June to mid-September, the Jenny
Lake Ranger Station is headquarters for climbing information. Rangers provide
current weather and route conditions and assist with equipment selection and
planning route times. The ranger station also has an extensive library of
guidebooks, maps, and photos of popular climbs. During the rest of the year,
check in at Moose Visitor Center for information.
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