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USA trip in May

Groveller

6-Feb-2020
2:55:56 PM

Hi all, Planning to visit California in May. Any tips on areas to climb in low teens?
Any other advice welcome. Also thinking of hiring a campervan?

dalai

6-Feb-2020
7:16:36 PM

Tuolumne meadows and the Valley.

White Trash

6-Feb-2020
7:20:46 PM

On 6-Feb-2020 Groveller wrote:
>Hi all, Planning to visit California in May. Any tips on areas to climb
>in low teens?
There are none, but they have some good 5.8’s at Yosemite. I’ve also heard that Tahquitz is good.

>Any other advice welcome. Also thinking of hiring a campervan?
There are none, but they have some good motorhomes and trailerhomes made for driving on the wrong side of the road.

dalai

6-Feb-2020
8:28:04 PM

Last trip to the US in 2013 I rented a people mover where the rear seats all folded away and I could sleep in the back easily.

PeterW

6-Feb-2020
10:00:46 PM

Lover's Leap in the Lake Tahoe area could be worth a visit.

http://www.supertopo.com/climbingareas/loversleap.html

gfdonc

7-Feb-2020
6:21:50 AM

I was going to say 'Lover's Leap'. Peter beat me to it.
Very nice camping near the base or affordable hotels in Strawberry, or stay near the lake (20 minute drive I think).
Plenty of other areas around but LL is one of the 'I must go back there one day' areas I've climbed at.

MisterGribble

7-Feb-2020
7:13:20 AM

Tahquitz and Suicide are nice and shouldn't be busy but not sure about low teens.
Yosemite Valley is packed out all summer and logistically difficult to even get a camping spot but you can't not go there.
Tuolomne is easier to stay at and there is probably as much easier grade climbing there as in the Valley.
Look them both up on The Crag and get a list together !!

pmonks

11-Feb-2020
4:22:50 AM

IMO the best low teen climbing in CA (if not the US) is the alpine stuff in the Sierra, though May is early to be trying to get up there. Even if the roads are open, you should expect to have to deal with snow & ice on the approaches and descents, and possibly on the routes themselves (on ledges etc.). Don't underestimate ice in particular - a small patch can really ruin your day...

That said, so far this year has been a bust in terms of snowfall, so if the dry trend continues the rest of the wet season, the Sierra high country may start opening earlier than it usually does. For reference, here's a list of historical hwy 120 opening times: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/seasonal.htm (hwy 120 is labeled "Tioga" here, after the pass it crosses). Note that the last couple of years have tended to have heavier precipitation later in the water year (i.e. from late February into May), and this has a direct, negative impact on how quickly CalTrans can get the trans-Sierra highways (120 in particular) open.

A better bet would be to head to the East Side of the Sierra, perhaps via Lover's Leap / Lake Tahoe, as others have suggested - Echo Summit on hwy 50 is a lot lower than 120, and is kept open year-round. There is endless amounts of incredible, long moderate climbing over there, at a variety of latitudes and elevations (so you can pick your ideal temperature and/or avoid snow), and May can still be comfortable in the Owen's River Gorge too, if you decide you want to clip bolts for a day or two. Bishop is an ideal basecamp for an East Side trip - you're within striking distance of all of the best that the East Side has to offer.

capt_planit

12-Feb-2020
10:54:13 PM

No love for Josh? Might be a bit hot, but it is still cool to check out. Pretty easy to hit Yosemite then Josh (note, haven't been to either since 1988!). Even in 1988 the valley was packed...have fun...

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