Climbing spots

[gregdwulet]

In addition to aviation, one of the other things that I constantly think about and spent lots of time doing is climbing. Rock, ice, mountains, you name it.

Does anyone know of cool climbing areas that are accessible by small plane? I'm currently located in Eastern WA, so I'm thinking Idaho mountains or maybe the Cascades, which are not exactly known for great flying weather.

 

[G-Man]

Colorado!
The Front Range has tons of climbing. Ouray has an Ice (climbing) Festival.
I don't climb, but tons of folks here do.

 

[gregdwulet]

I'm actually hoping to move to Boulder next year! So much cool stuff to do around there. I was thinking more specifically small towns with airports or backcountry strips that I could get into with a 150 or 172.

 

[mr_happyland]

Lone Pine (026) is very close to Mt Whitney. Easiest way I've found to reach the trailhead is walk from airport into town (15 minutes) and hitch a ride to the trailhead on the road that heads up that way. I was picked up in less than 10 minutes.If somebody is on that road they are specifically going to Mt Whitney.

Multiple options, ranging in difficulty, to reach the summit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1LDyMhapFg

 

[gregdwulet]

Awesome! I've done some climbing in the Whitney area before but didn't know about Lone Pine.

 

[kgruber]

Then you probably already climb at "The Feathers?"

 

[gregdwulet]

The California Feathers? Nope
The Feathers at Vantage, WA? Yep!

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Wish I'd had the opportunity 30 yrs ago, I am captivated by climbing now. I wake up thinking about Alex Honnold's, Catherine Desteville's exploits now.

Alex
Catherine

 

[gregdwulet]

Whoa, Catherine's a beast. A couple of my friends have met Honnold and haven't had the nicest things to say about him, but he's certainly quite the extreme athlete...

 

[Jim Logajan]

In case you don't already know about it, there is a site with a browsable map intended to focus on uncharted and unimproved airfields; the kind most likely to be near climbing spots:
http://www.shortfield.com

An associated forum:
https://www.backcountrypilot.org/base

Something with STOL capability would probably prove useful in getting close.

 

[Sam D]

Check out westcoastflyingadventures.com. Some good write ups of flying to climbing spots.

 

[UngaWunga]

Bump. Any suggestions for climbing spots near airports in the NE?
1P1 is near Rumney. Could probably hitchhike to the crags from there. Or pack bikes.

 

[crash]

Hamilton, MT has some epic mutipitch climbs with trailheads within 15-30 minutes' drive of the airport.

Stehekin WA has enough climbs to keep a person occupied all summer an ice in the winter.

Angel Point, UT has some nice canyoning and some decent single pitches.

 

[kgruber]

Land Packwood WA, climb Mt Rainier.