Making Plans for a Spring Climbing Road Trip
Helpful Hints for Crafting a Fun-Filled Rock Climbing Adventure
Spring is near, and this means that soon enough, many climbing destinations will be in season. This also makes now the perfect time to plan a spring climbing adventure to visit one of these climbing destinations. Preparations for the spring climbing trip include finding a climbing partner, making a climbing trip plan, and gathering climbing gear and other necessary gear. All of these preparations will most likely lead to an awesome spring climbing trip.
Finding a Compatible Climbing Partner
Before going on a weeklong or longer spring climbing trip with a climbing partner, it’s important to ensure climbing partner compatibility. Even climbing partners who climb regularly with each other at the indoor climbing gym might not work together well on a climbing trip. Try to take some shorter weekend adventures to make sure personal habits are compatible before planning a longer climbing adventure together.
Making a Climbing Trip Plan
Once a climbing partner has been determined, it’s time to decide which of the many possible spring climbing destinations to visit. For shorter road trips (a week or less), it’s often more fun to just choose one place to visit so that most of the trip is spent focused on rock climbing instead of traveling. Other considerations include:
- Type(s) of climbing available — sport, traditional, bouldering, or all three?
- Type of rock
- Length of approach
- Fee for climbing (if any)
- Seasonal restrictions (if any)
- Price of gas/travel time required to get to destination
- Price of camping (or other lodging options)
- Camping restrictions (i.e. time limits, dog policies, etc.)
- Area weather conditions
- Daily distance to drive to the crags/boulders
- Rest day activities nearby
- Amenities nearby (grocery stores, water, gas stations, showers, Internet access, etc.)
Gathering Climbing Gear & Other Gear
Climbing partners should sit down together and make a list of all of the essentials for the spring climbing trip, as well as who will be responsible for each item. Too often, even the most crucial items (such as a rope) seem to get left behind, so it’s important to make sure that climbing partners communicate clearly as to what each person is supplying. Don’t forget to pack all of the camping essentials if camping is on the agenda, too.
Hitting the Road for the Climbing Adventure
With just a small amount of planning, a spring climbing trip can go off without a hitch. Climbing partners can spend time together before the climbing trip training for climbing at the indoor climbing gym, and then take a few weekend trips together to ensure compatibility. After deciding which of the many possible climbing destinations to visit, the climbing partners can put together a list of all the climbing gear and other necessary trip items to ensure that nothing critical gets left behind.
Finally, the well-prepared climbing partners can head out on the road for a fun-filled spring climbing adventure, armed with the knowledge that they get along well, they’re both psyched on the climbing destination, and that they have all the necessary climbing gear and other items that they’ll need to make it through the climbing trip safely and comfortably.
Celebrate the Spring Season with a Climbing Trip
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