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Flyover territory

Ueli Steck tour

How is it possible to have a West Coast tour that goes to San Diego and SF, but doesn’t stop in LA? I mean, LA went from having basically no gyms [1] to having about 15 [2], including one listed as one of the best in the US in a recent climbing rag [3].

If you climb in the Sierra, one of the premier alpine destinations in the US, well, LA is the place to live. Then there are those little known places like Joshua Tree and Tahquitz. While San Diego basically has a two hour longer drive to everywhere good, the Woodson Boulders, and Mission Gorge. Which no one ever goes back to twice.

Sigh. Being in SD at 5pm on a Monday is probably kinda tough.

 
 
 

[1] Cough, Rockreation, ARC, H18.

[2] Though still not a one in the SFV/SGV, dammit, aside from my backyard. ARC doesn’t count and never has. My backyard is better. And I have better taste in music (seriously, Air Supply is not even ironic). And no one steals the bouldering mats out from under me when I’m 15 feet off the ground. Though occasionally I have to yell at Ms Crashpad to get off the damn pads.

[3] Sender One. I’d agree. It’s almost as good as going to a real crag. Step enough. Good route-setting. Continually changing routes. An unfortunate propensity to play reggae, but that’s an objective hazard of any climbing gym where 23 year-old pad-people get to pick the music. Now if they’d just install some of the Big-Ass Fans that Cliffs of Id has…