Dagrim's Tales

Climbing Gyms:

Ottawa, Ontario
Vertical Reality - http://www.verticalreal.com/en/index.htm (ok, now closed)
Coyote - http://www.coyoterockgym.ca/ (ok)
Altitude (Gatineau) - http://www.altitudegym.ca/en/index.php (pretty good)

Silicon Valley, California
Planet Granite (Sunnyvale) - http://www.planetgranite.com/sc/home_sc.html (very good)
Planet Granite (Belmont) - http://www.planetgranite.com/bl/home_bl.html (good)
City Beach (Fremont) - http://www.citybeach.com/rockgym/ (ok, 6 autobelays, little bouldering, routes ok, scenery ok)
Berkeley Ironworks - http://www.touchstoneclimbing.com/ironworks (good, decent height, decent route setting, lots of variation in angle of walls, good scenery.)
Diablo Roc Gym - https://touchstoneclimbing.com/diablorock/ (ok, only bouldered, soft grades, decent setting, ok scenery)

South-East Michigan
Planet Rock (Pontiac) - http://www.planet-rock.com/main.php (good, now closed)
Planet Rock (Madison Heights) - http://www.planet-rock.com/main.php (fair, new, work still being done, good height, some auto-belays, decent scenery)
Planet Rock (Ann Arbor) - http://www.planet-rock.com/main.php (good)

Melbourne, Florida
On The Edge - http://www.ontheedgerockclimbing.com/ (pretty good)

Montreal, Quebec
Allez-Up - http://www.allezup.com/

Bloomington, Illinois (central Illinois)
Upper Limits - http://www.upperlimits.com/bloomington

Stuttgart, Germany
Kletterzentrum Stuttgart - http://www.kletterzentrum-stuttgart.de/ (good)

Toronto, Ontario
Joe Rockhead's - http://www.joerockheads.com/ (meh. Dingy, not a lot of routes, not very high, ok route setting.)
The Rock Oasis - http://www.rockoasis.com/to-home.html
Climbers Rock (Burlington) - http://www.climbersrock.com/
Basecamp - https://basecampclimbing.ca/ (meh. Small, crowded, inconsistent grading, meh scenery)

Indianapolis (Carmel), Indiana
Climb Time Towers - http://www.climbtimetowers.com/ (now closed)

Austin, Texas
Austin Rock Gym (south) - http://www.austinrockgym.com/

Huntsville, Alabama
Rock-It - http://www.familyfitness.com/rockclimbing.html

Albuquerque, New Mexico
Stone Age Climbing Gym - http://www.climbstoneage.com/

New Haven, Connecticut
Prime Climb (Wallingford) - http://primeclimb.com/primeclimbHOME.html
The CT Rock Gym - http://www.ctrockgym.com/

Tulsa, Oklahoma
New Heights Rock Gym - http://www.newheightsgym.com/

Manchester, UK
Rope Race - http://www.roperace.co.uk/

Birmingham, UK
Redpoint Climbing Centre - http://www.redpointclimbingcentre.co.uk/

Reno, Nevada
Rocksport Indoor Climbing Centre - http://www.rocksportreno.com/

Reading (Wyomissing), Pennsylvania
Reading Rocks - http://www.readingrocks.com/

Chicago, Illinois
Vertical Endeavors (Warrenville) - http://www.verticalendeavors.com/warrenville/index.html (pretty good)
North Wall (Crystal Lake) - http://www.climbnorthwall.com/ (meh, mostly bouldering)


Grabels (Montpellier), France
Altissimo - http://www.altissimo.fr/pages/montpellier.php?lang=en

Boston, Massachusetts
Rock Spot Climbing - http://www.rockspotclimbing.com/
Boston Rock Gym (Woburn) - http://www.bostonrockgym.com/ (meh)
Metro Rocks - Boston (Everett) - https://www.metrorock.com/boston (ok)


Dallas, Texas
Dallas Rocks - http://dallasclimbing.com/
Summit Rock Gym (Grapevine) - http://www.summitrockgym.com/
Summit Rock Gym (Dallas) - (ok bouldering, grades a bit soft. Meh climbing. )
Exposure (Carrollton) - http://www.exposurerockclimbing.com/
Dyno-Rock Climbing Center (Arlington) - http://www.dynorock.com/
North Texas Outdoor Pursuit Center (Carrollton) - http://www.northtexasopc.com/ (grain silo, some really long routes [up to 40m], poor bouldering, friendly people running it.)

Spokane, Washington
Wild Walls - http://www.wildwalls.com/

Peachtree City (Atlanta suburb), Georgia
Ascension Climbing - http://www.ascensionclimbing.com/ (small)

Brussels, Belgium
New Rock - http://www.newtoprock.com/Accueil.htm

Worcester, Massachussetts (near Boston)
Central Climbing Gym - http://www.centralrockgym.com/About-Us/worcester-home.html

Guelph, Ontario
Guelph Grotto - http://www.guelphgrotto.com/

Seattle, Washington
Stone Gardens - http://www.stonegardens.com/ (Seattle location, good)

Costa Mesa (L.A.), California
Rockreation - http://rockreation.com/index-cm.htm (Costa Mesa location)

Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Coral Cliffs - http://www.coralcliffs.com/ (friendly, but small)

Reading, UK
Reading Climbing Centre - http://readingclimbingcentre.com/ (crowded, moderate high high-tech walls, decent bouldering area, bouldering not well-labelled/marked for start, end, and difficulty)

Guildford, Surrey, UK
Craggy Island (Guildford) - http://www.craggy-island.com/guildford-info.php (fairly busy, ratings seem about right, some good routes, ok walls, moderate height.)

Kansas City, Kansas
Ibex Climbing Gym - http://www.climbibex.com/climbibex/Home.html (smallish bouldering, ratings are different but outdoorsish, moderate walls, much overhanging, route setting seems decent, ratings are reasonable, decent scenery, overall pretty good).

San Diego, California
Mesa Rim Climbing and Fitness Center - http://www.mesarim.com/ (pretty good, busy, decent height and walls, but don't seem to use features enough in route setting. Ratings reasonable. Decent scenery. Overall pretty good.)

Aberdeen, Scotland
Transition Extreme - http://www.transition-extreme.com/climb/ (good route setting and walls, ratings seemed a bit soft, seems lead-focused with less top-rope. Not great scenery. Overall good gym.)

Kitchener, Ontario
Grand River Rocks - http://www.grandriverrocks.com/Pages/Home.aspx (seems decent setting and walls, ratings comparable to home. Some moderately long climbs. Scenery was mostly meh. Overall fair to good gym.)

Nashua, NH
Vertical Dreams (Nashua) - http://www.verticaldreams.com/index.php?page=home&location=2 (only bouldered, grades a bit soft, as per usual for gyms. Smallish, but decent gym. Scenery mostly meh.)

Las Vegas, NV
Red Rock Climbing Centre - http://redrockclimbingcenter.com/index.htm (smallish, ok setting, softish grades (climbed two 5.11- and one 5.11 TRs clean first try), meh scenery. Friendly people running/owning the gym.

Cambridge, England
Kelsey Kerridge Sports Centre - http://www.kelseykerridge.co.uk/ (bouldering gym in general sports centre. Generally good bouldering. Decent scenery, people seemed friendly.

Redmond, WA
Marymoor Park climbing structure. Not exactly a gym, but definitely not real rock, either. Sport lead-climbing and bouldering structure in a public park in Redmond. Pretty good routes and everything, and great to be outdoors. Info at: http://www.freemarymoor.com/

Lake Forest, California
Aesthetic Climbing Gym - http://aestheticclimbinggym.com/ . Local/club-like gym. Not very high (20 feet?), lots of bouldering, fair bit of (short) lead, very little TR, no auto-belay. Grades and route-seting seemed reasonable. Meh scenery.

Haifa, Israel
Kir Yoav - http://www.shafan-hasela.com/ (Hebrew site, of course.) Good height, almost all lead climbing, some really long routes, seems pretty good route setting. No auto-belay. Grades a bit soft, but not bad for indoor. Meh scenery.

Salt Lake City, Utah
Momentum (Millcreek) - https://www.momentumclimbing.com/millcreek/ Good height, lots of lead, though generally all overhanging, interesting route-setting, no auto-belay. Grades soft (on-sighted 5.11a), but that's indoor. Decent scenery.

Fulda, Germany
Kletterzentrum Fulda - http://www.kletterzentrum-fulda.de/ Decent, tall walls, not big though. Hard to judge grades - in UIAA. Poor scenery.

Canmore, Alberta
Elevation Place - https://canmore.ca/recreation-facility/elevation-place/climbing-gym Decent, tall walls -- but not big. Grades seem reasonable, meh scenery.

Munich, Germany
DAV Kletter und Boulderzentrum München-Nordc - https://www.kbfreimann.de/ Decent tall walls, soft grades. Poorish scenery.

Paris (ish), France
Climb Up Épinay - https://epinay.climb-up.fr/ Smallish, but reasonably tall. Very small bouldering area, 5 auto-belays (plus 2 kids ones). Reasonable grades, I think.


(64 or 65 [depends on how Marymoor park counts.])

Real Rock (now way out of date):

Swabian Alb, Germany - near Stuttgart. (Limestone)

Eardley Escarpment, Luskville, Quebec (Ottawa):
The Shrine, Western Cwm (many different walls), Home Cliff, The Gallery (Face Climb Area), Bald Face (Main Face), The Shrine Boulders, Farm Rock, Mont King, Ron & Jon. (Granite)

Calabogie Cliff, Calabogie, Ottawa:
Main Cliff, north section, many climbs. (Granite Gneiss)

Montagne D'Argent, near St Jovite, Quebec:
Grand Canyon, M + M, Le Fou, La Petite Follie, Dame Nature, Petit Bierre, L'Arche de Noway, Chateau Pierre, Paroi du Lac, Vertigineux, Hippocampe, Antre du Dragon, and Controverse walls. (Granite/Granitic Gneiss) - http://www.montagnedargent.com/ (French)

Barton Springs greenbelt, Austin Texas: (Sep 2007)
New Wall + The Terrace -- finished "Crystal New Persuasion (5.10c)" while falling off "Meet the Flintstones" and "School Boys Indirect" - both 5.9. (Limestone)
- http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Texas/South_Central_Texas/Barton_Creek_Greenbelt

Reimers Ranch (Reimer's Ranch, probably), Austin, Texas: (Sep 2007)
Prototype Wall & Dead Cats Wall. Climbed some 5.8s and 5.9s; fell off some 5.10s. (Limestone) - http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/United_States/Texas/South_Central_Texas/Reimers_Ranch

Stanage Edge, Peak District, UK: (Spring 2008, Summer 2013)
Climbed a variety of sections on different visits, some lead, some follow, some TR. (gritstone) - http://www.rockfax.com/databases/results_buttress.html?id=31

Vizille, France (near Grenoble): (Spring/Summer 2008?)
Les Petites Jorasses. Did several routes including "Sympa le toit" (V c), "Atchoum!" (V b), "Le diedre du lezard" (V b), "Idem" (V a), and a few other in the III-IV-Va range. Led them all (sport). (limestone) - http://img364.imageshack.us/img364/8025/petitesjorassesvizilleoe9.jpg

El Potrero Chico, Hidalgo NL, Mexico: (March 2009, March 2012)
Spent a week, did routes including: Satori, Estrellita, Supernova, and Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Awesome awesome climbing. And 2 weeks 2nd visit. Lots more routes. (limestone)

Kingston Mills, Kingston Ontario, Canada: (Spring 2009)
Main wall and Lichen Wall. My first trad leads. http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/North_America/Canada/Ontario/Eastern_Ontario/Kingston_Mills/ (granite)

Swiss Alps, around the SAC hut Capana Albigna: (July 2009)
Lots of mixed trad & sport, did routes on Piz Balzet, Punta Da L'Albigna, and Spazzacaldeira, including La Fiamma (the Flame). Near the "town" of Pranzeira, about an hour's bus ride from St Moritz. Routes included "Steiger", the Ghost Route and "Villa Leni", among others. - http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/242487/pizzo-balzetto.html, http://www.summitpost.org/area/range/152320/val-masino-alps.html , http://www.huts-bivouacs.com/rifugio.cfm?id=159 (granite)

Mazinaw Rock - Bon Echo, Ontario, Canada:
All trad. "Yellow Groove", "One Pine", "Birthday Ridge", and "Afternoon Delight". (metamorphosed granite)

Minnehaha - Spokane, Washington:
A few routes, mostly top-roped, though led something easy. Mostly Main wall, though with one climb on Don Quixote face. (granite)

Mont Rigaud - Rigaud, Quebec
Many routes. (gneiss)

Lac Sam, Quebec - the Jumping Rock, 5.Superfunwall, and stuff on the main wall. Including several First Ascents! Info now at: http://www.thecrag.com/area/119483892 (granite)

Val David - Val David, Quebec. On Mont-Cesaire; Chico and L'Arabesque walls. (granite)

The Adirondacks, New York - Chapel Pond Slab, Beer Walls, Gothics, Jewles and Gems, Upper Washbowl, Pitchoff Cliff. (granite)

White Horse Ledge, White Mountains (North Conway), New Hampshire. (granite) Standard Route, Direct Finish variation; part of Dike Route. Lovely long (1100 ft) slabs.

Rumney - Rumney, New Hampshire. (schist) Many walls: Jimmy Cliff, Lower Vader, 5.8 Wall, Meadows, and Parking Lot Wall.

Pass Lake - Pass Lake, Ontario. (sandstone). A few climbs, mix of sport, trad, and TR.

Mt Helen - Nipigon, Ontario. (gneiss). 70m high slabs, with a bit of steep/roof right at the bottom of some of the climbs. Mostly 2-pitch.

Mount Doom - Sudbury, Ontario (gneiss with a patina). One pitch, TRed stuff.

Red Rocks, Nevada. Sandstone. Single-pitch and multi-pitch. (Birdland, Cookie Monster, others).

Urban Crag - Las Vegas NV, limestone. Local single-pitch sport crag.

Gun Club - Las Vegas, NV, limestone. Local single-pitch sport crag.

Keyhole Canyon, (Las Vegas) NV. Granite. Mostly single-pitch trad crag.

Joshua Tree National park, California. (quarz monzonite). Mostly single-pitch trad, plus a bit of bouldering.

Mt Saint Helena - (North of) San Francisco, California. (Volcanic - looks like solidified ejecta). The Bubble.

Santee Boulders - San Diego, California. Granite boulders, reminiscent of Joshua Tree.

The Gunks, New York. Quartz Conglomerate. Single and multi-pitch trad climbing. A variety of easy stuff in The Trapps.

Niagara Escarpment, Ontario. Limestone. Bottleglass, Mount Nemo and Devil's Glen. Single-pitch TR, sport and trad.

Harrison's Rocks, Kent, (south-east) England. Soft sandstone. Short top-rope (or boulder/free solo) only climbing.

The Lake District, England. (Borrowdale Volcanic). Several different crags, including Wallowbarrow Crag, Raven Crag (Langdale) and East Raven Crag. Excellent climbing, both single and multi-pitch on good rock. (Summer, 2013).

Glen Nevis, Scotland. Pandora Buttress, Polldubh. (schist). Just did the first two pitches of one climb -- rock was good, but got poured on. Single & multi-pitch trad in the area.

Aberdeen, Scotland. North East Outcrops - Meikle Partans. (granite) A non-tidal sea cliff. Just got in two (and a ghost) climbs, because I was sick. All single-pitch trad.

Lover's Leap, (Lake Tahoe), California - large north-facing granite cliff with lots of horizontal dikes. Generally multi-pitch trad.

Phantom Spires, Lake Tahoe, California - granite spires spread across a hillside. 1-2 pitches generally.

Owens River Gorge, (Bishop) California. (Volcanic Tuff and Basalt.) A few different walls in the central gorge. Mostly sport (is a sport destination) and one trad climb. All single-pitch.

Crystal Peak, (Mammoth Basin) California. (granite). 4-pitch trad to peak, almost alpine climbing, with an hour approach up good trails.

Alabama Hills (Lone Pine) California. (quartz monzonite/granite). Lots of different bits -- all single-pitch (though at times long) sport.

Whitney Portal (Lone Pine) California. (granite) 3 or 5 pitches on Becky route. Multi-pitch alpine/trad.

Benton Hills Crag (Mammoth Springs) California (quartz monzonite/granite). Locals Only cliff, single-pitch (though long) trad climbing.

Red River Gorge, Kentucky. 1.6 climbs - then fell and hurt myself. Should return.

Round Lake Climbing/Red Rock PET Wall - near Pembroke Ontario.

Yosemite Valley, California (granite) - a variety of walls including Royal Arches area, Glacier Point Apron, 5 Open Books, and Manure Pile Buttress. A variety of single-pitch, multi-pitch and big-wall climbing is available. Now have done Royal Arches - 15 pitches up to 5.7.

Flatirons, Colorado (hard sandstone) - Direct East face of the first.

Black Rocks (St George) Utah (basalt, with desert varnish) - 7 sport climbs.

Lumpy Ridge, RMNP, Colorado (granite) - 1st pitch of Osiris, then done in by altitude. Should go back.

The Laurentians, Quebec. Various including: The Weir, Lac Boisseau, Lac Gervais, and Parc d'Escalade Julien Labedan. (Techincally also includes MdA and Val David, but they are big enough to be listed seperately.)

Parc des Grands Jardins, Quebec. Le Dome - slabby granite with horizontals, pockets, and interestingly features rock.

Watervalbovin, South Africa. Several crags -- sport climbing on quartzite.

Table Mountain, Cape Town, South Africa. Horizontally-bedded hard sandstone (to quartzite), trad.

Lionshead, Cape Town, South Africa. Horizontally-bedded hard sandstone (to quartzite), trad.

Paarl Rocks, Paarl, South Africa. Granite slab, sport.

Montagu, South Africa. Hard-sandstone to quartzite, sport.

Squamish B.C.: Apron on The Chief, Murrin Park, Shannon Falls, Area 44, Cheakamus Canyon, Smoke Bluffs. Granite slabs & cracks, plus other stuff. Trad and sport.

Arizona (near Mesquite Nevada): Lime Kiln Canyon. Limestone sport climbing. Pretty good. (Alternate to Red Rocks when canyon is wet.)

South Dakota - Black Hills - The Needles / Custer State Park (Sylvan Lake, Cathedral Spires) - Granite. Trad & sport.

South Dakota - Black Hills - Mt Rushmore - more granite, mostly sport.

South Dakota - Spearfish Canyon - limestone sport. Skeletal Remains & various sectors of Sunshine.

Wyoming - Devil's Tower - Phonolite Porphyry (like a mid-sized crystal granite, but without the quartz content) - multi-pitch trad, lots of cracks.

Wyoming - Tensleep Canyon - limestone sport

Wyoming - Sinks Canyon - limestone sport

Wyoming - Wild Iris - limestone sport; tend to be short & bouldery with small pockets.

Wyoming - Vedauwoo - granite trad & sport. Coarse-grained, similar to Joshua Tree. Climbed all trad there. Mostly single-pitch, though larger formations up to 3 pitches.

Utah - Salt Lake City / Wasatch Range - Big Cottonwood Canyon. Sport & trad, single & multi-pitch (up to about 5 or 6), various rock types -- I climbed entirely on Quartzite.