Adventure is the spice of life. And if life ever gets boring, that is when you need to go out and get your adrenaline going via some exciting activity in an amazing place. Adventure sports have become quite popular and many travelers are looking for destinations where they can have some fun-filled adventures.
One of the most thrilling adventures is rock climbing and you really don't need to be a professional to climb rock. And, you can hire a guide to help you along. So, if you want to explore rock climbing this season, here are 20 awesome destinations from around the world.
One of the most thrilling adventures is rock climbing and you really don't need to be a professional to climb rock. And, you can hire a guide to help you along. So, if you want to explore rock climbing this season, here are 20 awesome destinations from around the world.
- Pinnacles National Park in California – Being a National Park, Pinnacles is nothing short of spectacular. It should be noted, though, that the climbing here can be adventurous, as the rock in this region can be quite frail (commonly referred to as "weak granite" it's really a volcanic breccia). Note that climbing areas remain closed between January and July because of nesting season of falcons and eagles.
- Costa Blanca in Spain – Looking for a winter limestone climbing haven? Here the bases are covered, choose from fun via ferrata and scrambling, traditional multi-pitch routes, single pitch sport climbing, and even deep water soling. The mountain is located adjacent to the sea, so you get an incredible view from the top with seaside pleasures after the climbing day is done.
- Fontainebleau in France – Around 90 kilometers from Paris, this is a year-round bouldering heaven. This mysterious place has large and small boulders scattered around the countryside with a large variety of climbs from slab, to crack, to offwidth, in a variety of grades. Grab some shoes, a bouldering pad, and the kids and get exploring.
- Yosemite National Park in California – Yosemite is legendary in the U.S. from it's big walls on El Capitan to its bouldering and Camp 4 climbers' hangout. Although the grades can be old-school stiff, get on climbs well below your grade and find your adventure. There's enough rock here to find something for everyone.
- Jebel Jais UAE Mountain – Located in Ras Al Khaimah, Jebel Jais is a hotspot for rock climbers in the Middle East. You can check out the new via ferrata and zip line which is an adventure for amateurs and the experienced, or search for trad climbs like Trident.
- Capitol Reef National Park in Utah – Utah is heaven for climbers in the U.S. There are so many climbing spots, from Moab, to Zion, to Maple Canyon, and Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons you can stay busy for a very long time. But if you are wanting a little different rock climbing adventure in a spectacular setting, check out Capitol Reef. This area is best for experienced trad climbers. Due to the variability in rock quality, this area requires a little homework to find the right spots, but those spots are being found, as climbing has increased here in recent years.
- Colorado National Monument in southern Colorado – Another off-the-beaten path area for traditional climbers looking for sandstone single and multi-pitch routes, the National Monument in Colorado has around 150 routes among which Otto’s Route is the best and easy to climb. Apart from this, Sentinel and Spires are also popular climbing spots. Check it out in the Fall through Spring to avoid hot temperatures.
- Dolomites in Italy – Yes, the Dolomites are an entire mountain range with so much rock its unfathomable. But if you are going to Italy then you cannot miss the Dolomites, which is the most popular climbing destination in the country. Your climbing options are almost unlimited - from single pitch sport to kilometer-long trad multi-pitch. Both the experienced and those newer to climbing will find a wall to climb no doubt.
- Orpierre in Haute Provence, France – Ok, so this place is cool. Think France, Haute Alps, limestone, quaint little village with a pizza joint you practically have to walk through to get to the climbing, and several hundred bolted routes with about 30 new routes added each year. Additional resources: Planet Mountain and Rock and Sun.
- Pembrokeshire in the United Kingdom – Located in the south of Wales, Pembroke offers you a huge array of climbing routes if you want to experience coastal climbing with sounds and sensations of the sea beneath you!
- Kalymnos in Greece – The beautiful country of Greece offers exciting sport (bolted) climbing opportunities on high quality limestone. Kalymnos is a small Mediterranean island with beautiful weather almost year round. Additional resources for Kalymnos.
- Costa Daurada in Spain – Also known as the Sierra de Prades mountains, climbing here offers incredible limestone and conglomerate rock with coastal vistas. There are over 5000 bolted sport routes across approximately 11 crags. Most of the routes are 1-2 pitches. The place really has some world famous climbing spots like Siurana, Rodellar and Margalef.
- Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado – The Rocky Mountains are best known for long traditional climbs and mountaineering up a mix of solid and chossy granite faces. Admittedly the Rocky Mountains are huge and offer challenges for all level of climbers in between Grand Lake and Estes Park. But the vistas and options are endless and beginners to experienced alike can train, learn, and explore here.
- Banff and Jasper National Parks in Alberta, Canada – Banff has via ferrata, alpine mountaineering, scrambling, and ice climbing in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The rock in Banff National Park, per se, is not the best for 5th class rock climbing, but nearby Lake Loiuse has high quality quartzite. Jasper is about 4 hours away and also offers more spectacular alpine and 5th class trad and sport routes. Jasper is less crowded than Banff and offers more of a wilderness experience. These two places are open from June to September for climbing. Resources for Banff Lake Louise, Lake Louise The Crag, Lake Louise Mountain Project, Banff National Park Mountain Project. Resources for Jasper: Jasper The Crag, Jasper Summit Post, Jasper Rock Climbing.com,
- Patagonia and San Carlos de Bariloche in Argentina – The landscape of Patagonia is spectacular, the wind and weather challenging. But for a more extreme, story-telling adventure, Patagonia offers unique spots for climbing. Keep in mind many of these spots have long approaches and are for extreme mountaineering and not for beginners or amateurs. Some well known spots include Fitz Roy, Torres Del Paine, but San Carlos de Bariloche has numerous spires, such as Frey, with moderate climbs (5.8-5.10). Resources: Climbing Magazine Article, Pataclimb.com
- Wharepapa in North Island, New Zealand – Wharepapa offers round the year climbing opportunities and this place is just two hours away from Auckland. The climbing spots include Smith Rock, Secret Valley, Waipapa and Froggatt.
- The Grampians and Arapiles in Victoria, Australia – The Grampians and Arapiles are about an hour's drive apart but offer very different climbing. The Grampians offers thousands of climbs on colorful sandstone' spread out across a wilderness terrain. The Arapiles has thousands of climbs on solid, featured, quartzite in a more manicured agricultural terrain. But, with the extent and diversity of climbs and grades in both areas beginners to experienced will thrive. Additional Resources: The Grampians Chockstone.com, The Arapiles Chockstone.com
- Yangshuo in China – This is a small village in China where you can go for some great climbing adventure on primarily single pitch sport bolted limestone crags. With climbs ranging from 5.8-5.14, there is something for everyone. Additional resources: Yangshuo Chinahighlights.com
- Todra Gorge in Morocco – Located in the Atlas Mountains in Southern Morocco (about 7 hours south of Marekesh), this Gorge offers great adventure to experienced and new climbers. There are easy to challenging climbs, sport and traditional, single and multipitch. And, believe it or not, you can actually climb year 'round here, just chase the shade on one side of the gorge. The rock is limestone. Additional resources: Todra Gorge Mountain Project, Todra Gorge UKC Climbing
- Krabi Region in Thailand – Bolted limestone cliffs, blue sea paradise, backpackers and climber's haven, and cheap food. Yes paradise has climbing - but be sure to look into re-bolting efforts to ensure the climbing is safe. The sea salt air and mixed metals have resulted in some bad bolts. But, because of the ever-increasing popularity of climbing in Thailand, re-bolting efforts are occurring.