Moab Questions
Hey Steph I’m 22 and currently reside in Bozeman, Montana where I spend my summers collecting beetles for bio-control of noxious weeds, and working with pine beetle removal; however the winter is wearing on me. I have never been down to Moab – I’m looking for advice on where to find some dirt-bag camping spots around the area and possibly some work for the spring time. Or even a place to pitch my tent in exchange for work. You are probably way busier than I am, so thanks in advance for even reading my email!
Have a good one
PS- how’s the running scene in Moab?
-Brad
Hi Brad,
There is a good running scene in Moab: if you go into Gearheads and ask them about running, you will get a lot of information. There’s a small mountain biking guide book for sale in town, and it’s basically all the best running trails too. Running here is awesome!! If you are looking for work trades, etc, go into the Moonflower Market and look at the community info board–people post up a lot of things like that all the time. But it’s funny you have been doing beetle and bio-control work: in the last few years, they have been working to get control of the Tamarisk trees along the Colorado River. So they cut and burn, and then use some kind of beetle to keep them from coming back. So there might be work here in your field.
🙂 Steph
Hi Steph, My name is Danny Murphy – 31year old Irish carpenter living in Queenstown, New Zealand. I really like your website highinfatuation, great job on that. I’m thinking of heading to Moab to do some climbing. I’ve never been there before, actally this is my 1st proper climbing trip, been climbing for a few years now, mostly in New Zealand. A girl I met in Ouray, Colorado recomended Moab for sure as a place to get some cool climbing done, as did mostly every climber I met. She also said you were living there and might be able to point me in the right direction as regards places to stay and finding climbing partners. I’ve just been ice climbing for 6 weeks solid in and around Ouray so I’m keen to thaw out on some warm rock. I’m in Omaha at the moment visiting some friends, and doing some carpentry work with the friend I’m staying with. I’m hoping to try to head out towards Moab around the end of the month and stay for 2 to 3 weeks.
If you have anything you think is useful to know about Moab, places to stay, partner finding, etc it would be great.
Danny : – )
Hi Danny,
If you want to climb, the best thing to do is show up in April or May and base out of Indian Creek. There is a lot of climbing around town in Moab, and that starts to pick up in late March (as far as more people being around). It can be pretty windy in the spring, but it’s also one of the best climbing seasons here in the desert. A good way to meet people is to go bouldering at Big Bend in the afternoon.
🙂 Steph
Hi Steph, Me and some friends are planning a three week climbing trip to Moab and Yosemite this summer. I was wondering, what are the best sport and big wall climbs in your home state? Also i’ve never bought any trad gear and was wondering what would be a good belt set up? I’m working this summer and i will have $1000 climbing budget?
Thank you, Chris R.
Hi Chris,
Summer is not a very good time to climb in the southwest desert–it gets really hot here. If Yosemite is your final destination, I would split the trip between Tuolomne and Yosemite. Yosemite can also be really hot in the summer (personally, I would avoid being there in July/August), but that is the best time to be in Tuolomne. Another option for summer months would be to go to Estes Park, and climb at Lumpy Ridge and in the Park, and then go to California (Tuolomne mostly, but with a short visit to Yosemite just to check it out, and maybe do Half Dome): but I would definitely advise against Moab in the summer!! For Moab, the best time to come is October/November and late March/April/May. The summer months are very roaster.
🙂 Steph
Hey Steph,
I am wondering if you know how many female ascents have been made on the V7 line of the Hueco Traverse at the Big Bend bouldering area? I cannot locate any information on this question online. The reason I am asking this information (in my previous email) is, a handful of years ago, I had read of only a few female ascents. I know it’s very difficult for the grade. The V5 line is too! So, I was wondering if that had changed much. Thanks!
Any information would be appreciated! Thank you for all you do.
Brandy
Hi Brandy,
I have no idea how many people have climbed all the problems at Big Bend: too many to count, I would say, since people are there pretty much every day except in summer. I also have no idea how hard anything is, since I don’t understand climbing ratings at all. But my friend Lisa likes to say the Hueco Traverse is more like a route than a boulder problem, and she calls it easy 13-ish.
Like you say, Big Bend is a notoriously tricky place!
🙂 Steph
