[cheque]

Right, just booked my flights to Kentucky for two weeks in early October. 

I'm just going off this (and what I've found from searching UKB of course ) so far, so any further knowledge would be greatly appreciated, particularly from the perspective of going on your own.

Cheers!

[jwi]

It is a great place, you'll have a good time!

We went there late November, and stayed at Miguel's Pizza the last two weeks before the campground closed for the year.  At that time at least there where a lot of climbers who had travelled there without partners, so I can't imagine it being hard to find people to climb with.

Most routes where quite short (10-25 m) and around 30 deg overhanging on good holds.  Great friction too.

[Stabbsy]

October is a good time to go. Both times I went (2004 and 2006), I've gone over with someone to climb with, but it would be fairly easy to find people to climb with at Miguels or Red River Outdoors (which also did better breakfasts and coffee than Miguels). There's a website (http://www.redriverclimbing.com/) with a message board that used to be fairly active, so you could maybe post in advance.

Depends on where you want to climb, but if you're focusing on Motherlode and surrounding area, it's worth thinking about staying at Lago Linda rather than Miguels or one of the state park campsites. It's at least 20 mins drive from Miguels to Motherlode area, but Miguels is closer to Military, Left Flank, etc. That said, it might be harder to find people to climb with at Linda's.

I'd be happy to provide a list of recommended routes if you want one - although I did very few bad routes.

[Ally Smith]

I went to RRG in May this year; tagged on 4days to the end of a work conference in Chicago and headed down on my own.

Hooking up with partners was easy at Miguels. Hang around with a beer/coffee/pizza (depending on the time of day) and you'll find someone going to whichever crag you fancy. Camping, pizza and coffee is super cheap ($2/night camping) but you have to drive up the road to buy beer as the campsite is in a dry county. You can't buy beer on sunday either, or as i found out on state election day either (no drinking and voting, you might vote for the right man!)

One word of warning, if you want to get into the PMRP, it'll be easiest to find someone with a 4x4. There was some crazy big pot holes on the track to the upper car park that no normal car (not even a hire-car) would make it through. Fortunately, you can park in the lower car-park and walk up, but it's a sweaty and potentially muddy business.

One last word: Get training your open-hand/sloper stamina now!

[cheque]

Thanks for the advice guys!

Not sure where I want to climb most- I'm having trouble finding a copy of the guidebook (anyone got one to sell?). Looking at climbing .11s (possibly low 12s ), sport rather than trad but haven't worked out which crags are better for that yet.

you have to drive up the road to buy beer as the campsite is in a dry county. You can't buy beer on sunday either, or as i found out on state election day either (no drinking and voting, you might vote for the right man!)

Not a problem as I don't drink! 

[Stabbsy]

I had no guidebook for my first trip - it hadn't been reprinted for years - so we printed large sections from the website I mentioned above. I might still have the downloads printed somewhere, but they could be a bit out of date - Muir Valley was in early stages of development, so hardly gets a mention. You're welcome to have them if I can find them, although they might have bits of notes/scrawl all over them.

I think I saw the new guide (later edition than my copy) in Outside a few months ago. Wolverine have released a version of the guidebook as a smartphone app as well. No idea how much it will be, but it's an alternative.

As for routes and locations, you'll have lots of choice if you're climbing at 5.11 and low 5.12.

Military Wall/Left Flank:-
   - Too Many Puppies 12a
   - Mercy The Huff 12b
   - Gung Ho 12b
   - Reliquary 12b/c
   - Fuzzy Undercling 11b/c
   - something about Bozo's Booty Biner 11d

Motherlode:-
   - the 11s are OK, but not outstanding
   - Chainsaw Massacre 12a
   - Ale-8-One 12b

Skybridge Ridge:-
   - King Me 11b (best 11 I did)
   - Super Dario 11a
   - Martin Rides Again 11d

The bit of research I've just done suggests Torrent Falls is closed, which is a bit of a shame as Centerfire, Recoil and the 11b nearby were some of the best 11's I've done there. Same with Roadside (Return of Chris Snyder, Pine).

Lady Slipper is an amazing place, but I can't vouch for the climbing. Muir Valley looks great as well, but didn't go there - too much other stuff to go at.

[cheque]

Cheers man!  I'll get looking at the website- just a cursory glance at some of those routes has got me even more excited!

The current paper guide seems to be due a reprint soon- no UK shops have any (phoned Outside today) but Cordee reckon they'll have them in about a week before I fly. I've no Iphone (or smartphone at all), so the app is out. I want a guide to read before I leave more than anything else- I'm the sort of climber who has books to places they've never been to , so it seems weird to not have one for somewhere I'm definitely visiting!

[jwi]

My bh has a work trip to North Carolina next year at the end of January. Looking on a map, RRG is 'only' a seven hour drive away. I was there at the end of november twenty years ago, and based on that I'd say RRG is out of question end of January/beginning of February, but that was 0.7 C global over-land temperature average ago. How is it now? Is it meaningful to go at that time of the year?

[spidermonkey09]

I was there in November for two weeks and experienced both very warm temps in the sun and bloody freezing temps. Probably depends how happy you are climbing in the cold. I think its pretty much a lottery at any time from what I've gathered. Simon went 2 weeks before me and said it was really hot then.

I'd be tempted to plan to go but try to book something cancellable, so if it looks absolutely dreadful you can drive somewhere else?

[SA Chris]

routes if it's OK temps, boulders if not?

[cheque]

Which Red River Gorge boulder problems would you recommend Chris? 

I think its pretty much a lottery at any time from what I've gathered.

  Late autumn- early spring the weather in that region of the US (the “upper south”) doesn’t seem to be any more predictable than it is in the UK. My mates often have snowstorms when it’s relatively mild here and vice versa.

[SA Chris]

Which Red River Gorge boulder problems would you recommend Chris? 

Note, I didn't say go to RRG for bouldering, but I am sure you can maybe find some reasonable stuff within 7 hours of North Carolina. Ref: Spidermonkey saying you can drive somewhere else, dependent on the weather.

[sxrxg]

If the work trip is in North Carolina have you not considered any of the areas there? I remember seeing the below film a few years ago and thinking that it looked like a cool area:

[Coops_13]

Boone, NC looks amazing - might even be world-class...

[ferret]

Lots of good stuff in Tennessee that's probably closer than RRG and spread out enough geographically that conditions could be different between them.
Good sport and bouldering around both Knoxsville and Chattanooga.

[owensum]

Boone, NC looks amazing - might even be world-class...

No guidebooks though, right? Locals keep all the good stuff on the DL.