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Decent Climbing In NE Texas

PostPosted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:45 pm
by Dave Daly
So, I'm here on business in Texas but I have some spare time on the weekend to get out and climb. Deb is also coming out on the 3rd of Nov. and hope to get in some Texas climbing. I'm trying to keep the traveling to a moderate level (ie no more than 2 hours from Fort Worth). Any quality crags or area worth climbing at? Is Lake Mineral Wells State Park worth a trip?

any suggestions? Spose I'm willing to stretch it out another hour outside of DFW

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:52 am
by Dave Daly
ahhhemmmmm.......

bump :wink:

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:07 pm
by DukeJH
Lake Mineral Wells is really the best climbing in the neighborhood. 1 1/2 hours west of Fort Worth, the faces go up to 40' on limestone. Most of it is face with a couple of crack routes. Max is around 5.11 but most go 5.8-5.9. it is all toprope with bolts and/or rap rings on top for anchors. Bring a good amount of webbing.

A substantially longer drive is Enchanted Rock State Park. Enchanted Rock is an igneous dome of granite and is a favorite climbing destination for the Austin crowd. I don't climb there much because 1) access is limited to a maximum number of visitors in the park and 2) I have very little patience for people who set top ropes on multiple routes and only work one at a time.

Quartz Mountain in Oklahoma is another option but I don't know the driving time since i haven' been there ... yet.

There was a private ranch that had some good limestone faces and cracks along the Brazos River but they closed due to liability reasons.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 4:57 pm
by Dave Daly
Good stuff. I'll be sure to check on Quartz Mtn. I know there's a page her on SP that Alan put up.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 6:40 pm
by Blair
Mr. Dyer will second the notion for Quartz. He is always telling me about the place, and obviously has a soft spot for it...Must be good

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:08 pm
by erykmynn
I think a lot of the Oklahoma stuff is just a few hours out. I miss Dallas sometimes.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:09 pm
by Alan Ellis
Dave, The Quartz Fall climber's gathering is the weekend of Nov 6-8. Jackie and I will be down there all weekend if the weather is good. Quartz has quality granite and has some great routes. You should be able to pick up the Tony Mayse guidebook at the REI in north Dallas. If not, you can borrow mine while there. Quartz is gonna be about a 3 hour drive or so from Ft. Worth. Nice camping within rock throwing distance of the mountain or cheap hotels in nearby Altus, OK.

Come on up. You won't be disappointed.

PostPosted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:58 pm
by Bubba Suess
I strongly concur on the Wichitas:

www.summitpost.org/area/range/171222/wi ... tains.html

Just for the record though, the WM Wildlife Refuge is an hour closer to Dallas than Quartz Mountain.

www.summitpost.org/area/range/274583/ch ... rness.html

PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 2:24 am
by Dave Daly
Alan Ellis wrote:Dave, The Quartz Fall climber's gathering is the weekend of Nov 6-8. Jackie and I will be down there all weekend if the weather is good. Quartz has quality granite and has some great routes. You should be able to pick up the Tony Mayse guidebook at the REI in north Dallas. If not, you can borrow mine while there. Quartz is gonna be about a 3 hour drive or so from Ft. Worth. Nice camping within rock throwing distance of the mountain or cheap hotels in nearby Altus, OK.

Come on up. You won't be disappointed.


Really?? Cool!! Deb is coming out on the 3rd and will and we could drum up details.....weather pending, of course.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 3:54 pm
by Alan Ellis
Dave, I sent you a PM.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:49 pm
by DukeJH
Alan Ellis wrote:The Quartz Fall climber's gathering is the weekend of Nov 6-8.


Dang it. I've wanted to come up for one of these for a while. I leave for Mexico on Nov 6.

You guys have fun.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 7:13 pm
by Dave Daly
Will call you Alan later today.

PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:12 pm
by Alan Ellis
Weather is looking good for the gathering at Quartz!

PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 1:32 pm
by Dave Daly
Well, sounds like good weather for all in Oklahoma and Texas. Wanted to thank you for the invite Alan in advance. Deb and I ended up heading to Enchanted Rock this coming weekend instead. We're not big on large social gatherings and the possibilities of dealing with "waiting lines" for routes. (I know, Enchanted Rock gets its share of the masses too.). Have fun and maybe one day we'll find a time when the setting is more intimate.

PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:13 pm
by Alan Ellis
We're gonna be in J-Tree April 26-28, 2010. Is that close to you in CA?