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When it’s too hot, where do you go?
By Meggan Wenbourne
Sitting here in Santa Cruz in the sweltering heat (yes, it’s over 85 degrees, so naturally, I’m panicking), wondering where to go climbing when Summer actually decides to show up.
This time of year, you’ll notice the climbing gym isn’t as crowded as usual, so people are obviously going out and climbing somewhere, at least they are in Santa Cruz.
With extreme heat, lack of water and the promise of more months to come of fierce temperatures and sunburns, where can you escape in this beautiful state if you’re looking to take on some mountain adventures? The answer, is up.
This time of year is the perfect time to adventure up to places you may not normally head toward simply because they’re further out of the way. One of the many amazing things about California is its diversity of climates. We are still very fortunate to have many beautiful reservoirs and lakes to hike toward as well as some incredible climbing destinations that may normally be covered in snow or be across a closed pass.
Don’t panic (like me) that the heat is going to crush your climbing dreams for the summer … just head up!
Also, I think we should all take a moment to be thankful for this heat as no one was on the face of Half Dome for either major rock fall earlier this month. With temperatures soaring in Yosemite Valley, it’s an absolute miracle that these gigantic rock falls happened at a time of year when most parties deem it too hot to climb big objectives in the valley.
p.s. Have you checked out Emily Harrington’s ascent of Golden Gate on El Capitan yet? Lady climbers are crushing it!
Meggan Wenbourne is an avid climber, mountain biker and backpacker who works and plays in Santa Cruz, CA. She spends her time traveling to the mountains as often as possible to get lost in the pine trees and explore the granite rock of the Sierra Nevada range and has recently developed an obsession with the desert and its red rocks. When not away on an adventure, she can be found eating burritos and training at Pacific Edge Climbing Gym, riding amazing trails in the Santa Cruz Mountains or nestled away in her cozy tiny house with cookies and adventure reading.