On its highest and finest level, whether these tough young guys with their sinewy bodies and their one-meal-a-day routine will admit it, there is a passionate affair going on between the climber and the mountain. Why do I climb the mountain? Because I’m in love. — William Shatner

Climbing reveals the beauty of life in so many ways. The immovability of the stone demands flexibility and change from the climber to overcome its obstacles. In its best moments, the movement of climbing becomes a flow that exposes the human body’s ability for graceful coordination. And when plunging into the unknown of the adventure, the climber brings back with them more life than they ever began with.

In pursuit of this beauty, we must know where to find the mountain, whether it be the monolithic El Cap or a four foot tall pebble.

Finding the Mountain: Heatmaps

Please remember to leave no trace and respect climbing ethics.

Using outdoor rock climbing data from Mountain Project in conjunction with geographical data provided by the United States Census Bureau, I’ve created several heatmaps that highlight the best areas for climbing in the U.S.