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Do you loathe easy routes?

Original Post
Greg Gavin · · SLC, UT · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 888

Are you a person that see's easy climbs as beneath you? Do you constantly search for something to project? Why do you do so, and does this effect your relationship with partners?

Personally I truly enjoy the easy to moderate routes, but also find myself able to dedicate days for projects. I know climbers who wouldn't even consider climbing a 5.5 as they consider it beneath them even if it could be considered a 'classic route for the grade'.

What kind of climber are you?

Ben Brotelho · · Albany, NY · Joined May 2011 · Points: 520

I like my climbs like I like my women:

Easy...preferably wet

Real Name Taken · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 0

"easy" is rather subjective, but for me personally, I climb the most difficult route I am able to climb. The challenge of the climb and learning new moves/techniques to solve the problem attracts me to the more difficult climbs (relatively speaking) but also makes the easier climbs boring for me.

It's similar to hiking/backpacking...you have peak baggers and then you have people who just want to leisurely stroll along and enjoy the scenery.

Jeremy Riesberg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 5

I'm with Real Name Taken, I want to climb at a grade that I can safely push myself mentally and physically. There are days I'll project on a sport route, but I'm not that guy who as a 5.10 climber will try a 5.12, in hopes of maybe being able to link the moves the one day the stars line up.

Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

The one having the most fun?

I climb b/c its fun and you get to go to / see amazing places. I am slowly and happily upping my lead grades, but only b/c there are a ton of fun routes that I'd like to be able to climb, not b/c of the difficulty.

Someone else said it first: Sport climbing is niether.

;-P

Jeff Kent · · Sedona, Az · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 0
JLP wrote:I don't loathe easy routes, just the people that occupy them. They are a contagious disease of weakness and mediocrity.

Plus Awesome!
J Q · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 50
JLP wrote:I don't loathe easy routes, just the people that occupy them. They are a contagious disease of weakness and mediocrity.
You beat me to the punch. They are hiking, perhaps we should merge the two threads.
Greg Gavin · · SLC, UT · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 888

Haha the occupiers blowing it halfway up the 1st pitch on an 8 pitch route yet still think it's a good idea to keep going. those are the ones i loathe.

Ian Stewart · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2010 · Points: 155

Any climbing is better than no climbing, but I'd usually prefer to challenge myself. If there are two climbs side-by-side that are both classics, one easy and one at my limit, I'll take the latter almost every time. But if I'm with an inferior climber, or if there's a massive line for the tougher climb, I wouldn't hesitate to hop on the easier stuff.

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

i usually do moderates as a warm up/cool down .. or on rest days ....

right now i prefer to climb something where theres a good chance that ill get my butt kicked, as long as the gear is good and the fall is safe ...

for partners i usually look for people who arent afraid to lead as much and as hard as they can ... could be 5.9/10/11/12 whatever ... the important thing is that you give it everything you got and dont just sit around top roping easy stuff and think yr "cool" for it

and that you be willing to try to follow me up anything i lead ... for the trad i do there are a lot of climbs that have a say 5.11/5.12 crux but most of it is more moderate, so pull on the gear if you need at the crux on TR, but just dont make excuses about "i cant do it so i wont even try"

for multi ...you need to be able to follow me up whatever i go up ... ill lead everything but you have to be willing to climb and not give up unless its become dangerous ... so none of that "oh im a bit tired lets go down" crap on the 10th pitch

for sport i look for partners who arent afraid to lead to the limit of their ability if the fall is clean and the bolting safe ... i mean at that point its overhanging sport ... just take the fall

at the end of the day if you give it EVERYTHING you got and dont make excuses ... ill guarantee a happi ending ;)

easy is all relative of course .. since there are plenty of people who hike my projects ...

of course ... for hawt gurls ill do easy stuff anyday with em =P

Eric Fjellanger · · Unknown Hometown · Joined May 2008 · Points: 870

No way man, I love easy routes. I like pushing myself a lot of the time, but climbing something that's easy and not at all scary is FUN. They're two different experiences.

Simon Thompson · · New Paltz, NY · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 890

"Easy"(subjective) routes are just an excuse to fill up a backpack with food, water, extra gear, booze, and any illegal substances you may have lying around. Think of it as training for alpine climbing.

Andrew Gram · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 3,725

I like easy routes for mileage, and for climbing with less experienced folks where I am after a shared experience. It is very much like skiing to me - I enjoy skiing many, many laps on blues to get in shape, and I like skiing greens only if I am with my dad or a beginner friend that is stoked on that terrain.

skeeter · · Lakewood CA · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 10

Easy routes are most enjoyable for me lately because of shoulder pain, many reasons to climb being outdoors is #1 for me

Finn The Human · · The Land of Ooo · Joined Jul 2008 · Points: 106

Hard single pitch, easy/moderate multipitch.

Eldo Love · · Mancos,CO · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 125

Depends on the destination. In the desert climb hard and strong! in Eldo 5.5 can be just as scary and tricky as 5.11. But that's just me.

Superclimber · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 1,310

…again, who cares.

T Howes · · Bend, OR · Joined Dec 2010 · Points: 20

I'm a bit of a slut when it comes to climbing. I'll do anything, with anyone, it usually depends on my partner. I like it hard and I like it soft... as long as I have fun.

A few years ago I realized that I would not be able to push my physical limit forever and keep climbing. Too many tweaks and pains. I started climbing easier stuff that pushes the mental side of climbing and feel like I haven't missed a beat. I still will try hard routes, just not every time I go out.

I would rather take my girl up a moderate trade route than send a difficult sport route any day.

Eric Krantz · · Black Hills · Joined Feb 2004 · Points: 420
Tom Howes wrote:I'm a bit of a slut when it comes to climbing. I'll do anything, with anyone, it usually depends on my partner. I like it hard and I like it soft... as long as I have fun.
+1

And when I get to the peak, after hammering that crack and thinking I may not make it, it's always a release, .. errr... relief. Yeah.
Mark Hudon · · Lives on the road · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 420

Having a good time on an easy route trumps an average time on a hard route. Quality of line is also very important.

Tom Lausch · · Madison WI · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 170

Easy stuff is fun. Right up until you look down and realize that the first thing thats going to slow you down or stop you is a nice ledge.
That being said I would much rather send a couple of moderates than 1 hard route.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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