washington column

anyone down to climb the south face of washington column in the next couple of months? hit me up!

I'm down! I brought a couple buddies to party up on dinner ledge a few weeks back for my birthday. One had no idea what he was doing and the other had no desire to go to the top. It was a good recon and an even more awesome night partying with nine other guys up there, drinking tequila. I live only a couple hours from the Valley and will be out there a lot this summer and I plan on making one of those trips up the south face. I climbed with Chuck Clance a bit ago and he recommended Skull Queen, one of his FA's. I've got all the rack and shit we need. Let me know.

Assuming I can find the time off of work I would interested.

party man yeah man party man!1!1!1

Adam Burch wrote:party man yeah man party man!1!1!1

don't be a h8er bronut...juz cuz u's on lockdown babys daddy

Tyler Mugg wrote: what was the point of that comment?

I'm excited about parties and men!

Max McKee wrote:I'm down! I brought a couple buddies to party up on dinner ledge a few weeks back for my birthday. One had no idea what he was doing and the other had no desire to go to the top. It was a good recon and an even more awesome night partying with nine other guys up there, drinking tequila. I live only a couple hours from the Valley and will be out there a lot this summer and I plan on making one of those trips up the south face. I climbed with Chuck Clance a bit ago and he recommended Skull Queen, one of his FA's. I've got all the rack and shit we need. Let me know.

Party?!? sounds like a sausagefest

BigB wrote: Party?!? sounds like a sausagefest

Yeah sadly there were no ladies, we should've hauled a stripper or two up. I dunno how the wife would've felt about that though.

Adam Burch wrote:party man yeah man party man!1!1!1

BigB wrote: don't be a h8er bronut...juz cuz u's on lockdown babys daddy

I've got a 10 month old daughter, that's no excuse to be on "lockdown" and not go climb! I go climbing at least twice a week, and no, not at a gym. I also spend 2-3 hours a day/night training. Being a baby's daddy is no excuse!!! Just bring the baby!

Max McKee wrote:I'm down! I brought a couple buddies to party up on dinner ledge a few weeks back for my birthday. One had no idea what he was doing and the other had no desire to go to the top. It was a good recon and an even more awesome night partying with nine other guys up there, drinking tequila.

So you crowded up a popular ledge just to "party" with no intention of climbing the route? What an absolute douche thing to do.

Max McKee wrote: I've got a 10 month old daughter, that's no excuse to be on "lockdown" and not go climb! I go climbing at least twice a week, and no, not at a gym. I also spend 2-3 hours a day/night training. Being a baby's daddy is no excuse!!! Just bring the baby!

Ha, I'd love to talk to your wife. I'm sure she's "stoked."

That being said, MAI BABAY WILL SEND UR PROJD BRAJD!1!!!

Duuude that's^^^ AWESOME Max! sounds like your all about MORE....
youtube.com/watch?v=KnF-PTy…

BigB wrote:Duuude that's^^^ AWESOME Max! sounds like your all about MORE....

TOTALLY DUUUUUUUUUDE!!!!!!!!!

Adam Burch wrote: Ha, I'd love to talk to your wife. I'm sure she's "stoked."

HA!

Stoked is not the word I would use.

Max McKee wrote: HA! Stoked is not the word I would use.

I'm sure it isn't.

Not to say I understand your home situation completely, because I don't, but I have spoken with countless men and women on both sides of the "climbing marriage with kids" scenario, and it almost always involves some selfish d-bag husband who is either so clueless as to the way he's letting down the family with his absenteeism that he's blindsided when his wife starts banging someone else, or is so callous that they just don't give a crap that their poor wife does about 98% of the child-related labor and climb too much anyway.

Of course, if they can last through the infant/young child stage, then it's all good since Dad gets a new belay buddy out of the deal and starts contributing a little bit.

Adam Burch wrote: I'm sure it isn't. Not to say I understand your home situation completely, because I don't, but I have spoken with countless men and women on both sides of the "climbing marriage with kids" scenario, and it almost always involves some selfish d-bag husband who is either so clueless as to the way he's letting down the family with his absenteeism that he's blindsided when his wife starts banging someone else, or is so callous that they just don't give a crap that their poor wife does about 98% of the child-related labor and climb too much anyway. Of course, if they can last through the infant/young child stage, then it's all good since Dad gets a new belay buddy out of the deal and starts contributing a little bit.

I'm actually a stay at home dad right now, which is what gives me my time to train (hiking and running) and climbing (just bouldering when I am with the baby) during the week. I also get a day on the weekend to go out climbing for a day, without the baby. She'll let me get out for an extended trip every now and then, like for my birthday (last month) or taking her dad up Shasta next month. And yes, there are some days when I can not go climb, so I will either go at night, by myself if I have to, or just do a little workout. She understands that I need to go climb. I was a climber before we ever even met and I made sure she understood what she was in for. I do also understand that it does put a strain on the relationship, and I have had to tone it down in the last year. It is very hard to balance everything out between my family and climbing. But climbing is what I do and I don't ever see myself stopping.

Adam Burch wrote: it almost always involves some selfish d-bag husband

I will admit that I am a bit of a selfish asshole.

Andy Novak wrote: So you crowded up a popular ledge just to "party" with no intention of climbing the route? What an absolute douche thing to do.

First of all Andy Novak, you are a tool. I believe we covered that Sloans new Yosemite guidebook forum.

Secondly, the route to dinner ledge has been just that, since the beginning of Yosemite climbing. Until Kor put up the South Face route, people climbed to Dinner Ledge just to go to dinner ledge.

And third, I just said my brother had no intention of going to the top. Our friend, the one with no wall experience was stoked to go to the top while my brother stayed on the ledge. But with slow going and 3 parties ahead of us, I, as the leader, decided not to push on any higher.

So why don't you bugger off?

Max McKee wrote: I'm actually a stay at home dad right now, which is what gives me my time to train (hiking and running) and climbing (just bouldering when I am with the baby) during the week. I also get a day on the weekend to go out climbing for a day, without the baby. She'll let me get out for an extended trip every now and then, like for my birthday (last month) or taking her dad up Shasta next month. And yes, there are some days when I can not go climb, so I will either go at night, by myself if I have to, or just do a little workout. She understands that I need to go climb. I was a climber before we ever even met and I made sure she understood what she was in for. I do also understand that it does put a strain on the relationship, and I have had to tone it down in the last year. It is very hard to balance everything out between my family and climbing. But climbing is what I do and I don't ever see myself stopping.

Do you also send her to daycare during the week? My wife stays at home with our one baby, and it would seem she'd have exactly zero minutes to hiking/run/climb during the week given all that childcare entails, at least at this age (2 months). It's good that you've toned it down, I think it's important to remember that unless you make a living by climbing, it's a hobby. Wise men don't destroy their family over a hobby, but you see it all the time.

I'm down! I don't have big wall experience but a decent amount of trad. I'd love to learn and belay.

Adam Burch wrote: Do you also send her to daycare during the week? My wife stays at home with our one baby, and it would seem she'd have exactly zero minutes to hiking/run/climb during the week given all that childcare entails, at least at this age (2 months). It's good that you've toned it down, I think it's important to remember that unless you make a living by climbing, it's a hobby. Wise men don't destroy their family over a hobby, but you see it all the time.

No, we don't have childcare. We have looked into it, but we have limited options where we are and decided it was best for me to just stay home with her until she is a little older. We have been bringing our baby on walks and light hikes(in a jogger) since she was out of the hospital, she was premie so she had to stay in NICU for a couple weeks. During the day when I am with her, I basically change her, feed her and then we leave right away to give as much time before she has to eat again. If I am taking her hiking or climbing, I just have to bring some diapers, milk and a stove and we can stay out all day. If she is being fussy during the day, I just wait until she is sound asleep at night to go climb or train, I have been stopped by cops/rangers numerous times because of this. I would like climbing to be more than a hobby, I do a bit of guiding in the summer while my wife is on break, she is a teacher, and I am working on getting certified with the AMGA, but in the end, it will always just be a hobby, or a passion.