Partners

In the partner finder, to search those who list themselves, you need a zip code. Fine if someone local is just looking for someone else local.

But if you are just coming through town, where you know no one, you have to use the forum, post, hope someone reads it, and replies. Often it doesn't work very well, and people don't get anything.

I'm in Boise, and have been the only reply to three different requests from out of towners. This is pitiful, and doesn't reflect the friendliness of our local climbers.

Part of the problem is not knowing someone is asking, without looking at a forum that includes a jillion other bits of stuff for wherever the majority lives in that forum.

Is there a way for those of us who are willing to sometimes host climbers at our local areas to put that info in a searchable field in the partner finder? For example, my areas could be Black Cliffs, Tablerock, and Mores mountain, which are all areas in MP, and maybe a generic Boise. If someone wants to climb the Black Cliffs, it would be great to know who is local and open to climbing. Or, if the host could somehow just be notified that someone pinged an area to ask for partners, and then know to read a post? I get that people aren't going to want to feel like a taxi service, but I also think there's a lot of room for improvement, especially for small areas that aren't destinations, just where the Mom-in-law you owe a visit lives, ya know?

A somewhat related issue is that I'm not sure everyone knows about the partners groups. I keep seeing people posting about partners request in the regional groups in the forums. And the people posting in the partners groups, they may not have any views from those only looking at the regional groups.

The partners groups are not listed when you go to the forums page, which doesn't make it easier. It gets very confusing and it would be nice if all partner related posts would go to the partner groups.

Not sure what the solution is, but make it clearer to use the partners group. Have a big headline about it on top of the forum groups? Add the partners groups to the list of groups? Send out a note as part of the regular newletter?

Ron Birk wrote:A somewhat related issue is that I'm not sure everyone knows about the partners groups. I keep seeing people posting about partners request in the regional groups in the forums. And the people posting in the partners groups, they may not have any views from those only looking at the regional groups. The partners groups are not listed when you go to the forums page, which doesn't make it easier. It gets very confusing and it would be nice if all partner related posts would go to the partner groups. Not sure what the solution is, but make it clearer to use the partners group. Have a big headline about it on top of the forum groups? Add the partners groups to the list of groups? Send out a note as part of the regular newletter?

Some don't have a partners group and only have the regional forum to work with.

Old lady H wrote: Some don't have a partners group and only have the regional forum to work with.

I never realized that but you are right. Lots of states missing. Then having southern states and eastern states together for example is not great. They don't exactly interlap very often.

I think the partners areas should be the same as for the regional forums. Would make it much easier. or just get rid of the partners groups completely. As it is now, it's not really working.