Why don't high end sport and boulderers trad climb

Paul Hunnicutt wrote:Hard trad is also a different animal than hard sport or bouldering. Certainly there are many exceptions, but your pain threshold has to be very high for tight jams on finger, hands, knees, feet, etc...

I disagree that trad climbers have to have a higher pain tolerance than sport climbers (if that's what your refering to). If you've never hopped on a 5.13+ sport climb where you're pulling big moves off micro-crimps, A.K.A. razorblades, than you have no idea what pain is like. It totally depends on the rock, whether sport or trad. Sport climbers bleed too you know.

I'll take a razor crimp over a twisting finger lock repeated infinitely any day.

Paul Hunnicutt wrote:Also hard to find tons of 5.14 cracks for these uber strong climbers to work with.

No its not. Its just hard to find climbers willing to do them. 5.14 trad is going to be a bit runout by necessity, since hanging out to get a lot of good gear is gonna make the route noticeably harder.

I guess I just need to give climbing some more time before I develop a prejudice. I love Trad and Sport and Bouldering. It mainly depends on how much time I have to work with.

I still think its hilarious that Sharma on-sights Moonlight and that is the calm, relaxing point of the movie.

I think trad and sport are both good and fun. I used to sport climb more, and going to the Creek killed my sport climbing. After climbing your perfect size at the creek, a 5.10 sport climb can seem desperate-where's my next locker handjam, etc. As far as developing lines, trad lines are a lot funner to first ascent-no bolts, just you and the rock. But it is all good, it is like arguing which is better in the backcountry-telemark or AT. (here we go again!) P.S. I like to telemark.

Simple. They are too young, don't know any better, were never exposed to it, saw sport' as a lazy but fun way of life, have no interet, no gear, maybe no balls to go out into the backcountry with a crapload of stuff. Bivy in below freezing temps, then start into unknown territory knowing they may have to bail off and leave a small fortune of gear behind to save their ass. Agree that those who were of a much earlier generation tend to have different values and goals in their climbing. I for one, couldn't imagine hauling around a big fat pad, bucket of chalk and a sip of water.

Because "trad" climbing exists only in the minds of a few internet pundits. Unless you are climbing by their rules, you are not trad climbing.

for what its worth climbing is something you do for fun, some get paid which changes the rules a bit. climbing is an activity that frees the mind body and spirit, do what you wish and respect others as people who are doing there best. Different types of climbing makes room for more people, I dont choose to boulder much because it does not provide the "air under the ass" feeling that I get in the middle of a multi- pitch rock or ice route. It seems like a lack of acceptance brings people to a state of superioroty or condescending someones choosen activity. Does it really matter who does what? I think that if you're having a good time thats what matters. If your idea of a good time is clipping bolts then clip away. If your idea of a good time is being different like all the other different people and thats ok with you then great. Lets just get one thing straight, different parts of the world have original ethics based on the origin of climbing in that area. Respect and knowledge of a given area and ethic will go a long way to preserving climbing for all.

oh what I meant to say is that most of the routes I've done free we're made possible by someone with a hammer and pins back in the day. Bigger than you stronger than you faster than you, burn more gas than you, uber glorius nascar fanatic, I bet you drink shitty beer on a piss stained couch, sleep face down in a bed of unforgiven dorito crunchies. groaning to wake and peeking out your greasy window. I wonder what it's like up on the pass, give up let go fall. I dont know another way to awaken the dream. People of the earth

I think all aspects of climbing make you a better climber overall...I mean bouldering could give you sick strength and gymnastic movemement, superior focus and flexability, sport might take those skills and improve them high off the ground while adding endurance through repetition, and then multi pitch trad will take the bouldering focus and strength coupled with the sport power and endurance and add placing gear, route finding, approach, summit bids etc.... I see it as practicing each part to conquer the whole. You can always get something from everything. When I used to play the drums people would tell me learn all types of music to become well rounded.....I didn't like playing jazz or fusion but in doing so it made me a more complete musician...

Just my .02

All right, resurrecting this 5392-day-inactive thread because I'm a boulderer/sport climber (not high end at all) considering moving to Moab, and even though there is Joe's and Rifle 2-2.5 hrs away (though I'm more of a boulderer so not strong enough for Rifle yet, but can get there), I think that would mean I would have to get into trad.

Just tough to balance everything, and I really like hard mountain biking so Moab could make sense for me (and PNW is rainy). Anyone else somewhat reluctantly end up getting into trad did you like or dislike it? I like peak-bagging up to low 5th, so I might like the ability to build up skills needed for alpine climbing.

Just go try stuff and see what you enjoy! There’s no scorecard for the 99% of us who aren’t sponsored, don’t stress about the details. Climb what you want to climb and ignore the people who try to drag you down. 

Yesterday I got told “V9 is easy and you must not be trying if you can’t climb it” at the base of a high-elevation 5.10 trad route. Gave me a chuckle while I pulled through some sick V1 fingerlocks high above a beautiful alpine meadow.

On another note, it’s really fascinating to read MP posts from 15 years ago and see the difference in dialogue from then to now.

Michael Cwrote:

All right, resurrecting this 5392-day-inactive thread because I'm a boulderer/sport climber (not high end at all) considering moving to Moab, and even though there is Joe's and Rifle 2-2.5 hrs away (though I'm more of a boulderer so not strong enough for Rifle yet, but can get there), I think that would mean I would have to get into trad.

Just tough to balance everything, and I really like hard mountain biking so Moab could make sense for me (and PNW is rainy). Anyone else somewhat reluctantly end up getting into trad did you like or dislike it? I like peak-bagging up to low 5th, so I might like the ability to build up skills needed for alpine climbing.

It would probably be worth starting an independent thread if you want more discussion on this question.

For the Mtb/Climbing balance, have you considered St. George instead of Moab? Has destination level hard tech desert Mtb to rival Moab, and the climbing might be more up your alley (lots of limestone sport; bouldering at Moe's Valley).

If you move to Moab, there is a bit of bouldering (Big Bend, etc), and sport climbing (mostly hard, Mill Creek), but you would need to start trad climbing to make the most of the area. You'll adapt and figure it out just fine. Moab area is a different trad scene than most places since it is dominated by splitter cracks. A unique style, and honestly the adjustment to crack climbing is a bigger shift than getting used to placing cams. The gear is so straightforward there. It's a tired old joke that Indian Creek is a sport crag, but it's true.

JCMwrote:

It would probably be worth starting an independent thread if you want more discussion on this question.

For the Mtb/Climbing balance, have you considered St. George instead of Moab? Has destination level hard tech desert Mtb to rival Moab, and the climbing might be more up your alley (lots of limestone sport; bouldering at Moe's Valley).

If you move to Moab, there is a bit of bouldering (Big Bend, etc), and sport climbing (mostly hard, Mill Creek), but you would need to start trad climbing to make the most of the area. You'll adapt and figure it out just fine. Moab area is a different trad scene than most places since it is dominated by splitter cracks. A unique style, and honestly the adjustment to crack climbing is a bigger shift than getting used to placing cams. The gear is so straightforward there. It's a tired old joke that Indian Creek is a sport crag, but it's true.

Yes, St George has crossed my mind as well. I prefer the Moab style of a big climb plus a big descent rather than the up and down that St George has more of (I'm not trying to get into the crazy freeride stuff around Virgin). I'm not strong enough for Mill Creek or Rifle for now, but only 2.5 hrs to Rifle. I ran across the saying of Indian Creek being a sport crag so maybe that will make it easier to learn. I actually did a bit of crack climbing before I got into climbing just on a NOLS trip so not totally foreign to me.

Biggest things I think I'd dislike about St George is the sprawling suburban layout. I'm still young enough that I think Moab being a tourist town and not too spread out would be better for me from that perspective. Also, Moab is under 3 hrs to Telluride for skiing, and 4 hrs to SLC, whereas St George is 4.5 hrs to SLC.

It also seems that in general Moab has a lot of options to get into Western Colorado within a few hours when it's hot to get cooler temps, plus, option to get into whitewater kayaking (though asking in forums, it seems the difficulty tops out at a pretty low level for stuff that doesn't require much driving).