Climbing with strangers

What is your criteria for climbing with strangers? I have recently had more time than partners, and I want to venture out into the internet for new one. What rules do you have for figuring out if the person your potentially climbing with is gonna be safe?

For me, how they present themselves in email/any other non personal contact says a lot.

If you post up on MP and get an email that's entirety looks like this: "sup, can u climb this weekend?!" its fair to say that might not be the best choice.

Look for composed responses and ask plenty of questions about experience, skills, and anything that might concern you such as a certain personality type or anything like that.

Yer gonna Die!!
Climbing with strangers can turn into some of the best partners or on a rare occasion your worst.

I did Recompense in 78, I had driven over from the coast on a early May week day not expecting on finding a partner. I saw a guy looking at the wall waiting for a partner.
We talked I saw he wanted to climb in my range so I said if you have some chalk I can put in a baggie I can tie into the rope and should be able to swing leads to 5.8 in tennis .
It was my first climb in the east coast and a great start to the next four weeks climbing at North Conway and the Gunks.
Some my best wall partners were climbers I had just met and with out a doubt my worst two were climbers I had known for years.

I would find it strange not to have climbed with strangers. I spent years traveling to areas across the country climbing coast to coast in the 70s and 80s. Every new area had strangers who knew the area or we were both strangers to the area. It was a grand adventure I would not have missed.
(Don't take whippers or go for dynos)
Climb like your live depends on not falling, all this falling and calling take is over rated!
PS I am not implying that is Ellenor style .

A little bit of intuition goes a long way.

Learn the difference between annoying and dangerous, and once you do, if you can't find a partner then deal with the fact that you might be one or both...

I've climbed with alot of strangers over the years and I will say how they compose there emails has nothing to do with the climbing ability. It does however, say alot about there charecter. Honestly, I dont care how professional you sound, considering, my third rescue was a person who was very professional with email. But they took a 60 footer head first and bounced their head off a ledge! Your first climb will tell all, before that your simply stereotyping. Go with your gut, instinct has alot to do with it. But if you would say in person "whats up man, lets go crush" then say it in text. Your more likley to find a compatible partner that you might have fun with. Cause that is what we do it for.

Yeah, I doubt that one's ability to format an email is very important when you're 15 ft above your last questionable piece. I'd rather have someone with a decent attention span and since I like to climb on gear a mechanical aptitude is nice.

If I'm aiding...someone with a pulse and a gri gri is about all I really hope for these days.

David Sahalie wrote:candy offered from a van by a bearded dude in a trench coat would be a no.

I was also going to go for the strangers with candy route. Alas.

I've climbed with plenty of strangers. It usually works out pretty well.

David Sahalie wrote:candy offered from a van by a bearded dude in a trench coat would be a no.

...but candy offered from a van by a bearded dude is ok.

Just avoid people WHO ARE TOO SERIOUS. That's the most important rule.

Also depends on the route. Anything over 10ish pitches, I'd want to know a little about the person, so that I don't want to pull a "This is Sparta!" because we click so poorly. Single pitches, I'll climb w/ anyone. Like previous posters have said, part of the fun.

And definitely no on the candy from strangers. Unless its Reese's Cups.

when leading visually check that you're new buddy has you on belay after you yell "take!" before leaning back. Some people apparently can mistake "take" for "off belay". got to deal with some of that genre of fun yesterday.

First time in Eldo waited by the telephone pole in front of the Bastille asking everyone who came by if they wanted to do the Bastille Crack, finally a guy from Arizona gave me the nod, i led the first two pitches, all went well, never saw him again.

Generally, you can suss out who knows what's up by talking to them and their attitudes. I agree with whoever said something about how they present themselves in email/phone saying a lot. If you're dialed into the local climbing community, you'll likely have friends who can vouch for them, too.

You also have to decide where you guys stand on experience level. It's okay to take out a total beginner if I know that I'll be in guide mode. At the same time, I need to know when I'm better off handing over the lead. Everybody is dangerous when they are over their head, so you need to at least have some idea of each others mutual experience levels.

All that said, in climbing, people are dangerous until proven otherwise. Always start off on something below your limit with an easy bail option when you meet up with a new partner. Even if you are both very competent, the teamwork will make more difficult climbs go smoother in the future.

I've climbed with dozens of strangers, and only been dropped once. It was in a gym and I had some doubts about the guy, but figured he had a belay tag. So, it's my fault, really.

"only been dropped once"

it only takes one time to die...

There's free candy?

Sims wrote:Yer gonna Die!! Climbing with strangers can turn into some of the best partners or on a rare occasion your worst.

I have had some good ones but also the worst. Now I only climb with people I know.

I live in an area with a ton of climbers so I pretty much always try to take anyone new to the gym for a warm up. If we get along and they can belay safely then we're good to go. Other wise I just get on something that I feel I can lead without a fall.

I climbed Washington Column with a guy I met in Camp 4. We had a good time.

David Sahalie wrote:candy offered from a van by a bearded dude in a trench coat would be a no.

Is the van a candy dispensing van? And is this "bearded dude in a trench coat" just "by" the van to make sure nobody steals the candy? I might trust him if somebody else has entrusted him to watch their stash of candy in their van.

I have picked up a lot of strangers off the internet...

What I do is, I post that I am looking for partners and:
- what I bring to the table, such as my lead/follow level, gear/transport and other details that may be relevant(a person climbing at the Gunks would want to mention if they have no vehicle and need a ride pick up from town, for instance)
- What I am looking to do (type of climbing, grades)
- What I am seeking in a partner(must they be able to swing leads, am I willing to take a newish person out, and such)
- Any issues that may need to be considered(such as I have a dog I bring with me - some people wouldn't want to climb with me).

Then, I see what sort of answers I get.

It all depends. I've had pretty good experiences with stranger partners, and have made many friends this way. But, it gets tiring after a while, because it's always "Day 1" climbing with someone new. Still, if you need to make some new partners, tis is one way to go about it.