How old before you get crusty?

'thecornyman' said "how long until I have to be happy taking new climbers up easy moderates?"
Of course, one can do that as soon as he can do the route safely.

The responses about aging fall imo into three types: those a) still climbing after decades; b) returning to climbing after a long time off; c) starting at an advanced age. People who are twenty think fifty is old. People who are fifty are beginning to admit there is something to that, but can continue denying it in their own case with renewed effort. People sixty are living every day with the less hopeful realities. One constant for the present consideration is time invested in climbing: at any given age, continuing, returning, and starting are not the same. And I suspect that the middle group are most susceptible to injury from effort rather than from accident. Their brain is saying, "Yeah, go for it," more from memory than preparation.

The risk factor probably varies in association with age, generally diminishing regardless of prior experience. Another aspect shown by responses here is what one will feel is worthy of bragging about: difficulty level, improvement, or doing it at all.
.

I'm 28 and have climbed with plenty of guys that were twice my age. They don't crush, but they climb 9's and 10's in NC, which ain't really easy. I've also climbed with two guys that were nearly 70 and they were able to follow everything I could put up.

There are giys in their 50's that climb 5.14. You can climb forever.

Accumulated injuries are probably the key, but at 59+ (started climbing in the mid 70's) with 3 recent hand surgeries behind me, I'm still just happy to be doing it. After close to 30 years up north, I can't wait to get back to my old stomping grounds and do a few Cannon classics, and easy to moderate grades will be just fine.

I think it all boils down to what kind of condition you can keep your joints in; and if you can afford the repairs.

The Larry wrote:You're using the word "crusty" wrong. I've always been a crusty climber.

yup. +1

Oooo can we revive this discussion?!

Some of my takeaways from these thoughts shared in 2012:
Crustiness is a state of mind / attitude
One's crust is not just about their specific age / years of climbing experience.
A lot of variables re: one's crustiness

My questions lately:
Is there good crust / bad crust?
What is the future of crust?

There's a definite relation of crustiness to trad climbers; e.g. "crusty trad dad." But my mind's been wanting to unpack this strange attribute.

Is crustiness maybe about being opinionated? Or is it a kind of closemindedness, an aversion to change / the new? 

Is it a characteristic when one's in a ranty state, in a discussion of ethics, honor, or style? A strong opinion on any climbing-related subject? ... hmm.

I think historically it held a negative connotation, but things are changing, as they always do - and I'm wondering if there's a force of good to be found in one's crustiness.

It all depends underwear.

I’m 56.  I sent a twenty-five move V8 traverse a couple of months ago.  Now working on a, much harder for me, six move V7 up problem.  Around this level of difficulty, I feel like it is the entanglements of life outside of climbing that are my biggest challenge.  My joints have thankfully held up well after over 30 years of pulling on them.  But my mojo, given work, beloved family, and other sirens, is what struggles to stay focused.

"Dirtbag" used to be fairly negative, now all the cool kids want to buy something expensive and become a "dirtbag". 

M Mwrote:

"Dirtbag" used to be fairly negative, now all the cool kids want to buy something expensive and become a "dirtbag". 

"Dirtbag" hasn't been negative in climbing for over two decades. I knew plenty of Patagucci Trustafarians in the early aughts, too.

This was a good thread revival. I first posted to this thread at 33, and now I'm about a week past my 42nd birthday. I'm definitely "crusty" in attitude at this point. Seeing hundreds of climbers continue coming to my home crag during covid got me pretty pissy. The crust continued with primarily urban gym climbers with no sense of history trying to up their IG follower count by freaking out about route names. At this point there's not much that I value at all in the broader "climbing community," and I'm happy enjoying days on the rock with a small circle of friends.

As for the physical act of climbing itself, I'm objectively stronger right now than I've ever been, even though I've gained a few pounds, lost a lot of flexibility, and need more recovery days. My head is probably not that great right now but I wouldn't know because I've got zero interest in pushing myself in sport or trad; I've still got enough of an ego that I don't really want to go back and project routes that I've onsighted. 95% of my climbing in the last year and a half has been solo bouldering, and oddly enough roofs are the style that is suiting me the most as I get older. I live minutes from the best rock in the nation, have a non-climbing wife, full-time job, and a shit-ton of stuff going on beyond climbing, so going out and trashing myself in the woods for a few hours a couple times a week works really well. I've also stopped feeling guilty when I decide to spend an entire sunny and 55 degree weekend day playing guitar or working in the woodshop.

It's super cool to hear about Chris Clay upthread doing v7-8 in his 50s. Life goals, right there.

I'm 36. Started out in my early 20s. I'm definitely a much better climber now than... Pretty much ever was. Maybe 3 summers ago I was better purely physically - but that's due to the fact that we were in the midst of a 3 months long climbing in the midwest, not age. I was marginally more endurant then, just because of sheer volume of climbing long sport routes, which I can't do here as much (especially in the winter, especially with gyms closed).

If I had to pick an age to just start campusing up the board without a warmup, definitely would pick mid/late-20s. Or do a max-rep pullups without a warmup. If I get to warmup properly before, I don't care much, it would be about equal. I guess the thing is that sure, for pure max power, I'm probably past my prime. However things like finger strength take forever to build up. I am much stronger on crimps now than I ever was, even without being particularly trained on it at the moment. So yes, 10 years ago pulling myself up an overhang on pure biceps may have been slightly easier, but I've pulled crimpy stuff last few years that I don't think I would have ever stuck before.

However if I had to pick an age to be mid-cliff on a hard route above my gear, off route with an incoming storm, I'd probably pick in 5 years or so.

Franck Veewrote:

..However if I had to pick an age to be mid-cliff on a hard route above my gear, off route with an incoming storm, I'd probably pick in 5 years or so.

Haha, this applies no matter what your age is now!

13

I started at 30 and now at my late 30s. I improved quite a bit after I started hangboard recently. Now I feel more motivated after reading all these posts! Thank you all!

I have two partners that I am sure came out of the womb "crusty".

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Grades, tendons, pullups, yoga, training, injuries ... totally irrelevant. It's all about your belay device. If you use an ATC for anything else than rapelling, you're crusty, no matter what grade/age/ability. Me? Certifiably crusty! Since day one.

Patrikwrote:

I have no idea what you guys are talking about. Grades, tendons, pullups, yoga, training, injuries ... totally irrelevant. It's all about your belay device. If you use an ATC for anything else than rapelling, you're crusty, no matter what grade/age/ability. Me? Certifiably crusty! Since day one.

What if you’re still using an 8 ring or A stich plate?

Crusty is a state of mind.

So since ‘rona hit, personal hygiene has really suffered. Does that count?

Ayyy the necroposting.

Anyhow, if you really want to know these things my suggestion is to make friends with folks who are older than you.

I went through a rough patch when I turned 30, and the healithiest thing to come out of that was getting to know a bunch of folks in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s.  I did that by playing music in a bunch of bands, but I've been fortunate to climb with people in their 60s.   It's super instructive, I think... a lot better info about life than you'll get off of th internetz.