Ask Hazel Findlay // Win a Black Diamond Creek 35 and Positron Quickpack

Hello Hazel:
To be honest I dont follow any famous climber, but what would you be your opinion of modern climbing? Here in México its starting to have a boom on climbing gyms but we dont have any real school for it. People are more worried on doing difficult climbs even if they dont know how the rating system works. Here we have a climbing zone that needs to change a lot of bolts but the new climbers dont even bother to learn safety or make things better. What would you think a complete climber would be: one that can do 18 z+ or one that has a complete formation not only as a climber but as a montaineer?
Thanks and Kind Regards

Hazel,

As a sport matures, there tends to be less room for improvement in it (look at world records in running, swimming, etc). Not only do people with ideal body types find their way into the sport, but training, technique, and gear improve so that there is less of a gap between elite participants, and less room for absolute improvement. Do you think climbing has hit the point where further improvement is going to be really incremental, or is there still potential for huge leaps forward? I'm curios both in terms of grades and protection.

Do you ever feel a call to go climbing naked, at night, with a full moon, free soloing, on an easy long route? and if so how do you deal with the paparazzis?

Hey, what's up Hazel!

Let me start by saying what an inspiration you have been for me! From watching your gritty climb of "TheNose", to some of your big climbs in OZ, I definitely look up to you for motivation and instilling the adventurers spirit! Cheers!

So my question is, what has climbing done for you, and your sense of responsibility to the planet? And what are you doing to help the cause?

I know that in the short time I have been climbing, I have had profound sense of responsibility to our environment. It's even encouraged me to become vegetarian (which is crazy, because I love meat!), but there is a quote from Yvonne Chinard that goes "You have a whole life in the outdoors, you realize you have a sense of responsibility to protect these wild places.”, and it struck very close to home when I was climbing in these amazing places.

I wish you all the best, and may you continue to inspire the masses.

Cheers!

Hi Hazel,

Thanks for doing this! Got a few for you:

1.
I'm a weekend and vacation college climber and new trad leader.
You're a MP-certified badass with wicked-rad ascents all over the world.

What's the difference between us (you and me) as climbers? Of course there are immediate factors, like full-time to climb, an early start to a climbing career, etc. But to put it another way, at your level of climbing, what sets you apart from the 'everyperson' climber who only climbs on weekends? Or do you think that with enough training, time, and resources, anyone can have an impressive ticklist like yours?

2.
Since I'm a new trad leader after sport climbing for a bit, I've had the opportunity recently to switch back to easier climbs to become comfortable with the added complexities of trad, and I've found I'm having a lot more fun! Do you like to climb cool, easy routes too, or do you only get your fix on conquering hard, fear-inspiring lines?

3.
I have the wonderful opportunity to be active in my university Climbing Club here in Illinois (who would have thought). After we take beginners out for their first trip, we like to get a bit sappy around the campfire and ask the same question that I'll write here:
Why do you like climbing? (Bonus points if you give an answer I haven't heard of yet!)

Thanks!

Question #1:

Can I get the free BD gear?

Question #2:

No question #2; question #1 was all I really want an answer to.

Hazel,

Being from Newfoundland, I had watched your video about climbing in Devils Bay. I got the impression that you didn't like the experience of being in the rain,drizzle and fog for sevearl days. Heck, who does??

Do you think, that you would ever come back and give Newfoundland climbing another try? There are plenty of more spots (dryer) one can go to do some climbing on 'The Rock'

Thanks

JC Locke

What are your thoughts on tick marks? Are they beta, drawn onto the rock? Can you onsight a route with tick marks?

Have you been coaching, do you like it? Supposedly the best way to learn something is to teach it. Did you ever get that high five from Tommy Caldwell?

Have you ever had to handle when mental strength between your and your climbing partner starts being really different? How to push fwrd or go for easier stuff if one is down and the other is at its best?
Thank you for your tips in this!

O.k. What qualifies you as a Badass.
In your own words please explain how you got to be a so called "Badass".

Hey, I've been climbing for a year in the gym mostly and some outdoor as a second on routes 5.9 and lower. Just getting into leading and am finding it far more psychologically challenging than I'd anticipated. What kinds of things do you do when you start feeling anxious and scared? When you were a beginner how did you take it to the next step? And how did you know you were ready?

What's the most important policy issue for climbers to unite on, and how should we approach?

What would you be doing now if you were the same person except that you lost the genetic lottery on finger strength so you never developed the ability to rock climb at an elite level?

I climb only with my wife. We are a very active couple and do everything together. She is petite (5'2" 100lbs) and sometimes cannot always finish the climbs I can (5'10 long arms). How can she use her size to her advantage? And with her reach disadvantage, how can she close the gap to seemingly unreachable holds?

Hazel,

Best epic/greatest single moment of panic/fear of death while climbing?

Any strategies or pearls of wisdom for dealing with plateaus in training, failed redpoint attempts, and general malaise/depression regarding the climbing experience?

When do you wear a helmet?

Do you have any pre-sending rituals? Meditation, singing a song, doing a little dance, fat blunt?

Hazel, 2 questions,
1. Are you at all regretting opening up such a slew of random questions?
2. Are you voting to leave in the Brexit campaign? if yes then bravo! if you are voting stay then how do you feel about the UK people living by the will of non-elected buerocrats?

Hi Hazel!
What is the weirdest or coolest thing you've found en route to a crag?
Man made or natural, or both?
Thanks :)

What's the cheesiest climbing-related pick up line you've ever heard?

How has the importance of climbing changed for you as you've gotten older and better? What is it that inspires you to go out and climb now versus when you first started?