New and Experienced Climbers over 50

Vertigo is age-related, unfortunately.  At 55, I've certainly noticed experiencing it -- never did as a younger climber (or not much).  In any event, this might be an organic consequence of starting your climbing career at your/our age.  Agree with the enthusiasm for your stoke.  Good luck with finding partners!

Lori Milas wrote:

May I ask one more (embarrassing) question of you all?  You have been so helpful, and I feel like I've found new friends--and so now I'm just asking questions.  Thank you.

I have had some surprising bouts of vertigo in dangerous places.  I don't know what causes them, or how to get grounded when they happen.  I have even had terror at the top of a indoor bouldering wall, where you simply step up onto the roof after a short climb, and walk a ladder down.  I had to lay down on the roof until I could compose myself!  

I seem to be fine when on a rope.  No fear, no sense of flailing.  But walking to the top of a rock... sitting unattached, can occasionally trigger total panic.  In this picture here, I became literally frozen. I'm trying to tackle this issue logically... wondering if I would feel better if I was placing pro along the way, or what.  Surely I'm not the only one?  There's a climb I'd like to do next month that involves some steady scrambling halfway up before roping up.  

  

Lori, the simple answer is, stay roped if there is a danger of injury. There is no need to increase your exposure. I do this on fourth class terrain. I also wear a helmet on the scramble up and down to the cliff. And yes, I'm the only one. So friggin what? A good partner will work with you on this. 

Partners, I'll also add to look at profiles. That doesn't always say anything at all about the quality of the partner, but it helps. Grade they climb, number of ticks, years climbing, and, their online personality. 

You have an offer from Frank. Talk him up offline and see what you think. He's got the sort of depth and experience you are after, but you have to learn to trust your instincts, as a climber.

Post for partners! Check that partner forum and hit up other people looking for partners. Be explicit and clear that you are new, no bodies rope gun, and need a kind, patient, partner.

And yes, I'm the infamous old lady H. But, I am also the old lady who is a new(ish) climber, and new climbers are my soft spot, no matter their age.

Keep after it, be safe, have fun, be awesome, and be kind, always.

Best, Helen

Lori, do you get vertigo in other situations, or just from exposure?

Lori Milas wrote:

I wish there were little "heart" emojis I could put here!  Thank you so much for your kind response(s)... they are so helpful.  I am making my way around Sacramento--both Pipeworks and Granite Arch are climbing gyms I climb at several times a week.  We have a great quarry in Auburn, where I also have climbed quite a bit.  3 miles away in my city (Rocklin) we have an incredible natural bouldering area.  I just happen to have a thing for the desert and I'm like a homing pigeon--just always want another hit of JT... it's a second home for me, even though it is 600 miles away.  This year, after the snow, I intend to drive up to Truckee (80 miles away) and get to know the climbs there.  This sure is an opportunity to travel and camp alot!
Thank you, Frank.  I'll ask Nelson to teach me anchor building in February.  I think it will be awhile before I can just throw a rope in the car, and go do my own thing.  Actually, I really appreciate the sense of safety and one-on-one training when I have a day with Nelson or his other guides.  And I'd love to meet you one day in San Luis Obispo.  Thank you! 

Funny, I read half this thread before I looked at your location - in Rocklin.  I'm sitting in an office in Rocklin at the moment; live in Roseville.  

I'm a bit younger (49) but started 3+ years ago when my son went to GA with scouts.  I've found many of the challenges mentioned here, related to age (endurance, gravity days, etc) but can't get enough (said from my office chair).  I spend a fair amount of my climbing time in the immediate area and have recently started climbing with a couple people I met here in the forums.  HUGE climbing community in this area.  You can connect with people at some of the CRAGS adapt a crag events too.  Met a few people at Auburn.  Never been to JT but planning a trip to Tuolomne later this year.  Bowman is a good spot for climbing and less crowded than Donner, but more out of the way.  I like Deer Creek Park for a quick workout, and enjoy the slab too. :)  I'm just getting to the point of being comfortable with trad gear after 8 months of sporadic work with a mentor, and did climb Deception at Lovers Leap with another new to trad buddy - really fun, but stay on route an keep your 5.6 out of the 10+/11- range!  

Hope we run across each other at some point, but I have to admit my job, family, wife, scouts (with son) etc leave little time to commit at the moment (it's not you it's me, haha).  Even my climbing partners have to tolerate my schedule (I'm glad they do).  Keep poking around - lots of support here!

Eric L wrote:

Funny, I read half this thread before I looked at your location - in Rocklin.  I'm sitting in an office in Rocklin at the moment; live in Roseville.  

I'm a bit younger (49) but started 3+ years ago when my son went to GA with scouts.  I've found many of the challenges mentioned here, related to age (endurance, gravity days, etc) but can't get enough (said from my office chair).  I spend a fair amount of my climbing time in the immediate area and have recently started climbing with a couple people I met here in the forums.  HUGE climbing community in this area.  You can connect with people at some of the CRAGS adapt a crag events too.  Met a few people at Auburn.  Never been to JT but planning a trip to Tuolomne later this year.  Bowman is a good spot for climbing and less crowded than Donner, but more out of the way.  I like Deer Creek Park for a quick workout, and enjoy the slab too. :)  I'm just getting to the point of being comfortable with trad gear after 8 months of sporadic work with a mentor, and did climb Deception at Lovers Leap with another new to trad buddy - really fun, but stay on route an keep your 5.6 out of the 10+/11- range!  

Hope we run across each other at some point, but I have to admit my job, family, wife, scouts (with son) etc leave little time to commit at the moment (it's not you it's me, haha).  Even my climbing partners have to tolerate my schedule (I'm glad they do).  Keep poking around - lots of support here!

Wow, Eric... there's some synchronicity!  So glad you wrote.  Do you like indoor climbing at all?  I also work and am spread too thin... but I manage to take a few hours (lunchtime) on Wednesday at 12 to climb at Pipeworks, and try to get in at least one other day.  Evenings are ok, weekends great for me, if you ever feel like climbing at Pipeworks or Granite Arch.  Also, tomorrow there is a Meetup at the Auburn Quarry... (do you know where that is?)... about six of us hike back and toprope/sportclimb.  We've been doing that every couple of weeks lately.  (9am-1pm).  And yes... I really want to get out and see the rest, especially Tuolomne.  So glad you are nearby!     

Eric L wrote:

Funny, I read half this thread before I looked at your location - in Rocklin.  I'm sitting in an office in Rocklin at the moment; live in Roseville.  

I'm a bit younger (49) but started 3+ years ago when my son went to GA with scouts.  I've found many of the challenges mentioned here, related to age (endurance, gravity days, etc) but can't get enough (said from my office chair).  I spend a fair amount of my climbing time in the immediate area and have recently started climbing with a couple people I met here in the forums.  HUGE climbing community in this area.  You can connect with people at some of the CRAGS adapt a crag events too.  Met a few people at Auburn.  Never been to JT but planning a trip to Tuolomne later this year.  Bowman is a good spot for climbing and less crowded than Donner, but more out of the way.  I like Deer Creek Park for a quick workout, and enjoy the slab too. :)  I'm just getting to the point of being comfortable with trad gear after 8 months of sporadic work with a mentor, and did climb Deception at Lovers Leap with another new to trad buddy - really fun, but stay on route an keep your 5.6 out of the 10+/11- range!  

Hope we run across each other at some point, but I have to admit my job, family, wife, scouts (with son) etc leave little time to commit at the moment (it's not you it's me, haha).  Even my climbing partners have to tolerate my schedule (I'm glad they do).  Keep poking around - lots of support here!

By the way, Eric, I also go to Deer Creek Park but have not quite figured out what to do with it.  Perhaps you will share some ideas.  It is perfect for slab skills and bouldering... and we're lucky its so close!  I just haven't figured out how to navigate it safely.  Feels like a great place to break an ankle, or worse.  I actually put on a harness and got the boyfriend to hold a belay rope for me, so I could just scramble around without taking a fall.  Did meet one kind of scary homeless guy there, who got a little aggressive, which made me think again about whether I should be there alone. 

Lori Milas wrote:

Wow, Eric... there's some synchronicity!  So glad you wrote.  Do you like indoor climbing at all?  I also work and am spread too thin... but I manage to take a few hours (lunchtime) on Wednesday at 12 to climb at Pipeworks, and try to get in at least one other day.  Evenings are ok, weekends great for me, if you ever feel like climbing at Pipeworks or Granite Arch.  Also, tomorrow there is a Meetup at the Auburn Quarry... (do you know where that is?)... about six of us hike back and toprope/sportclimb.  We've been doing that every couple of weeks lately.  (9am-1pm).  And yes... I really want to get out and see the rest, especially Tuolomne.  So glad you are nearby!     

I try to hit GA on Fridays after 6:30, depending on my schedule that week.  Should be there later tonight (have a wake to attend at 5).  If you are ever there at that time, say hi!  I'll be there a week from tomorrow with boy scouts.  I can't make Auburn tomorrow but would have loved to (have a class all day), but know a lot about it - I've replaced a number of hangers on the scale wall and added the hooks to the top of Gone Coastal and chains to Three Finger Salute (those chains have a story).  My profile pic is from the quarry.

With DCP, I mostly climb the  slab crack on gear or TR.  TR is either run from the little oak tree back 10 yards, using cams in the rock to the left or through the metal handle sticking the block to the right.  Plenty of slab work on that low angle wall (I also love slab climbing), some steep climbing to the right, and of course some low angle thin finger crack climbing.  Bouldering near pacific street is good, but yes, falling from 12-15 feet can result in ankle problems.  The rest of the park is just a lot of scrambling on boulders and small problems.  There are homeless there, don't go alone.  I've been part of clean up crews and have thrown away plenty of trash they leave behind.  Climb safe and be kind!

Has anyone gone to the annual Red Rock Rendezvous (Nevada) before?  It's coming up in March, but I can't tell from the website how good it will be.  Any experiences or thoughts on this?

Lori Milas wrote:

Has anyone gone to the annual Red Rock Rendezvous (Nevada) before?  It's coming up in March, but I can't tell from the website how good it will be.  Any experiences or thoughts on this?

Lori,  I make an annual pilgrimage to Red Rocks every Spring and have been going since 1999.  I was there once during the Rendezvous and I now plan my week there to avoid it.  It is a bunch of new (i.e. mostly young) climbers partying and taking classes from guides of how to climb outside a gym (a good thing I guess).  Too many people.  Some even find their way into the canyons and crowd the classic routes there as well. So as you can tell I'm not a fan of it and that of course is my opinion, others will I'm sure disagree.  If you haven't been to Red Rocks by all means go.  It is the best place in the country to do long moderate routes.  Brian

Brian wrote:

Lori,  I make an annual pilgrimage to Red Rocks every Spring and have been going since 1999.  I was there once during the Rendezvous and I now plan my week there to avoid it.  It is a bunch of new (i.e. mostly young) climbers partying and taking classes from guides of how to climb outside a gym (a good thing I guess).  Too many people.  Some even find there way into the canyons and crowd the classic routes there as well. So as you can tell I'm not a fan of it and that of course is my opinion, others will I'm sure disagree.  If you haven't been to Red Rocks by all means go.  It is the best place in the country to do long moderate routes.  Brian

Thank you Brian! That’s exactly the feedback I was looking for.  Now I know I can scratch the rendezvous off my “maybe” list and go a different time. Thank you!

Hi Lori,

Since you are not far away you should head up to Slick Rock Dome off highway 50.  There are some superb slab routes with a few crack/flake climbs.  It is about 6,500 feet so it doesn't open up until spring, but if you like please let us know and my wife and I can show you around.  (we are late 50s in age...) We rebolted it and also put up new routes a few years ago. It is still "under the radar" so you can get some good climbing in without crowds.  Info is here at:

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/111950643/slick-rock-dome 

A trip report on the rebolting effort:

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/The-Rebolting-and-Rediscovery-of-Slick-Rock-Dome-Tahoe/t12996n.html 

Ney Grant wrote:

Hi Lori,

Since you are not far away you should head up to Slick Rock Dome off highway 50.  There are some superb slab routes with a few crack/flake climbs.  It is about 6,500 feet so it doesn't open up until spring, but if you like please let us know and my wife and I can show you around.  (we are late 50s in age...) We rebolted it and also put up new routes a few years ago. It is still "under the radar" so you can get some good climbing in without crowds.  Info is here at:

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/111950643/slick-rock-dome 

A trip report on the rebolting effort:

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/The-Rebolting-and-Rediscovery-of-Slick-Rock-Dome-Tahoe/t12996n.html 

Thanks Ney... now I have even more to-dos on my list (which is already more thanI can do). :)

Ney Grant wrote:

Hi Lori,

Since you are not far away you should head up to Slick Rock Dome off highway 50.  There are some superb slab routes with a few crack/flake climbs.  It is about 6,500 feet so it doesn't open up until spring, but if you like please let us know and my wife and I can show you around.  (we are late 50s in age...) We rebolted it and also put up new routes a few years ago. It is still "under the radar" so you can get some good climbing in without crowds.  Info is here at:

https://www.mountainproject.com/area/111950643/slick-rock-dome 

A trip report on the rebolting effort:

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/The-Rebolting-and-Rediscovery-of-Slick-Rock-Dome-Tahoe/t12996n.html 

Oh, wonderful.  How exciting!  Gosh... this is turning out to be a great climbing community.  Thank you so much! 

New question:  With a lot of work, I was finally able to climb a 5.10b indoors--but I'm at an absolute limit with anything harder.  The 5.10c and up are problems for me because there are no more jugs... the holds are all pinchers and slopers, and I fall right off those.  I'm learning to use the wall more with my feet, and to stem when I can.  I've been working on using my arms to pull laterally, and also palms down, pressing to get to the next move.  But no jug and I fall right off.  :-( 

Can you share how you train or exercise to get to the next plateau in climbing?  Does anyone have any tricks for those pinchers and slopers?  I thought this wouldn't apply outdoors, but in fact it does. I fell off an easy climb at our local quarry because the rock was wet and slippery and I couldn't get a grip on the holds.  So, is this all about finger strength?  

Thank you in advance!  I appreciate all of you!  

Lori Milas wrote:

New question:  With a lot of work, I was finally able to climb a 5.10b indoors--but I'm at an absolute limit with anything harder.  The 5.10c and up are problems for me because there are no more jugs... the holds are all pinchers and slopers, and I fall right off those.  I'm learning to use the wall more with my feet, and to stem when I can.  I've been working on using my arms to pull laterally, and also palms down, pressing to get to the next move.  But no jug and I fall right off.  :-( 

Can you share how you train or exercise to get to the next plateau in climbing?  Does anyone have any tricks for those pinchers and slopers?  I thought this wouldn't apply outdoors, but in fact it does. I fell off an easy climb at our local quarry because the rock was wet and slippery and I couldn't get a grip on the holds.  So, is this all about finger strength?  

Thank you in advance!  I appreciate all of you!  

  

Just keep climbing! When you're trying to build muscle strength, your muscles respond fairly quickly to training. Tendons and other connective tissue respond much more slowly. Just keep climbing, don't overdo it, and at some point you'll realize that you're climbing routes with features you never would have been able to use before.

Lori: learning to climb, and finding trustworthy partners are very dangerous. Most climbers can be trusted, but I have seen some terrifying things. Literally. I started in the late '70's. The only instruction we had was Basic and Advanced Rockcraft by Royal Robbins, two excellent books. There have been other good ones since then. I haven't climbed in 20 years, but I'm thinking about getting back into it, so my situation is close to yours. It sounds like you are getting competent instruction, so you should be safe. Watch people before you tie in with them. After you get more experience, you will know who is safe and who to stay away from. I saw posts about people looking for advice on their anchors. Read and understand them. Ask about anchors when you are at the crags. Top roping is almost always very safe. Leading is completely different. You are doing it for fun, so have fun! Occasionally, there are rude posts, and I have run into jerks at the crags. I imagine you can deal with it. Good luck!!!

Hi there. I'm almost 56 and started climbing 5 years ago.  I started with bouldering and moved to top roping, sports and now trad.  I climb four days a week; two or three times bouldering indoors and maybe two times outdoors (mainly top roping and bouldering).  I'm no 'gun' climber but I can sports climb 23, boulder V4 and trad up to grade 15 at present. I love endurance work too, last weekend I did 17 laps of a grade 21 on top rope, with the last set being 7 laps back to back.  I really love my climbing and just wish I started earlier in life as it's pretty hard on the old body! :-)

One thing I love, Lori, is climbing with younger people.  To be honest with you, I actually motivate THEM as well!  Just last weekend I was getting all fired up trying a V4 with a young lady and a male friend and she was saying she was done for the day but when I was getting fired up she pulled on her shoes saying "Wow, that was intense, I'm getting psyched now!".  At the same time, younger climbers motivate ME, and generally I find old people a tad boring!!

Keep climbing as long as you can.  I reckon even if you don't know it you're motivating young and old alike!!

Carl Schneider wrote:

Hi there. I'm almost 56 and started climbing 5 years ago.  I started with bouldering and moved to top roping, sports and now trad.  I climb four days a week; two or three times bouldering indoors and maybe two times outdoors (mainly top roping and bouldering).  I'm no 'gun' climber but I can sports climb 23, boulder V4 and trad up to grade 15 at present. I love endurance work too, last weekend I did 17 laps of a grade 21 on top rope, with the last set being 7 laps back to back.  I really love my climbing and just wish I started earlier in life as it's pretty hard on the old body! :-)

One thing I love, Lori, is climbing with younger people.  To be honest with you, I actually motivate THEM as well!  Just last weekend I was getting all fired up trying a V4 with a young lady and a male friend and she was saying she was done for the day but when I was getting fired up she pulled on her shoes saying "Wow, that was intense, I'm getting psyched now!".  At the same time, younger climbers motivate ME, and generally I find old people a tad boring!!

Keep climbing as long as you can.  I reckon even if you don't know it you're motivating young and old alike!!

Carl, wow!  Well, you'd leave me in the dust if we climbed together!  But I'm proud of you!  I'm wondering how athletic and strong you were 20-30 years ago. Were you always this way?  

Your message is saying what I've been thinking all along: that age is not the limiting factor.  I am much stronger and fit than I ever was when I was younger... mainly because before, I was busy and didn't feel the need to try.  But I have been told that we lose 10% of our muscle mass every decade... that we lose strength, balance, agility.  Well, I've got biceps and shoulder muscles that look like I power lift weights... and I can press more than people half my age.  So... this may be a lie. :-)

Younger people may have the advantage of some natural muscle tone (lots of HGH!)... but we have intelligence, diligence and innovation.  We can solve problems now--take the time to scope out issues and solve them along the way.  We can learn (figure out how to use the body, map a new route, etc.)  

And for me, I'm not trying to compete with anyone. (I hope). Given that all my friends are sedentary, most obese, and couch potatoes... I figure ANYTHING I do is a complete victory.  

Having said that, I'm wondering if you have noticed any special restrictions or needs for your body at this age?  For instance, I've noticed that it's going to take me a while to do laybacks... my arm and core strength are still building. Negative climbs wear me out pretty fast.  I"m watching 19 year olds master this without much effort.  (Like Spiderman!)  And I can get a little stiff and sore after a hard climb or workout... but not too much. I am listening to advice about tendon injuries, especially in the fingers... and taking it slow.  I was told to avoid the hangboards...  

That's the other thing... an injury now could end this sport career for me.  An injury when you're 20 would just be a frustrating delay.  I don't want to have to quit because I whanked out an elbow, or broke an ankle... so perhaps I'm a little more cautious.  

But enough about me!  Tell me more! 

Lori I hope I didn't sound like I was bragging.  But TBH honest I AM a bit of a show off though :-)

Yeah I have always been strong.  I spent 10 years in the army and before joining lifted weights.  When I joined (at age 23) I could do 19 chin-ups but I wasn't aerobically fit.  Later in the army I became a recruit instructor and was strong and aerobically fit and always lifted weights.  Even now my resting heart beat is less than 60 BPM and I'm still quite strong.  I can do ten chin ups on a standard door frame :-) ; but I'm smallish too (168cm, 63 kilos) which helps.  

I remember last year at the Grampians bouldering festival I was doing stuff other relative beginners couldn't who were younger than me.  The person running the workshop thingy said "That's the other thing about Carl, he TRIES really hard".  I try really hard because I'm competing.  Competing against time, age and yeah, other people too :-).  Trying really really hard is key I think.  Some people don't actually TRY hard enough.  A couple of weeks ago I went climbing with a guy who was 62 years old and he was climbing stronger than me.  Granted he'd been climbing for about 40 years but the first thing I thought was "I'll have to measure up!".

Restrictions? Yes.  Quite a few.  I tore my ACL in my right knee in the army and also my Medial ligament.  This means my heel hooks such as I lack leg biceps (hamstring) strength.  I DO use my arms and back a lot, too much in a way to compensate.  I very often down climb at the climbing gym if I can to save my knees.  When I go away climbing for a long period and have to hike around the place my knees swell up terribly.  I love roof climbs and pumpy, strong routes.  I never really trained as such for climbing, but I have bought some Metolius Rock Rings and some gymnastic rings.  I do the Rock Ring workout and also just the spt position on the gymnastic rings.  I'm trying to get a lot better as using my core.  I also watch a LOT of climbing videos, I think the more you see the more you start to emulate.

Like you Lori I also am very wary of injury.  A twisted knee or ankle at our age could mean so much time off it'll be hard to get back in to it.  

Keep clambering, keep strong and try really, really hard!

Carl

Carl Schneider wrote:

Lori I hope I didn't sound like I was bragging.  But TBH honest I AM a bit of a show off though :-)

Yeah I have always been strong.  I spent 10 years in the army and before joining lifted weights.  When I joined (at age 23) I could do 19 chin-ups but I wasn't aerobically fit.  Later in the army I became a recruit instructor and was strong and aerobically fit and always lifted weights.  Even now my resting heart beat is less than 60 BPM and I'm still quite strong.  I can do ten chin ups on a standard door frame :-) ; but I'm smallish too (168cm, 63 kilos) which helps.  

I remember last year at the Grampians bouldering festival I was doing stuff other relative beginners couldn't who were younger than me.  The person running the workshop thingy said "That's the other thing about Carl, he TRIES really hard".  I try really hard because I'm competing.  Competing against time, age and yeah, other people too :-).  Trying really really hard is key I think.  Some people don't actually TRY hard enough.  A couple of weeks ago I went climbing with a guy who was 62 years old and he was climbing stronger than me.  Granted he'd been climbing for about 40 years but the first thing I thought was "I'll have to measure up!".

Restrictions? Yes.  Quite a few.  I tore my ACL in my right knee in the army and also my Medial ligament.  This means my heel hooks such as I lack leg biceps (hamstring) strength.  I DO use my arms and back a lot, too much in a way to compensate.  I very often down climb at the climbing gym if I can to save my knees.  When I go away climbing for a long period and have to hike around the place my knees swell up terribly.  I love roof climbs and pumpy, strong routes.  I never really trained as such for climbing, but I have bought some Metolius Rock Rings and some gymnastic rings.  I do the Rock Ring workout and also just the spt position on the gymnastic rings.  I'm trying to get a lot better as using my core.  I also watch a LOT of climbing videos, I think the more you see the more you start to emulate.

Like you Lori I also am very wary of injury.  A twisted knee or ankle at our age could mean so much time off it'll be hard to get back in to it.  

Keep clambering, keep strong and try really, really hard!

Carl

So nice of you to respond, again, Carl!  One day we may meet up on a crag!  I had to respond to your comment about trying.  I think that's a part of the advantage of age.  We can be persistent. I had my indoor climbing instruction today, and I wanted to return to a 5.10a climb I have tried, tried and just couldn't get. (Last four weeks)  I've climbed higher grades, but this one, I have fallen over and over again and was determined to keep at it!   So I said "Let's try it again" and I finally nailed it!  It was a very tough climb, for me (I have a picture!) because it's all stemming and inching up the vertical wall with only slopers and no real holds.  No jugs.  Persistence.  It felt so good to get this one done before they redid the route!  Victory!  :-)