Alpine climbing when you're not a morning person
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Hey all! |
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Suck it up, buttercup. :) |
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I am a morning person some days, and I do all these things! |
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FrankPS wrote: Suck it up, buttercup. :) Stole the words right out of my mouth. |
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FrankPS wrote: I feel like you like your job more than I do mine. |
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mediocre wrote: I'm retired, so you're probably right. |
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Cara Biner wrote: Hey all! Maybe just alpine rock in a region with no afternoon storms... |
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Some people can go to sleep earlier if they wake up earlier the day before. Try getting up at 6am instead of 10am for a couple days before your 3am alpine start, and go to bed correspondingly earlier. It also depends what your alpine start is for. Alpine start so you can be up and down an 8 hour route while things are still frozen, or to beat an afternoon thunderstorm? No biggie. You'll function just fine with almost no performance deficit on a bit less sleep. Need to do a 48 hour push? You'll need every minute of that good night's sleep you got the night before. Try a dose of diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to conk you out early the night before. |
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If you’re not suffering, you’re not doing it right. |
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The only thing that gets me out of bed early in the morning is an Alpine start-gotta want it :D |
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I just about always hike in the evening before. I’m the farthest from being a morning person but there’s something about waking up in the cool mountain air with anticipation of the climb that gets me going. |
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Not a morning person? Then just crank through the night. I've had some luck leaving the house after putting my kids in bed, drive through the night (less traffic), start hiking in the dark, and hit the start of the climb right at sunrise. After getting back to the car, take a nappuccino and hit the road. If I'm lucky I can be home for dinner with the family. |
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Is it even alpine climbing if you don't have that heady mix of sleep deprivation, that weird dream like state that accompanies it, hunger, and excitement about the day's objective!? |
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Tips for getting to sleep earlier:
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FrankPS wrote: Suck it up, buttercup. :) |
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Very true. I tell the whiners to “Suck it up because it goes with the territory and this is what you signed up for!” |
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Take up bouldering... |
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I mainly ski, so I don't have to get up as early as you suckas. But melatonin + 1 beer usually zonks me out. But beware, if you don't end up sleeping you get shitty hangover. |
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As an older climber, I have a lot of problems with young parties that are fast getting to.the crag, but slow once on it. Why the hurry? Sleep in, enjoy life! Let some fifty-five year old Dad who is up all night peeing anyway get up there first! |
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Just do not go to bed ... |
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Braden Downey wrote: Tips for getting to sleep earlier:Ambien 5mg. But you'll have a harder time getting to sleep the next night. Or else go climbing in Alaska or the Yukon. No need for an alpine start when the sun's up for 20 hours, so long as you're there in late spring or early summer. |