New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #6

Alrighty, fisherpeople, correct me if I enlighten Lori incorrectly, here.

Lori? "Crappy" is something that's, uh, shitty. Crappie (pronounced croppy) are fish that seem to be abundant and easyish to catch, maybe, cus they seem to be introduced into every man-made reservoir.

As for what I am up to?!?!!

It's what I am down ​to! A trip to City of Rocks with my out of town​​​ best ever friend, AND, get to meet our very own Erika! Wahoo!

Even better?

A second COR trip, the very end of May, again, meeting a very dear friend from MP, for their first trip there, and our first face to face meeting!

But absolute best?

June 28th is my last day of employment!

Okay, way too many !!! but what's a girl to do?

Which brings me to this:

Dallas and Barb, where the heck will you be in July? I can't cram a Smith Rocks trip in this month, although June is a maybe.

Everyone else? I would be super stoked to catch up with any of you. Keep me posted if a rendezvous could be in the works. Maybe this fall? Right now, the only thing I have scheduled for the rest of the summer is the Idaho Mountain Festival mid August. I'll be packing the swim suit for that one for sure!

And of course, as always, if anyone takes a wrong turn at Albuquerque and finds themselves in Boise, give a holler! Maybe work on those map skills too...

Best, Helen

John Barritt wrote:

Probably a gar, maybe a spoonbill. Both edible, the gar being the better of the two (white flaky chicken breast-like meat)......water snakes not on the "live-off-the-land things to be eaten" list. Moccasins have a foul stench, don't think you could stand to clean one if they were edible.

Now, back on track.....this boulder of which you speak. Are you wanting to climb it alone but rope protect it. Or with a belayer?

This boulder of which I speak.  I have no idea how to climb it safely... I've never climbed a boulder outside.  I just realized that more and more I hesitate to ask someone to rig a route that I already know I cannot finish... and this boulder would take some doing.  But heck.. I'm still thinking about it, and so maybe it's worth the effort, even if I don't get very far.  It's a gorgeous rock, and of course there will be pictures here replete with all the drama and the tragedy and the joy... .    

Lori Milas wrote:

This boulder of which I speak.  I have no idea how to climb it safely... I've never climbed a boulder outside.  I just realized that more and more I hesitate to ask someone to rig a route that I already know I cannot finish... and this boulder would take some doing.  But heck.. I'm still thinking about it, and so maybe it's worth the effort, even if I don't get very far.  It's a gorgeous rock, and of course there will be pictures here replete with all the drama and the tragedy and the joy... .    

If it's really a perfect hand crack look at it as a chance to perfect downclimbing, too. 

Lori Milas wrote:

... I've never climbed a boulder outside...

WHAT!! Who let this person on this thread!!!

Carl Schneider wrote:

WHAT!! Who let this person on this thread!!!

Try re-reading the thread title. ;)

Chris and Freda wrote: I’m hoping someone here can help with a question on guided climbing in Patagonia. A little background first.  Last year we took a trip to Italy to climb in the Dolomites, and since we are fairly new to the ‘climbing scene’ we looked for a mountain guide service that could set up our entire trip including lodging and a guide for climbing. It worked out great, and we had a ball. And we did confirm a few things; we need a bed to sleep in (our lower backs are well past hiking in with a backpack and sleeping on the ground), we love having a guide since we are not particularly strong leaders, especially on unfamiliar rock and routes; and we don’t speak any foreign languages (well...Freda speaks Swedish, but that isn’t helpful outside of Sweden).

So we’ve been kind of looking at Patagonia both because it has some incredible scenery and, reputedly, some fabulous multi-pitch rock climbing. We love multi-pitch trad, and Yosemite is one of our favorite places - although we can only do the easier stuff, I’m afraid.

My research into Patagonia shows 1) there are a ton of Cerro this and Cerro that with climbing, but 2) it seems most of it is focused on the dirtbag climber, i.e. not much in the way of lodging, and guide services that are basically just ‘day’ guides.

So, my question is, does anyone know of a great place to climb in Patagonia with nearby comfortable lodging and supported by a bilingual guide service?

In addition to Donini, try contacting yanqui over on SuperTopo.  He lives in Argentina.

Carl Schneider wrote:

WHAT!! Who let this person on this thread!!!

That does it Carl! I’m going to take pictures of that boulder that are so salacious and f’ing sexy you’ll hop a plane and fly 18 solid hours just to have a go at it.   You’ll be writing poetry about it. You’ll be singing songs.   It’ll make you drink. 

Old lady H wrote: Which brings me to this:

Dallas and Barb, where the heck will you be in July? I can't cram a Smith Rocks trip in this month, although June is a maybe.

Best, Helen

You'll definitely enjoy climbing with Erika. 

June we will be in Silver Falls State Park, bit of a drive back to smith so probably won't go much if any.

July is Detroit Lake State Park, 88 miles west of Smith Rock State Park, Kayak guides again so weekends will be out for us.

We are getting some climbing in, rough start. But yesterdays climbs were awesome, new shoes helped.

We annoyed some of the locals however.  The others heard him just fine, but really scary to me is I did not hear him rattle, stupid hearing loss, sometimes old age sucks. Barb gets to walk in front from now on.  .

Dallas R wrote:

We annoyed some of the locals however.  The others heard him just fine, but really scary to me is I did not hear him rattle, stupid hearing loss, sometimes old age sucks. Barb gets to walk in front from now on.  .

Dallas

We went climbing the other day and I found a copperhead snake right were we wanted to climb. Your rattle snake at least makes noise when you get near it, Copperheads do not. As we were leaving, my wife almost stepped onto a 4 foot long copperhead.

Sometimes they are a little hard to see. This is the smaller one.

John

Lori Milas wrote:

That does it Carl! I’m going to take pictures of that boulder that are so salacious and f’ing sexy you’ll hop a plane and fly 18 solid hours just to have a go at it.   You’ll be writing poetry about it. You’ll be singing songs.   It’ll make you drink. 

Oi I don't need no one to make me drink woman, I do that very well on me own...

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote:

Try re-reading the thread title. ;)

Ha ha.  Should we change it to New and Experienced Climbers and Boulderers Over 50? :-)

Carl Schneider wrote:

Ha ha.  Should we change it to New and Experienced Climbers and Boulderers Over 50? :-)

Boulderer.  (no 's')  As far as I know there's only one.    

Lori Milas wrote:

Boulderer.  (no 's')  As far as I know there's only one.    

How quickly they forget...  :-(

Old lady H wrote:

How quickly they forget...  :-(

Ummm... I meant you, Helen!!!  Carl lives in Australia and so whatever he does doesn’t count—besides he’s determined to bust his shoulder just for the hell of it. And I don’t know my project this week counts as “bouldering“ if I use a rope... but I will be roped or nothin’.  Not breaking an ankle for this.   I think the title is yours, Helen, but we will need more videos as proof. 

BTW, it sounds like everyone is risking life and limb more for reptiles than for rocks this spring.  Got hung up trying to figure out the proper name for snakes: if the person who studies snakes is s herpetologist then is a snake s Herptivore? No. I need more time for research but... too late, I’m off to the desert!!! 

Lori Milas wrote:

Ummm... I meant you, Helen!!!  Carl lives in Australia and so whatever he does doesn’t count—besides he’s determined to bust his shoulder just for the hell of it. And I don’t know my project this week counts as “bouldering“ if I use a rope... but I will be roped or nothin’.  Not breaking an ankle for this.  

I think we properly call that "Low Ball Top Roping."

But I totally agree it's not worth breaking an ankle or anything else...

Sadly the chick has died.  Monument is now open for climbing.

That's the headline, the nesting Golden Eagles that occupy the Monument Ridge Climbing area at Smith Rock State Park only had one chick this year.  It was confirmed that the chick perished so the no climbing restriction has been lifted early.  Bad news for golden eagles. 

​Link to climbing restriction being lifted, scroll down....​​​

The Smith Park State Park official site does not state that Monument is open, they simply deleted the closing restriction.   ​Smith Rock SP Notices​​​

Before climbing there I will consult the bulletin boards and/or the visitor center/ and/or the park office to confirm. 

Lori Milas wrote:

Ummm... I meant you, Helen!!!  Carl lives in Australia and so whatever he does doesn’t count—besides he’s determined to bust his shoulder just for the hell of it. And I don’t know my project this week counts as “bouldering“ if I use a rope... but I will be roped or nothin’.  Not breaking an ankle for this.   I think the title is yours, Helen, but we will need more videos as proof. 

BTW, it sounds like everyone is risking life and limb more for reptiles than for rocks this spring.  Got hung up trying to figure out the proper name for snakes: if the person who studies snakes is s herpetologist then is a snake s Herptivore? No. I need more time for research but... too late, I’m off to the desert!!! 

Bouldering ain't no with no rope, no how. But get that proj done however you do it! Looks cool. 

My shoulder is not good BTW. Got a bit of a bruise now... 

I can't climb cause I'm broken, but can I post a Carl poem?
A Carl poem is not a real poem, but nevertheless, let it happen...

I Want To Live With Gorillas
by Carl

I want to live with gorillas,
And I want to be driven by emotion,
Not what some fucker says.

I want to show my displeasure,
By baring my teeth and scowling,
Instead of writing this.

I want to rise up, bash my chest and scream,
At your stupid fucking society,
That's mad, insane and obscene.

I want to live with gorillas,
It'd be interesting, weird and scary,
And yet,
So serene.

Goofing around on boulders is fun Hueco Tanks is nice. Lynn Hill  below.

Jeffrey Constine wrote:

Goofing around on boulders is fun Hueco Tanks is nice. Lynn Hill  below.

In the first photo, that is the most fun I have ever seen a spotter have!