12 standard replies to "Do you want to go climbing?"

"5. The most straightforward snobby kind of reply, a text something like the following: “no can go”. Also points for intellectual condescension."

You come off really oddly in your post.  Do you really perceive a response like this as snobby and condescending?  That is just someone saying they can't go.  If you read anything more into that, that is on you.  How do you want them to respond when they are unavailable?

~ Gabe

anon one wrote: Has anyone had similar experiences?

Have you ever considered putting forth to time to develop your mountain project profile? There is literally nothing about you as a person, what you have climbed, or where you have climbed. Nothing on your to do list, if you climb Trad, Boulder, Sport or Gym rat climb. Nothing just a blank void of absolutely nothing about you.  

KennyJoe Sabine wrote:

Have you ever considered putting forth to time to develop your mountain project profile? There is literally nothing about you as a person, what you have climbed, or where you have climbed. Nothing on your to do list, if you climb Trad, Boulder, Sport or Gym rat climb. Nothing just a blank void of absolutely nothing about you.  

I think you haven’t read anon’s post. (S)He even had a category for “response showing the person hasn’t read my post”

This is the most ridiculous MP therapy thread yet!

Tradiban wrote: Dudes and dudettes, I never fret for a partner. Here are my secrets:

-Scour the forums constantly for potentials. Then Google the shit out of them.

-Once you find a worthy bae, court them like you would approach the neighbors dog. Carefully but with ardor.

-Once you've scored a commitment, double check, triple check, quadruple check, that they are committed. If they start to sound flaky, get a backup pard'ner but don't tell either, one or the other will bail anyway.

-If they show up, and that's a big "IF", punch them straight in the mouth, this establishs dominance. With dominance you set the pace, pick the routes and generally own the day.

-If they survive the first climb, before they can quit, drag them onto another climb. Followers love leaders. Write that down.

-At the end of the day, stand over them while they gasp for air and smoke a cigarette, commenting how there's still light left. Again, followers love leaders. Write that down again.

Are you getting all this? To sum it up, carpe diem.

Solid advice. Lol.  Just remember folks, finding climbing partners is like dating. It's better to find them outside than online. My climbing partner of the last 5 years struck up a conversation with me in REI. Just like swiping left or right on your phone to find the hookup for the weekend, but with climbing partners, you never know what you're gonna get until you meet them in person.  

Don't be a pussy, if you see a potential, go ask for the digits bro!

Tim Stich wrote:

Is that GG Allen?

I think this issue could be a bit area and climbing style specific.

When I moved to San Fran I spent a lot of time trying to use mountain project to find gym partners, and actually did end up meeting up, and climbing with two people from the forum. It was a daunting task however, and was not worth the time and effort of finding them through the forum. In the end it was much easier to meet up with strangers at the gym by walking up and asking for a belay.

Contrast this to looking for partners in RMNP, for alpine climbing. Both myself and my old roommate have used the forum to find a partner for longer, more committing routes (compared to normal trad climbing) and found the people interested in the post to be quite reliable. To be fair you will also get way less interest in these kinds of posts, as less people have been hit on the head enough to think its fun.

I think sport and trad climbing in areas that are more for cragging can fall into a mix between the two, where some people who message really are interested in committing to a day of climbing, where others are just sort of entertaining the thought of it, but not really planning on doing anything. It becomes your job to sort though the BS.

Lena chita wrote:

I think you haven’t read anon’s post. (S)He even had a category for “response showing the person hasn’t read my post”

The Void.

I feel that if you start a thread on mountain project looking for a partner you owe the people who respond a response.  

I have responded to 3 different people/threads this week and have not heard back from any of them!  A simple "sorry already found a partner" would be nice.

Buck Rio wrote: I met a guy milling around at the base of Echo Rocks in JTree in the late 90's. He looked like a slob, dirty clothes, about 50 pounds overweight, gear that was old (tied 1" webbing for draws and two ovals). I casually asked if he needed a belay, he said "Thank God, I won't have to solo everything". He proceeded to drag me up at least a dozen hard (for me 5.10-5.11), run-out friction routes. He led them all without any falls, I was in awe of him. His Buddies showed up and I never saw him again. His name was "Jim", and he looked like a fat Henry Barber.

So sometimes just showing up and not being too shy can be rewarding.  Heart & Sole and EBGB's are still my favorite JTree climbs.  

Buck I met a guy "guiding" a couple in the same area. They had met online and had paid him with a tank of gas and beer. This dude was setting up a belay for the couple using a ice axe wedged between two boulders... I was out doing a solo circuit bc all my group had gone home for the weekend, so I ran up some easy route because it looked scary from the ground. Looked even scarier up top, dude set a top rope to himself with him standing BEHIND the ice axe and 3 points of a anchor all tied to the ice axe... it was a thing of beauty. 

I convinced them to hold off and convinced the "guide" that he could be of more help on the ground "coaching". I ran to the car and got my rack and built a anchor for them... I spent the rest of my day belaying that couple up climbs while the old guy pontificated about routes and peaks he had climbed around the world...

TLDR be careful who you meet up with.

Jon Hillis wrote:

Buck I met a guy "guiding" a couple in the same area. They had met online and had paid him with a tank of gas and beer. This dude was setting up a belay for the couple using a ice axe wedged between two boulders... I was out doing a solo circuit bc all my group had gone home for the weekend, so I ran up some easy route because it looked scary from the ground. Looked even scarier up top, dude set a top rope to himself with him standing BEHIND the ice axe and 3 points of a anchor all tied to the ice axe... it was a thing of beauty. 

I convinced them to hold off and convinced the "guide" that he could be of more help on the ground "coaching". I ran to the car and got my rack and built a anchor for them... I spent the rest of my day belaying that couple up climbs while the old guy pontificated about routes and peaks he had climbed around the world...

TLDR be careful who you meet up with.

True, but Jim was the real deal. I have a feeling he would solo at his lead level. 

Anonymous wrote:

Although a good suggestion, I wouldn't recommend this at the majority of the crags I go to. Unless you have a TR Solo setup, that is. 

It's good advice for dating apps, though. Get off the damn phone and go take a dance class or something. 

Interesting. The majority of cliffs i frequent you need to lead in order to set up a TR. Most people will either let you join them or offer to hang your rope for you depending on how much of a psycho you seem to be. I guess in real life I'm not too psychotic?

Briggs Lazalde wrote:

" Hey man! Thanks for reaching out to me but I'm gonna be busy with _______those days. I still wanna get out as much as possible and if you have ________ days open I can meet you. If not keep me in mind and let's stay in touch. Good luck and be safe. Hopefully we can meet up soon and, again, I appreciate you reaching out. Send on buddy!"

I at least have the decency to leave a little more than "no can go". I would agree it's not super courteous to the other person by just saying "nope" basicly, but there is truth in what I said. I would make an effort to let the person know I'm not blowing them off and I truly am interested in meeting anyone and everyone to climb or even hang. For me, meeting people is a highlight of the freedoms we have in life.

That would be a very courteous response, I agree.    It is more than I would respond with, and more than I would expect anyone to respond with.  Though, I would certainly reply with more than "no can go".  I guess I would interpret that short response as "this person isn't that interested", but certainly wouldn't reach to "they are being snobby and condescending".  That is a biiiiiiiiiiiiiig reach.

Send me a message I'll climb with almost anyone!

I just  got stood up because I was told I climb  too hard (  or maybe  it was because  I won't lead  r rated  friction).

june m wrote: I just  got stood up because I was told I climb  too hard (  or maybe  it was because  I won't lead  r rated  friction).

in my experience, the best kind of friction is x rated.

I've had great success finding climbing partners via MP.   Never had a complete dud, just a couple where personalities didn't mesh.  Never had one that had mis-represented their capabilities.  Also have had good success finding partners in Europe via local climbing blogs.  

Rope solo