New and Experienced Climbers Over 50 #15

Kurt smith

rgoldwrote:

Here's a little tale about ground-up bolting from BITD.   supertopo.com/climbers-foru…

Literally wiping the sweat off my palms... great story!!

ErikaNWwrote:

Literally wiping the sweat off my palms... great story!!

More "fun" here -

Lori Milaswrote:

I've also been wondering how word got around.  Without the internet and Mountain Project, without cell phones... how did the climbing world grow and pass along information?  Would someone in New York, for instance, care that some guy named Bachar was performing magic here in Joshua Tree or in Yosemite?  And vice versa.  

In a way it was easier than in this age of Instagram. There was real climbing media. Among other, smaller publications, both Climbing and Rock & Ice were around and were quality publications, and climbing shops, which actually existed back then, often kept logs of local ascents/achievements. Of course, climbers traveled and information was exchanged word of mouth.  And, the community, despite its occasional histrionics, was really small and fairly tight knit. 

Lori Milaswrote:

.....

When we've talked about it where I'd like to go with this... Bob has said "You're going to have to get lighter, stronger, or more flexible" to climb at higher grades. It does seem true that some extra work is required here to climb above a 10b. (even a 10b). It's not about 'the grade', but about some exciting routes I really want to climb. It seems to be decision time--we have a local gym, I have all the training manuals I need, now to decide how much I really want it.

Yoga is your friend.  Stronger and more flexible, w/o a doubt.  Yoga + maybe some diet changes (?) could also mean lighter too and + 2-3 letter grades or more.  Plus, with inexpensive on-line classes you can do it at home, whenever you like, in any weather.

rgold great story. 

Lori push on! You have kept this thread going longer than I could have imagined & gotten some great climbers & personalities to come here and give really good advice & tell great stories. If you were not here this would not be happening & MP would be boring! The Vulgarians, there are pictures in the Smithsonian of Dick Williams climbing naked! 

wendy weisswrote:

Wait! Are you quitting climbing?

April Fools.....  

I took off fishing.

Lori- your doing great with your climbing. Right now, at my age, with all the battle scars, I feel pretty dam good when I climb a 10b. Proud of myself.  
Pretty soon it will be time to go climb in the Mountains. Pine Trees, streams, cool breezes..... You might just decide that slick golden granite is much better stone than gritty scruffy granite.

And speaking about how WE knew about climbs.  Mostly word of mouth. The first time I went to the needles it was after Phill Warner showed Pope and I a 8 x 10 photo of Voodoo Dome. Summit Magazine also had a 3 sentence report of a climb called “Pea Soup A3, 5.9 class 4” “ascend cracks to summit” Fred Becky and Dan McHale 1972 

So armed with this “beta” we set off on an adventure.

I’ve always climbed for adventure. When I hooked up with Kristen he was fresh outa the Gunks and Adirondacks. We were at Stoney and we talked about Adventure climbing and how he missed it. I tossed out “Castle Rock Spire” in Sequoia and it was on. After that one we went on to have many adventures together.

So what I’m trying to say is this- don’t get to hung up on grades, climb for the joy of climbing and the beauty of the places you visit and the friends you make.

“The Kid” ..... some 14-15 year old kid was at Josh all alone.... he bouldered with the “gang” one day... the next day he was at his table as we loaded up. Mari heads over to his table and says “heay kid what you doing today? Want to come along?” ....... Dam that Kid can climb!

We had  real journalism.  Mountain, Ascent. Climbing.   Pretty sure that All FA's that were submitted ran in  Mountain. not just the sexy cutting edge stuff. We had guide books and the local mtn shop was the place to find out what was going on. Bulletin /message boards at the mountain shop and the kiosk @ the climbing area if there was one were places where we left notes looking for partners.. topos on bar napkins.  at least that is how it was in the early 80s..  instead of google we had a phone book. I remember our first western trip in 86 getting completly spanked in Zion. we only had two 3 inch pieces on our rack. we arrived in vegas with tails between our legs.  needed more wide gear badly. stopped at the buss station to  look at a phone book and try to find a gear shop.  I put a quarter in the  one arm bandit  pulled the handle and 10 bucks worth of quarters came out!  It takes awhile for 40 quarters to spill out of a slot machine and it sounds wicked cool.   These days all you get if you win is a tiny piece of paper.  How boring is that...  anyways we found the gear shop and I bought a #11 hex and that big yellow 4inch tri cam.  headed out to Black velvet canyon and camped at the end of the road on that shelf @ the mouth of the canyon.. these days  that is so not legal... 

keep up the stoke Lorie!    

Great story Rich. were you not allowed to drill from the slung knobs? or just a case of being finished ;) 

 "KID... whad'ya get?" I said, "I didn't get nothing, I had to pay
$50 and pick up the garbage." He said, "What were you arrested for, kid?"
And I said, "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
There, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
Said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
And we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime, mother stabbing,
Father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the
Bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of Things.”  

Lori Milaswrote:

 "KID... whad'ya get?" I said, "I didn't get nothing, I had to pay
$50 and pick up the garbage." He said, "What were you arrested for, kid?"
And I said, "Littering." And they all moved away from me on the bench
There, and the hairy eyeball and all kinds of mean nasty things, till I
Said, "And creating a nuisance." And they all came back, shook my hand,
And we had a great time on the bench, talkin about crime, mother stabbing,
Father raping, all kinds of groovy things that we was talking about on the
Bench. And everything was fine, we was smoking cigarettes and all kinds of Things.”  

 

Got to hear him do this live, for the 50th anniversary tour! He was only adding it to concerts every ten years. Great concert!

Just like Thanksgiving meaning Alice's Restaurant to some of us of a certain age, mid April - when the Titanic sank - gets me thinking of this slightly edgier and a lot more obscure ballad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XFYMjkFYPg

Jamie Brockett was in my high school graduating class - I was one of the few who appreciated him...

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Great story Rich. were you not allowed to drill from the slung knobs? or just a case of being finished ;) 

Interesting question.  I didn't even try slinging the knobs until I had decided to retreat, so using them for placing gear wasn't on my horizon.  I imagine Kamps would have disapproved though,  In any case, it is hard to convey how sketchy those slings were. The knobs, as I remember them, were the size of marbles and didn't have any kind of recessed top edge.  I never actually weighted them and flicked the slings off with ease when I got closer to lower gear.

After a GREAT climbing day (following a grade 18 and a grade 19) I had a near meltdown on a piss easy grade 12 chimney (Watchtower chimney). One of those "I can't do this move I don't want to be here" routes. Did it all clean then started second guessing  the ATC orientation for the abseil. Basically one of those days where I consider selling my rack.. 

Lori Milaswrote:

When we've talked about it where I'd like to go with this... Bob has said "You're going to have to get lighter, stronger, or more flexible" to climb at higher grades.  It does seem true that some extra work is required here to climb above a 10b.  (even a 10b).  It's not about 'the grade', but about some exciting routes I really want to climb.  It seems to be decision time--we have a local gym, I have all the training manuals I need, now to decide how much I really want it.  

Are you doing any regular strength training now?

I am a big believer that everyone over 50 should do some type of strength training(progressive resistance training) just to fight off the natural muscle loss that happens as we age.  

Carl Schneiderwrote:

After a GREAT climbing day (following a grade 18 and a grade 19) I had a near meltdown on a piss easy grade 12 chimney (Watchtower chimney). One of those "I can't do this move I don't want to be here" routes. Did it all clean then started second guessing  the ATC orientation for the abseil. Basically one of those days where I consider selling my rack.. 

I call those burn-your-shoes-days.

I’m hiking up Ryan’s Mountain again this morning... having some diabetes related issues and trying to decide do I go forward or turn back.  It can get dicey.  But while I’m resting on a rock I’m chuckling about how Bob said “This is how I got such big legs, Lori. This is a real workout!”     So glad to know this is another indignity to look forward to—massive thighs as a reward for hiking. How feminine!

This off in the distance caught my eye.  Is it the Kingdome?  My understanding is that the approach requires a running long jump-type leap of  15-20 feet of basketball- rim height. SURE.  NO PROB!  I’m going to head that way and check this out.  

Carl Schneiderwrote:

After a GREAT climbing day (following a grade 18 and a grade 19) I had a near meltdown on a piss easy grade 12 chimney (Watchtower chimney). One of those "I can't do this move I don't want to be here" routes. Did it all clean then started second guessing  the ATC orientation for the abseil. Basically one of those days where I consider selling my rack.. 

Oh man, sorry!

My worst was just going up a single pitch at City to clean and lower off the anchors, last year. 

My partner uses alpine draws for the anchor, with edelrid bullet proof carabineers to top rope off of. 

Correctly anticipating the anchor being reachy for me, those slings were fully extended. Unfortunately, once I got up there, already tired, it was a hanging belay, the "stance" left me out of reach of the anchors. 

So.....

That meant a huge amount of faffing around, trying to make my personal work...with my tie in knot in the biners. Trying to get up, to get a bite through, everything pinned to the rock every time my weight was on it, but only arms to unweight, only the sport draws I cleaned to work with, besides my purcell I use as a pas....

It was a hot mess. I completely lost all ability to reason it out, cried some, couldn't get it back....and fully understood that was a dangerous point to get to. 

So....

Cobbled the mess back to a top rope, lowered, and sent my friend up to fix the mess. 

He was quite impressed. 

............

Shot two, coming up shortly! I'm both relieved, very grateful to soon be past this, but wondering if this second one will take me out for a few days. Whiny ass is used to never being sick, ever, lol! 

Someone, Victor maybe, is today, too?

Best, Helen

Lori Milaswrote:

This off in the distance caught my eye.  Is it the Kingdome?  My understanding is that the approach requires a running long jump-type leap of  15-20 feet of basketball- rim height. SURE.  NO PROB!  I’m going to head that way and check this out.  

I believe that is King Dome, the approach is a short easy hike past Hall of Horrors. The run and jump you described sounds like the start of Mission Impossible.