overheard at the crag: post it

Greg Miller wrote:

Me coming down from Sheeprock: What route are you going to do? 

Them: Out of breath, harnesses/gear on, big backpacks "Fractured Fairytales"

Them: Halfway up the approach to Sheeprock

What? I don't understand.

Marc801 Cwrote:

What? I don't understand.

They were on the wrong approach, and had already passed where they were trying to go. Dude provided no context at all lol

Tradibanwrote:

It's a long time honored tradition to not use chalk at Palisade Head. It was a compromise with the park to preserve the natural look of the cliffs. At least try colored chalk if you simply can't climb without.

Not at the head, it was at Taylor’s Falls where (at least from what I’ve heard) there is not a chalk ethic.

Also, the frustration came from them taking over routes and not letting anyone not in their party climb on them. Apparently they were doing some sort of clinic for inexperienced climbers and “reserving” the routes which meant nobody else was allowed to climb unless they were in their party. Kind of in poor form if you ask me. 

"The person with the biggest forearms makes the tea!"

Chronically Injuredwrote:

Also, the frustration came from them taking over routes and not letting anyone not in their party climb on them. Apparently they were doing some sort of clinic for inexperienced climbers and “reserving” the routes which meant nobody else was allowed to climb unless they were in their party. Kind of in poor form if you ask me. 

I can understand not wanting the inexperienced climbers to feel crowded out or intimidated by other climbers, but yes, it's poor form to hang a rope and not use it for prolonged periods of time and refuse to let anyone else use it. Especially if the crag is busy and other climbers have nothing in their range to get on. Doubly especially when it's multiple ropes and not just one rope. The guides should have demonstrated good crag etiquette by offering to let others politely work in when their ropes weren't in use.  

Chronically Injuredwrote:

Not at the head, it was at Taylor’s Falls where (at least from what I’ve heard) there is not a chalk ethic.

Also, the frustration came from them taking over routes and not letting anyone not in their party climb on them. Apparently they were doing some sort of clinic for inexperienced climbers and “reserving” the routes which meant nobody else was allowed to climb unless they were in their party. Kind of in poor form if you ask me. 

Wha!? Taylors is way ugly already, the chalk ain't gonna make a diff. And at DL you would just jump on their rope without even asking (true story).

Chronically Injuredwrote:

Not at the head, it was at Taylor’s Falls where (at least from what I’ve heard) there is not a chalk ethic.

Also, the frustration came from them taking over routes and not letting anyone not in their party climb on them. Apparently they were doing some sort of clinic for inexperienced climbers and “reserving” the routes which meant nobody else was allowed to climb unless they were in their party. Kind of in poor form if you ask me. 

Aside from the part about not letting people climb on their unused ropes, your entire post came across as, as someone else aptly put it, someone who's an ass.

While you were busy smirking at seniors flailing on 5.8, I was thinking that I hope I'm still climbing 5.8 in my 60s whether it's TR, sport, or trad.

And, if you're so cool and such a hard climber, why are you bitching here about a bunch of old people hogging up the beginner routes you seemingly were so resentful about not being able to climb?

Whether you realize it or not, you deserve all the pushback you're getting. As someone else already said, you sound like an ass. 

Oh for crying out loud, take your wankering somewhere else! This thread used to be good for a couple laughs with my morning coffee... 

Overheard at the indoor crag (gym) yesterday

Some newer girl climbers were zipping up some v1 and v3s that were small and balance-y. Their bro acquantaince hops on and promptly falls off

His excuse:

"My hands and feet are way too big for these holds"

dude belaying his partner, after stick-clipping his way up a 5.10b: "yeah this crag isn't that great. i usually just boulder here, i'm getting most of the v4s." (for a crag with only ~20 roped climbs, this crag is definitely punching above its weight, unlike the climber being discussed.)

we were going to stick around for our own lead on the climb so we could set up the neighboring 5.12 on TR; but after already asking 15 min ago if we could climb after them, he decided to share "oh but we have two more TR laps on this 5.10 first." 

cherry on top: his partner was on the clipped side of the rope of this traversing 5.10, so they were going to have to 'lead' it again with his stick clip to recover their draws. 

Robb Swrote:

Overheard at the indoor crag (gym) yesterday

Some newer girl climbers were zipping up some v1 and v3s that were small and balance-y. Their bro acquantaince hops on and promptly falls off

His excuse:

"My hands and feet are way too big for these holds"

This is my excuse on every route in the creek

"I'm anchoring myself to this tree to keep you safe in case you fall."

Said a dad to his 6YO daughter on her first climb.

The guy who said that had little experience beyond having taken a beginner course and an anchors course through REI. 

I was the guy who said that, lol.

But she didn't fall!

Connor Dobsonwrote:

This is my excuse on every route in the creek

I accept this excuse for crack climbing. Fair point

Guy cruises the first pitch of the Green Spur and is wayyy out of sight at the anchor. Female starts to follow very shakily and gets stuck at the first piece of gear for 10+ minutes.

I'm on the ground waiting. She yells down to me:

Female: Um, excuse me

Me: Yes?

Female: Do you know how to get this out of the rock?

Me: Probably. Is it a cam or a nut?

Female: I don't know.

I ended up following her up the climb helping her clean pieces and explaining to her how to get pulled up the rock by her belayer. When we reach her belayer I explain to him how to rap from that point. He says, "nah it's cool, we're just gonna switch over to Rewritten from here". I ended up linking into a different climb way left and never saw them again.

Robb Swrote:

Overheard at the indoor crag (gym) yesterday

Some newer girl climbers were zipping up some v1 and v3s that were small and balance-y. Their bro acquantaince hops on and promptly falls off

His excuse:

"My hands and feet are way too big for these holds"

As a small climber, people often tell me that I cheat because the holds are bigger for me. ( we won’t talk about the fact that they are further away and I have to use smaller holds/different sequences)

Wind, birds chirping, leaves blowing; not another person for miles! What a treat!!

Climbing near a fellow American couple at a popular crag in Kalymnos. The guy comes down from a route after hanging on nearly every bolt and exclaims, “Well that’s the first 5.11d I’ve ever sent!” I’m too caught off guard to react appropriately, or at all. He then asks me if I sent it (I offered some beta during his effort). I tell him I did. He then asks me, “Did you no-hang it?” I was so taken aback that I just said, “Yes. I sent the route.”  

In retrospect I really hope he was trolling me. 

Dakota from North Dakotawrote:

Climbing near a fellow American couple at a popular crag in Kalymnos. The guy comes down from a route after hanging on nearly every bolt and exclaims, “Well that’s the first 5.11d I’ve ever sent!” I’m too caught off guard to react appropriately, or at all. He then asks me if I sent it (I offered some beta during his effort). I tell him I did. He then asks me, “Did you no-hang it?” I was so taken aback that I just said, “Yes. I sent the route.”  

In retrospect I really hope he was trolling me. 

Overheard at the gym a few weeks ago: a coach congratulating a 10 year old for “sending” his first 5.12b after spending 20 or 30 minutes having his belayer drag him through the moves

Sadly, I don’t think your Kalymnos acquaintance was trolling you

Fifteen strokes = Hole in one!!

J Pwrote:

dude belaying his partner, after stick-clipping his way up a 5.10b: "yeah this crag isn't that great. i usually just boulder here, i'm getting most of the v4s." (for a crag with only ~20 roped climbs, this crag is definitely punching above its weight, unlike the climber being discussed.)

we were going to stick around for our own lead on the climb so we could set up the neighboring 5.12 on TR; but after already asking 15 min ago if we could climb after them, he decided to share "oh but we have two more TR laps on this 5.10 first." 

cherry on top: his partner was on the clipped side of the rope of this traversing 5.10, so they were going to have to 'lead' it again with his stick clip to recover their draws. 

I was there! When the leader/stick clipper pushed back on my comment that V4s at the crag "can be pretty stout" I couldn't help it, I waited until we had eye contact and said "I think the 4s here actually are pretty stout, I mean, the route you just "led" has at most a V0 on it" and did my best to let that `one sink in. I don't think it did.