Mediocre climbing accomplishments

abandon moderation wrote:

One day, when I was climbing with Tommy Caldwell... well, actually, when I walked past him while leaving the Village grocery store with my bag of Doritos... I felt so strong after passing through his aura that I went on to send 5.9.

Here's my top mediocre climbing accomplishment: I once saw TC at the Denver airport baggage claim, and I showed the self restraint to not interrupt his trip and let him live his life. That's like 5.13 for a climbing nerd.

I’ve eaten more shit than anyone on MP

I saw Hans Florine in the lovers leap parking lot and he gave me a “do hard things” sticker after I told him I did Corrugation Corner IAD. 

Ive been a member of MP since when it was climbingboulder.com

I left my shoes in the car and had to follow 5.10 Barefoot. Schist is really sharp. Ouch

KW, all joking aside, I think most of us are pretty jealous of the adventures you have had!

Not so mediocre...

Honestly, my greatest mediocre climbing achievement is creating a new zigzagging route between other routes at a local crag. The utter thrill of being the first to find a new sequence was freaking amazing. When I can’t sleep at night I literally relive the process in my head. 

ryan climbs sometimes wrote:

is that really an accomplishment?

Nope.

But is mediocre AF

John Edwin wrote:

I’ve eaten more shit than anyone on MP

Are you a crag dog?

Darren Mabe wrote:

Ive been a member of MP since when it was climbingboulder.com

I remember when you didn’t need a password. Make a comment and scroll down through a list of names to choose who was saying it. Good times.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:

I remember when you didn’t need a password. Make a comment and scroll down through a list of names to choose who was saying it. Good times.

I definitely posted under the wrong name at least twice because of that.

My mediocre accomplishment was climbing one of Kevin W routes in the valley

Mine is having recently realized that Kevin Worrall and Kevin DeWeese are different people.

Today I used the Texas Rope Trick around a tree to avoid rapping from webbing of an unknown age that was cut about 1/4 way through.

If I had any cordage or webbing I would have backed up the current anchor, but the longest thing I had was a 48in dyneema sling that was just barely long enough to get around the tree after clipping some carabiners to each end so I wouldn't be dragging my rope directly across the sling.

Back in 1971, while in Leysin Switzerland, I got royally drunk with Dougal Haston, and a bunch of other climbers.  I was with another UK climbing buddy, and we were all pounding the booze down. There was one guy sitting directly across from me, with a fag in his mouth, just kind of following the conversation.   Back then I was kind of into hero worship, being a young, eager climber. and I asked my buddy,  in a whisper, " are there any other famous climbers in here".  My buddy replied in a whisper that the guy with the fag in his mouth, directly in front of me was Don Whillans.  

I'm sure Whillans heard every word, and I felt like a complete ass.

I let Alex Borrow my guide book in Zion so he could free solo shunes butt

l let Matt Segal borrow a cam so he and Jessie Huey could attempt to free the diamond in winter (I was on broadway) toot toot

Matt Robinson wrote:

Today I used the Texas Rope Trick around a tree to avoid rapping from webbing of an unknown age that was cut about 1/4 way through.

If I had any cordage or webbing I would have backed up the current anchor, but the longest thing I had was a 48in dyneema sling that was just barely long enough to get around the tree after clipping some carabiners to each end so I wouldn't be dragging my rope directly across the sling.

I once used the equivocation hitch to rappel four 25ft steps with three people without ever untying from either end of the rope. “Saved” from the risk of a few V0 minus minus downclimbs in exchange for arguably just as much risk. 

Successfully cleaned the Kor Roof on Washington Column South Face in under 3 hrs (on sight, that is by the light of the full moon rising over Half Dome)

Bailed off the Nose

Nearly secured the team on sight of Middle Cathedral East Butt if not for ripping a poorly placed cam on the 50 Crowded pitch and taking a big whipper

As long as we're name dropping.. rapped down Hans Florine's rope off the summit block of Cathedral Peak. Did a massive minute-long-delayed double take after walking right by Ron Kauk in the scintillating dusk light by the Tuolumne store (wearing my prescription sunnies too long as per usual) then ran back to talk to him but he was already gone

Have redpointed numerous 20 ft boulders at the 5.10 grade at Mt Woodson. Successfully initiated dulfersitz rappel after getting stuck on top of Robbins Crack but aborted the descent after freaking out my friends. It's called alpinism sheesh

Learned how to climb in joshua tree without breaking a single bone. (Credit to the cats claw bush softening the landing after decking on Mike's Books, my very first lead attempt)

Just a decidedly mediocre climbing career having the time of my life with my mates !! Dig the spirit of this thread!

I did a bivouac with Yvon Chouinard, on a small ledge, in the Tetons back in 1971, while attempting the 1st ascent of "Run- Don't -Walk Couloir on Mt. Owen, in the Tetons. We bailed since the conditions weren't right.