New and Experienced climbers over 50 ##24

Thanks all! Great looking climbs, right in “my lane” - hopefully I will get to meet a bunch of you!
Safe travels 

Erika it’s quite amusing you did a route mamed Tachycardia when we’ve been talking about SLOW heart rates lately. 

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Erika it’s quite amusing you did a route mamed Tachycardia when we’ve been talking about SLOW heart rates lately. 

I get such a kick out of route names. I have deduced from routes associated with Dave Hauser that he was just a decent wholesome guy because there is nothing risqué or suggestive about any of his routes. That is unless the woke folks can find a problem with chocolate chips and double scoops of ice cream.

I am traveling today so I’m at In-N-Out in Fresno. This is now Tony’s favorite place. But when he first arrived from Chicago he couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. Everyone here is so damn wholesome and clean cut. We’ve been wondering if that’s part of their hiring rules but today the guy who waited on me had a huge bandage on his arm and I asked him what happened and he peeled it back to show a tattoo. There are no tattoos allowed it In-N-Out! 

My HR is normally 42-44. Drops to 32 sometimes. I am 68. Similar for my brother (60 y.o.)

Avid bicyclist friend of mine, in his young 50s (I don't know exactly) is 32 normally.

mostly it is genetics. My HR does not vary by how active I am

Lori, I agree 100% that Sharma has his hips in really well, even on overhanging rock.  It is even more important when it is less than vert and you should be standing on your feet.

Dave did NOT name most of the climbs that he and I put up, I did.  So, I guess you are saying I must be a wholesome individual.  I'll let my wife know that at least one person in the world thinks that.

Guy Keeseewrote:

Leaving for Maple Canyon Wednesday at zero dark 30… I have always liked “cobble” climbing. I love it when you look up and see hundreds of holds- but nothing is a hold! Except for that one little positive edge- that works- but only if your foot is over there and your hip is turned in.

I’m going to die! My hit list is short. But I’m inspired by OLH’s Trip Report of a certain 3 pitch 5.6…. I think I can pull it off, seriously.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/107669530/tachycardia     This is the one- I think? 

Lori- the whole subject of “hips in”. Most who only climb granite don’t learn about it really. I never really learned how to do it when all I did was climb in California, for 15 years. But when sport climbing started and I went and climbed way overhanging stuff- with big jugs- I was blown away! Turns out that one needs to use your feet even more then when slab climbing. True! Your feet and legs (largest muscles in your body) move ya around to change the pressure on your fingers/hands. For me it was eye opening. Not much in the way of steep stuff in the Monument at all.

But heck you’ll be 70 soon! I was sitting with the Wife the other day, she was complaining that she was tired and sore… from all the Grandma  stuff she has been doing lately. I informed her that “that feeling is Old Age” … “nobody tells you it’s coming, if they did, you wouldn’t believe them”. ….

Erika- best of luck with recovery! Will be at City till the 11th … I hope to see a bunch of the peeps that inhabit this thread.

Carl- Keep on cranking! 

Guy, it was:

 https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106424661/changing-the-stripes

Did that trip with Erika and Jim. I flew to SLC, drove a rental to Maple to meet up. Super fun trip! I actually had a sprained ankle at the time. Plane ride and drive were worse than climbing. So was getting back down the steep approach. Pretty sure I did a bit of it on my butt, and they graciously roped me down a tiny tiny down climb. I was still babying the same sprain on a later trip to COR, lol! 

Maple canyon is just fun. So improbable! It's also the only time I've seen someone z clip, outside of a gym. Some young guy on an easy and very very closely bolted thing.

Less than a week to COR, for me. Tomorrow, hands on rock, a bouldering jaunt, yay! Hoping it isn't too hot.

Today was a trip to one of our great many hot springs, a developed one, near the Snake river outside of Hagerman. It is sooo pleasant to be in unchlorinated water! This one was interesting. It has a high mineral content, over 200 different things was what they told me, with sodium and another I'm forgetting high on the list. The water was very soft, actually felt slippery, and had some buoyancy to it. Arms would float up if you just relaxed.They also told me the ph was 900 something! 

They also had an alligator. 

Best, Helen

Old lady Hwrote:

Guy, it was:

 https://www.mountainproject.com/route/106424661/changing-the-stripes

Did that trip with Erika and Jim. I flew to SLC, drove a rental to Maple to meet up. Super fun trip! I actually had a sprained ankle at the time. Plane ride and drive were worse than climbing. So was getting back down the steep approach. Pretty sure I did a bit of it on my butt, and they graciously roped me down a tiny tiny down climb. I was still babying the same sprain on a later trip to COR, lol! 

Maple canyon is just fun. So improbable! It's also the only time I've seen someone z clip, outside of a gym. Some young guy on an easy and very very closely bolted thing.

Less than a week to COR, for me. Tomorrow, hands on rock, a bouldering jaunt, yay! Hoping it isn't too hot.

Today was a trip to one of our great many hot springs, a developed one, near the Snake river outside of Hagerman. It is sooo pleasant to be in unchlorinated water! This one was interesting. It has a high mineral content, over 200 different things was what they told me, with sodium and another I'm forgetting high on the list. The water was very soft, actually felt slippery, and had some buoyancy to it. Arms would float up if you just relaxed.They also told me the ph was 900 something! 

They also had an alligator. 

Best, Helen

They lied   

Not a lie. Just an alternative fact! 

Jan, FINALLY we’re putting some meat on these bones.  So Dave was not the wholesome one?  It was you all along.  I wish ol’ Dave would show up here and hold forth his side of these storIes.  

Helen… we have some mineral springs down the road in Desert Hot Springs.  The key mineral I was looking for was lithium, and those springs have a lot of it.  Lithium has such an impact on health, our mental health, anxiety, etc… and it’s hit and miss in various municipalities.  Where there is a lot of lithium (parts of Texas are an example) the suicide,, bipolar and depression rates are extremely low—it’s been medically correlated. So I went hunting for lithium water, and lithium soaks.  At that time a place called Two Bunch Palms was a spa/hotel that boasted the highest lithium water in the country, so I spent plenty of time there soaking.  The place has been bought and sold a dozen times, and they got big heads… and now charge $400+ a night, or $200 for day use.  Just down the road are other hot springs, one is called Miracle Spa… for $15 you can spend the day.  Two Bunch swears their water is different.  As best I can tell, it all comes from the same aquifer.  But in my opinion, high mineral water is magical. 

Helen, they are teasing because pH ranges from 0-14. Less than  4 (acidic) or greater than 10 (basic) would cause chemical burns. You may know that but not everyone probably does. 

Lori Milaswrote:

Jan, FINALLY we’re putting some meat on these bones.  So Dave was not the wholesome one?  It was you all along.  I wish ol’ Dave would show up here and hold forth his side of these storIes.  

No, Dave was as wholesome as they come.  Super nice guy.  Just rarely came up with cool names for routes.  Herb Laeger was also pretty good at naming routes - except that he needed a 'welcome to...' at ever crag he climbed at.

I have a question for you all about ropes.  I friend of mine has recently returned from Australia to Poland where she is working in climbing gyms and also has some clients she takes out top roping.  Here in Australia at some locations (certainly around Adelaide) there are huge ‘bollards’ sunk in to the ground at the top of a climb. The bollards are huge steel rings. We set up a static rope on these (fig 8, sling, locking biner) with two fig 8s dangling over the edge with two steel lockers on those (one on each) then the dynamic rope passing through those (see image).  Of course, we also lead bolted routes where the leader may pass the rope through two opposing quickdraws at the top for someone else to TR.

Anyway, question is, is there actually a need to use a dynamic rope when top roping? The forces are low, esp if the belayer keeps the climber tight.  My friend is to take a partially blind client top roping. The client will be kept very tight as she climbs.  The fall will therefore be very minimal, inches at most.  A static rope  is cheaper and more robust. I feel many of us use a dynamic rope for TRing as it’s muti purpose and probably lighter and thinner.  I’ve always used a static when solo TRing as the ascender I use is toothed (I don’t want to rip the rope sheath) and falls are very short.

So, question is, is there actually a need to use a dynamic rope when top roping? Can one use a static?

Hi Carl,

At my Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School, based at Joshua Tree, we've used low-stretch ropes for over 30 years for pure toproping. They're more abrasion resistant, and help prevent injuries from rope stretch, especially on longer routes.

For example, on a steep 100-foot-tall route (200 feet of rope out) if a big guy (like me) falls near the bottom on a dynamic rope with a bit of slack, you'll get about 10% rope stretch, which can be enough to hit the deck.

My favorite rope for toproping is the 10 mm Sterling Safety Pro. It's a low-stretch rope with about 4% stretch in a toprope fall scenario. It's supple enough for good handling and knotability.  It's also an excellent rope for rappelling, rigging, and toprope rope soloing.

Note that you'll want a low-stretch rope (also known as low-elongation or semi-static), not a static rope, for toproping. Sometimes the names are used interchangeably.

When buying a low-stretch rope, look at the specs. You want EN 1891: Type A, with an elongation of 3 to 4% at 300 pound load.

A true static rope, like the Sterling HTP Static, has an elongation of 1% at 300 pounds, and some static ropes have virtually no stretch, which would put higher forces on your toprope anchor. Static ropes also are generally stiffer with poor handling characteristics.

Yes, static ropes are fine for top-roping and very commonly used for that purpose in my area. Just  be sure you are able to identify it, so that it doesn’t get used for leading. As you said, many folks, myself included, use a dynamic rope for both leading and top-roping as a matter of convenience. I have heard recently of something called a ‘semi-static’ rope, but have no idea what the intended ‘niche’ such a rope is meant to occupy—most importantly is it appropriate to lead on it? If it isn’t, I am baffled as to its value.

Semi static/low stretch aka “gym ropes” are pretty much the ideal for toproping. A truly static rope - think steel cable. -doesn’t really exist in the climbing context, although an ideal application would be to thread the bollard for an anchor in Carl‘s scenario.  On the other end of the spectrum a really dynamic rope- think rubber band- wouldn’t be of much use in a climbing context - unless the start involves a rebound from a bungee jump

My friend John Wheeler waited 75 years for his 1st roped rock climb.  We tried a few days ago but Isa fell in a boulder field and tore her meniscus. anyways I got back out with John today and  bought him up a 30m 5.6 slab climb that My friend Alden bolted awhile back.  We got out early before the heat and the buggs got too bad.  Ironically My friend John Weeler  just had his first rock climb on Mt Wheeler.. No relation that I am aware of.. 

John was complaining that he could not see well because the helmet kept falling over his eyes. Now that I look at the photos I see he had it on basakwards.. Good thing I am not a guide! Flunked the test again... If any of you folks out there ever volunteer to be clients for a guides exam you should try that trick to keep in humorous ;) 

We got out bouldering today! Myself, Paul, our friend S, and the disembodied tail is attached to a truly fabulous boulderer! 

Well, okay. The experts were not impressed.

They like to watch. Usually several per boulder, all sizes. Some looked rather wide. Pregnant lizards???

Many fence lizards and tiny little sagebrush lizards out there! They seem curious.

H.

I don’t think he has fully reformed yet!    

Old lady Hwrote:

My first thought on seeing this photo is “Tick check”. Are there ticks in your area?  I’m so paranoid about them. 

phylp phylpwrote: My first thought on seeing this photo is “Tick check”. Are there ticks in your area?  I’m so paranoid about them. 

Yes, but not many. I've only even seen a tick twice in all the decades I've been here.

I just ran into info somewhere that our cute little fanboy fence lizards not only don't get whatever causes lime, but if a tick ingests their blood, that tick no longer carries Lyme either. I didn't dig into it in depth, cuz ticks just aren't where we go, but there might be a nice fat juicy chunk of research to read! I at least go to the abstract for stuff like this.

https://openspacetrust.org/blog/lizards/

That area is really really dry, and sadly, mostly cheet grass and other awful things that don't make browse for deer and such. It's home to ground squirrels (Columbian??), the tiny ones, who both hibernate and estivate, and that sudden explosion of a bazillion little rodents scarpering all over in the spring allowed it to be home to the largest concentration of nesting raptors in North America, and possibly the world. Look up the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey area if that's of interest. I could hear the high "raaack raaack raaack raaack" of somebody way up high yesterday. Oh, and a crow (raven?) was doing a very credible "grug grug" pheasant call. No idea why, except, why not, lol!

Best, Helen

Edit to add, the fleas on the ground squirrels carry bubonic plague, so in theory we could be at risk for the Black Death. There's been a couple instances of cats bringing home presents for their hoomans over the years, or getting fleas from their hunting.