On finding big wall partners

I learned years ago that you don’t find partners for regular sport climbing from the group of people you know who don’t already climb. You have to look where the climbers are. I don’t gym climb, so that’s basically MP (shrug). But, to take that to the next level, I don’t think any of my regular sport climbing partners are actually up for the rigors of an actual big wall adventure style. Most will give lip service to the idea of climbing the nose “someday.” But, to commit to any other big wall, especially some obscure route that no one has ever heard of is an entirely different thing. At the other end of the spectrum, there are the super studs out there who regularly climb wicked hard big walls in record time, etc etc.

On the one hand, I’d be willing to take a climber with basic multi-pitch trad skills willing to learn a few things about hauling, etc up a small wall in exchange for a belay and help schlepping heavy loads. Personally, I wouldn’t mind leading every pitch if it comes to that.

In the middle range and probably ideal would be a climber with some big wall experience and a similar free climbing ability willing to share in the work for a share of the lead glory.

At the other end  of the spectrum would be someone who is a better climber than me willing to drag me along on something that might be too hard for me otherwise.

I’ve been training hard, have the experience, the gear and the stoke. I have an objective in mind and recently spent two days scoping it out and have a plan for a 4-5 day siege style ascent. I have the time now til the end of October and would like to do it before the season ends and my peak (ish?) physical conditioning recedes.

Only problem is finding a partner. One guy I climbed with a lot earlier this year is out with a knee injury, another has health issues, a third can’t get the time off from work. Multiple others just don’t have the necessary experience.

Go to camp 4

Charles is a solid partner, always has a good attitude even when things go a little pear shaped, and he's an interesting and fun dude. I highly recommend climbing with him, you'll have a good time and get up some cool climbs. 

Ricky Harlinewrote:

Charles is a solid partner, always has a good attitude even when things go a little pear shaped, and he's an interesting and fun dude. I highly recommend climbing with him, you'll have a good time and get up some cool climbs. 

Nobody is going to climb with either of you until y’all come clean on what route the Lost Arrows were for ;) 

Charles Winsteadwrote:

Multiple others just don’t have the necessary experience.

cragging with new people / randos is pretty chill, but wouldn't get on a wall with someone I don't know well. Probably easier to make a wall partner than find one. No way to get experience with doing it, hauling isn't rocket science, there is no 'necessary experience' for most stuff

Quinn Hatfieldwrote:

Nobody is going to climb with either of you until y’all come clean on what route the Lost Arrows were for ;) 

Let’s discuss what dates you’re available, then we can discuss logistics. I’d love to go up with someone with more experience.

k rwrote:

there is no 'necessary experience' for most stuff

Not totally true. Multi-pitch trad climbers have a lot of the necessary experience. One should be highly competent at placing gear, setting gear anchors (preferably with a cordalette), be chill with a lot of exposure. One should have a decent amount of traveling light camping experience. OK with eating out of a can, sleeping on rocky possibly sloping ground. You don’t need to go to school to poop in a bag. Hauling a bag is not much different from belaying my sister. Seriously, big wall climbing is not that much different from other climbing. It’s the big wall living that throws people off.

I've never been up a big wall, and my actual multipitch experience is minimal, though I've practiced loads of times at my local wall where I can build plenty of rebelays and lower outs. I've gotten quite comfortable with trad and clean aiding, jugging, and hauling my backpack full of rocks, hah. I've been building a pretty solid rack so I could break into big walls sometime soon.

I'd absolutely love to connect with someone who wouldn't mind helping me get some real experience in exchange for being a belay/haul slave and sharing my gear. I don't have a portaledge or full size haul bag but would be open to picking em up if those are the last missing pieces!

Anyone light on gear but heavy on experience and down to spend a few days with me?

I just want to chime in and make it clear that Charles knows how to aid climb and do the wall things. He's not a big wall gumby. He's much more experienced than myself, an actual big wall gumby. 

Charles Winsteadwrote:

Not totally true. Multi-pitch trad climbers have a lot of the necessary experience. One should be highly competent at placing gear, setting gear anchors (preferably with a cordalette), be chill with a lot of exposure. One should have a decent amount of traveling light camping experience. OK with eating out of a can, sleeping on rocky possibly sloping ground. You don’t need to go to school to poop in a bag. Hauling a bag is not much different from belaying my sister. Seriously, big wall climbing is not that much different from other climbing. It’s the big wall living that throws people off.

Well, you don’t know what you don’t know.

Start soloing.  If you spend enough time doing it and don’t f**k yourself up you’ll eventually run into someone else doing the same and make friends. Plus talking to somebody as a potential partner, who has a fair deal with solo experience makes them a more attractive candidate for a partner.   Make Washington column and then leaning tower your second home and soon you’ll have to find an excuse to solo. 

Lets tell stories! Great idea. I'll start. My first big wall partner picked me up hitch-hiking. October 1979 Leaning Tower. Man I wrecked some pins. Rex told me to clean all I could. Short days and slow. His wife called NPS. The helicopter checked on us. Big net of semi-famous climber's weed under it. Snow blowing up my Ben Davis pant legs.

ryan climbs wrote:

I just wana know the formation and route due to only being in the roper guide or don Reid big wall.

My guess is Watkins pinnacles or the first formation on north of lost valley called sugarloaf dome

Do the climb with Charles and find out :D

That thing on the Column. Between Royal Arches and South Central. Throw some Old E in the bags. It could take that long.

The route name is out on my other thread, so it might as well come out here: Flying Buttress Direct on Sentinel Rock.

For the record and since you asked (Quinn, Kevin, Ryan), I do have a fair to middling big wall track record. I’ve done Washington’s Column, Leaning Tower and the Nose. Spent 3 days on Misty Wall before bailing.  Had a bad habit of going after longer multi-pitch climbs that turned into overnight climbs back in the day. I’ve spent many nights on belay ledges with my only blanket being the rope. I have mastered the fine art of bailing before I get into that situation. I’m older now and hopefully wise enough to avoid the worst of the clusterfucks.

Just this year alone, I’ve climbed up small walls and slept on my porta-ledge  three times. I can lead A2ish, know how to set up bomber anchors, and like to think I’m fairly easy to get along with.

I am 55, if you think that’s a factor. But, I’ve run 2 marathons this month. In damn good shape for 55.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am pretty slow on the wall. But hey, not every big wall climber can be above average! All you guys boasting of your 30 min/pitch ascents can thank me. If it were not for the likes of me, you would just be average. Hah.

The offer still stands. My first partner, health issues. My second partner, can’t get off work. Third partner, doesn’t have the experience. I spent 4 days on my last attempt and am prepared to stay longer if need be and I can find a suitable partner. I am not interested in trying this solo.

I have time around the weekend of the 18th of November. Could make that a long weekend either before, after or both.

55 years old ain’t no big deal! 

Mark Hudonwrote:

55 years old ain’t no big deal! 

Most of my partners are in their 20’s and early 30’s. I often see writings about “older” climbers and am shocked when I realize they are talking about people in their 30’s. I wonder sometimes if part of the reason I get so few responses on partner finder is because I list my true age?

Charles Winsteadwrote:

Most of my partners are in their 20’s and early 30’s. I often see writings about “older” climbers and am shocked when I realize they are talking about people in their 30’s. I wonder sometimes if part of the reason I get so few responses on partner finder is because I list my true age?

Dude- that’s just the deal.. when Ross and I started climbing together he was half my age 

and yes- your age is discouraging some potential partners. F-Em! You’ll find your people- just keep doing it.. 

the biggest physical limiter is Humping the approach- and you’ve got marathon fitness- so that should be mitigated.. on the wall it’s mostly technique- dial that in and age won’t matter.. 

or- just set up a CatFish profile ;) 

Charles Winsteadwrote:

Most of my partners are in their 20’s and early 30’s. I often see writings about “older” climbers and am shocked when I realize they are talking about people in their 30’s. I wonder sometimes if part of the reason I get so few responses on partner finder is because I list my true age?

It’s definitely tough. Once you get to 55 people that age start filtering out of doing hard things. Along with your age, list your experience. A lot of the younger climbers out there want to climb with someone who knows what he’s doing. I’m met Skot when he was 31 and we’re still climbing walls together 11 years later.

To chime in as a "younger" person, definitely list your experience. That is so much more important than age as a younger guy when I was looking for partners. Quinn climbed Zenyatta the year I was born lol. Its the Zenyatta part that mattered to me, more than the fact that I had to explain what a Totem is.