New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

A few days ago, I used the word swag, but I meant it in the most positive affirmative sense.  Watching these videos like the New Deal, and the book of hate makes me feel like a starstruck groupie. The more I see of Joshua Tree routes the more I think everyone deserves some swag. More importantly, I wish this for every kid – – that they have those moments of achievement and even transcendence. Whether it’s hitting a home run or making a touchdown or climbing Father Figure here in the park, kids just naturally want to reachfor that.

Heck, I strut like a peacock when I climb a 5.9.    

One of my fondest memories at Josh is sitting around with Coz and Too Strong an Kris.  I think the only time I have laughed harder was at Russ' house.  Coz and Too Strong fed off each other and just tore into each other and everyone else in the most fun way.  I don't even think any climbing got done that afternoon, just friends enjoying friends.

Lori Milaswrote:

Heck, I strut like a peacock when I climb a 5.9.    

No shame in doing that. Climbing is a very personal endeavor. Only you know, or care, about what you do.

Your struggle to help Tony is commendable he is is lucky to have you in his corner. Keep it up, praying for a good outcome.

I went to Josh last weekend for the Cliffhanger party. Was able to hang with some old friends and watch folks boulder in the competition. After watching a 9 year old flash a V2 I know climbing is going to be spectacular in the future.

Christmas is upon us, 2024 seems like it lasted for only a few weeks!

So I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year.

Later all 

GabeOwrote:

Li Hu, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're not really training for anything in particular, but just to gain climbing-related fitness, right?

I’m interested in getting fitter for sport climbing this go around, which for me, includes bouldering.

I got onto Caveman in Joshua Tree a few months ago, and completely lacked the power to send it. Shut me down.

Mainly, would be cool to send some hard climbs at the gym and possibly outdoors?

I did do campus board training once, maybe fifteen years ago. I find it is useful for one thing: gaining the power to do a few really big moves on a route or problem off poor holds.
Sometimes that's the difference between sending or failing.

This. Most of the climbs I’m attempting now require quite a bit of power and dynamic movements. The ones that don’t are much easier for me with more power and I can focus on my technique and movement more instead of barely hanging on.

For anything else you are lacking in your climbing i think there are likely better training methods.

Agreed. My training includes a dedicated 4 hours a week on the system boards and sport climbs for about 12 hours a week.

Come to think of it, climbing is sort of a half time job for me at the moment.   

That said, if you think this is a weak point for you, then a dedicated campus board training may benefit your climbing. 

As for which campus board method to choose, I am no expert.

It is in the sense that I don’t want to suffer injuries.

My thoughts are that I can focus upon climbing movements without barely being able to hang onto the holds.

Good luck, 

Thanks.

Guy Keeseewrote:

No shame in doing that. Climbing is a very personal endeavor. Only you know, or care, about what you do.

Your struggle to help Tony is commendable he is is lucky to have you in his corner. Keep it up, praying for a good outcome.

I went to Josh last weekend for the Cliffhanger party. Was able to hang with some old friends and watch folks boulder in the competition. After watching a 9 year old flash a V2 I know climbing is going to be spectacular in the future.

Christmas is upon us, 2024 seems like it lasted for only a few weeks!

So I want to wish everyone a merry Christmas and happy new year.

Later all 

Agree!

and the rest of your post is really cool!

Thought I post a pic just to prove that I do clamber. Although today I had a meltdown and bailed off a route because I didn’t want to do the move. When I followed I found the move was actually easy and I’d already done the crux. I need a head strengthening course.  

Alright, it's almost Christmas and I know what I want from Santa: I want a cologne, a specific cologne.

You all know what cologne is don't you? This cologne is perfect for the grumpy old men types on this thread. Like me.

It's a cologne.

It's called Leave Me the Fuh.

I left Barrow today. I know that doesn’t mean much to most of you. But the Arctic is a heavy place. Super heavy dark and scary. If you ever get a chance to visit, come up. But don’t stay longer than your brain recommends.

 

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Thought I post a pic just to prove that I do clamber. Although today I had a meltdown and bailed off a route because I didn’t want to do the move. When I followed I found the move was actually easy and I’d already done the crux. I need a head strengthening course.  

The best thing for me was developing strength such that all the holds feel “solid”. I know that this is counter to the climbing credo, but it’s been working for me. What used to feel very sketchy now feels comfortable. So, my head hasn’t improved, but what makes me sketched out has moved up a bit.

Nice!

Kind of inspiring

I gave myself the morning to go get lost in the desert. OMG, look what I found!

as you work your way right on this wall… I think I see something to try.  I’ll look it up when I get home. It looks fun, but there’s a couple of areas that could be too hard. Definite maybe. (I think I was looking at The Big Apple 10a)

 

BUMMER

Powerful medicine front, back and center.  

Lori- there’s a story. When John Bald, Bulwinkle and I did the FA back during “the energy crisis” we drove out in my 69 Javelin with an extra 5 gallon Jerry can of gas. It took me all week to amass this much fuel. Filled the beast up on an odd day, the Moms Chrysler Imperial on an even day. Siphoned from the imperial to fill up Jerry can and topped off the Javelin. Calculated the mileage/distance and figured I would get home empty. Got to HV and basically nobody else was there except for John.He was a very experienced climber who had his picture in magazines. Spying us he came over and wanted to know if we wanted to do a FA of a cool crack he found.We jumped on the opportunity. Walking way way out to the farthest known reaches of Josh John showed us this incredible crack. The only issue was that it was surrounded by thick brush and a pine tree that was about 6 feet right of the crack. So we crawled under the brush intill we got to the base of the stone. John offered up the sharp end first and Bulwinkle jumped on it. He did the starting “iron cross” mantle and started up the beginning of the wide part, big fists, went a body length and ripped out, off, landing on the deck next to us. His hand was bleeding profusely from a good size gobie on the back of his hand. He stood there rubbing the blood from his hand, using the blood to draw an arrow pointing up.
John offered me the rope and I declined. So the Master fired the mantle and the crack up to the ledge about 30 feet from the top. We all joined him on the ledge. He handed me the cord and I climbed the last bit, great finger locks, to the top. I sunk a 3/4 inch baby angle in the crack and tapped it down a bit so it couldn’t be removed as booty.
Several years later some other climbers found the place and cut down the tree and brush just so they could do more roots. With the base cleared out one can “see” the supposed petroglyphs, I cannot, but the Rangers point out the “arrow” that is clearly visible.
Oh well. The climb is worthwhile and you climb it at your peril. A great secret spot is found at the top.

Later all 

edit: John Bald top photo 

That's a great story, Guy!  Are you telling me that the arrow that is now considered a petroglyph is John's blood?     Because I was looking all around for said petroglyph and saw nothing.  

I have often said that of the 'Native tribes' I've been searching for here... the most recent were you early climbers.  You had your own petroglyphs, your own sacred customs.  You belonged to this place, too.

You were there, so what grabs me may have lost its luster for you... but daily I find routes, bolts, evidence of you all and gasp. I can almost hear the replay of how this all went down. I may have the better appreciation as one walking through an empty Park and seeing it so many years later. 

---

Bob brings some of these things to life.  When I was working on Torturer's Apprentice he mentioned that the route right next to me, Gun Shy 5.11b, Charles Cole. (and Steven Anderson).did the FA. It was RIGHT THERE... a few yards away, and left by a guy who is no longer with us. Time passes.  People pass. It's a weird time travel thing. 

At the same time Bob yelled up... "Right about where you are now is when the adrenaline would start flowing... " because I was at the first bolt, maybe 30-40 feet up???    HOLY SHIT!  What... you guys couldn't afford an extra bolt?

Sounds like maybe not.     

  

Lori Milaswrote:

That's a great story, Guy!  Are you telling me that the arrow that is now considered a petroglyph is John's blood?     Because I was looking all around for said petroglyph and saw nothing.  

I have often said that of the 'Native tribes' I've been searching for here... the most recent were you early climbers.  You had your own petroglyphs, your own sacred customs.  You belonged to this place, too.

You were there, so what grabs me may have lost its luster for you... but daily I find routes, bolts, evidence of you all and gasp. I can almost hear the replay of how this all went down. I may have the better appreciation as one walking through an empty Park and seeing it so many years later. 

---

Bob brings some of these things to life.  When I was working on Torturer's Apprentice he mentioned that the route right next to me, Gun Shy 5.11b, Charles Cole. (and Steven Anderson).did the FA. It was RIGHT THERE... a few yards away, and left by a guy who is no longer with us. Time passes.  People pass. It's a weird time travel thing. 

At the same time Bob yelled up... "Right about where you are now is when the adrenaline would start flowing... " because I was at the first bolt, maybe 30-40 feet up???    HOLY SHIT!  What... you guys couldn't afford an extra bolt?

Sounds like maybe not.     

  

Bulwinkle’s blood….

Back then nobody was getting laid. One way to demonstrate your Manliness was to show how brave you were. People never wanted to have others point out the fact that you were “light” for drilling close to the deck.

Lori Milaswrote:

I gave myself the morning to go get lost in the desert. OMG, look what I found!

Great story Guy! I always thought that "pictograph" was a bit weak. Didn't look anything like the other one's I've seen in the Park,  plus it's about 8 feet up from the base! (maybe the ground has been eroded away).

Maybe the Park can do some DNA analysis and compare it to Bulwinkle's so we can open the routes back up!

Met up with John Bald some years back for breakfast here in Redding. 

Never climbed with him but he lived here for decades and is a humble badass that has many first ascents at Castle Crags, Lassen NP and other NorCal spots.

He's retired now and has moved to Salt Lake City area.

Hi John if you're lurking.

On a sad note for those that know him, John Yates has passed on at age 67 from an infection following knee surgery.

John started and owns Yates mountain and tactical gear here in Redding. 

RIP John Yates. 

Healing vibes to Tony and Mr. Gill.

Carry on all...

I met John Bald sometime in the mid-80s in Santa Barbara. We climbed in Joshua Tree in my first year or two of climbing. He took me up a number of routes I had no business being on. One I especially remember is Run For Your Life, also Illusion Dweller. He was a big influence on me; I tried as best I could to copy his style - steady, precise, calm. We still get together a couple of times a year, either here in JT or at City of Rocks. 

Come on, John, we know you're out there. Say hello!

Great story, Guy. 

Brad Youngwrote:

Great story, Guy. 

Thanks Brad …. And thank you for confirming what I suspected.

Tad … thanks for the update. So Yates started in Redding?

Brandt…. John has influenced many. I was so happy to go climbing with him last spring at COR. He hasn’t slowed down one bit.

So Colden Dark…. You going to use your full name now?   “Les Colden Dark”

Mr. Gill - thanks for being there, I have admired you and your powerful style of climbing. Inspired me to work out when I was young. It paid off in spades.   Be well.

Lori I hope you get Tony home ASAP. I’ll bring the spumoni.

Lori Milaswrote:

as you work your way right on this wall… I think I see something to try.  I’ll look it up when I get home. It looks fun, but there’s a couple of areas that could be too hard. Definite maybe. (I think I was looking at The Big Apple 10a)

 

Lori I wouldn't recommend The Big Apple.  About 3/4 of the way up is a common roosting spot and last time I did it the bird crap solidly covered the ledge.

My best to Tony, I hope things are improving.