New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #32

Carl Schneiderwrote:

..I’m trying to train my lead head because I keep shying away from leading. It was a struggle even getting there and back. My knees hurt and I’m weak. I wonder how many of you have made a transition to only gym climbing? 

Carl, I have a similar problem with lead head. I think in the last year things have slightly improved. I don't think I followed enough routes before starting to lead. I've been told it helps to follow a lot more. I just have trouble finding a consistent partner.

Gym climbing is so different, and I don't really like it (partly because the music is often terrible? I guess). I'll do it to stay in shape in the off season. I'm not sure what I'd do if I couldn't climb outdoors anymore.

For you, do you feel you must lead in order to climb outdoors? I prefer swapping leads outdoors. However, if I only have the choice between (a) just following outdoors or (b) top-roping indoors, I'd rather follow outdoors.

Li Huwrote:

...

Moving up to the Bay Area for a bit.

Did you find a job?

Carl Schneiderwrote:

Lori that traverse looks cool. I love stuff like that. Not far to fall! Have a partner slide a pad along as you go.

Going to try that someday… 

I went climbing today, led a 17 then a 16 then fell off my favourite 21 on TR, then tried to lead a 22 but only got half way. I’m trying to train my lead head because I keep shying away from leading. It was a struggle even getting there and back. My knees hurt and I’m weak. I wonder how many of you have made a transition to only gym climbing? 

I did, but as I’ll be only 163 miles from Yosemite Valley the upcoming year or so, I’ve no excuses to stay away.

On occasion, I’d been on real rock, but the gym is far more convenient and the clips are much closer together on lead.

dragonswrote:

Did you find a job?

Contract work, but it’s in my wheelhouse and exciting.

Mainly, cause my family won’t let me retire.   

Took my college kid friend Reed ice climbing today. Its his 4rth ever time ice climbing so I took him up a 100m WI4+ the first 50ft was WI4X. Super thin and  delaminated.  Good thing because not a lot is in and the next option would have been a grade harder. the folks who beat us up there had already looked at the climb and decided that the start was not in.    The rest of the climb was total hero ice. I forgot my little camera and only took a few shots with my phone and only managed to get one of the photos into my computer. Total PINTA. 

Anyways here is Reed about 60m up @ The Lake

The exposure was a bit daunting for the  boulderer / sport climber ;) 

The old guy might have to admit that I have to train for this shit and can't rely on climbing myself into shape anymore. I feel fairly worked at the moment. 

Ward Smithwrote:

I still climb outside, but I’m not at all hard core in marginal conditions like I used to be. I used to avoid the gym at all costs, but now I have embraced it as an opportunity to get in a ton of training instead of fighting it in sub freezing weather.   I guess I’ve fallen pretty far; yesterday, I was very excited to send the pink V7 out the roof lol.

V7  is hard! I’ve never done a V7!

Carl Schneiderwrote:

V7  is hard! I’ve never done a V7!

My gym tends to grade soft, and Ive done a lot of routes rated V7 there that frankly were not. However, I saw a lot of very good (and much younger!) climbers fail on this one, so it seems solid in the grade.  It took me a few days to send, and I usually don’t project inside, so that’s why I was happy about it.  

I have climbed as hard as V10, but that was when I was wearing a much younger man’s clothes.  My top grade in my 50’s was V9 outside, and V7 outside (so far) in my 60’s. 

Don’t sell yourself short Carl.  Have you ever worked on something hard for a long time?  You might surprise yourself. 

Still a bit of swell in the water here in NorCal but missed the recent Mavs event. Just as well. I’d like to get wet and the shore break here in El Granada looks fun at low tide. Did manage to get the super secret beta for the approach to the Mavericks viewing spot. Beautiful winter colors on the cliff tops. 

I've been fortunate, at different times in my life,  to have lived very near both Ward Smith and  Nick Goldsmith...  I'm sure everyone has heard the expression; "they're just 2 sides of the same coin..."  Well, these guys are 2 sides of the same universe. And it's a universe full of wonder and fantastic things.

They're polar opposites, but exactly the same...

I have been blessed with a close, and welcome exposure to their "fine, fine madness..."

ed "rock on with your bad selfes.." e

Happy New Year to all...

ed esmondwrote:

I've been fortunate, at different times in my life,  to have lived very near both Ward Smith and  Nick Goldsmith...  I'm sure everyone has heard the expression; "they're just 2 sides of the same coin..."  Well, these guys are 2 sides of the same universe. And it's a universe full of wonder and fantastic things.

They're polar opposites, but exactly the same...

I have been blessed with a close, and welcome exposure to their "fine, fine madness..."

ed "rock on with your bad selfes.." e

Happy New Year to all...

What a beautiful tribute! It’s been so inspirational to get to know these two guys on this thread. I hope you share stories.  

This evening I am filled with gratitude for the experience of climbing.. As hard as it is, and sometimes it just seems too hard, it still causes a great sense of serenity.  The park was more crowded than I’ve ever seen it today and there was some kind of dust storm kicking up all across the desert – – serious wind, and chaos – – and it just made climbing that much more fun.  All the while. Nick’s pictures of ice climbing remind me that the joy of climbing is pretty universal—we’re connected. 

Ward Smithwrote:

Don’t sell yourself short Carl.  Have you ever worked on something hard for a long time?  You might surprise yourself. 

No. I’ve never really tried any route or problem more than maybe ten or 15  actual tries. Normally if I can’t get it in five or so attempts I don’t try again unless I really like the move and it feels do-able. 

On the way back to my car yesterday, Jarad pointed to two dots on Saddle Rocks who he said were climbers climbing a Bob Gaines/Tony Sartin route called Silver Spur. When Jarad handed me his binoculars, I could see two men working their way up the second pitch with some difficulty. I watched for a long time. Progress was slow.

Bob, I don’t know if you have any pictures or stories of that route? I have purposely stayed away from saddle rocks because once started I imagine I just wouldn’t want to leave it. But I think I’ll hike over there and see what these guys were up against.  Quite stunning from a distance.

Thank you Ed. I miss our adventures. Bummer I didn't end up with Wards Abbs and talent.....

Old timers like me, have you had any success with compression sleeves relieving Knee pain? If so which sleeve did.you use?

I have had very good luck relieving pain with Incrediwear elbow sleeves. I know others who have used their shoulder and knee sleeves, and all say that they have made things better. They make these semi-magical claims for them that are hard for me to believe, yet the results are there, so I just don't think about it too much.

Lori Milaswrote:

On the way back to my car yesterday, Jarad pointed to two dots on Saddle Rocks who he said were climbers climbing a Bob Gaines/Tony Sartin route called Silver Spur. When Jarad handed me his binoculars, I could see two men working their way up the second pitch with some difficulty. I watched for a long time. Progress was slow.

Bob, I don’t know if you have any pictures or stories of that route? I have purposely stayed away from saddle rocks because once started I imagine I just wouldn’t want to leave it. But I think I’ll hike over there and see what these guys were up against.  Quite stunning from a distance.

Very fond memories putting up Silver Spur with Tony Sartin (RIP). 

The crux 3rd pitch was so thin and so exposed that the main problem was just controlling my jitters and adrenaline and maintaining my composure so as not to shake off the micro holds I had to stand on for such a long way with so much air beneath my feet.

Tony Sartin on the crux 3rd pitch. It goes on like that for a hundred feet.

Todd Berlier wrote:

Looks like Folsom Lake...?

It's millerton lake, if you could gather all the good problems from around the whole lake and put them together in  one place it would be a good area, as it is it's some good problems widely scattered that's near my house so I go there.

Todd Berlier wrote: The V8 With Love From Folsom I put up out there about 5 years ago is my problem with the most repeats. Unfortunately it rolled down the lakebed last year. 

Todd,  if you can climb V8 and eat that stuff then you have me beat.