Looking for my Ride or Die Alpine Partner (The Black, RMNP, Evans, Winds)

Hey Monkeys,

I'm definitely getting psyched on the partner roster thats shaping up for this season, but I thought I'd throw this out there in case my dream partner is out there somewhere (on the front range) wishing for the exact same summer line up of rad alpine missions. 

I'm based on the western slope and have weekends free starting now, and then have most of August off. Im super psyched on the Black and have done about 30+ routes there already. Ideas for this season include Dark Matter, Gimme the Loot, Black Cloud, Black Snake, and maybe beginning to project Tague if I get strong. 

Once the mountains dry up a little, I'm super interested in checking out the Black Wall on Evans and getting on something like Cary Granite or anything else good. I've never really climbed in RMNP so would be stoked on anything up there from 10+/12- especially "second tier classics" that wont be swarmed with crowds. Thinking about late summer missions up to the Winds, as well, but hoping to find the right partnership for something like that. 

I dont log all of my ticks, but do keep track of onsights and keep them public so that potential partners know what I can expect to climb relatively efficiently. Feel free to look over my ticks to see what Im solid on. Here is what Im looking for:

- Experience. Especially with actual multipitch trad climbing (Creek crushers tend to be complete gumbies when there is routefinding and anchor building ;) ). I'm down for fix&follow with a small tag bag, but dont insist on it. I prefer days where we move with “a sense of joyful urgency” ;)

Commitment- I’ll get up stupid early to catch the the crux pitch in the shade or to beat the weather. Along similar lines, I don’t bail on partners unless there’s a serious legit reason and expect the same etiquette. I have a one-strike policy for flakey randos ;)

- ACCURATE SELF ASSESSMENT. This is a big one for me. Frankly, Im burned out on mp randos (typically bros) who say they climb or lead such&such and then surprise surprise get totally worked. I dont really care what grades you lead, but I do really care if you cant lead what you say you can and we get owned by weather/nightfall. Its also a pet peeve of mine to hear "I lead ___ but I can follow you up whatever" No, dude, no you fucking can’t. I know how that day plays out ;) 

- Chill Vibes (ie Expedition Behavior) I probably sound like a jerk, and maybe I am ;) but its hopefully to screen away over zealous gumbies, but in real life Im super chill. I'm just trying to have rad days in the mtns, and dont care too much about grades etc, my priorities are to stay safe and have a good time. I'm also SUPER psyched to support a partner on a dream project or long term goal etc. Having an awareness/understanding of Expedition Behavior is important to me. 

I'm also hoping to get plenty of weekends in at crags like Rifle where we could meet up to feel it out before alpine season ramps up. I'd also be psyched to check out the multipitch routes near Empire (the stuff on Ra looks rad). 

Finally, I'd like to say that many of my partners are ladies, and I really like climbing with women (or really any gender identity) because they a) usually have very accurate self assessments and b) are psyched to have fun and not take it so seriously. So if any ladies read this and want to climb these types of routes, I want to be clear I'm looking for a platonic partnership. Happy to discuss boundaries and intentions early on to avoid awkwardness ;) 

So if any of this resonates shoot me a message! Have a great season, Fam!!

Bump for a rad partner and absolute crusher! Definitely climb with Skyeler if you have the chance!

I almost certainly don't have my shit together enough these days to join you for the big rad days and be anything less than a liability, but you seem like a cool dude with rad stoke who's unlikely to get a partner killed. 

If you're ever looking to go cragging in Empire or Rifle and struggling to find a partner, I'm open to such ideas. 

I lead 5.12 ok actually more like 5.10+, but I can follow you up anything   

Brent Kelly wrote:

I lead 5.12 ok actually more like 5.10+, but I can follow you up anything   

Haha, sounds good, Brent. Makes sense since front range 5.12 is actually more like 10+ on the western slope ;)

And due to my current ice cream heavy diet, you probably could follow me up anything I could thrutch up ;)

Let’s go project the warm ups at Rifle!!!

I’s be down to join ya. I don’t climb as hard but comfortably lead 5.7-5.10 multipitch trad. I live in Summit county I have been climbing trad heavily for about 2 years. I climb a little bit of everywhere but probably have over 50 trad multiples under my belt. Stoked on the black, South Platte, Mount Evans, RMNP. 

Wow, strangely prophetic to look at this old post prior to that fateful Black season, but here we are again ;) 

I've got two weeks off in late May, and then a month off from late July to late Aug, so starting to fish for partners yet again. When I made this post in 2023 I got some really rad partners who have become friends, but also a lot of DM's from gumbies. Seriously, think about the "accurate self-assessment" before you reach out to posts like this one! In the words of Coach Cole "There's different levels to this shit." 

But now I'm too out of shape for the partners who reached out back then!! haha, sorry Rob (if you see this), I won't be up for another Tague attempt this year ;) But I'm psyched to try more lines in the Shadowlands, so if anyone wants to work up to Gimme the Loot or Shady-Club-Drugs, HMU. Also, still trying to get on Black Snake or Black Shadow Arete. Still want Black Cloud, too, but no one seems psyched on it but me :/ 

Anyway, just trying to have a nice day out, hmu if youre solid but chill. 

What catches your eye in the winds? Climbed there for the first time last year and I’m itching to go back. 

Skyeler, feel free to hit me up for some RMNP objectives this summer.  I'm based in Estes Park, have some experience in the alpine, and know the goods away from the crowds!

Hi Skyeler,

Kent Pease referred me to your post and to you in general.  He said he'd climbed with you a bit.  Kent and I have similar styles and experience.  I've climbed a bunch (always a relative term!) of longer climbs over the years.  I'm looking for a partner in general for longer stuff (I've done many things in RMNP, etc.) and in particular for a route/link up on Notch Peak.  It's Western Hardman to Book of Saturday.  I've done it before 3-4 years ago and would like to do it again.  It's north facing so you can do in in June and summer when the days are really long.

I can climb pretty regularly on weekdays as well.  Let's talk!

Message me if anyone is looking for partners this month in RMNP

Hey everyone, thanks for all the nice comments and emails. I can only assume the caliber of my climbing memes has earned the approval I so desperately seek from this community. 

Jabroni- cirque of the sun&moon are on my radar

Nate A- I’d be stoked to link up in Estes this summer! I’d like to visit some friends there so I’ll send you a DM and hopefully we can figure something out!

Rick- hell yeah I’ve been wanting to check out Notch for a long time! Kent is a great dude and the true Steward of Escalante! What’s your schedule like next week? Shoot me a message!

Dillon- get your own thread, bro ;) jk 

Hey Skyeler,

Hope I didn't drop the ball on this.  I'm out of country until this weekend (June 2nd). Then I am available Thursday the 5th through the 8th and could also do something like the12-13th.  Let me know if those work?

Rick Taylor - 970-441-5098