New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #40

John Long on my Juggernaut in Southern Colorado, ca 1978.  He took a mighty swing, chuckling all the way.

Less than an inch from the good hold on the last hard move above all difficulties on my project.

Then I fell.  

That move is hard, but not that hard in isolation. But low percentage after all the difficult moves leading up to it. Hard for me to be sad as it was six feet above my previous high point.

Rain tomorrow, but fingers crossed.

John Gillwrote:

John Long on my Juggernaut in Southern Colorado, ca 1978.  He took a mighty swing, chuckling all the way.

Awesome photos sir!

We love bouldering!

Rooting for you Ward---you're going to send ( hopefully Steve will as well)!!!!

Ward. I really hope you get it on this trip!

I bailed today... but it was still fun..    I drove 71 miles through some pretty depressed areas that used to be plastered with maga crap. Did not see a single sign or flag.  Under no illusions that they have all seen the light but apparently they are no longer brave enough to show their colors... 

when I arrived it did not look promising.. 

 In fact it looked rather foreboding

On closer inspection the first pitch looked pretty casual

but it was quite a bit trickier than it looked. It's been climbed  by at least 3 parties in the last 3 days  and the ice is dry and not building so its abused in those critical spots that would have been good sticks 3 days ago..  but it still went at the fun level.

finally I got a good turf stick and great foot hold

I made it up 150ft and then ran into a spot where my feet were shearing out and the sticks were not inspiring enough to risk a death fall.  I would have led it easily with a belay as the rock gear on your left is pretty gud. 

a little bit of down climbing and I was able to sling a nice rock horn and rap 100ft to a big slung boulder and then another 50ft to the ground. 

not ready to give up on adventure I scrambled up the decent gully and got some nice height

There was still some light left on the way home so when I got back into VT  I sat in a field for a bit untill it got dark.. 

got home and started the wood stove and got warmed up by a Kat

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Ward. I really hope you get it on this trip!

I bailed today... but it was still fun..    I drove 71 miles through some pretty depressed areas that used to be plastered with maga crap. Did not see a single sign or flag.  Under no illusions that they have all seen the light but apparently they are no longer brave enough to show their colors... 

when I arrived it did not look promising.. 

 In fact it looked rather foreboding

On closer inspection the first pitch looked pretty casual

but it was quite a bit trickier than it looked. It's been climbed  by at least 3 parties in the last 3 days  and the ice is dry and not building so its abused in those critical spots that would have been good sticks 3 days ago..  but it still went at the fun level.

finally I got a good turf stick and great foot hold

I made it up 150ft and then ran into a spot where my feet were shearing out and the sticks were not inspiring enough to risk a death fall.  I would have led it easily with a belay as the rock gear on your left is pretty gud. 

a little bit of down climbing and I was able to sling a nice rock horn and rap 100ft to a big slung boulder and then another 50ft to the ground. 

not ready to give up on adventure I scrambled up the decent gully and got some nice height

There was still some light left on the way home so when I got back into VT  I sat in a field for a bit untill it got dark.. 

got home and started the wood stove and got warmed up by a Kat

Are you up around Crawford Notch?  Nice Enfield. Hunting deer, or getting some target practice?

Elk in the freezer, skiing not yet happening, climbing steep tufas in Kalymnos at the moment. Nothing looks steep here until you lower back down. Love all the pictures in this thread these days.

Trying to fill the freezer. Had that #4 mk 1 since my dad gave it to me in 1976. Bought cheap at the barber shop sometime in the 60s. I live in North Eastern VT 12 miles as the crow flies from lac Willoughby. It's pretty easy to get to NH. Yesterday's climb was in dixvill notch NH.

This morning in my back yard

Bump to stay active in the new thread.

This was a second ascent of a 3 pitch 5.8 on an obscure crag in the Selenite Range in NW Nevada.

Just got back from Boulder, CO where I was honored to receive the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Mountain Guides Association.

This one’s heavy, both literally and figuratively. The award itself is carved and welded steel, heavy like a stone. And it’s heavy to contemplate that this is not the kind of award you get at the beginning of a career, but rather, toward the end.

Feeling grateful to all my AMGA mentors, fellow guides, climbing partners, students, and clients who’ve each taught me something along the way, and happy that I could give something back by sharing what I’ve learned.

From the AMGA: 

“The Lifetime Achievement in Mountain Guiding Award is to honor outstanding Americans, who by their efforts over a period of years, have made contributions of significant value to the profession of mountain guiding, and have reflected credit upon America and themselves. To receive the Lifetime Achievement Award one must be or have been actively identified with mountain guiding and made contributions of significant value to the mountain guiding profession in their life. These contributions must have had a lasting impact on the mountain guiding profession as a whole.”

Congratulations, Bob! I hope you enjoyed your visit to Boulder.

These pictures are from a new route I’m working on. Buried under snow now. Very much looking forward to returning in the spring. That’s my friend Howard on TR. He was very excited about it too. 

Bob Gaineswrote:

Wow! This brought tears to my eyes.  Well deserved Bob Gaines! Congratulations!

 Congratulations, Bob. Very few have such a demonstrated history of contribution to climbing and the profession of guiding. Well deserved, indeed.

Congratulations Bob! 

So well deserved.

Congrats Bob!

FYI, He's a damn fine fisherman also.

Congratulations, Bob!

A wonderful honor, Bob. Well deserved. 

Glad to see you get that award, Bob! Well deserved indeed.

Congratulations Bob--well deserved.

Oh Bob, Congratulations!  That’s a wonderful honor.  Obviously so well deserved.