New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #40

Ward Smithwrote:

Well I have done many of the routes on your list.  Interestingly, Right Banana Crack was my first 5.11 in the 80’s.  I had an upside down jam that was hurting my left shoulder but I was sending so I kept going.  It was our last day so afterwards I kept climbing like an idiot and messed it up badly.

Got home a couple of weeks ago after almost sending my project.  I had been planning on taking a couple of weeks off, but since I had failed I kept on training on the Kilter Board (again, like an idiot).  The same Banana Crack shoulder froze up for a week so badly I had to take Tylenol in order to sleep (I never take NSAIDs).

Then all of a sudden, it was better so I am easing back into climbing again .  The first two days were easy roped climbing, and I bouldered today.  That Banana Crack shoulder never forgets!  I am going to do some rotator cuff and antagonist training, which I never do but should.

I did many of these when I was young as well, which is why they are on my current “hit list”. The young me and the old me are definitely different :-D

But it won’t stop us from going after it, expectations simply need to be “tempered”. :-)

Li Huwrote:

I did many of these when I was young as well, which is why they are on my current “hit list”. The young me and the old me are definitely different :-D

But it won’t stop us from going after it, expectations simply need to be “tempered”. :-)

Good grief, Ward and Marc.  With lists like that I may join that bowling league after all.    

It's hard to be humble if ever it occurs to me to compare.  I have not climbed ANY of those routes.  I never will climb any of those routes.  But that is right at your limit, level of skill, strength... pretty amazing! 

But I went and gazed at Tresspasser's Wall this morning (today's hiking selection) and just felt so grateful for the presence of such a rock, such a route.  Just down the wall a ways is Compassion of the Elephants... if I'm ever able to manage that, I will be totally satisfied.  Happy as a clam.  That's all I need.  And I think about it all the time... especially those moments when you almost make it, but peel off the route.  Hard to explain how that can come to you in the middle of the night. 

Here's what I recall about this picture, this is the point where Bob said "Ok, now, climb STRAIGHT UP."  That's never a good thing.    

I haven't been listening to much Health and Fitness lately... except the most recent study everyone is talking about: that the INTENSITY of exercise makes an enormous difference in fitness and health.  1 minute of hard exercise outperforms 10 minutes of moderate exercise.  I have never found the discipline to go to the gym and do intense exercise.  If I arrive at 6 a.m. with a cup of coffee and a good book, I already know I won't be pushing hard. 

However, this picture ran across my feed today... from the last time I was at Pipeworks... and I recalled how intense climbing can be.  And climbing here in Joshua Tree, 2-3 times a week, is far more intense than my strolling on the treadmill 5 days a week.  Who are these people who can show up at a regular gym, and RUN for a good half hour?  I am in awe.

 But they say the best exercise is the one you will do. 

Lori, comparison is the thief of joy. I try not to compare myself to my top grades in my 30's, but my top grades in my 60's.  So far my top outdoor grades (I don't count the gym) in my 60's are 13a and V7 at age 65 and there are plenty of people my age climbing harder than I do.  I firmly believe that I can surpass those grades in my 60’s. You started late, so you have low hanging fruit.  Don't sell yourself short. 

we have had a deep freeze and lots of snow  but we did have a drought in summer through fall so many venues including Lac willoughby are not forming because not enough water in the system. 

Ward Smithwrote:

Lori, comparison is the thief of joy. I try not to compare myself to my top grades in my 30's, but my top grades in my 60's.  So far my top outdoor grades (I don't count the gym) in my 60's are 13a and V7 at age 65 and there are plenty of people my age climbing harder than I do.  I firmly believe that I can surpass those grades in my 60’s. You started late, so you have low hanging fruit.  Don't sell yourself short. 

100%

Lori, it’s climbing for climbing’s sake. Should be fun, and setting goals shouldn’t cause anguish.

The video posted with a 70 plus year old dude in Britain was inspiring, but having climbed from youth builds up the tendons and ligaments. I’m hoping to climb E6 someday? But I’m not holding my breath, and no big deal to me if I don’t and 5.11 cracks is plenty good for me, and the experience is key.

This is pretty inspirational

Keep It Burning

The Marin Dream Team. Check out Francisco...

Ward Smithwrote:

Lori, comparison is the thief of joy. I try not to compare myself to my top grades in my 30's, but my top grades in my 60's.  So far my top outdoor grades (I don't count the gym) in my 60's are 13a and V7 at age 65 and there are plenty of people my age climbing harder than I do.  I firmly believe that I can surpass those grades in my 60’s. You started late, so you have low hanging fruit.  Don't sell yourself short. 

Comparisons to ones younger self are depressing. Those are solid numbers but I'm curious if you feel you lean more towards the endurance side of climbing now compared to your younger days.

Emil Briggswrote:

Comparisons to ones younger self are depressing. Those are solid numbers but I'm curious if you feel you lean more towards the endurance side of climbing now compared to your younger days.

Actually I am more into bouldering now, mostly because it is easier to work on boulders alone.  They say that power declines faster with age, and that is probably true, but I train power more than endurance and it seems to be doing OK so far.  

Ward Smithwrote:

Actually I am more into bouldering now, mostly because it is easier to work on boulders alone.  They say that power declines faster with age, and that is probably true, but I train power more than endurance and it seems to be doing OK so far.  

I've been more focused on bouldering as well but have noticed there aren't a lot of over 60 types who do. I think part of that is fear of injury (or re-injury given the number of shoulder and knee surgeries prevalent in that set). But hard to keep power if you don't train it.

Isn't that a Yaniro quote?  "If you have no power, there is nothing to endure."

Emil Briggswrote:

I've been more focused on bouldering as well but have noticed there aren't a lot of over 60 types who do. I think part of that is fear of injury (or re-injury given the number of shoulder and knee surgeries prevalent in that set). But hard to keep power if you don't train it.

I’m only 56 but I have done loads of bouldering in years past. Lately, Denise and I have been getting back into a routine of regular bouldering and getting our power levels back up. It’s been super fun and feels mostly good, but we both realize that after some time off, bouldering can be pretty tweaky on joints from the acute angles that certain moves require. We’ve been diligent about proper recovery and sticking with a program of weight training and cardio, mostly zone two cycling with focused hill climbs 3 or 4 days a week. We are not really in project mode but would like to dial in our old circuit that was about 25 problems topping out at a few Buttermilk V6’s. Maybe if we get our circuit dialed back in we will try some harder lines. Anyway it’s been fun so far. 

One of my favorite backcountry probable FA’s. I climbed it without pads after hiking 10 miles to Black Bear Lake. 

It’s a spectacular boulder in a beautiful and powerful place. 

Denise climbing perfect granite at the same location. 

Another cool problem that we climbed. We’re grateful for the experience and will always love the sweet simplicity of bouldering.

Ward Smithwrote:

If you are 63 you can get a lifetime pass for $ 80.  I put it on my dashboard in the Rumney parking lot where your sticker or day pass would go.   I visited the Grand Canyon and two archaeological sites in Arizona so saved $ 75 just on my recent trip.

GabeO, I climbed a lot at Monsters during the winter, but unfortunately Mushroom Planet is the wettest route there.  I got back from my trip and thought about taking some rest time, but went gung-ho and hurt my shoulder on the Kilter Board.  So I have had five days of rest so far lol.

Sorry to hear about your shoulder. Hope it was just a temporary setback and you're back at it. 

Yes, the deep cracks on Mushroom Planet seem like any moisture in the soil would get funneled out and onto the route. I did get on Cosmic Monsters the other day when Mushroom Planet was wet, and sent it in a couple of goes, so that was a nice consolation prize. 

GO

Did someone say Banana Crack?

I think part of that is fear of injury (or re-injury given the number of shoulder and knee surgeries prevalent in that set).

My bouldering career, such as it was, ended with my 2nd lower back spinal surgery. I didn't want to admit it at first, but I am not willing to risk a 3rd. 

Its so hard! To see a choice, sweet boulder and have to tell myself, NO! But I just can't risk a ground fall. Land wrong, and never walk again? No.

john baldwrote:

Did someone say Banana Crack?

Nice!  So...uhh...the guidebooks have the ascent(s) of the Banana Cracks in 1976.  Photo is from 1973?

Things that make you go, "hmmm."

Cheers!

Emil Briggswrote:

I've been more focused on bouldering as well but have noticed there aren't a lot of over 60 types who do. I think part of that is fear of injury (or re-injury given the number of shoulder and knee surgeries prevalent in that set). But hard to keep power if you don't train it.

When I was 68, I jumped from shoulder-height footholds onto a pad and ruptured my ACL.  Surgery (cadaver tendon) and ~7 months before easy climbing.  That was it for me, I wasn't going to go through that again if I could help it, and so I gave up bouldering cold-turkey and haven't done any since---fourteen years with lots and lots of roped climbing have gone by at this point.

Power loss? Huge, although conflated with aging, so hard to know what is most responsible. I do some finger training, but there isn't enough motivation at this stage of life to put in the necessary hours, so it's mostly for maintenance rather than any attempt at progress. No more notebooks with sets and reps.

Most of my climbing friends from BITD are either dead or have long since retired from climbing. Offhand, I can think of at most a handful who are still in the game to some extent (Al being one). The internet, of course, provides other examples, but there's no escaping the fact that I'm part of a seriously dwindling cohort. Mortality tables suggest I might have another six or seven years. I'd really rather not spend any of that time with surgical repairs and painful rehab. So bouldering was a lot of fun while it lasted, but it's in the rear-view mirror at this point, and I'm gonna do what I can to keep on truckin' without it.

YMMV of course.

john baldwrote:

Did someone say Banana Crack?

That looks perfect! Loving it! Thanks for posting!

The Kern River is way down so I figured I would go take my chances fishing it. Each and every rock you see is glass smooth and slippery. It was a slip n fall experience and zero Trout were harmed.

The weather was just about perfect.

The second photo is looking at part of “The Rincon”  from the camping spot. It makes me kinda sad when I realize that I will never again climb any of the routes up there. Such is life.

Cherokee- Thanks for the video link.

Everyone else…. I have enjoyed the banter and the photos, keep them coming please.

“Each and every rock you see is glass smooth and slippery. It was a slip n fall experience…”

Hi Guy. The Patagonia Foot Tractor wading boots with aluminum bars on the soles were game changers for me. Like the difference between climbing with sticky rubber shoes vs. sneakers.

A new crag I ran into the other day. Its been right under my nose, hidden by so cal chapparal, for years. Never been touched by hands...