New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #40

Nick Goldsmith wrote:

I have not opened that sexy singles thread. I assumed it was going to be a shit show. 

Me neither, for the same reason, but I have read the Self piece because someone linked it on FB.  Here is a bit of doggerel I posted on the FB link.

There once was a lady named Kate
who hoped for a climbing gym date.
But while she was primping
The guys were all crimping
And she never did find a good mate.

rgold wrote:

Me neither, for the same reason, but I have read the Self piece because someone linked it on FB.  Here is a bit of doggerel I posted on the FB link.

There once was a lady named Kate
who hoped for a climbing gym date.
But while she was primping
The guys were all crimping
And she never did find a good mate.

Reminds me of what the women who go to the South Pole hoping to find a mate say "The odds are good, but the goods are odd"

The book I just read about the doctor who got breast cancer while wintering at the South Pole was pretty interesting. 41 people wintered at the station. 9 of them were women. She made sure that she had a large stock of birth control... 

Victor Creazzi wrote:

Reminds me of what the women who go to the South Pole hoping to find a mate say "The odds are good, but the goods are odd"

Oh my God!  This is brilliant!

Forwarding it to my son and his fiancée', both of whom are recent West Point grads!

I'm sure that they will get a kick out of it (just over 20% women in the Corp of Cadets)

Wishing everyone--Over 50s and others--a happy, healthy, and productive 2026.

Happy New Year, Carl!

All the rest of you, too, but Carl is up first! Hmmmm...

Who's next on here? Spain?? That's actually kinda fun. Carl is closest to the date line, and our friends in Spain would be nearest the Greenwich mean.

Helen

Yeah, I own a globe. And a world atlas. And an unabridged dictionary. And an ancient set of the World Book encyclopedia. I think the last time we were into the World book was pondering the origins of chickens. Then got sidetracked on adjacent shit too, lol!

Yes, I own a phone. Yes I look stuff up on it.

But it isn't nearly as fun. No serendipity of randomness. 

Hey you people lets just make sure we all use good denture glue in '26. I know you all remember the polygrip commercials! I am sick and tired of finding teeth on the glacier.

Merry New Year!

🎉Happy 2026 🥳 to everyone out there. Keep climbin’ on!  As they say at Mountain Gazette, “When in doubt go higher.”

Happy New Year to all the over 50 climbers!

Wishing everyone some great climbing in 2026.

Greg Opland wrote:

Looks like Herman Rock. Interesting route. Not quite as straight-forward as it appears from the bottom, but pretty good.
I don't recall it being much of a scramble to get up to the base.

Thank you, Greg!  That was really thoughtful of you to post this info. I’m sure it’s not the best route in the world but I walk by it almost every day and wonder.  And after a bit more scrambling on this day I decided to wait until I could go with someone.  

speaking of fossil, he has strongly encouraged me to bring back some crack climbing just for strength and variety. It sounds like a solid idea so I roamed around a bit and found myself looking at this face and two cracks. I’m assuming the one on the right is the better bet. (Little Rock Candy Moun

i’m not half bad at easy cracks, but I haven’t gone looking for them. Maybe now I should. I learned so much from this one – – mainly how inexperienced I am. I worked so hard to get in those hand jams and figure out a way through the cracks. It wasn’t until the day was over that I learned I could have just stemmed over them

Lori Milas wrote:

Thank you, Greg!  That was really thoughtful of you to post this info. I’m sure it’s not the best route in the world but I walk by it almost every day and wonder.  And after a bit more scrambling on this day I decided to wait until I could go with someone.  

speaking of fossil, he has strongly encouraged me to bring back some crack climbing just for strength and variety. It sounds like a solid idea so I roamed around a bit and found myself looking at this face and two cracks. I’m assuming the one on the right is the better bet. (Little Rock Candy Moun

i’m not half bad at easy cracks, but I haven’t gone looking for them. Maybe now I should. I learned so much from this one – – mainly how inexperienced I am. I worked so hard to get in those hand jams and figure out a way through the cracks. It wasn’t until the day was over that I learned I could have just stemmed over them

As I'm sure you now know well, stemming is a very important part of a climber's repertoire--though surprisingly often overlooked. It even is helpful in certain slab climbing situations, while also sometimes allowing 'rests' ( or, at least, shakeouts) in very overhanging terrain.

Enjoy your New Year. Climb well in 2026.

Happy New Year everyone! Best Wishes for a healthy and adventure filled 2026. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from the Ice Planet Hoth (for Star Wars fans).   I hiked out to the local boulder, maybe a two mile walk and it was encased in clear ice.  We are having friends over and making our intentions for the new year in front of the fire.  My intentions worked out well for last year, although I had no major sends but got really close on two hard for me (V8?) first ascents. 

Bon Any a tothom!

Anyone else identify?

Happy last day of 2025!

Bigelow from Sugarloaf...brisk today.

Lunch.  Good times.

Pretty interesting looking drink there.  The chicken contributes to breakfast. The Pig goes all in.... 

 it was cold and gray by the time I got to the lake. Its such a dismal season there. two of the practice slabs  are all that is really in.. 

the infamous Willoughby practice slabs.. You can see that the starts are all tricky with snow plastered rock and not much ice untill you get up a ways.. 

I made it about half way before brittle ice that was fracturing in unpleasant ways  told me that was enough bouldering for the day. 

had to make two v threads to get down. Usually I nail those things on the first try but today I had a hard time getting the holes to line up...

the Willoughby Gap from the north.

Happy New Years Ever to all. 

Writing intentions for the New Year and what we want to burn in the fire.

Daniel Joder wrote:

Bon Any a tothom!

Anyone else identify?

Yes. This or the random gunfire that some yokels seem to think is needed (perhaps not in Spain though?).

I hope everyone on this thread has a wonderful 2026.

Time to remember those old friends we lost. Bill Taylor, a Georgia Tech frat brother, in Cloudland Canyon, GA, 1954. Bill became an electrical engineer, then a Navy fighter pilot who received the DFC from JFK for dangerous low level flights over Cuba in the Missile Crises of 1962. He became an airline pilot in the years that followed. RIP, Bill.

Bill is the first on the left. The squadron is receiving the Navy Unit Commendation Medal.