New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #43

C'mon Phylp!!!

How are you!?!!

Oh and Alan, maybe you had All Caps on. I know, it's a bad joke. 🤣

Lori Milas wrote:

Oh dear. Have never seen this plant before. Please check in and let us know.  Sorry this happened.

Blisters appear 12-48 hrs.  So far we are OK.

Many local Yucca at peak bloom.
we’ve done this hike many times but this is the first time since the fire. That peak is only 5 miles from my house and when the Bridge fire was raging in 2024 I was monitoring on Watch Duty and they seemed to hold the line at that fire road. We were on Red Alert and just dreading the evacuation order.
But as we walked the road yesterday we could see all the areas north of the road that had burned but also some north of the road where the fire had crossed. I had never seen that gorgeous plant up there and it was EVERYWHERE. So it was clear that it was a post fire species. That last 15 minutes the road ends and there is just a narrow trail to the summit. Somehow, after 5 minutes of wading thru the bush forest, a part of my brain went into alert saying “wait, is this poodle-dog”? I have never seen it so huge and dense before.

Are you seeing any snakes there?  

We have a beautiful flower here that seems to be deeply poisonous to some people, Kris Solem among them.  It's actually my favorite flower, only we just can't touch it.

I've been having a great summer here... totally unexpected things happening.  I'm just feeling grateful for the movement.  It started with my surprising interest in octopuses, and wondering if I want to do a rescue.  It's a big deal, learning how to keep a reef tank, and an octopus needs perfect water ph-wise and cleanliness.  Friends offer me various rescues (from ocean pier shops)... in order to actually bring an octopus home the tank has to be up and running for a solid 3 months beforehand.  Do I want to have a tank running in my living room with no fish, just bacteria etc 'maturing' all that time?  But they make wonderful companions/pets... it would be a kindness, and I've been so interested.  Still on the fence with this.

During the last hundreds of hikes/walks I got interested in tech companies, and tech itself, and that lead me to investigate Nvidia, Anthropic, Google (especially as it became and AI company), Open AI etc... and I have had just dozens of questions that I could fire one after the other (through Gemini), get to know the players, and try to learn about amazing machines like ASML   A nice side-bonus, my oldest daughter is a total science nerd, got her physics degree from Berkeley, and we don't have much to talk about except artichokes. Now she fields my questions, and ups the ante... Claude Code?  I have been telling her about Cuda C++.  Gosh, I've missed a lifetime here.  

Inevitably that lead me to find an interest in rockets (Nvidia is so connected to space work), and to get to know Blue Origen and SpaceX.  Ok, so I have officially become one of the thousands of fans who is deeply involved in all the goings on of the space race and totally stoked.  As a sideline, studying the management styles of Jeff Bezos and Elon...... is so interesting.  Bezos is slow, meticulous, plodding and very cautious and won't launch anything until it is perfect on paper.  Elon likes to blow shit up and learn from it.  "Test like you fly."  Makes me also think about the climbers here who came before, who tested like they flew.      

It's hard to get Tony involved, he has such an allergy to Elon that it was hard for him to watch at first, despite my jumping up and down and cheering when the Super Heavy launched, when the Starship made its debut.  I have never asked so many questions over a long period of time, about propellant, FAA, all the complexities of fueling a ship without blowing something up, landing a ship.  But it's been really fun connecting with other space fans, many of them engineers.  One man from Texas wrote:  "I'm no Elon fan.  I drive Chevy truck and wouldn't be caught dead in an electric car.  But what is happening at StarBase is world changing, and I am watching every minute of it."   

So the next launch is Thursday after 5:45.  Tony offered to make pork and beans.  Is he making a statement?    

What does this have to do with climbing?  Not much, except my commitment to keep moving (daily hikes and strength training) may be paying off.  I feel more ready to try hard on serious routes, probably not until September, but I am really looking forward to it.  I think finger strength is turning out to be more important to me than I thought... and I wonder if walking around with kettle balls on the tips of my fingers would be one way of training without hanging.  I do miss the climbing gym for this.  

Carl, it's time for some sad poetry.  Lay off Cindy.  She puts up with you every year at this time. 

phylp phylp wrote:

Blisters appear 12-48 hrs.  So far we are OK.

Many local Yucca at peak bloom.
we’ve done this hike many times but this is the first time since the fire. That peak is only 5 miles from my house and when the Bridge fire was raging in 2024 I was monitoring on Watch Duty and they seemed to hold the line at that fire road. We were on Red Alert and just dreading the evacuation order.
But as we walked the road yesterday we could see all the areas north of the road that had burned but also some north of the road where the fire had crossed. I had never seen that gorgeous plant up there and it was EVERYWHERE. So it was clear that it was a post fire species. That last 15 minutes the road ends and there is just a narrow trail to the summit. Somehow, after 5 minutes of wading thru the bush forest, a part of my brain went into alert saying “wait, is this poodle-dog”? I have never seen it so huge and dense before.

will check in tomorrow with 48 hour report!

🤞

Wife turned 50 last week.

Told her to come join this thread..

Instead she wanted to paddle, hike, climb and cold plunge every day we were on the east side.

One goal of hers was to paddle these 6 lakes at sunrise: Mary George Mamie Horseshoe and both Twin Lakes (actually 3ish). All above Mammoth.

Added Silver Lake at sunrise and sunset.

Mission Accomplished.

Happy wife

Happy life

Hope everyone is well!

Good to see Alan chiming in!

Phylp- hope you manage to avoid the worst..

A new Joshua Tree route name possibly??

“Scary Dog Poodles”

Next thread… will post more.

Feeling strong, hope to get one one arm 20mm lockoff…

Lori Milas wrote:

Ok, so I have officially become one of the thousands of fans who is deeply involved in all the goings on of the space race and totally stoked.  As a sideline, studying the management styles of Jeff Bezos and Elon...... 

Love the stoke!

For some balance, consider reading (if you haven't already)  some of the submission on the FCC call for comments for these various satellite proposals.

There are some less than wonderful side effects of having close to one million satellites in orbit - which is what is being proposed.

Me, personally, I think my neighbor's driveway light is too bright and on too long, I think I'll pass on giant moving (not geostationary) orbital reflectors zooming overhead.

Fantastic creativity, yes. But I think there are other ways. Syle points have counted in climbing too.

Tony knows his shit.  I wouldn't watch a movie about that piece of shit if you put a gun to my head.  

Mark Hudon was the keynote speaker at the “International Climbers Festival” in Lander, WY this last weekend. I’ve been going to this for years now, this was among the best addresses I’ve seen there. He presented with his climbing partner from the film Free as Can Be. He’s a happy soul, and it’s great to see someone still pushing themselves for no good reason.

The Lander festival is super fun. It’s great to participate in something that spans every generation of climbers, And Wild Iris is a subtly beautiful western gem.

I've been coming to this traverse off and on for decades and went recently with some relative youngsters from the gym.  It used to be a warm up and now I'm going to need to return fresh to get it done.  

Victor K wrote:

Mark Hudon was the keynote speaker at the “International Climbers Festival” in Lander, WY this last weekend. I’ve been going to this for years now, this was among the best addresses I’ve seen there. He presented with his climbing partner from the film Free as Can Be. He’s a happy soul, and it’s great to see someone still pushing themselves for no good reason.

The Lander festival is super fun. It’s great to participate in something that spans every generation of climbers, And Wild Iris is a subtly beautiful western gem.

Agree on both 100 %.  Just got into town tonight so we missed the festival. It was 100 degrees at 8:00 pm. 

Tim Schafstall wrote:

Agree on both 100 %.  Just got into town tonight so we missed the festival. It was 100 degrees at 8:00 pm. 

Downright chilly two weeks ago...

How long you in Wy, Tim?  Headed to Pinedale end of next week.

The big museum outside Dubois is worth seeing if you're nearby.  Cheers!

Brian in SLC wrote:

Downright chilly two weeks ago...

How long you in Wy, Tim?  Headed to Pinedale end of next week.

The big museum outside Dubois is worth seeing if you're nearby.  Cheers!

Lander for 3 days then Yellowstone for 3 more. Pretty sure we go thru DuBois on way to Yellowstone. I’ll look it up. 

Tim Schafstall wrote:

Lander for 3 days then Yellowstone for 3 more. Pretty sure we go thru DuBois on way to Yellowstone. I’ll look it up. 

National Museum of Military Vehicles

We've been a couple of times.  Amazing.  Feller outbid the Smithsonian on the rifle that fired the first shot at Bunker Hill.

Mountain man museum in Pinedale worth a stop if you're near as well.  Buffalo Bill in Cody of course (we split that one into two days) followed by rocky mountain oysters at the Proud Cut (ha ha).

Who has been kissed by a bear?

Back in the 70’s, Craig n I hitched to the Valley from LA …. Do Climbers even do that anymore?
We arrived late in the evening- past midnight- so as was allowed- at the time- we just threw down our stuff and crashed. I got up around dawn, hit the head and walked out into a new day. Kathy Brookman ( EKAT) called me over and offered me coffee. While sitting there, catching up, a big ass bear came walking through camp 4 - obviously headed somewhere. As he drew even with the sleeping Craig he turned towards him, sniffing the air, walked towards him and bent down and started licking his face! Craig was wide awake now, wiggling around in his bag, fumbling with a stuck zipper. Craig was a diabetic and had macked down 3-4 honey packs before going to bed. The bear wanted that honey. Good times.

Well last Thursday I got loved by a bear. I was sleeping out, like I always do, at the PCT trailhead at Kennedy Meadows in preparation for an alpine start on the South Fork of the Kern. I was in dreamland when all of a sudden the Bear sneezed on my face! It was pretty gross, bear snot was all over my face and ear. My yelling scared him/her off but needless to say I was now wide awake.
So I cleaned off my face made Coffee and wolfed down some food, I felt pretty good about myself when I started walking and my alarm- set for 5:45- went off in my pocket.
The fishing was pretty good the early bird got the worm.

The next day I drove up to Fish Creek to meet up with my friends for some climbing. I was pretty excited to have a go at some of the new climbs that the locals have done in the last few weeks. One of those, one that I’ve lusted over for years, got done, and I was keen to have a go at it.
Now I have a new project.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/201829257/pisces 

The Bears are at Fish Creek now. Speaking with Carey, the CG host, she told me the FS recently relocated “problem bears” from Yosemite and Kings Canyon. On Saturday evening Levy had his ice chest out. He walked away for about 60 seconds when this Mom and cub slid out from the bushes and jumped his Ice chest! They got away with a 5 lb “perfectly prepared” tri tip and 1/2 watermelon!
So now we need to worry about them at Fish. I can’t wait till California gets the Grizzlies and the Wolves reintroduced into our state. Madness.

Anyway now that you are bored to death reading this- I wish that everyone has a great summer, packed full of climbing and adventure.

Later all 

A VERY YOUNG Kevin Andrews 1989 on the set of License to Thrill ski movie. Credit:Greg Stump

Guy!! Not me but my friend Kevin plunked down besides his truck after a long drive to a remote spot in the Sierra.

He awoke to a bear licking his neck… sorta like a kiss..

Hetch Hetchy was once the bad bear penalty box..Rancheria Falls and Tiltill Valley were filthy with them in the early 1990s. All relocated from Yosemite Valley.

Great story, Guy. Gross but funny and scary all at the same time. 

Guy Keesee wrote:

The next day I drove up to Fish Creek to meet up with my friends for some climbing. I was pretty excited to have a go at some of the new climbs that the locals have done in the last few weeks. One of those, one that I’ve lusted over for years, got done, and I was keen to have a go at it.
Now I have a new project.

https://www.mountainproject.com/route/201829257/pisces 

The Bears are at Fish Creek now. Speaking with Carey, the CG host, she told me the FS recently relocated “problem bears” from Yosemite and Kings Canyon. On Saturday evening Levy had his ice chest out. He walked away for about 60 seconds when this Mom and cub slid out from the bushes and jumped his Ice chest! They got away with a 5 lb “perfectly prepared” tri tip and 1/2 watermelon!
So now we need to worry about them at Fish. I can’t wait till California gets the Grizzlies and the Wolves reintroduced into our state. Madness.

Anyway now that you are bored to death reading this- I wish that everyone has a great summer, packed full of climbing and adventure.

Later all 

So you're climbing 5.10 now?  Pisces looks wonderful!  Glad you and the bear were simpatico and I'm so happy you are back at climbing again, Guy.  Have fun fishing!  

The weather here is beautiful, perfect morning hikes, and when it gets a little too warm there's always ice cream and watermelon.  

When I'm in the mood I wander over to Watergate, just to admire this beautiful rock.   I had a deep change of heart today about the route I am so attached to, Dirty Tricks, toward favoring the one next to it, Malicious Deception. These are 11d and 11b respectively. If there was a chance to actually climb one, Malicious Deception would be it.

On Dirty Tricks there are virtually no holds... which is why Jan is one of my heroes.  The only way I can fathom that climb is to paste your fingerpads onto that rock and climb for all you're worth.  On the one pictured below, Malicious Deception, at least you have this long crack and the possibility of a layback.  

Very strange, what I noticed this morning.  I started my hike determined to finally to a VO2Max test for my Whoop.  About halfway through I lost my determination and wandered over to Watergate, got caught up trudging through brush and potential snakes, and then spent the next hour at this wall, happy, peaceful, exploring and testing out my knee.  The whole vibe is just wonderful, the rock is clean and solid--cool breeze coming by on a really hot day.  I realize I can't climb it, really... but I can wish, and lug those kettleballs around.  Li Hu could maybe climb it.  

There is no thing I enjoy about running/hiking 'to max output' for purposes of a test.  I also don't enjoy lifting 'to failure'.  I do enjoy it when the next move on a route requires giving it all I have, but for some reason I can't force that in a gym.  Li Hu has a different view.    

Several years before we met, my wife was sleeping in a lean-to at Chimney Pond campground on Katahdin when she was awakened by a bear licking her face. Screaming and flailing was sufficient to prompt the bear to ramble slowly on to the next campsite. She spent the rest of the night in her car!!!!

Alan Rubin wrote:

Several years before we met, my wife was sleeping in a lean-to at Chimney Pond campground on Katahdin when she was awakened by a bear licking her face. Screaming and flailing was sufficient to prompt the bear to ramble slowly on to the next campsite. She spent the rest of the night in her car!!!!

The car would have been a long way to go from Chimney Pond in the middle of the night..