Have you ever forsaken climbing?

Have you ever forsaken climbing? No, but forsaking climbers is recommended.

I identify with a lot of this. Good to know I am not the only one. I hope to be a lifer from here on out, and avoid some of the things that made me go away from climbing in the first place. Trad appeals to me in a way it didn't before, so there is a whole other world there to get into.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:I've considered forsaking it a lot lately.

:-( Truly. Whatever the reason, I wish you well, would miss you from this forum, and would remind you from six decades out that stuff does change, however stuck in it we might feel at the time.

For me, I feel like I should just quit all the time, but won't. Stubborn!

A. Michael wrote: Trad appeals to me in a way it didn't before, so there is a whole other world there to get into.

When I first started climbing I was apprehensive of trad. I was fortunate enough to acquire a complete rack for next to nothing, so I had no fear of trashing the pro. I followed on a good number of trad routes before I felt confident enough to lead.

That lighten up energy returning feeling you get when you place a piece of pro, has to be experienced.

I was hooked after taking an unexpected fall, and the gear I placed held.

I have had extended breaks, but have never "forsaken" climbing.

I stopped for 5 years. Started again when I moved to California. I'll never be a 5.12 sport climber, but I discovered the joys of climbing in the alpine. You don't need to be good to have fun, and have an adventure.

Old lady H wrote: :-( Truly. Whatever the reason, I wish you well, would miss you from this forum, and would remind you from six decades out that stuff does change, however stuck in it we might feel at the time. For me, I feel like I should just quit all the time, but won't. Stubborn!

To clarify, sometimes it feels like climbing has forsaken me. An arthritic toe that makes even a warm-up miserable. Bad skin that leaves me healing and peeling after just one day on the rock. A probable hernia that I really can't have evaluated for another month at least. A probable kidney stone that's also going to have to wait a month.

Gotta say, it's not terribly motivating.

All that said, if I can get some relief on the toe, I've got a lot more climbing I'd like to do. Solutions are all in the works, I doubt I'm going anywhere.

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote: To clarify, sometimes it feels like climbing has forsaken me. An arthritic toe that makes even a warm-up miserable. Bad skin that leaves me healing and peeling after just one day on the rock. A probable hernia that I really can't have evaluated for another month at least. A probable kidney stone that's also going to have to wait a month. Gotta say, it's not terribly motivating. All that said, if I can get some relief on the toe, I've got a lot more climbing I'd like to do. Solutions are all in the works, I doubt I'm going anywhere.

Well. Neither of us is leavin' a trail a parts for the lizards....yet. :-)

Old lady H wrote: Well. Neither of us is leavin' a trail a parts for the lizards....yet. :-)

Lol - sometimes I think I'm getting close.

I stopped for 10 years, travel, work, life. Got back into it 10 years ago, and have climbed in USA, Japan, Thailand, and Australia since. Next year I'm 50, and have committed (with my long-time climbing partner) to a Yosemite / Tuolumne pilgrimmage to climb on (or near!) some of the rock I've spent my early days dreaming about.

I don't climb hard, but modern gym / methods / gear / sport climbing / no more "leader must not fall" all mean there is no reason I shouldn't still be able to climb harder than I did when I was 18 in South Africa climbing on second hand hexes. So I've committed to that, have one more year to see if I can get up 5.10 trad! :-)

Somebody mentioned upstream how letting go of some ego issues has helped - same for me, and I'm enjoying climbing more than I ever have.

I've never climbed rock before a few months ago. I grew up on the prairies and climbed trees and anything else I could find. My brother inlaw and my kids are what have encouraged me to climb in the last year or so. I'm loving the time at the gym, the time hiking to the crag, and just exploring the area while picking the next rock to climb. It's time spent with my wife and kids...and you only get one chance for that before its gone.
I love that it's given me a reason to get in shape.

HighAltitude--kidney stones are the worst. ugh

Alex--I also climb easy. Ain't it grand!

At 25, started climbing in late 80s until '92, then moved and no new climbing partners. Fast forward to 1 year ago, old climbing bud back on the scene and restarted climbing at 50! Gear and ropes have changed and more bolts on lower difficulty routes. Also in my 20s, all about pushing the limit, now more about a fun day out with a bud followed by a beer. And now with wife and child, more on the line.