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5.14b at age 64

Original Post
John RB · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 154

Chuck Odette just ticked T-Rex (5.14b) at Maple.  He's 64 years old (and will be 65 in December).  I believe this is the record for oldest send of that grade, and just another testament to the fact you can keep climbing well into your later years.

I've never met him, but I believe he lives in a van or bus with his wife Maggie (who at 49 has also climbed 5.14) and they're retired.  They just chase the weather and climb full time.

Other notable older climbers include Lee Sheftel of Rifle (climbing mid 13's into his 70s), Bill Ramsey (who is 60 I believe, a philosophy professor at UNLV, and recently climbed 5.14), and Edu Marin's father "Novato" who also climbed 14b at 60+.

I'm not 60 yet, but still inspired by these old men and women crushers!  Never stop climbing... :)

https://rockandice.com/climbing-news/chuck-odette-sends-5-14b-at-age-64

Eric Metzgar · · Pacifica, CA · Joined Jan 2020 · Points: 0

So inspiring, thanks for sharing! The future looks brighter.     

Doug Chism · · Arlington VA · Joined Jul 2017 · Points: 45

How long have they been climbing? As someone who started late 40s, I’d love to hear stories about someone climbing 14s or even 13s who started climbing in middle age. 

Andrew Hess · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2017 · Points: 0

 I just turned 60 and this is exactly what I needed to read. Thanks!

Dan Cooksey · · Pink Ford Thunderbird · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 365
John RB wrote:

Chuck Odette just ticked T-Rex (5.14b) at Maple.  He's 64 years old (and will be 65 in December).  I believe this is the record for oldest send of that grade, and just another testament to the fact you can keep climbing well into your later years.

I think Fred Beckey climbed 14b when he was 117. Fred was a legend though.  

Good on Chuck.  

I’ve been climbing for 8 years and just climbed 5.9+.  This is comforting.  Anyone can climb 5.14 if they are motivated and put in the work.  I’ve got 28 years left to train. 

Mark B · · Memphis · Joined Mar 2020 · Points: 2
Doug Chism wrote:

How long have they been climbing? As someone who started late 40s, I’d love to hear stories about someone climbing 14s or even 13s who started climbing in middle age. 

Amen to that.

Used 2climb · · Far North · Joined Mar 2013 · Points: 0

Oh good, I just got to .10's at 30 so by the time I am 70 I am should be pulling 14's!

Frank Stein · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Feb 2012 · Points: 205

I believe that Chuck started in his mid twenties, and that this is his hardest send to date. Also, chuck and Maggie are the nicest people you will ever meet. 

snowdenroad · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 50
Doug Chism wrote:

How long have they been climbing? As someone who started late 40s, I’d love to hear stories about someone climbing 14s or even 13s who started climbing in middle age. 

<spray-on> My wife started climbing at age 40, 20 years later she sent her first 13a, and has sent a few more in the 12d/13a range.  We climb and train a lot.  It took me 38 years of climbing to send 13b, and another 2 for 13c.  As Steve Bechtel says, getting good at climbing mostly requires climbing a lot. <spray-off>

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
Dan Cooksey wrote:

I think Fred Beckey climbed 14b when he was 117. Fred was a legend though.  

Good on Chuck.  

I’ve been climbing for 8 years and just climbed 5.9+.  This is comforting.  Anyone can climb 5.14 if they are motivated and put in the work.  I’ve got 28 years left to train. 

That's like saying anyone can run a 4:10 mile. Or deadlift 2.5X their weight. Or hit a baseball 400 feet. Or be a scratch golfer. It's all BS.

Dan Cooksey · · Pink Ford Thunderbird · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 365
Gunkiemike wrote:

That's like saying anyone can run a 4:10 mile. Or deadlift 2.5X their weight. Or hit a baseball 400 feet. Or be a scratch golfer. It's all BS.

I stand by what I said.   

snowdenroad · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 50
Gunkiemike wrote:

That's like saying anyone can run a 4:10 mile. Or deadlift 2.5X their weight. Or hit a baseball 400 feet. Or be a scratch golfer. It's all BS.

While this has of course been debated on MP before, the difference is that 1) 14a is a lot easier than the current limit in climbing and 2) in many climber's opinion, climbing is considerably more technical than running or lifting.  And one's technical skills can overcome a lack of strength, which is why older climbers that stick with it can climb hard. 

edited to add, *anyone* who has already climbed a few 5.13s, has plenty of 5.13s to try nearby, and has 5 to 10 years, can probably get to a single 14a redpoint, if they want to.

John RB · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2016 · Points: 154

Probably the #1 most important key step for climbing 5.14 in your lifetime is...

... start climbing when you're 6.

If you start late in life (like 30 or 40) then it helps to be a genetic freak, be amazingly injury-resistant, and be insanely driven if you're gonna reach 5.14.  

The people I've seen get good quickly in climbing have been those already very athletic and who've been using their body in demanding ways for a long time, so they're already strong from head to toe (including core), and they're pretty injury resistant.  Going from 40 years behind a desk to climbing hard is a long road and likely punctuated by injury.

Gunkiemike · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 3,492
snowdenroad wrote:

While this has of course been debated on MP before, the difference is that 1) 14a is a lot easier than the current limit in climbing 

Fact - 14a is as difficult as it was when that was the level of the world's hardest climbs. 14a has not gotten any easier just b/c people are now doing even more difficult routes. To harken back to my earlier analogies, the world's top male marathoners are now closing in on 2 hours. That doesn't make it any easier for Joe Citizen to break 2:30.

The upper end of most athletic endeavors is the rarified realm of the genetically gifted. They don't get to the apex because they "want it more badly" (as sportscasters are fond of babbling) or because the rest of the field doesn't take their training seriously.

Bill Schick · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2019 · Points: 0
John RB wrote:

The people I've seen get good quickly in climbing have been those already very athletic and who've been using their body in demanding ways for a long time, so they're already strong from head to toe (including core), and they're pretty injury resistant. 

And why is that?  There are plenty who have been climbing forever but perform mediocre.  A more significant factor IMO is to find someone who is consistent and organized in how they train.  Climbing has always been a really poor place to develop that if you've never had any prior exposure elsewhere.  Sheftel, who you just cited, came in as as a successful marathoner, age 33 or so - physical development that has little to do with climbing - in fact, a distance runner's entire upper body is generally decimated and under developed.

Brad Larson · · portland · Joined Apr 2019 · Points: 0

Here's Chuck and Maggie's very good blog

https://gravitychronicles.com/

Claudine Longet · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Sep 2020 · Points: 0
This post violated Guideline #1 and has been removed.
JohnWesely Wesely · · Lander · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 585
Gunkiemike wrote:

Fact - 14a is as difficult as it was when that was the level of the world's hardest climbs. 14a has not gotten any easier just b/c people are now doing even more difficult routes. To harken back to my earlier analogies, the world's top male marathoners are now closing in on 2 hours. That doesn't make it any easier for Joe Citizen to break 2:30.

The upper end of most athletic endeavors is the rarified realm of the genetically gifted. They don't get to the apex because they "want it more badly" (as sportscasters are fond of babbling) or because the rest of the field doesn't take their training seriously.

It is much much easier now because the amount of information available to today's climbers is exponentially greater. Not to mention how much better the footwear is. By your definition, 5.11 is elite performance because it was elite at one point.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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