How old are our boulderers?

Peter Beal wrote:

Funny thread. Outside of a very few hold outs, nobody focuses on bouldering in this country much past 40. It's a shame because it's by far the most effective way to get and stay strong for climbing. Contemporary climbing gyms and setting styles are part of the problem here.

At 60, I don't boulder much except at the gym.  It's not just the body (due for a total knee).  It's just that I don't want to work that hard anymore for my pleasure.  I prefer a day of fun, moderately difficult climbing to beating myself up on a boulder.  I'll still push because that's my nature but certainly not like I did when I was younger. Climbing has always been a social event as well, and that's still a big part of why I do it.

I'm only 14, I love bouldering so much that I will defend everyone against the bullies who hate boulderers.

frank minunni wrote:

At 60, I don't boulder much except at the gym.  It's not just the body (due for a total knee).  It's just that I don't want to work that hard anymore for my pleasure.  I prefer a day of fun, moderately difficult climbing to beating myself up on a boulder.  I'll still push because that's my nature but certainly not like I did when I was younger. Climbing has always been a social event as well, and that's still a big part of why I do it.

Nothing wrong with that Frank! At 53 I am still semi-addicted to getting beaten up by bouldering. By 60 that may change...

I stopped at 68 when a relatively short jump onto a pad ruptured my ACL.  But by then I was bouldering far below my salad day levels anyway; didn't seem like much of a loss.

Outside of setting a few routes in the gym, I haven't really bouldered. Yet. 

So, yet another after 60 first (for me, I mean) perhaps? I've got dicey knees, so a really good spotter will be top of the list for that!

If it happens, I'll post it up.

Any Boise people wanna haul out to Swan Falls on one of those nice winter days, hit me up, if yer game! I do have access to a pad, and greatly enjoy helping folks with their projects.

Best, OLH

climbing friend,

toughen yourownself up. 

unless you are over it age 60, age is would not really be an excuse. you may still maintain flagging half-erection and boulder hard if you are not a wuss. but perhaps in your america with your hamburgers and your meat and your cheese constant intake and your chemicals and pointless prescription drugs and terrible system of the healthcarings, you perhaps are already sick and dying before this and your forearm and neck meat is quite limp and your joints quite weak and flaccid?

I am 35 and enjoy grasping both the bouldering rocks and the route climbing rocks, although I recognize the bouldering it is far superior in many way, even if it is quite fun wasting time not climbing during a roped session, with gear, ropes, fear of heights, etc.

all your flash are belong to me!

may you always experience forearm refreshed at crux!

I'm 53 and still boulder both outside and inside, though not nearly as much as I'd like.  Here I am on some V4 at Red Rocks with my daughter working on the V4 next door.  Bouldering is pretty tough on the joints and tendons, but oddly enough I seem to have less physical issues than bouldering inside.  

Fat Dad wrote:

I'm 53 and still boulder both outside and inside, though not nearly as much as I'd like.  Here I am on some V4 at Red Rocks with my daughter working on the V4 next door.  Bouldering is pretty tough on the joints and tendons, but oddly enough I seem to have less physical issues than bouldering inside.  

nice!

Will be 68 in two months all is good no joint problems, knees etc, am going strong and will continue on see no end really 

You can't tell from the photo but my shirt reads "Old Guys Rule".

Fat Dad wrote:

You can't tell from the photo but my shirt reads "Old Guys Rule".

They also rock! ;-)

At 37 i'm not as risky w/ heights as I was at 30. if there's a safe landing I don't see why you'd stop bouldering as you age... deep water soloing is a nice compromise if you have that as an option. good to read there's so many people my age and older who still boulder. I don't see many of them in the denver bouldering club.

for me, the best thing about bouldering is not needing to worry about equipment or partners... just go enjoy. 

jeremy c. cadwell wrote:

for me, the best thing about bouldering is not needing to worry about equipment or partners... just go enjoy. 

This was made possible with the advent and use of pads.  Before that (pre mid 90's), spotters were key to a hard or hairy send.  Not to say there aren't problems around now which require both pads and spotters.  

I am 56, been bouldering for about 25 years.  Still enjoy most aspects of it except the landing, pads or not.  I have to watch out for my knees and ankles.  Doing more problems involving traverses or low to the ground and downclimbing easier problems.

This total noob at bouldering is 60. First time out, yesterday! Tongue in cheeky report in the bouldering forum.

;-D Helen

climbing friend,

I see you have vanquished the boulder and seen it slain and lifeless before you, hearing the lamentation of the other boulder.

S. Neoh wrote:

This was made possible with the advent and use of pads.  Before that (pre mid 90's), spotters were key to a hard or hairy send.  Not to say there aren't problems around now which require both pads and spotters.  

I am 56, been bouldering for about 25 years.  Still enjoy most aspects of it except the landing, pads or not.  I have to watch out for my knees and ankles.  Doing more problems involving traverses or low to the ground and downclimbing easier problems.

I agree.  I had my knee rebuilt twice while in my early 20s, so I've always had the benefit if you will of knowing how badly I could get hurt if I pushed it.  Having said that, even after pads came out I never really felt the need to get one.  It was only after getting married and buying one, in part because my wife felt better with one, that I learned just how many bruised heels and other injuries they probably helped avoid.  I'm still pretty cautious.  I don't jump off when I can downclimb to a reasonable height.  I don't see the benefits of doing a sketchy highball just because.  I feel better knowing that I don't do something possibly stupid just because other (younger) climbers are doing it.  Been there; not doing it again.  

climbing friend,

finding a good spotter it is like capturing the mythical unicorn.

most they are staring, slack jawed unattentive, totally unaware of surroundings climber movement and center of gravity, one hand only halfheartedly half outstretched and half open, as if holding some magical talisman they would spot on you with by their stoned power, while not properly prepared in power stance in correct locations and all the while not watching center of gravity but rather trolling for foot beta or looking around for attractive peoplez of gender opposite type in hopes someone may be looking at them.

s.price wrote:

I'm 54 and boulder a couple of times a week. Sometimes more. Great way to get in an after work session. Blessed to have a stash of fun boulders a short bike ride from the house and multiple other options a short drive away. Have a couple of fat pads but rarely highball anymore unless it is easy (bad knee from skiing).

I have always loved bouldering and will keep doing so until my body says no more.

More power to ya man!!

Hi there.  Just joined the project today after seeing this post (I was Googling stuff on how to climb stronger). Interesting subject.  

I started climbing 5 years ago at age 50, and started with bouldering. I mainly boulder (I love the raw power and 'grunt'), but also do some top roping (I love working laps for endurance. Did sixteen laps of a grade 21 the other weekend; last set was seven laps back to back) and also do some sports climbing (up to grade 23 which I believe is about 5.11d?) and have just started Trad (grade 14 at present) mainly at Mount Arapiles. I find Trad a little slow (and scary) but I quite like the 'engineering' aspect. For me, Trad is like 50% insane panic and 50% lovely climbing. In regards to bouldering grades at the moment, it's V4 (Grampians grades, which can be a bit tough I believe).  I'm trying to make it into the V5 range before I hit the downward slide due to age but I'm finding it difficult :-(

I've never really had a climbing injury even though I climb about four times a week; three times bouldering and one time top roping/sports.  I generally spend the WHOLE of April bouldering and sports climbing in the Gramps (Grampians) with two or three other one to two weeks trips to Araps (Mount Arapiles) or the Gramps. I think sometimes I climb too much when I get carried away, like ten days straight on my first trip to the Gramps or for a whole month in the Grampians with only six rest days.

My fingers hurt constantly and my knees are stuffed. I grit my teeth turning over in bed after a hard session. I suffered a torn ACL in my right knee and a torn LCL in my left knee about 20 years ago when I was in the army and I have bone rubbing on bone and bits of loose cartilage floating around which makes walking to some crags hard (my knees swell up terribly).  
I constantly worry about when I won't be able to climb any more.  However, my psych is still high (dude) and I love climbing with young people; I feed of their psych and energy and they are motivated by an old guy still getting out there and doing it so it's pretty symbiotic...

I'm not pushing the grades as you can see but considering how late I started I think I do OK for an old fellow and I certainly push myself.

I would absolutely love to converse with older climbers to find out how to improve as an older climber...

Carl