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General Climbing Discussion

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back to the begining

muki

26-Jan-2012
3:33:11 PM

I was recently up at buffalo doing some climbing and was talking to an older and much respected member of the climbing community, and the subject of mentors came up, he was lamenting that "back in my day" a climber would seek out a mentor to learn his/her rock craft from.
All the people I've met who have discussed this with me have varying view points from the much loved and slightly comical
"I went to the hardware and got some bailing twine and gloves, then down to the quarry " school of climbing, very monty pythonesque.
then there are the type who read avidly at the local library and get out Freedom Of The Hills,etc and build mock up test runs off the garage roof/trees, they might have come across some gear in a garage sale or second hand hiking shop school of climbing.
Ive also heard stories of people who are bread into it,
"mum n dad were both into it, so it was only natural that I was bouldering by the age of 2"
whatever method you acquired the bug is interesting as well Ive heard some rippers.
Please feel free to discus the methods that you learned how not to die while climbing.
And if you feel that it would have been good to find an experienced leader to learn from.

shortman

26-Jan-2012
3:41:04 PM

I would have loved an experienced climber to learn from consistently. The old timers I went out with just didn't have the time. This was the main problem, as opposed to apathy on their behalf. However, I was probably always gonna be self taught, it's been my way for a long time.

Welcome to chockstone Muki. Are u new?

;)

muki

26-Jan-2012
5:31:58 PM

Yeah time and patience seem to be at a premium in these modern times, but I hear what your saying, I would also have loved that experience, but alas fall not the DIY camp.

thanks for the warm welcome, your @ 643 posts so you must have been here years ;)

So the question still stands shortman are there any harrowing examples of only just making it back to camp alive after being out on rock as a complete noob?

shortman

26-Jan-2012
7:35:38 PM

Yeah, but not because of gear. The one close call was rock breaking.

I tripped over my top rope anchor early on. Was on belay, but fell 3/4 of the route, crashing thru a tree, before the rope came tight. My beginner belayer had wandered off to have a slash, luckily he hadn't taken me off belay. He ended up sorer than me, as he was dragged back to the cliff when he finally locked the rope off. Didn't drop me though. Freaked me out a bit.

shortman

26-Jan-2012
8:05:04 PM

The best method I've learnt so far is not to fall off, and hold on for dear life!

ChuckNorris

27-Jan-2012
12:23:21 AM

when I started climbing I smashed it. I did new routes in bare feat on my first day. I didn't even now wat a new root was but I did it anyway. I've bean bakc there and they are all solid 19 if you did it with a rope. I did it with a cable tied around my nek so it must have been 28 done that style.

Tell me your story. I really want to hear your story. My story is going to be better than your story, but I still want to hear your story, just so I can tell you how much better my story is. Got it probably not I just do this cos im bored and want to mess withyou. Im outta here losers

Tommo

27-Jan-2012
4:37:54 AM

On 26/01/2012 tallwoman wrote:
>I tripped over my top rope anchor early on. Was on belay, but fell 3/4
>of the route, crashing thru a tree, before the rope came tight. My beginner
>belayer had wandered off to have a slash, luckily he hadn't taken me off
>belay. He ended up sorer than me, as he was dragged back to the cliff when
>he finally locked the rope off. Didn't drop me though. Freaked me out a
>bit.
>

Awesome!

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