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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 3 of 6. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 80 | 81 to 100 | 101 to 107
Author
What got you started?
TLockwood
22-Oct-2007
10:45:55 PM
I was very fortunate to have a father already into climbing, so i guess climbing found me as it seems it has done many others, as FatBoy commented.
My first recorded climb (i keep a diary of climbs) was at the age of five, being either the first ascent of Lone Pine Corner following my dad and sister up, or Alis.
I also had a penchant for climbing trees, building cubby houses in trees, making swings, etc. I also had a game with my best mate where we would try and cross Nati creek by climbing trees spaning the water. Made for some great fun considering half the trees were dead or didnt quite reach the other side of the often stagnant water. :)
I also did gymnastics for many years, first just for fun and then competively, which furthered my love for swinging around on things; highbar and rings being my favourite aparatus.
At Nati primary i was the only kid allowed to climb onto the roof to retrieve lost equipment, and at school working bees, dad and I were the ones cleaning out the gutters whilst other families trimmed bushes, mowed lawns, etc. lots of fun!
15 years on and i've never looked back!

Sabu
22-Oct-2007
11:29:52 PM
My dad and his dad used to climb, so i reckon there's some genetic links!! always had a habit of climbing trees way before i got into it. also grew up multiple family trips to a mountains, i used to wine and whine as a little kid does about walking but did always enjoy being there. As for actual climbing, our school has a wall and club that ran indoor climbing weekly, led by Stempy (some here might well know him!). i randomly stumbled in one night after and band practice thing and had my first shot, the rest is history!

mousey
23-Oct-2007
1:19:58 AM
stempy? is that who corrupted you with a 'no chalk' vibe?

dougal
23-Oct-2007
9:35:57 AM
A national geographic article about a big wall climb up el capitan. It was the 70's and one photo gave me nightmares for years. Now climbing gives me daymares.

Sabu
23-Oct-2007
10:16:27 AM
On 23/10/2007 mousey wrote:
>stempy? is that who corrupted you with a 'no chalk' vibe?
yep

Organ Pipe
23-Oct-2007
10:26:14 AM
When I was 13, a couple of mates and I had been doing regular hikes and back country ski trips with a teacher from our school. He organised a climbing trip to Araps (he was a very experienced climber) for about 7 of us, run by him and a couple of his equally experienced climbing friends.

My first ever climb was Panzer on the right watchtower face, in a bicycle helmet and converse basketball boots.
We'd split up into 3 teams, with the 3 "adults" doing the leading for each team. I was given a crash course in lead belaying and thrown in the deep end. I swore that trip that I'd never EVER do something as dangerous as lead climbing....

A few years, a casual job, and a drivers license later, and I was building my rack and heading up to Araps with anyone who'd come!

I really identify with those of you that have commented on an ealy desire to climb anything - trees, rooftops, whatever - That had been a major part of my childhood prior to being introduced to the concept of climbing rocks.

nmonteith
23-Oct-2007
10:42:57 AM
On 23/10/2007 Organ Pipe wrote:
>I really identify with those of you that have commented on an ealy desire
>to climb anything - trees, rooftops, whatever - That had been a major part
>of my childhood prior to being introduced to the concept of climbing rocks.

Building cubby houses 20m up hoop pine trees as a kid. I even used to leave 'red tags' on the 'summits'
of nearby trees when i climbed to the top. Very amusing in retrospect - since i am STILL leaving red tags
on new routes...
dalai
23-Oct-2007
10:57:19 AM
I started scrambling then climbing more direct lines in a small limestone quarry down the road in the local monastery and reading and rereading climbing books from the library such as 'Yosemite Climber'.

I still pass by the quarry once in a while, unfortunately the monastery has sold off the land and is now developed as a retirement village including the quarry area...

nmonteith
23-Oct-2007
11:02:06 AM
On 23/10/2007 dalai wrote:
>I started scrambling then climbing more direct lines in a small limestone
>quarry down the road in the local monastery

Was this before or after you left Tibet in exile?
dalai
23-Oct-2007
11:20:13 AM
Before of course, no worthwhile limestone in Victoria ;-)

Eduardo Slabofvic
23-Oct-2007
11:24:23 AM
I recall, at a young age, attempting various stunning lines available to me in my local environment. My
first ascent was the North East Ridge of my parent’s house.

The route required a long approach and was best attempted after a big glass of cordie. A long rising
traverse on the screen fence led to a delicate mantle to palm up on the guttering to establish the stance
on the top of the fence followed by a committing move to gain the summit ridge, ensuring that I didn’t
dislodge the guttering (just in case Dad found out!).

The South East Ridge was next. A shorter approach but no way to avoid using the guttering. I only ever
made one ascent of this route due to the friable nature of the guttering in the region..

I then set my sights on the unclimbed South Face. A route of mythical proportions that did not yield itself
willingly. This was the Eiger Nordwand of Stafford Heights. Looking back, I can see that Rodger Moore
would play me, and Brad Pitt my neighbour, in a re-enactment of this bold and protracted siege.

There were 3 distinct crux’s which got progressively harder the higher you go. A boulder problem start
involving a series of small crimps on some wood panel detail on the garage doors, up to a thin horizontal
crack necessitating painfully stuffing your tips into it. High step on the top panel, rock over and reach for
the good 1st knuckle art deco cement render detail strip, feet up and go again for the angled brick window
ledge. A short traverse right to lay away on the brick edge of the window to bring your feet up onto the
cement. A delicate step up onto the sloping brick, palm up on the top of the window, sets you for the final
hard, scary and committing move.

From the palm up position, an intermediate right foot hold on the window hinge give you the momentum to
get your left hand onto the guttering, a quick snatch with the right hand out right to where the nearby
corner guttering changes angle and can stand a little more of a load, cut loose and heel hook, reach and
shove you thumb under a n overlap of tile and pinch, then pull and match on the tile and walrus as much
weight onto the first row of tiles ASAP before the guttering gave way. Now you’re on the exposed slab
that you take direct to join the South West Ridge, which is then followed to the top. Descent is down the
North East Ridge.

The only thing I’ve ever attempted that has come close to matching this would be Midnight Lightning.

I could never make any significant headway on the remaining two lines, the west facing corner on the
North Face, and the big daddy West Face, deciding to leave these two impressive lines for future
generations. I’m prepared to go out on a limb and say the West Face will never see a hammerless free
ascent.
TLockwood
23-Oct-2007
11:35:14 AM
On 23/10/2007 Sabu wrote:
>On 23/10/2007 mousey wrote:
>>stempy? is that who corrupted you with a 'no chalk' vibe?
>yep

Oh come on james, I like to feel I played a decent part in your corruption and continuation thereof!

nmonteith
23-Oct-2007
11:45:29 AM
On 23/10/2007 dalai wrote:
>Before of course, no worthwhile limestone in Victoria ;-)

There is one wall of worthwhile limestone in Victoria. Pyramid Rocks at Buchan. Carrigan led these 20m
high cracks back in the 1980s. Very Verdonequse. Pity everything else nearby was rubbish.

There is also this wall halfway down the Glenelg River near the SA border. Looked ok.


Organ Pipe
23-Oct-2007
12:48:29 PM
On 23/10/2007 Eduardo Slabofvic wrote:
>I’m prepared to go out on a limb and say the West Face will never see a hammerless >free ascent.

Hahahahaha

IdratherbeclimbingM9
24-Oct-2007
10:11:53 AM
>On 23/10/2007 Eduardo Slabofvic wrote:
>(snip)

Very good post E.S.

I also agree with OP, heh, heh, heh.

Capt_mulch
24-Oct-2007
10:19:50 AM
Like a few other SGS old boys - Ace Cooper and the Endevour Club.

steph
24-Oct-2007
1:37:58 PM
Always used to climb trees & anything else as a kid. Then in grade 5, my PE teacher noticed I had natural upper body strength (sad to say that has diminished over time) and suggested I try the climbing gym at school which he and Stempy ran. Needless to say I loved it and got really hooked after my first ever competition. Outdoor trips followed in the later years and since then I've never looked back!
k
24-Oct-2007
7:08:20 PM

It was a uni day trip to norton summit that first made me realise you could get the same feeling of lovely exposure as being up very high, but doing something relatively safe. As a little kid I spent way too much time doing things like balancing on the railing of my dad's fifth floor apartment balcony just for fun. Happily for my safety I've developed a healthy respect for heights since then.

vwills
24-Oct-2007
8:34:56 PM
A surfing trip to Baja Mexico fell through. While leafing through a magazine looking for back country skiing trips I saw an ad for a mountaineering course on Mt Baker in Washington State. After seeing my first glacier I was hooked.
Solo ascents of chossy Sydney sea cliffs or bushwalking with heavy packs, long days and inclement weather had never seemed to induce quite enough suffering despite my best efforts at taking shortcuts and having them go wrong. Mountaineering encompassed this misery, and so much more. I have never looked back!
davids
24-Oct-2007
8:38:47 PM
>which he and Stempy ran
Stempy. mmm... I wonder if that's the rather tall blondish fullback who used to play for the Monash Uni rugby team with me in the early 80's? He was much too fast and skilful and much too stylish (and good looking) for the rest of us knuckle draggers.
David

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There are 107 messages in this topic.

 

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