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Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:28 pm
by Dawn Running Bear
i would really love to get into climbing but i'm afraid of heights

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:37 pm
by Dawn Running Bear
i'm pretty sure I'd be okay with it if I could tie off. I should really get into it. there are enough little sandstone walls around here that I could start small. what are some important knots to know? how pricey is it to get into?

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:42 pm
by Shalabi
go to a climbing wall, if you're on belay with an experienced climber, there is nothing to worry about. it's such an awesome work out.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 9:53 pm
by thornhill
I started climbing at two indoor gyms last year and love it, but have been getting a bit bored with their walls and routes and just the general vibe of doing it indoors. I'd love to give actual outdoors climbing a try, though, or at least do some bouldering. I really have no idea what kind of climbing options are available around here, though. Can you recommend any good sites that list places to climb geographically with difficulty ratings?

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:06 pm
by Muad'dib bin Stiltzkin
http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/

but really your best bet is too make friends at the gym and have them show you local spots

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:08 pm
by foxriver
yeah, i've been climbing for 7 months. i boulder V2s and am at a 5.10d top rope. 5.11s just kill me.
i go three times a week and am obsessed.
they have some pretty great outdoor climbing areas in northern cali.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:11 pm
by Muad'dib bin Stiltzkin
don't you hate it when you're climbing some problem and having a nice time and some goober you don't know starts saying stuff like "come on" or "you got it"

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:18 pm
by foxriver
not really


it does bother me when people i don't know begin to spot me when i'm bouldering.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:25 pm
by foxriver
do any of you lead?

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:36 pm
by Shalabi
foxriver wrote:do any of you lead?


i've done it twice on an indoor wall. it's terrifying when you're at the next hook trying to clip in and fall a few feet and swing into the wall. too nerve-racking for me. also, you learn quickly what a death grip means.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:41 pm
by Shalabi
thornhill wrote:I started climbing at two indoor gyms last year and love it, but have been getting a bit bored with their walls and routes and just the general vibe of doing it indoors. I'd love to give actual outdoors climbing a try, though, or at least do some bouldering. I really have no idea what kind of climbing options are available around here, though. Can you recommend any good sites that list places to climb geographically with difficulty ratings?


outdoor climbing is cool but obviously more hazardous. gripping rocks as opposed to climbing-wall holds cuts up your hands the first few runs and you never know what you're going to put your hand on in the next grip. but there's much more improvising on real rocks and that really adds to the fun.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:42 pm
by pho
what can you do if you want to climb, but don't have a partner? and don't particular want to just boulder?

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 10:44 pm
by Shalabi
yin wrote:what can you do if you want to climb, but don't have a partner? and don't particular want to just boulder?


most indoor climbing walls have staff there to belay for $ i would think

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:03 pm
by Muad'dib bin Stiltzkin
Shalabi wrote:
foxriver wrote:do any of you lead?


i've done it twice on an indoor wall. it's terrifying when you're at the next hook trying to clip in and fall a few feet and swing into the wall. too nerve-racking for me. also, you learn quickly what a death grip means.

I remember one time I took a big fall when there was a lot of slack in the rope. It scared the belayer more than me; good thing she was anchored because she was way tinier than me. Got a pretty bad rope burn from it.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 11:03 pm
by mich
If you want to climb outdoors, you'll probably need to learn to sport climb since there aren't too many places where you'd be able to set up a top rope. Like Shalabi said it is terrifying. Leading outdoors is even scarier because you might not even know what the next hold is until you're up there and realize if you don't make it, you're going to fall and it's going to be a big one because you're near the next clip-in. But you do feel pretty awesome when it does happen and you realize hey that wasn't too bad.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 12:50 am
by foxriver
Shalabi wrote:
thornhill wrote:I started climbing at two indoor gyms last year and love it, but have been getting a bit bored with their walls and routes and just the general vibe of doing it indoors. I'd love to give actual outdoors climbing a try, though, or at least do some bouldering. I really have no idea what kind of climbing options are available around here, though. Can you recommend any good sites that list places to climb geographically with difficulty ratings?


outdoor climbing is cool but obviously more hazardous. gripping rocks as opposed to climbing-wall holds cuts up your hands the first few runs and you never know what you're going to put your hand on in the next grip. but there's much more improvising on real rocks and that really adds to the fun.



outdoor climbing is a thrill. you need to know people who lead before going, but you'll meet them at the gym.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 11:34 am
by Montague Terrace
i pretty much just boulder. there's lots of good places around. it is a really good workout and its pretty fun. i'm not that great at it; i can pretty much do v4s, but that's about it.

however, i've recently realized i really can't stand the whole "air" about it -- most of the climbers i see when i'm out are really disrespectful of the environment and of beginner climbers. even the gym in town makes no effort to put up interesting v0's or v1's for the beginners, and all the people there who are good at climbing (mostly trust fund kids who have the free time and finances to climb everyday) won't give you the time of day.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:06 pm
by Spotlight Kid
Oh hey I rock climb! Is this the thread where I repost pictures of me sending shit?

I've been bouldering for about 3 years now, it's pretty much my shit. I'm a little offended at this "just bouldering" stuff, it's a totally different way of using your body that you won't get into until you're climbing at least 5.13 on lead, really awesome powerful movement. My hardest send was V8, but I'd say I'm a consistent V7 climber. Just fucked up a pulley in the middle finger of both my hands though, so it looks like a month of yoga while I wait for that shit to heal up. Going to Joe's Valley to try and send V9 in a little over a month, so I gotta keep my strength up somehow.

I lead a 5.10 outside once, wasn't that psyched. I really want to get more into rope climbing, but if I can lead 5.10 and boulder V8, the movement in the V8 is gonna be so much fucking cooler that why would I wanna fuck with a sport climb? I'm not that psyched on leading easy shit and I don't have the endurance to lead hard shit. Part of my summer project is gonna be getting into ropes more, would like to lead at least 5.11c, which should be feasible if I put the work in.

Tryna climb V10 this time next year.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 18, 2010 8:10 pm
by Spotlight Kid
Bouldering hurts way more because it's way more dynamic, thus more high impact. You fall and you really fall, you're doing a lot more throwing for holds than statically grabbing stuff, and bouldering is harder movement. I think 5.9 is equivalent to a V0 boulder problem, and even 5.11 is only about V3. Bouldering kicks the shit out of your body, it's why old people top rope.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 2:04 am
by foxriver
Spotlight Kid wrote:Oh hey I rock climb! I'm a consistent V7 climber.


seeing people at your level in the bouldering area is so fun to watch
tried a couple of V3s today, but i couldn't do it.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:04 am
by mich
Don't get so huffy, I don't think anyone was saying "oh it's just bouldering" but saying they "just boulder (and not top rope/lead climb)."

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:12 pm
by foxriver
i can't wait for summer.

http://www.loversleap.net/index.htm
it's going to be incredible

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:38 pm
by Spotlight Kid
So it turns out I'm going to Bishop in about 3 weeks, but I'm really out of shape, since there's an injured pulley in my right middle finger. I'm hoping that 3 weeks of tender care will have it strong enough for 6 days of climbing, but I need to do something to toughen up my skin, cuz Bishop is SHARP, or at least the 'Milks are, and everything I really want to do is there. I could alternatively go to the Red River Gorge and do some of the best sport climbing in the country, but my endurance is gonna be fucked.

Either way I'm thinking yoga 4 days a week, Cardio/Abs and oppositional muscle training 3 days a week, pull ups, dead hangs, maybe try to crank some 1-arms if I'm feeling ballsy, but I need to be gentle on the finger. Ideally I would lose 7 pounds over the next 21 days, but I don't really know how to do that. Ideas?

Also, how can you not like people cheering you on while you climb? One of the best parts of climbing is how awesome the community is, and how supportive and psyched strangers can get for you.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:48 pm
by Spotlight Kid
Nah, just a tentatively psyched gumby. Doesn't get it yet, maybe never will.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:54 pm
by foxriver
oh man I want to go to Bishop.

it is nice when you are on the wall and do some crazy move and hear, "NICE" down below.

yeah, the community is pretty fantastic. i've been meeting lots of people.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 1:16 pm
by Spotlight Kid
Yeah, I've stopped going to gyms before because the community aspect is lacking. Obviously it takes some time to actually get into the groove of it, get "in" but still, people should cheer you on regardless.

Foxriver, I'm gonna be in San Francisco in May probably, doing a climbing trip up the west coast and stopping through after Yosemite. If you'd be down to show me and some buddies decent local climbing areas, I'd be psyched.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:35 pm
by foxriver
will do! just let me know in April.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:08 pm
by foxriver
i had a fantastic climbing day

climbed up beaver street wall this morning (and made it!)
picture of the rock
Image
it was really smooth, and i had trouble trusting my feet.

bouldered indian rock and top roped cragmont park in berkeley.

it felt good. i'll take you to both indian rock and beaver street in may.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:11 pm
by sharkhax
The only negative consequence of letting my broken big toe heal itself is that now I cannot climb.

Re: Climbing

PostPosted: Sat Mar 13, 2010 1:31 am
by foxriver
no, don't be one of those



yesterday i climbed a 5.11a
it was a moment :) my belay partner was proud as well.