Has It Ruined You?

[pigsteak]

Be Honest here. If you keep a tick list, here or in private, do you find yourself searching the database before a weekend of climbing to see what routes you have not sent at a crag? Do we sacrifice true quality climbing in search of the most points or number of routes sent? Do you personally suffer from this disease? Do you justify your insatiable quest for numbers by saying there is so much climbing and so little time? Do you refuse to visit certain crags because you have sent everything within your ability?

Just curious how people determine where/what to climb as the spring season heats up? Is it based on routes you haven't done? The quest for the next hard tick? Breaking into the next grade?

For you personally, when will you be satisfied and say "enough is enough"?

[pawilkes]

yes, yes and yes. i'm on a stupid pointless quest to climb as many routes as i can before I move in a year. but i am starting to step it up a bit which is fun, there are some routes that are going down now that I never thought i'd be able to do

[Rollo]

been cruising at the 10 level for long enough.... part of the motivation to move on is that i'm running out of tens to tick.
the online guide (and the godforsaken points) are a good motivator.

[michaelarmand]

Maybe a little of all the above. But it can be a good thing. There is so much in the red to climb, the tick list keeps me from running laps on the same old climbs....

[dustonian]

I'm a glutton for the thrills of onsighting and haven't quite yet exhausted the Red for routes in the right range for me. Definitely don't care about numbers and "ticklists" or whatever, mostly motivated by good routes with some character on good rock.

[kymonkey]

Out west there are alot of old school climbers at every crag. I can remember seeing these guys/gals top roping or leading the same routes day after day and it seemed if they never got tired of it. I asked a few one day being a strong mutant at the time and always trying to add to my tick list why they did this? They all seem to anwser the same way"Its quality not quantity and about how you climb not what you climb." I didn't understand being young and strapped with the new state of the art gear while they slung nobs and used knots for nuts and hexes. After the years roll by you get weaker, your gear is no longer cool, your manpri's are out of style, and your out of the sport for a while you realize what its really about, which I think people really forget when chasing the grades. Its about being outside, hanging out with friends and just enjoying the quality of life that our sport brings. Next time your at the grag drop a few grades and cruise up a climb and remember what first inspired you to climb. Don't lose sight.

[aberos]

I would be more inclined to climb the same routes over and over for aesthetic value if the bolts got moved from time to time in order to add a little spice. Until then, let the tick list reign supreme I say!

[One-Fall]

Do you personally suffer from this disease? - pigsteak

LOL! Now that is classic, piggie. I came from a crag in Texas where we had 200 routes on about a mile of limestone. 10 years ago when I moved to the red, I decided i wanted to try every route here within my ability. Now while Id like to try every route at least once, some routes dont need the second look.

[camhead]

Don't think of it as "5.9." Think of it as "ten points!"

[captain static]

Why isn't this a poll?