RRC Archives

We had temps of 31 F this weekend.....can you say FRICTION??????

did you guys have it that cold??

Well, its either have your fingers numb and not know how bad the hold is....or feel you wet hot slippery fingers sliding off the slimy hold...I prefer the former. Just pull down and pretend its a good hold

I don't think P2U or I called off a day of climbing last winter! Some of best climbing conditions you will ever see here are in January. There were probably days when we had the gorge to ourselves-it was sweet.

There is a charcoal burning hand warmer that I have seen at Wally world a time or two. They really put out. They work off of a little charcoal stick. I had one when I was a kid for squirrel hunting.They really get hot.
?????? What are techniques for getting/keeping your shoes warm??????

Some people physiologically react badly to the cold - they are more prone to numbness and hypotermia. Too bad for them. I'm at the other end of the spectrum - I hate heat and humidity.

I haven't tried any of the freeze/thaw stuff. Here's my strategy for cragging in the cold: When I'm not climbing, I wear a down type jacket, hat and gloves. I usually wear a warmish (but not fleece) synthetic top and a windstopper fleece vest, with an insulating layer on bottom with climbing pants. Before I climb, I put the toes of my shoes under my armpits under my jacket to warm them up. To climb, I pull off my gloves, tie in, take my shoes out of my pits and slap them on, then take off the jacket and get climbing. If I'm overheating during the climb, I'll pull off my hat and/or unzip the vest. The first few climbs may be a bit chilly, but once I'm warmed up, it's great for me. Instead of the usual Red 'hunt for the best hold' thing, I'll slap something promising and because the great friction makes it 'good enough,' I'll move on. Besides, warmed up but cool muscles are more efficient than 'hot' muscles, supposedly. I've also gone for a 5 min. jog before a climb - when I got back, I let my heart rate get back down before I started climbing - I felt great - 'warmed up' in both senses.

Too bad for all you cold intolerant folks - but, hey - you've always got July and August, and with global warming, you'll have April, May, September and October too!

I think climbing in the winter will be great. It will be so much easier for me than in the humidity. But I know I'll be carrying those hot hands with me just in case!

And like everyone has already said...the key is to stay warm in between climbs and keep your muscles warm.

My chalk bag is heated, when my hands get cold from the snow melt running down the route, I just chalk up again.

Andy does your dad know you were up that late on a school night. As your probation officer I am supposed to tell them but I won't this time because you cut my lawn. Get some sleep.

I can't sleep... I have a climbing disorder.

we called them the barf n tinglies. ice climbing is too cold for me. but a down jacket and hand warmers in the chalkbag keep me climbing when it is cold.