PARTNER NEEDED: April 4th-12th.

Post by **altitudejunkie** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 7:06 pm

I am headed down to the gorge from iowa at the beginning of april. Preferably females but as long as you're not a creepy old guy it doesn't matter. (there have been incidents...)

i will be getting to miguels sometime on the morning of april 4th.
i plan on staying through the evening of april 11th and then heading home.
i have a set of camalots as well as a set of stoppers.
im a new trad leader, even though i started about a year ago, i haven't been able to get much in. i probably wouldn't get on anything harder than 5.5 or 5.6 depending on the route.
i can sport climb 5.7 and would like to get on a few 5.8s.

anyone interested???

Post by **endercore** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 9:27 pm

Only creepy old guys post on this forum. You're out of luck!

Post by **altitudejunkie** » Mon Mar 16, 2009 10:08 pm

haha. ive had some interesting luck with partners who are significantly older than me, who weren't exactly about climbing.

Post by **steep4me** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 1:38 pm

Sorry to inform you, but...if you are climbing 5.8 and below exclusively, you will only have creepy old guys to partner up with. Start training!

Post by **altitudejunkie** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:10 pm

i can top rope 5.9 and i want to maybe play around with 5.10. if the climbing community is full of creepy old guys that just want to sleep with younger girls then clearly this isn't about climbing.

has everyone forgotten that they at one point couldn't climb 5.13s? or are we all entitled to elitism once we hit 5.10?

i quit.

Post by **steep4me** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:25 pm

Oh...poor thing...I guess you didn't realize that you need a thick skin for this forum? I am sure you will find tons of fun, friendly people at Miguel's to climb on 5.7-5.10's with and remain unmolested (mostly). What part of Iowa are you from?

As for elitism? Yes, you'll find lots of that too. We all have to deal--whatever your level, there is always someone around who climbs harder and thinks your projects are easyand that you are a gumby. It's just part of the climbing scene. Have fun on your trip. I will probably see you up there

Post by **altitudejunkie** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:08 pm

ive been looking for climbing partners for this trip for over a month and i'm just really really frustrated with the fact that i haven't found anyone. my last resort is going to rocksport and seeing if i can find someone there. or maybe hitting up the gear shops in lexington. i am desperate at this point. as long as the person isn't like my old climbing partner (he wasn't very safe, and after climbing one or two routes at four in the afternoon, he was "exhausted" and needed food." *total poser*)

i've dealt with elitism before. it just doesn't stop bothering me. half the people i know from iowa are huge-egoed, gym climbers. i asked the owner of said gym if hed ever been to the red and he laughed like he was too good for it. i can think of several routes that would probably kick his ass.

I'm from ames, by the way. are you planning on being at the gorge around that time?

Post by **anticlmber** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:38 pm

rule 1-5 of climbing: relax, go climbing, and just roll with it.

and yes EVERYONE is creepy out there, that's why they chose climbing.

Post by **steep4me** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:40 pm

Seriously--it is totally common to show up at Miguel's and just ask people if you can climb with them. Lots of people come from Europe for 6 weeks at a time and don't have a partner with them. It is the easiest scene in the U.S. to meet people and go climbing. Muir Valley is a place at the Red that has lots of cliffs and lots of moderates. Rick and Liz Weber (google Friends of Muir Valley--to sign the waiver before you arrive) own it and they are very friendly and safety conscious--so they kind of monitor what people are doing on their property.

Don't sweat it at all--just show up at Miguel's, talk to people and let them know that you need a partner. You can also show up at many of the busier cliffs on the weekends and find people to climb with--especially at Muir or Roadside. I may be around when you are there--it always depends on the weather for me. I drive 7 hours to come up for the weekends.

Post by **altitudejunkie** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 5:02 pm

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE muir valley.

I know miguels (and kentucky in general) is totally different than moab utah, but the one time i just met up with people was in moab and the people 1) left about 20 feet of slack in the rope. and i was top roping 2) dropped me when they lowered me. 3) were incredibly unfriendly.

I might get in touch with you closer to the date

i just don't want anyone like my previous climbing partner. not very safe. kind of a poser. and liked going for girls half his age.... ew.