RRC Archives

Just wondering...

I have never done that exact thing, but I hung around Miguels/RRO/Truenorth, shot the shit, bought some beer, and low and behold, Dipsi and Alan took me and Mrs. Gunslnga climbing after Rocktoberfest last year. I hope climbing with 2 newbies,who had all the gear, but did'nt know anything, did'nt slow them down, aggravate, or annoy them. I learned more about climbing, the climbing community I was becoming apart of and freindship that day, than probably any other time I can think of. Alan and Dipsi would not let us quit when we thought we could'nt finish, especially beacause of Alan I was able to spray to Ynot about my 3 sends that day. So if someone was to approach me, and wanted to put up with us, I would let them climb, thats how I got here, THANKS ALAN & DIPSI!!!!!

I dont show up at the crag but i do hang out at miguels to find climbing partners. logistically its easier to find someone there than finding someone to go with for the whole weekend

fuck if they are willing to trust me fine by me. as long as they aren't sketch. Climbing COMMUNITY. it means helping/looking out for others, even if they aren't from "our" community. i don't mind it because i do it and i enjoy it. Just don't ask for chalk or food.

i just like people to ask, not assume. when somebody shows up at the crag, starts talking with you and then starts putting on their harness and shoes, it's a bit over the top for me.

I think securing partnership before heading up the approach trail shows some intelligence, while plopping down at the base of a route and getting in line without knowing who you're climbing with shows that natural selection is hard at work.

I've headed up to crags where I knew someone that I knew well and had climbed with before were climbing that day hoping to jump on something. I would never approach a stranger and put them on the spot so that they won't say no. That's rude and inconsiderate.

Way back in the day I was climbing the Grunges at Tower Rock with two others. We were at the top of the second pitch (just below the summit pitch of Mighty Eidson) and a group of kids showed up a the base. They all had seatbelt harnesses with figure-8s clanging and dangling from them (don't know where they had been rappelling).

I was belaying the third member of our party up and just as he was pulling around the boulder at the finish of the pitch I heard a voice right below him. It was one of the kids, he had soloed up.

The guy with me was kinda freaked out anyway, the kid being right below him made it worse, so he stalled. The kid was stuck, not being able to come on up and HE started to freak out.

Finally we all were on the ledge and the kid (in tennis shoes) said, "How do I get down?"

I laughed and said, "Well, we're going on up. I don't know how you're getting down. Maybe you should have thought about that before you came up."

He looked like he was going to cry. I wanted to go on up, beucase I had never summitted Tower, but in the end we took him down. I really wanted to knock his teeth in for being so stupid. I hope he learned a lesson.

I guess it's possible that he posts here if he's still alive.

any ideas about how often this occurs? i noticed the recent flurry of posts looking for partners...is there growing annoyance? it just seems like (ideally) whenever there are two or more singles the problem should effectively solve itself..? i usually take my pet blood sucking leech to the crag to make friends. i suck too

i have done this several times in my life: at the red, at smith, at the ice park in ouray, et al. but...

i have never used someone else's gear, climbed on anything that wasn't well within my limits, or inquired politely first if i might "get a catch"...

i think j.b. got hit the nail on the head...

JB wrote:i just like people to ask, not assume.

keep in mind, i wouldn't have to do this if RRO would climb with me sometime...

regards.

r.r.

Bring your own gear, and at least offer it for use. Be cool, and show some competance. Smile. I actually like climbing with new folks as long as the before mention happens.

ron,

RRO calls you a hack....can you blame him for steering shy?