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Gal
Trad climber
a semi lucid consciousness
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Didn't start until I was 27. This may be a similar story for some-broke up with a dude, needed to get my mind off of it. Thought this would be a good way to scare the pain away. Took a class. Met some really hilarious people. At first climbing was just a by-product, I was more into hanging out with the cool people I met.
Then once I started leading, and the addiction was complete. The experience of climbing, using intellect and strength, balance, feeling of competence & accomplishment, the beautiful things I've seen, became the other major component. Deep connections are formed when your lives are relying on each other. I'm still great friends with some of those people from my class to this very day. Even some that didn't continue with climbing. My life improved significantly. Thank you to dude for being a dud!!!
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blackbird
Trad climber
the flat water trails...
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hanging out with one of you stinky-boy-types
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jstan
climber
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I have never broken up with a dude but I did start climbing at 26. Over the hill aready but no matter. It was fun.
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Captain...or Skully
climber
The Seas of Stone.
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I started at 30, Jstan. Better late than never, eh?
Stinky boys Rule!
;-)
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Indian Rock, Berkeley Summer of '01
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Save your a_s, reach for the brass...
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Boy Sprouts field trip to the Gunks, Spring 1971. A clear memory of climbing in knickers and hiking boots with Mr. Arthur, the patrol leader's Dad, as the qualified leader. Thank goodness for Boy Scouts! Otherwise, I'm sure I'd be a complete social deviant....... ;-)
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MN_SlowTrad
Trad climber
MN
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Bunch of Army buddies took me to some rock in NC for some drinking and scrambling in the 80's. Seemed much safer than the jumping I was already doing. After moving back to the flatlands I hooked up with a bunch of skydivers and some of them climbed as well. They showed me the ropes and where in MN you could actually find rock. Now I am pretty much a middle aged road tripper.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Fun stories!
It seemed like everywhere I went in the Sierra, Mt. Humphreys was in view. It is a beautiful peak, especially in alpenglow. I had to go.
I signed up with Bob Gaines and took some lessons. Found out the SCMA had a class and took that. Then took a four day lead climbing seminar through Bob Gaines with Scott Cosgrove. That's where I met his cool dog, Rio. That class was a trip and an eyeopener. Scott is an original thinker.
So finally, made it to Humphreys, still my favorite peak.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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A nod to The MisterE!
Kinda a boring story--a long-time buddy of mine took me to the Winds to go back packing when I was but a Sophomore in High School. I began scrambling over the rocks.
The next Spring, on a trip to Yosemite, I saw some dudes coming down the Falls trail, ropes and all. They'd just done Lost Arrow.
I said to myself "Boy, using ropes and stuff, that looks Dangerous!"
Later, when I took an introductory climbing class, I found out that ropes can make it SAFE, especially compared to the scrambling I was doing on my back-packing trips!
I bought my first pair of EBs from the One and Only, Marty Garrison--a real Yosemite Hard Man. They were classic, with Speedy-Stitched leather uppers and holes in the toe knuckles from all his crack climbing.
To my mentor Mr. Garrison!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Oct 28, 2013 - 09:37pm PT
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Family vacation from Chicago to the Tetons 1963. My older brother, Chasbro, took a class and climbed the grand. Hooked the rest of us; mom dad y yo, ( Barry bro was only two, but eventually succumbed to the bug) folks joined the Chicago mtnerring club, monthly trips to Devils lake went on for a decade with the likes of the stettner bros, bill widule, ole swartling, what's his name, the super pin guy, etc. a move to California, didn't hurt, fifty years later, still at it, and pushing myself.
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covelocos
Trad climber
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Oct 28, 2013 - 10:09pm PT
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A visiting Earth First tree sitter showed my then 8yo son how to ascend his rope swing with prussics made from cloths line. Nothing was ever the same.
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jfailing
Trad climber
PDX, North Slope, The Open Road
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Oct 29, 2013 - 12:08am PT
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I was 11 years old when the Lower/Anker/Krakauer/Wiltsie expedition to Queen Maud Land was published in National Geographic.
That article is what inspired me to climb. The incredible beauty of the formations, the seemingly blank walls, and not to mention all the cool looking gear - sleeping on a portaledge!? I had to do that.
Went in to the Portland Rock Gym (at it's first location) shortly thereafter, and never turned back. It wasn't long before my school binders had cut-outs from climbing magazines on them.
Almost 15 years later, I found myself on a portaledge on the side of El Cap with one of my best friends. Childhood dream fulfilled. Now I want more.
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limpingcrab
Trad climber
the middle of CA
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Oct 29, 2013 - 12:48am PT
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Caving.
Once I got some of the toys to go down I used them to go up with the help of a climbing friend.
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L
climber
California dreamin' on the farside of the world..
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Oct 29, 2013 - 09:36am PT
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Was buying a tent at REI and saw their indoor climbing pillar.
Got up a 10c on my first try.
The belayer asked me how long I'd been climbing.
I said 3 minutes.
He handed me a brochure for Vertical Adventures in Joshua Tree.
Two days later I was there...a bona fide climbaholic.
I was 41 and originally from Misery...er...Missouri.
We don't have cliffs in Missouri, we have trees.
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Leggs
Sport climber
Tucson, AZ
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Oct 29, 2013 - 09:49am PT
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I was spotted by Kevin Carmichael when I was 22 at the same hospital we worked at here in Tucson.
He asked me if I climbed (due to body type), I said No, he said you should give it a try, he and his wife gifted me shoes and a harness, taught me to climb and the rest is history.
~peace
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storer
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Oct 29, 2013 - 09:57am PT
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1960 high school Sacramento. I was into backpacking, Desolation Valley, JMT, etc. I saw a trip listed in the Sierra Club Mother Lode Chapter schedule for a rockclimbing trip to the Gorge of Despair. With a name like that I had to go even though I had never climbed. I said to the leader, Jack Rankin, I can't climb but I am pretty good at carrying loads. So I went along. Sure enough I was soon on the end of a rope (Goldline w bowline) Sears work boots, etc. on El Corporale Turret. Hooked. Went to U.C. Berkeley rather than Stanford because of Indian and Cragmont rocks. so studied physics and many more turns in life to today.
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