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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Feb 12, 2018 - 09:55am PT
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This thread contains the classic “Bannister Manifesto”,
and one of my favorite pages in a thread in recent memory.
Back on post 221
Bannister wrote
ok it is fun, go do it, just keep calling it bouldering,... not climbing.
I printed a few different shirts for Art of Climbing and was careful not to offend the bouldering crowd that were the bulk of my customers... the shirt i always wanted to print, but never did was:
if it is not three pitches high
it is not worth doing
yes i know, thousands of fantastic shorter routes...
but
no rhythm of swapping leads,
little attention to conserving strength or water,
no awareness of weather,
no lunch together on a ledge,
no swallows jetting by
late in the day no sense of the air pausing to slide back down the canyon from whence it came,
and missing in bouldering, or short climbs is the sense of commitment that comes after the third pitch or so..
no sense of trust and perfect balance of individual effort to climb, but teamwork and interdependence to complete the climb safely.
The friendship and the sense of cooperation to succeed are much different with 9 pitches, than with 9 moves at the gym with a roof and lights. anybody with a grin and a grigri will do,? or a carefully selected and trusted friend... hmmmm.
pace?
knowing what it means when the pressure drops...
knowing the signs of the pressure dropping?
choosing a route for the day based on the temperature not which color the holds are?
OMG route finding!
in short, pun intended, climbing is not just gymnastics with rock, it is still climbing when it is 40 feet high, but the brainpower, and the experience with others, can be so much more, on long routes.
The rest of that page is classic as well.
Gotta love those 50yr old boulder problems that aren’t worth doing.
:-)
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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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May 29, 2018 - 06:35am PT
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Another one (La Barrosa's first V9). The holds on the face after the roof are maybe 3mm (1/8th inch) crimpers, but they're sharp!
[Click to View YouTube Video]
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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somehow, i stumbled on this tonight.. laughing as i had not read the "manifesto" reference until tonight, i said if you enjoy bouldering, go and do!! Please!! Enjoy it!! and i get the social part of bouldering that simply is not to be had on long routes.. Personally, i love the sense of exploration, the demands for perception and problem solving and once i have done a section of rock, i have no interest to go back.. boulder, or climb, so for me, i did not boulder because it generally requires repeating what one has already done.. so i find myself bewildered at Curt's caustic comment, what i could, or could not do was never a factor....... I had Rich Lake change the holds on my shop wall twice a week, and then i did the new problem, once.
We all enjoy being out there, taking photos, watching a sunset, the special friendships we form or sustain.. some enjoy one more than the other, great, they are different, as are we, that, is ok.
A few weeks ago, i met a friend who had broken her ankle in the Valley this spring.. I observed that when on a rope, 20' above a ledge she would already have two pieces in, rightful fear of grounding... but bouldering she was willing to assume that same circumstance, unroped... interesting it is, how we would not assume a certain level of risk with a rope on, but bouldering, we will climb past, where we would have plugged something in.
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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but just to address the question.. it is not a fad.. Donini was exactly correct, humans on stone long before ropes.. that, would make roped climbing the "Fad."
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originalpmac
Mountain climber
Timbers of Fennario
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Now I like grafitti and I love rocks, but never shall the two cross.
On Donner, near the old train tunnels.
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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^^^^^ +1
Not a fad. A 4 year old will do it instinctively. At least mine did/ does.
S...
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Zay
climber
Monterey, Ca
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Feb 27, 2019 - 06:12am PT
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Every fall is a ground fall.
Predicated on difficulty, not fun (subjective I suppose).
Not my cup.
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skywalker1
Trad climber
co
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One of my favorite days climbing was bouldering at Hueco on mushrooms. I onsighted many hi-balls that I would not normally attempt. It felt smooth and without concern. I felt very relaxed at camp and just looked at the stars. And giggling a little. ;-)
S...
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