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Messages 1 - 27 of total 27 in this topic |
abe
Novice climber
fresno
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 4, 2002 - 05:52pm PT
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What do people mean when they say aid climbing is for wussies?
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Smack
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2002 - 06:27pm PT
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Do you mean what's a "wussie"? or what's aid climbing? It's hard to believe you don't know the answere to either of these questions.
Anyway, everyone knows aid climbing is for social misfits...not really the same thing as a wussie.
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brent
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2002 - 08:37pm PT
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because unless you run walls in pushes it requires little fitness, unlike free climbing. You just need to have it together between your ears. i don't think wussy is the correct slur for aid
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abe
Novice climber
fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2002 - 10:37am PT
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Why then do people say that aid climbing is "totally weak?" Seems pretty burly to me.
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Smack
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2002 - 01:17pm PT
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Who have you been talking to? 14 year old gym rats?
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kk153
Advanced climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2002 - 01:35pm PT
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the same reason "they" (whoever that is...) say that 15 year old punks who troll the internet will someday end of on some sort of social welfare program....
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abe
Novice climber
fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2002 - 02:31pm PT
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Actually Smack, I've heard this from 5.12 crack climbers.
I've also heard Stevie Haston has called aid climbing "pathetic." Not that I agree, just trying to understand the different viewspoints.
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the advocate
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 5, 2002 - 02:53pm PT
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Wussy is the amalgamation of the words wimp and pussy.
A wimp is someone who lacks the balls (courage, guts, chutzpa, stupidity, etc.) to do something that is manly or macho (like standing up to 4th grade playground bully), yet they may have the minimum ability to actually pull it off.
A pussy is one who lacks the ability to do a particular manly or macho activity (like kick some other pussy's ass, or climb a burly off-width, etc.).
So a wussy is one who not only lacks courage but also can't pull off what ever it is they lack the courage to do.
Most aid climbing requires balls (given). And most aid climbing requires dedication and hard work (usually on a manly level). Therefore I conclude that aid climbing is not for wussies, simply because wussies would not make very good aid climbers.
Wussies however can be good sport climbers, or even boulderers, since neither requires a manly effort nor courage. This does not mean that said activities can't be done without such qualities, but that's a different topic.
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Einstein
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 8, 2002 - 06:34pm PT
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Answer.
Which you deserve for inserting "Question" in the Topic field, you intellectual giant.
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A sensitive guy
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 8, 2002 - 06:38pm PT
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There are so many reasons why *nervously fumbles with ammo* this forum topic is unworthy *cocks hammer*of a response that I can barely stand to *BLAM*
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Smack
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 8, 2002 - 08:54pm PT
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Hey...give me some of that ammo...I'll help you kill this unworthy topic.
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psychotic head basher
Novice climber
rehab
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2002 - 12:19am PT
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for the pussies that think aid climbing is "wuss" -- you've never been aid climbing.
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abe
Novice climber
fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2002 - 11:15am PT
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Gee, you guys are really angry. It was just an innocent question.
Smack and Sensitive Guy, are you what people talk about when they say "the truth hurts doesn't it"?
And Einstein, by questioning my question instead of answering it, are you what people are talking about when they say "you're in denial"?
Advocate, thanks for the answer, but I still don't understand why it is a given that aid climbing requires balls. Definitely seems pretty ballsy to me, but I am still wondering why.
Also, can anyone tell me what people mean when they say "Guaranteed Outcome Climbing." Are they talking about aid climbing?
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Smack
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2002 - 11:43am PT
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There's nothing wrong with bating people in this forum. Granted, it's good fun. You just need to be more clever in terms of how you go about it.
re. "the truth hurts:
I've done one wall in my life...I wouldn't even call myself an aid climber. I prefer free climbing but that doesn't mean I can't defend aid climbing. Damn!...you sucked me in to this worthless topic again.
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bigwaller
Advanced climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2002 - 12:28pm PT
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I can't belive you think that aid climbers are weak, you just try hauling all that gear up the waal by yourself for 10+ pitches, and dont forget to clean and jumar back up.
The real wussies are the these bouldering guys who are afraid to go up on a big wall, so they made a new sport.
Whatever thats we used to do on our of days to keep in shape.
Anyone who bashes aid climbing has never been up there hanging on the end of tiny little hook 2000ft in the air.
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Your mother
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 9, 2002 - 10:08pm PT
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abe bolsters his razor-like prowess with every post...i'm in sheer awe
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Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2002 - 05:56pm PT
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Guaranteed outcome climbing = staying home
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abe
Novice climber
fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2002 - 07:30pm PT
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Staying home seems to be an outcome, and may be guaranteed, but how does it have anything to do with climbing?
Since nobody has answered my questions, I've been asking around some more.
One guy told me that you have to be really strong to aid climb - with all the hauling and stuff - but that it is no different than lifting a lot of weights in the gym. Is this true?
Another person at my gym said that climbing A5 is totally radical, but that the only reason people climb A2 and A3 is because they can't free climb 5.10. Is this accurate? I've already climbed a whole bunch of 5.10s in my gym. Does that mean I shouldn't try aid climbing?
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copperhead
Advanced climber
pitch 22
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 10, 2002 - 07:50pm PT
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I believe Stevie Haston is an alpinist and an ice climber. It seems strange to me that someone who climbs with metal hooks and spikes on their feet and in their hands would refer to aid climbing as "pathetic". Isn't he aid climbing too???
Let's see him ice climb with no gatgets or gizmos-- boulderers climb barefoot and that's free climbing. Can Stevie ice climb barefoot???
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gregstemler
Novice climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 11, 2002 - 03:21am PT
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Abe,
A1,A2, C1,C2 is not always the same as climbing 5.10. I would advise that you learn how to do simple aid moves (like a bolt ladder). On many routes, there is perhaps one pitch that is above your ability, but the rest is just right for you. Here, being able to clean aid past the pitch, or sections will enable you to get up big routes. Sometimes there are manditory aid pitches on routes that have lots of good free climbing (ex: the South face of Washingtons column)
Also, having aid skills could save your ass.
Climbing big wall is no joke! any one who can climb a big wall is NOT a "wussie", aid or free.
As for multi-day climbs, all big wall climbers have a nick name for the haul bag. This is so we can address our frustration directly at that f*#king Pig as we struggle to haul it up slabs, and over roofs. this is burly work.
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Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
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Jun 21, 2009 - 03:50pm PT
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What do people mean when they say aid climbing is for wussies?
I'm a wussie.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jun 21, 2009 - 04:38pm PT
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Gunkie
How'd you find this thread from back in 2002? DId you search "aid Wussies" or something?
just wondering cause the title isn't very revealing
PEace
Karl
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Jun 21, 2009 - 04:48pm PT
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Aid, to my understanding is the use of tools to make you way up a wall.
To people who trad climb, or sport climb, or boulder may think of this activity much like creating your own ladder up an otherwise route, however difficult.
Some ascribe the term "Wussy" (= Part Wimp, part puss) to the undertakers of the "Aid Climbing" activity....
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jstan
climber
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Jun 21, 2009 - 04:57pm PT
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Lively thread.
"Guaranteed outcome climbing" needs more examination than it has been given I think.
If one is 2000 feet up, there are no good rappel anchors below and you only have to get five feet higher to get off, changing the rock so you can get off can seem really practical. As regards one's personal dialog with nature's challenges, when one gets down what is the take away? I got beat up pretty badly. I lost. And in the process I messed up something that I do not own.
That said, technologies that can be used to get one up to the top are changing and improving all of the time. Those things have no connection to the person. So where does the natural challenge of the rock come in? The ultimate technology is just to take a helicopter ride to the top, wouldn't you say?
Free climbing in which the protection is never weighed, nor is equipment ever used to prepare one for the climb is perhaps most intricately dependent upon the climber themself. If that dialog is why one is drawn to climbing, then you will probably be more interested in free climbing. If you are not drawn to this dialog, then you may well do something else.
Mind you there are many forms of climbing, called free climbing, that are not. Protection is weighed, holds modified, protection preplaced, inspection from the top and so on and on and on. These all tend to assure "success."
Ultimately what one does on the rock is largely determined by the reason why one has come there in the first place.
No two people are there for exactly the same reason.
As regards work on the "pig." Many years ago two friends were two thirds of the way up Watkins on a blistering day. Simultaneously they asked the same question. Why are we here? They decided they were there for no reason other than to get the pig to the top.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jun 21, 2009 - 05:24pm PT
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Basically, we all have a "Wussie Line" where we decide to turn off bold and turn on "survive, retreat, chicken, whatever"
Anybody without a "Wussie Line" is insane. The question is, where is your "wussie line" and what are you willing to do when you run up against it? (drill rivet? Bail 2000 feet? Make cheat stick?) and do you fess up when talking about climb later?
peace
Karl
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Jun 21, 2009 - 05:27pm PT
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Walter Bonatti bailed off the Croz Spur 7 times before sending it. Don't think I'd call him a woos.
I think he might also qualify as "old and bold".
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Rob_James
Ice climber
Aoraki/Mt. Cook Village, New Zealand
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Jun 21, 2009 - 05:35pm PT
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Nah. Aid routes aren't for wussies. Nor is bouldering.
A2, A3 ain't exclusive to those that can't punch 5.10.
Heck. Live and let live - quit with the posturing ("question"s), test yourself, and go find the answers for yourself.
As long as you're honest 'bout what you do, who cares? Respect the environment and the challenge. Just give space to the side for those moving a little quicker.
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Messages 1 - 27 of total 27 in this topic |
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