Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 13, 2012 - 08:29pm PT
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When do you stop climbing ?
Is age a function of deteriorating faculties or is it a choice to abandon certain things you held dear and decided you have out grown them?
Do you grow too old to climb, or do you decide you have outgrown climbing? Or do you decide age is a convenient excuse to stop indulging in a very selfish passion. And if you decide it is too selfish a passion , do you trade it for just another diversion or commitment?
One more question , are old climbers, people who never put aside the toys of their youth, or are there just too many young people who gave up climbing because it required
too much commitment ?
So what keeps the fire burning, is it an addiction that some people find a cure for, or do you lobotomize yourself with the cure?
I gueess my bias is pretty obvious, i would like to hear your thoughts.
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domngo
climber
Canada
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:32pm PT
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beckey.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:33pm PT
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Well, I was at the Little Smoke Bluffs last week, and ran into Fred (89), Jim Sinclair (76?), and Glenn (70+). So there may be hope for you yet.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2012 - 08:33pm PT
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Beckey is King.
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nutjob
Gym climber
Berkeley, CA
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:33pm PT
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There's a lady who lives somewhere near me who takes walks in the afternoon. She can only take one step every few seconds, but I see her all the time with her two walking sticks and she's still out there charging as much as her body will let her. She must have been an ass-kicker a few decades ago. I feel pretty inspired when I see her cruising by.
Bodies will eventually fail, but we don't have to let our minds give up before that.
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kennyt
climber
Woodfords,California
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:34pm PT
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Yesterday.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:35pm PT
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At some point through ol' age and acquired past injuries it just hurt's to much....Remember those 5.10 hard finger locks and those epic approaches? At a certain point and it's highly variable, you just have to start cruisin' the easy classic's and except reality. I have friends a few years older then me still crankin' hard, Grand Illusion, NA Wall etc. but for me a good day is a romp up Fairveiw......
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couchmaster
climber
pdx
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:36pm PT
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Keep doing it as long as you enjoy it. Certainly a lot of the old well known climbers not named Beckey have stopped doing it or if they do get on it, at a greatly reduced rate. Robbins, one of the clear leaders of his generation, remarked that he can (and does) still climb 5.7 in the gym. I didn't think he was kidding, just being honest.
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locker
Social climber
CO
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:37pm PT
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I was out climbing with Rob Kellman yesterday...
He is 80yrs old...
We did five decent routes in the South Platte... (2 5.9's, 1 5.8, 2 5.7's)...
I had to get back before he did so we left earlier than he wanted to...
He was ready to keep at it until dark...
Not sure when age will take me out of the game...
But would love to be in it and alive into the 80's...
Rob had no less fun than I did...
It was a BLAST!!!...
EDITED:
He didn't do any leading though...
But that was because he hurt his wrist a couple of weeks back doing pullups of all things...
LOL!!!...
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:42pm PT
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In the late 1950’s: my Idaho "white-trash" mother’s lifestyle was elevated by the outdoor-oriented visitors to the Ketchum-Sun Valley Idaho area.
In particular: a couple from Vancouver B.C, befriended our family and took my 40ish mother off on "robust" mountain hikes. Her previous idea of hiking, was walking up a stream while fishing.
Then! At age 52, my mother announced that old-age had arrived and there was no more mountain-hiking in her future.
She still loved the mountains, but she was just too old to hike in them.
Thanks Mom!
Your wacky decision inspired me to keep climbing and hiking, until I can’t.
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Gene
climber
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:47pm PT
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Yesterday.
As long as your body temperature is higher than kennyt's intellectual age, you are good to go. You have a long and wonderful climbing career ahead of you.
g
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Malemute
Ice climber
the ghost
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:50pm PT
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As a rough guess, I'd say that participants at the general mountaineering camp of the ACC make a transition from peak bagging to hiking around age 75.
Gene you talking Fahrenheit or Celsius?
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:51pm PT
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How would we know? No one here is old enough to have anything useful to say on such a theoretical subject.
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zBrown
Ice climber
Chula Vista, CA
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Mar 13, 2012 - 08:52pm PT
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When do you stop climbing ?
When you reach the summit?
Kidding aside, I think it's best that you never give up doing anything that keeps you active. If you're not generating then you're degenerating. There's academic stuff, but I've seen it personally.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
SHERMAN OAKS,CA
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Mar 13, 2012 - 09:03pm PT
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I think Kamps got it right.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Mar 13, 2012 - 09:05pm PT
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My mind is gone, but my body still works (sometimes!)
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WBraun
climber
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Mar 13, 2012 - 09:08pm PT
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Only old worn out people climb.
When you become young and new, ever fresh again then you will stop .......
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thekidcormier
Trad climber
squamish, b.c.
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Mar 13, 2012 - 09:10pm PT
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MH, I spoke to big Jim the other day he told me he was 80! Rolf I thnik its a personal decision but I believe you got lots more rocks to play on.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 13, 2012 - 09:16pm PT
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I think Billie Burke, Glinda the Good Witch of the North, from the Wizard of Oz, said it the best.
"Age is something that doesn`t matter, unless you are a cheese."
I ain't quiting any time soon, just wondering what the rest of the seniors are thinkin?
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JOEY.F
Gym climber
It's not rocket surgery
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Mar 13, 2012 - 09:21pm PT
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Made me think, I dunno, four points of contact. Make a move. For as long as possible.
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