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irene+
Trad climber
Chamonix, France
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 23, 2012 - 05:23am PT
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Anyone can relate/emphatize/offer advice on how impossibly difficult it is for a newcomer to Chamonix to find some regular climbing partners?
It's yet another perfect fall weather day, and this week I didn't have even someone to hook up for a few pitches at Gaillands ... I have been here for 5+ weeks and have not yet touched at all the granite of Envers, satellites of Tacul (one partner with whom I had plans for a 3 day trip bailed at the last moment when there was no single cloud in the sky)
Paradoxically, it seems I was climbing more/in better shape before quitting that cubicle job in NY (that paid 3-4 times more than what I am counting on making through myself!) because I had some great regular partners (ok, perhaps it is easier to establish and keep regular partnerships when you both have the typical 9-5). I have tried a lot of different things: OHM book, C2C, writing in French, speaking in French when it seems like it will help the connection, asking directly people to connect me to someone they might know...The best that comes out of this effort is a partner to hook up with for 1-2 days of low key cragging or a route in the Aig Rouges...and then that person is gone. Perhaps to their regular life/partners or perhaps they perceived me as someone that they would not want to climb with again. And I had not even led with them, except perhaps smth incredibly easy, as I know that I can be very slow if I try smth that would be a challenge.
Obviuosly, the common denominator to all these human interactions is me, so I am trying to understand what I am doing wrong ...
perhaps I am giving out a vibe of desperation
perhaps, being in my thirties now, the people with whom I connect age-wise (-10 , +20) are all settled in their lives, spouses, relationships, climbing friends, and there is no chance of those barriers being broken to allow for newcomers.
perhaps since all my relationships with the opposite sex have been skin-deep at most and out of 8 years of climbing I only had one climbing boyfriend for like 1 year, I am just not capable of finding/keeping a climbing partnership that evolves and grows...
Ok, Supertopians, looking fwd to your climbing psychology consultation, while I go hide myself in a dark bar that has wifi, to sit and work on the computer. (And perhaps review in my head solo rope systems)
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Sep 23, 2012 - 06:25am PT
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Wishing you all Love, Adventure and Sucess!
Your post shows your feeling and your skin deep relationships show that you are bottling your feelings. That's fear. You're a climber, go beyond and the world will change shape around you.
So also meet people with an open heart, expecting to be accepted and "seen" and not taking it personally when you're not met, because your heart is true. Embrace yourself. People will respond automatically. Trust when you feel a persons heart is good that you can just engage and it's OK
It's always the change within that matters
Peace
Karl
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Sep 23, 2012 - 09:51am PT
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Its been said that Americans in France are about as welcome as a turd in a sandbox. Could be worse though, you could be English, ha! Of course thats a sweeping generalization, but Chamonix is perhaps a tough place to find a partner to master the basics, more of a place to go when you got your game on.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Sep 23, 2012 - 10:20am PT
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Smile.
Suggest same sex partners to avoid some of the non-climbing complications involved if all you want is a climbing partner.
Example
See a couple gals climbing or who are climbers. Smile, say hello. Likely partnering conversation openers would be a light hearted complaint about men.
Complaining about men seems to bond women instantly.
Ok Most of the above is just off the cuff BS..
But not the Smile part.
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Bargainhunter
climber
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Sep 23, 2012 - 11:27am PT
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Even in the driest of desserts one can find a blade of grass...
I can relate and empathize. Instead of looking for general partners, try picking a specific climb that you want to do and post that you are seeking a partner for that specific climb. Meanwhile, solo stuff that's safe to solo, or do recon hikes to the base or the walk-offs of some of your dream climbs and scope them out. You may run into people while doing these solo adventures that might lead to fruitful encounters. In other words, don't wait around. Granted, it is a drag and can be lonely when you are jonesing for a like-minded partner, but there is something about being lonely that can push you into be more open and receptive to others. I don't think your age is a factor at all.
Don't despair and enjoy Cham!
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Sep 23, 2012 - 11:38am PT
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Complaining about men seems to bond women instantly.
Too Funny and true!
Even guys can get away with complaining about guys to women and get bonded!
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Sep 23, 2012 - 11:45am PT
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Walking up and complaining about anything would be a big turn off. He got it right up thread - smile. :) (Not to imply you don't already). Good luck!
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10b4me
Ice climber
dingy room at the Happy boulders hotel
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Sep 23, 2012 - 11:53am PT
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Never been to Chamonix, but(and this is probably a stupid question) do they have climbing gyms?
Have you posted your need at the climbing shops?
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Kalimon
Trad climber
Ridgway, CO
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Sep 23, 2012 - 11:58am PT
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Many of us would love to be there and would surely climb with you. It is difficult to find partners no matter where you are when you are not part of the scene. Do not take it personally . . . get out and train on your own and work on fitness and moving quickly over different terrain. Solo something if you are able to do so safely. You went to a lot of effort to get to Chamonix so make the most of it and get off your computer and out of the bar.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Sep 23, 2012 - 12:18pm PT
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Plenty of nice easy routes to solo this time of year what with the crevasses
being open for the most part (at least until you get quite high), n'est-ce pas?
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Sep 23, 2012 - 01:16pm PT
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Do you know how to rope solo?
I'd show you but I'm trying to pick this blade of grass out of my dessert,...
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 23, 2012 - 01:24pm PT
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It is France. Try the ex-pat scene. Socieities, even climbing ones, in insular places like Chamonix can be hard to break into. Don't blame yourself, keep smiling and keep trying, it will work out.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Sep 23, 2012 - 01:36pm PT
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I agree with Studly; it sounds like you’re not yet climbing at a level of difficulty that is commensurate with the competitive Chamonix scene. I haven’t had an extended visit in Chamonix for several decades, so take my comments for what they are worth. They certainly are not au courant.
As you know, Chamonix is a serious place to climb, where objective dangers abound. I imagine that it’s the same as it was long ago: speed, efficiency and proficiency are still the attributes that are sought in partners, primarily for reasons of self-preservation.
Maybe broaden your horizons to the Italian side of Mt. Blanc. Have you been cragging down the Val D’Aosta? It’s got pretty good weather even when Chamonix is socked in, the food is superior, and the Italians have a deserved reputation for warmth.
Bon chance!
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 23, 2012 - 01:50pm PT
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Just leave Chamonix.
There's nothing there anyways except rocks and ice.
Useless stuff.
Instead go to stony point in southern calif where everything is.
Medusa and Tom Cruise are there tooo ....
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 23, 2012 - 01:55pm PT
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never easy to find partners in a new area, if yr doing anything more than casual cragging.
the boulders up at col d'martigny often draw folks who are in town w/o a partner and looking to keep fit. so long as the weather's good, you've no excuse for not being in killer shape.
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fsck
climber
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Sep 23, 2012 - 02:03pm PT
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this is why i pretty much quit climbing, got a dog and bought a mountain bike.
good luck in cham.
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 23, 2012 - 02:04pm PT
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honestly, i've seen very few places with a a concentration of user-friendly boulders ideally suited for training for rock climbers wanting to climb anywhere from 5.8 to easy 13.
not a destination area for boulderers looking to buff their 8Bs, but ideal for rock climbers. probably why almost everytime i was there, i was always meeting locals there for the same drill.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Sep 23, 2012 - 02:26pm PT
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I have found it easy to get partners for Chamonix and various other Euro countries in Camp4. Been invited a couple times by Cham locals but never got over there to take em up on the offer ../sigh
Yeah that helped ya a lot I know.. Fly back to states to meet partners for Chamonix..lol
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jaaan
Trad climber
Chamonix, France
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Sep 23, 2012 - 02:55pm PT
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Go to the climbing wall in les Houches and look there - if you mean rock climbing, that is...
Remember, the official season is finished now, so there'll be fewer folk around now, but you could check out some of the popular campsites that Brits and Yanks use.
The very best cragging in the area is Gietroz and Barberine. Try just turning up at one of those crags, you never know...
Before you go thinking it's just you, it's not - it's difficult to find partners in such a short time. It's not a friendly place - not like the States, anyway.
Edit: Oh, I meant to add, I'm in California right now...
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Josh Higgins
Trad climber
San Diego
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Sep 23, 2012 - 04:41pm PT
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Perhaps to their regular life/partners or perhaps they perceived me as someone that they would not want to climb with again. And I had not even led with them, except perhaps smth incredibly easy, as I know that I can be very slow if I try smth that would be a challenge.
Just a thought, but if you're only leading things that are "incredibly easy" and you are "very slow" there's a very solid chance that's the reason that you can't get people to climb things that are harder/longer or get them to climb with you more than once. If I were to go to Chamonix, I would want to climb hard routes with friends, not guide someone I didn't know. Perhaps you should change locations and revisit Chamonix again later in life when you're a little stronger/better/faster? It's probably easier to find partners at smaller crags, and your time might be better spent.
Josh
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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Sep 23, 2012 - 04:45pm PT
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It's true, the climbing season is over already in Chamonix.
Soon ski season will start. European winters are long.
Have you thought of going to the Callanques for the winter
and coming back to Chamonix in the spring?
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Sep 23, 2012 - 06:38pm PT
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Doesn't buying the beer work over there?
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Sep 23, 2012 - 10:23pm PT
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Be thankful you're not a surfer. Some good advice upthread. Follow it and I'd bet you'll make a breakthrough.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Sep 23, 2012 - 10:38pm PT
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Endless summer....surfing sounds like the endless bummer.
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Sep 24, 2012 - 12:12am PT
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Well Mr. Donini, you hit it right there.
I spose it depends upon where you live. That's why we used to go to Mexico. Not many surfers lived there. Now many (even Willard Romney) call it their own.
The friendliest folks I've run into in a long time are kite surfers.
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turd
climber
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Sep 24, 2012 - 12:23am PT
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No sponges, bics or slugs?
e: ah, ok
vvvvvvvv
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zBrown
Ice climber
chingadero de chula vista
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Sep 24, 2012 - 12:27am PT
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^ not 'real' surfboards
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Degaine
climber
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Sep 24, 2012 - 05:05am PT
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base104 wrote:
Yeah, getting in to the local scene is too much trouble. There are tons of other Euros there who make good partners. For some reason we always hung out with a bunch of slightly odd Germans. The locals wouldn't even glance at us, and that was all fine. Chamonix has a really weird local scene.
I've never had any trouble with the locals in Chamonix. The "won't even glance at us" comment comes from a deep cultural misunderstanding on your part, and not a problem with the locals.
For example, in France, it's rude for a waiter/waitress to bring a customer a check without the customer asking for it "L'addition, svp", in the US, it's just the opposite, the customer shouldn't have to ask.
That written, whether French, American, or any other nationality, the vibe in Chamonix can be weird depending on who you hang out with. There are lots of people who come to Chamonix to test their mettle and to prove themselves, and if you get offended by all things superficial, then the "scene" my bother you as a few young arrivals puff up their feathers to show how rad they are. Most are humbled immediately as you can die in Chamonix quicker than you can say "let's go home". The guys climbing and skiing really hard usually have faded, sometimes torn clothing, and are the most discrete of the discrete (unless sponsored), and I might add enjoyably head out with friends not even close to as strong as they are.
And yes, Base104, buying beer works in Chamonix as well. Maybe you tried to buy someone a Bud?
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Degaine
climber
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Sep 24, 2012 - 05:26am PT
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Josh,
There are plenty of moderate climbs in Chamonix, whether in the Aiguilles Rouges or in the Mont-Blanc massif itself. No need to climb hard to climb there.
However, when heading to glaciated terrain, however easy the route, a certain amount of experience is required.
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swissclimber
Sport climber
Neuchatel Switzerland
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Sep 24, 2012 - 05:33am PT
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Bon je peux bien imaginer qu' une raison simple est qu' en tant que grimpeur, je me lance pas dans une longue voie avec quelqu' un que je ne connais pas, je trouve celamun peu hasardeux et risqué. Autrement en Suisse et plus paticulierement dans ma region, cela m arrive frequemment d aller seul au pied d' un site d escalade et de poser la question si je peux grimper avec une ou l autre des personnes presentes. Cela a debouché sur de belles rencontres et des amitiés longues de plusieurs années et parfois seulement pour une seule fois car le feeling n y etait pas.
Salutations de Suisse
Eric
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Blakey
Trad climber
Newcastle UK
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Sep 24, 2012 - 06:08am PT
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Base 102 said
"I had about the foulest personality on the planet and found partners, although I went over there with a couple of others.
The English were fairly insular, but the Scotch and Welsh were fun."
Weee'll I'd say that, given your first sentence, that our 'insularity' reflects our better judgement over the Scots or Welsh.
Jeez - you think they were 'fun'!
;-)
Steve
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Sep 24, 2012 - 09:10am PT
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Try planetgranite.com. Maybe hook up with some Italians.
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splitclimber
climber
Sonoma County
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Sep 24, 2012 - 01:27pm PT
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Deglane wrote - I've never had any trouble with the locals in Chamonix. The "won't even glance at us" comment comes from a deep cultural misunderstanding on your part, and not a problem with the locals.
For example, in France, it's rude for a waiter/waitress to bring a customer a check without the customer asking for it "L'addition, svp", in the US, it's just the opposite, the customer shouldn't have to ask.
takes us 'mericans a while to adjust - at first we thought, oh, the French are just rude - but we then came to the conclusion that it is just our perception of them being rude and it is just a cultural difference. Maybe a little more apparent in Chamonix. :)
we experienced the opposite of "won't even glance at us" - felt like we always got the staredown from anyone and everyone in the village. Ha ha. It started being funny and we'd just smile really big at everybody staring at us.
On the crags everyone was friendly.
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BruceAnderson
Social climber
Los Angeles currently St. Antonin, France
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Sep 24, 2012 - 02:08pm PT
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Are you living there full time? If so, look into the local climbing/alpinisme clubs or associations. The french are huge on the whole idea and you'll meet plenty of people of all abilities.
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ExtraBlue
Ice climber
the ford VT
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Take out someone with less skill?
I've moved around a lot and I know how frustrating it can be to find partners in foreign countries. But what has always worked well for me is to find someone just getting into the sport to go out with.
If you find you can get partners, but only for one day and then never again, then it probably has to do with you. Either you aren't as good a climber as you tell prospective partners you are, or something about your interactions with them turns them off. No offense meant here but it sounds like you come from NYC. There are stereotypes about New Yorkers for a reason.
I second the vote for posting objectives online. You'll get a lot more people with a "Hey, My name is XXXX and I am looking for a partner for the Cosmique Arete on October 30. I'll lead, or you can. I have all my own gear." Thank you will with, "Hi, I am new here and want to go climbing."
Join the local club. I've been a member of the OEAV and DAV and in both Austria and Germany I met people through the clubs wicked easily. There would be a designated climbers nights once or twice a month and group activities on weekends.
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Scott_Nelson
Trad climber
Merica
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That sucks. I've had the same issues before. I think you'll have better luck finding UK partners, from my limited experience. Here are some suggestions:
1) Hang out at the campground/cooking areas with a case of beer and chat up folks. Mention you are looking for partners.
2) Post on ukclimbing.com
3) Post up at the guide's office
4) Recruit out of towners to come visit, as you have a place to stay (I assume)
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Jerry Lewis gets Frogs to smile.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jerry Lewis gets Frogs to smile.
They must find him "ribetting".
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SammO
Social climber
Ohio
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I'm sure initiating a conversation in English,
being sure to call them "Frogs", will surely guarantee a strong response
from the locals.
Seriously, you may have to spend some time, even money, swallowing pride and paying a guide if getting up climbs without risking your life with strangers is a priority. The art and practice of successfully enlisting safe and sane partners in a new area is hard enough; doing it in an established epicenter like Chamonix, with a 200 year mountaineering history, may be pushing post-grad level abilities.
Your resume may not be inspiring confidence in those you meet, but the last things you want to do are:
1. Inflate your abilities - quickest way to alienate partners, and gain a bad reputation that will scare off everyone else(may as well leave thereafter).
2. Go solo stuff, to paraphrase others here.
Other than mountain hiking, to gain overall experience with exposure, weather, and get in shape, all of which will serve you well in the long run, if you're more of a novice in the spectrum, what morons here are advising you to get yourself killed? Self-belaying in the mountains is a non-starter, as it will take about 12 years to climb even a moderate 2,000 ft route.
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Oh come on. I spent a whole summer living in Snell's field in the early eighties. The scene was very interesting at the time. All of the beautiful people hung out at the video bar which constantly replayed Patrick Edlanger soloing stuff in Verdon, guys doing extreme skiing, etc.
I don't really know how to put it, but the hot local climbers hung out with "The Beautiful People." Cham got to the point where if you did something hard, you would lose points because you didn't paraglide down, or solo it for a camera or whatever.
Then during the day, it could be very normal. Edlanger bouldered with us one day. He just showed up one day and joined in.
I remember a story I heard from John Bouchard, who was one of the first Americans to guide there. He married into one of the old climbing families there. He told me this French bedtime story that was kind of like Red Riding Hood, except the little girl was killed.
Somehow the moral was that it is OK to get whacked, as long as you look good. No kidding. Bouchard was trying to explain the cultural differences, and it was pretty good.
The scene there was insular. Part of it was the history and who you were and all that..on the pure local scale.
I really never had to hunt for a partner. If anything I had to run them off. I had Dean Hobbs, Walt Shipley, and Duane Raleigh with me, and mainly climbed with Duane.
For some reason, the Germans in Snells really liked us. We partied and had lots of fun.
The English were a fairly tough crowd. I think that there was still that old working class badass thing happening. They could get spooky when everyone was tanked on beer at the Bar Nash.
That said, there was a Scottish guy who we climbed with. He was super cool and funny.
This was a long time ago, and if you lived out at Snell's Field, you just didn't hang with the locals. They were in town.
I am quite certain that Snell's had a lot to do with it. For the young who don't know about it, Snell's field was a grassy field about the size of Camp 4. There were no rules, it was free, and had no restroom. So you could tell what month it was just by how close the turds were to each other in the treeline surrounding it. It was totall packed with tents belonging to climbers from every country on the planet, but the eastern block countries were still under communist rule and there were few of them. Enough to hang out and drink beers with, but not many.
No french lived there. It was fullblown ghetto. Since everyone at least walked by and occasionally sat down for a beer or to smoke hashish through an ice screw, it was easy to make friends. A whole gaggle of Germans moved over with us and they were great fun.
So imagine a Camp 4 with no restroom and no rules and no Americans. In those conditions, the locals just didn't hang there. We would see the hot climbers all clean and dressed up hanging with the beautiful people in the video bar, which we didn't visit that often.
I remember one evening in the Bar Nash. Somehow I ended up with a big group of Czech climbers. There was this one guy who spoke good english and was wearing a beat up Lhotse South Face expedition sweater. He wanted to know all about Yosemite and said that he desperately wanted to climb El Cap. So I said, "Hey, come over and we'll do the Nose! It's easy!"
Then he shook his head and held up his hands. He was missing all or part of most of his fingers....
So at that time, the French were all clean and lived in town. Everybody else was crammed into this tiny ghetto where there was a lot of interaction. So it sure seemed like we were a lower racial class of humanity. They sure looked at us like that. We scarfed showers at the swimming pool showers, weared the same t-shirt for weeks, and were all just like climbing bums in Camp 4. Everyone knew everyone. If you wanted to do a certain route, finding somebody to do it with was piss easy.
There was also the weather. When a storm went through and dumped a lot of snow, you had to have at least one clear and warm day for the routes to dry out, avalanche clean, and generally get back into shape. So a storm took a minimum of 3 days out of the shedule if you wanted to do anything hard.
So drinking was a huge part of the social scene. The Bar Nash was the hub of the English speakers, although most of us knew enough french to get by. This attracted a lot of Germans and Swiss who all speak english. There were so many languages that it was hilarious.
Walt and I would go into town, get a cup of coffee, then go buy a couple of bottles of trappist ale, which is like Old English, but even fouler and much stronger. Two bottles of that and you were hammered. We became such fixtures that the old ladies recognized it and would walk by laughing.
There wasn't all that much climbing down in the valley back then, but enough to boulder or rock climb on non rainy days.
The english back then were rough and tough. It got kind of spooky when they got hammered. I had to drag Shipley out of a group of them once because they were going to kick his ass.
It was great fun. When I say I was an ass, I just mean that I was very young and very cocky. It never bothered anyone. I'm just older and mature now.
I think that the loss of Snell's field broke the back of the social structure in Chamonix. Yeah, it was a turd filled ghetto, but it crammed together several hundred chomping at the bit climbers. One of the best motivating environments I could think of. So and so would do a hard route and everyone wanted to know about it. Then you would hook up with somebody.
That one time I did the Fissure Brown with a Welsh kid, he had been hanging with us for a week talking spray. So I took him up there assuming he could climb. Well, he jumared every pitch, even the 5.7's. He made me take hero shots of him and all that.
So, yeah, you could screw up and go with a bad partner. It was more funny than anything, but I never trusted his belay.
So I think that nowadays, when people might stay in a hotel in town, or pay lots of money for the legal campgrounds around town, which were unthinkable for us, money-wise, it is a totally different dynamic. Before, everyone was together, literally elbow to elbow. Now it is different.
How many people still spend a summer on a buck a day? Back then, everybody.
You only had to open your mouth to find a partner. There was the usual pecking order like any bunch of climbers, so your ability was known as the summer went on.
All in all, I would say that it was the best and most productive season during my whole life. Right up there with the valley days.
But yeah. There was for sure friction between the French and the English, who seem to have a long history of dislike for each other. When we went into a store, people were much nicer to us when they found that we were Americans instead of English, and I can remember the English and the French insulting each other.
They were cool that our French was so lousy after I explained that I grew up in cowboy country near Texas, and nobody from my town ever visited Europe, so spending their time on a language was usually spanish.
One on one with the people was excellent other than Paris. Just be polite.
Fun times. I hope I have adequately explained the social dynamic.
We were all so cheap that we never spent a night in a huts, which are full of guides and clients. We would hike up in the evening, cook coffee until midnight, and then blast off. You would be amazed at how well you can climb with a headlamp.
So all of the climbers were a huge and poor dirtbag society that ranked with camp 4. It was better than Camp 4 because there were no rangers, and everybody climbed when the weather was good.
These days, dirbagging it has decreased a lot. Climbers own pets, have good clothes, and the absurdly unclean dirtbag lifestyle has faded. Not completely, but to a great point. So imagine the French all staying at the Awhanee, and every other country staying in a mad max version of Camp 4. Then you have it.
I learned one thing from that summer: the French are more free than we are. Walt Shipley's antics are well known to those who knew him. He would go into full Walt mode and nobody cared. They were just amused. The same behaviour in Yosemite would put Walt in jail, which I think did happen.
You could do anything you wanted as long as it didn't hurt or bother anyone too much. It was a super friendly environment, and when I got back, I couldn't believe how restricting life is here. You have to act and behave to a certain standard or go to jail in the U.S. In France, you could do nigh anything. Nothing ruffled the French.
Swizerland was considerably more stuffy. Switzerland was more like Disneland were you had to pay to use a restroom and everyone behaved.
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Milton
Trad climber
Pasadena
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Try going to the Vagabond Inn for a couple of beers. I stayed there a night a couple of months ago and exchanged some good climbing stories with people from all over. There are more likely to be English speakers there, too.
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Niels
climber
Denmark, formerly Sacramento
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Cool post, Base!!! Bump!
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irene+
Trad climber
Chamonix, France
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 6, 2012 - 08:25am PT
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Thank you everyone for some very good and very bad suggestions...I think I am past the low point of bad encounters and recently have connected with some people with whom there is 'long term potential'.
Sometimes you just get hit with a wave of bad luck. I am not at all upset if someone doesn't want to climb with me again for whatever reason, but I get mad to the sky if someone makes plans and then cancels at the last minute, especially when the weather is perfect/ Had 3 of those here, 2 by the same guy (accidentally or not, he also happened to be a trust-funder type...) My HARD SET RULE is to allow for one cancellation and give anyone the benefit of doubt, but if they pull that card on me twice, I am never talking to them again, no matter how desperate for a rope partner I might be...in that scenario I'd rather go ropesolo, hiking or surfing the web.
Very good suggestions I find to be the following:
 when posting an add, mentioning the name of the route that I have in mind
(this worked for me a couple of times in 8 years of climbing)
taking out a beginner, someone to whom you can offer a new experience with the skill you have, and who is eager to have that experience...plenty of people around here are not experienced with trad climbing which is required for the high mountain granite routes.
Worst suggestion:
cough some money and pay a guide. To whomever made that suggestion (maybe someone born in a very good family situation who does not need to worry how i am going to pay for a roof over my head, food, internet, gear etc ...) : the cost of a guide is close to one month of rent for me. I do not have fat pockets nor do I come from money. Most people have either money or time, and by moving to live here in the capital of alpinism I have chosen time over money. I am living as frugally as I can within civilized limits, and even so, heck I don't know if this can be made into smth sustainable.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Come on Irene, you're living the dream.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Irene+: Bon chance and post some TR's to let us know how it worked out.
No matter how bad it may seem, 20 years from now, you'll likely look back on this time as your own personal golden age of alpine climbing.
Base 104: I agree that Snell Field was a good place to hang, even compared to the glory days of Camp 4. No bears or other varmits; food storage in the tents; good boulder on site; showers down at the pool; cheap wine in plastic bottles, french bread and pastries;Bar Nash for entertainment. Here is Snell Field in 1976, with patio furniture supplied by the nearby junkyard.
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jimbrie
climber
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Expect to spend a lot of time looking for suitable partners--go online, make inquiries, check at the B de Guides. UKClimbing.com is good for "climber's wanted" posts, but ideally you would set something up beforehand. But you never know, maybe someone is already in town. You can check around some of the pensions in town, e.g. near the Brevent telepherique. In my experience some folks there are looking for partners. Staying there can be helpful, too.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Base104: great post, very informative.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Wow, BASE104 - what a superbly written and classic post! Why knott copy and paste it into a new topic entitled something like Snell's Field Reminiscenses? [um, knott sure I spelled that right]
How fortunate and blessed you were to be there then! What has happened to Snell's Field now? No longer available?
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Jan
Mountain climber
Okinawa, Japan
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My experience of Chamonix was completely different since I was living in a normal apartment in Geneva and married at the time. Between my husband and his climbing friends from CERN I never lacked for partners. We had a Volkswagen bus that we slept in and used a toilet in one of the public parks. This toilet was a shed over a little stream; you could sometimes see fish swimming underneath. We were too American to ever do anything but pee there. For the rest, we went to a cafe and used their restroom.
Of course weekending in Chamonix has its drawbacks. Living in Geneva at 1,225 feet and climbing up to huts at 8,000 to 10,000 feet every Friday or Saturday meant we never slept well and always had an altitude headache. Just staying up all night as Base 104 did, sipping coffee and tylenol might have been the better choice.
I laughed at this comments that the French were friendlier to the Americans than the British. I always found this to be true also. Although they assumed I was English from my conservative dress and accent, they became much friendlier when they discovered I was American.
The old trick about using a different language than English always worked wonders in Europe too. If I met a German who was mad at Americans and refused to speak English, I would ask in French, "Parlez vous francais", and suddenly they could try their English. In Spain the British tourists were snobby about my Mexican Spanish but the Spaniards had no problems.
And I agree that the French are more free than we are. Part of it is, as they say, Americans live to work while the French only work to live. La joie de vive is all important there. To put it in perspective however, the Swiss make even the Germans look relaxed. We had to escape for at least one day every week to France to keep our sanity.
Maybe the best contrast was one Christmas Eve when we passed through the border. It was snowing and the French customs officials were celebrating and obviously tipsy, waving us through with a "Joyeux Noel". The Swiss on the other hand, were gram and sober, and insisted on inspecting inside the trunk.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Snell's Field and British bad-ass-ism
From the article "Dreams spun from thin air", The Guardian 2007, introducing Stephen Venables' “Higher than the eagel soars”:
"After the death of John Weatherseed on the Brenva Ridge in 1975, John's father arrived at the Snell's Field campsite in Chamonix. Venables records: "As we stood in an awkward semicircle, offering clumsy sympathy, I felt that we were all guilty; we had conspired in this perverse game that had destroyed his son. It was we - all of us, reinforcing each other's dreams and ambitions - who had stolen his child."
The basis of this conspiracy is to familiarise the extreme. Every generation winds its neck out a bit further, every new benchmark starts out unthinkable but soon becomes the norm. Individual careers pursue the same trajectory - if you aren't pushing yourself past your limits, you're not climbing. Eventually you become inured to what is, in ordinary human terms, a completely mad environment,...."
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saa
climber
not much of a
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Some hard beta instead of wishy goody wishes/ theoretical
nonsense and paranoid creepings.
Climbing crag. Les gaillands.
Drinking hole hotel vert walking distance from les Gaillands
Mostly international Good for finding anglophone partners.
Topos for climbing at most bookstores in town
Bars with class 2 citizens (eg real people /our people, climbers, ski bums, etc:
elevation 1904 just accross the train station
Le Vagabond (also a gite)
Le chamoniard Voland, near the LZ for parapent and BaSERS (although base got some bad rep this year and basers may have moved on)
The Office, a pub in Argentiere, mostlly uk, ozzies, kiwies.
The pubs in cham sud. Mostly international sport bums.
Web. Chamshare dot com Mostly apnglophone
If you cant find climbers with this i ll think i must be special since idid :)
Bonne chance et si tu veux plus d'infos envoies moi un mail.
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laurel arndt
Trad climber
phoenix
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So true!!!!
I was there 5 years ago and felt the same way. Climbed with guide/friends from US when they were'nt guiding. Did met other climbers on the train to Geitroz. After the guide friends left, I tried the rock gym... no go. Only luck I had getting a "partner" in Chamonix was on the train and in the bar (with non-climbers wah).
PS:I smiled alot, good times nontheless,!!!
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Irene+, I would go to a supermarket and hold a sign "WILL BELAY FOR FOOD".
Not only you will find a partner quickly, but will also find someone with a good sense of humour!
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Ahhh. Snell's Field. All you needed to do to find a partner was to walk into the sea of cheap tents and scream,
"I need someone to do the Croz Spur with tomorrow!!!"
The same went for beta. A decent guidebook wasn't easy to find. In fact we never found one, although there is a terrific climbing library in town.
Snell's field was even better than Camp 4. Camp 4 is kind of quiet. The climbers in the next campsite might never become drinking buddies. Camp 4 takes a while to integrate into.
OK. Here are some Snell's photos. Take particular note of "The Construction" (Christened that by the Germans), which was battened down tight on rainy days, hence becoming a sort of underground Bar Nash. You either spent all day in your little tent doing unholy things with your unit, or you hung out where it was dry. Alas, the photos of now famous climbers smoking hash through ice screws were all stolen from my collection.
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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I remember two shepherd huts by the Eiger. The first one was by the Kleine Scheidig train stop, near the West face, and the other was off the path down to Grindelwald. The one in the picture seems to be the second one. In 1981, John Shervais and two german climbers considered staying in it, but decided to bivy at the base of the North face instead. We were lucky as the weather held for the two days it took to go up the face. The hut is a real temptation as it often drizzles at night (with terrible verglas on the face), and it is better to get cramped in the hut than being all wet even before the climb. I hope the hut is still there!
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doc bs
Social climber
Northwest
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Never climbed in Chamonix, but here are some things that could help in general.
1. Take up solo aid climbing. You learn tons, you get to climb places you might never get to climb, it shows commitment. People are eager to talk with you if you look like you are having fun. Even if no one invites you to climb with them - in solo aid climbing EVERYONE is always having fun.
2. Climb with 50-somethings and older. They are survivors and they may like climbing with younger people. You might get more leads. You can learn tons from them. They could introduce you to people your own age after they get to know you.
3. Join a climbing club or a search and rescue team.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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can someone just camp under the Eiger these days, or are there Valley-type regs that prohibit that dirty-hippie stuff?
in the recent Eiger North Face movie (historical reenactment), the Kurz team just bivied under the face. I'd like to do that
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sm13
climber
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Mar 21, 2013 - 09:58am PT
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Hi Irene,
Wondering if you're still in the valley. I'm currently based in Geneva but come through to Cham often. I am always looking for a new climbing/skiing partner. I'm heading through this weekend to climb if you want to meet up, let me know. I would be interested to climb some ice if the conditions are good. Are you into that? Either way we could meet or get in touch about getting on the rock this Spring.
All the best,
Sasha
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Schaps
Trad climber
Bishop California
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I'll be in Cham later this month- anyone up for the ride? I've been going there since the 80s when the Biollay was the place to camp. That was turned into a bus park and there was the forest. Now it's all illegal. I'm planning to stay up high in any case to avoid the valley. I may have to check up on that one French gal from several years ago though..
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Given the nature of the climbing in Chamonix, a blind date partner sounds pretty sketchy....it ain't J-Tree.
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ThomasKeefer
Trad climber
San Diego
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I lived in Italy for 3 years and was always able to find partners up in the Cham area. Many Euros use summitpost to find partners and that is where I normally went - aside from the local forums that were around the mtns I lived near.
The suggestions above to join the French Alpine Club are solid - they usually have offices where you can hang out and find partners.
In town, there is also the tourism building as well as the head of the Alpine Club where there are bulletin boards.
Good luck!
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cayteye
Sport climber
Beckenham
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Oct 24, 2015 - 06:23pm PT
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I've lived in cham for 3 years and i've climbed f-all .... i'm trying to investigate why this could be- hy do i climb more when im in ldonon working! hmmmm
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