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yanqui
climber
Balcarce, Argentina
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May 27, 2014 - 08:21pm PT
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At 56 I'm kind of a youngster here. I never bouldered very hard so I don't feel disappointment over decline and I can still find challenge (physical and mental), fun, training, struggle, flow, meditation, concentration, adventure, peace, conflict, solitude, sociality, communion with nature, outright war against nature, joy in movement, frustration in movement, beauty, ugliness, learning, fear, confidence, sharing, ego, pride, humility, meaning and release in climbing little rocks, without a rope, sometimes at the limits of my ability and sometimes well within my ability. I bouldered, on a regular basis, without pads, in Washington, Utah and Argentina, for more than 20 years. Now that I have two artificial hips, I take pads everywhere I go. Maybe someday I'll break a hold, or push a little too far without a rope and put an end to my climbing, permanently. Until then, or until my need passes, I hope I can keep rediscovering what I have found with this part of my lifestyle.
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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May 27, 2014 - 08:50pm PT
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I love bouldering, and at 54 continue to boulder a lot. I like to say that I go to the Spot gym in Boulder to bring up the average age, but in reality I doubt it makes a dent. I find that I will probably never have the same endurance as when I was younger, but having short term power to get through cruxes, and the bouldering head for run out routes, keeps me climbing at a high level. The biggest issue is listening to my body and not pushi g things too much so I have physical issues like finger/elbow/shoulder issues.....
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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May 28, 2014 - 10:01am PT
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Eeyonkee,
I've seen those photos of you on the wide stuff! If I was able to do the what you do, I probably wouldn't feel the need to work hard at bouldering!
Steve
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aMountainclimber
Mountain climber
San Clemente, CA
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Nov 13, 2017 - 12:32pm PT
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Wow, this was short conversation. Is there anybody out there? ANYBODY? I started indoor bouldering 14 month ago at the age of 63. It was a simple transaction really, I was completely sick of working out (weight lifting) at the gym so I decided to exchange boredom for terror. Really, bouldering is pretty much like lifting weights and far more motivating in terms of showing up. The first few months was pretty harsh since I was, without exaggeration, the worst climber in the gym. THE WORST. Man I sucked. But, then a remarkable thing happened. I started getting better and I am still improving, climbing harder and harder problems while getting stronger, to the point where I am now solidly in the bottom 20%. Being really old converts the achievement of mediocracy into something special. I like that. I must admit, part of my improvement is the result of "cheating'. It turns out that losing weight can overcome both ageing and an absence of talent, especially if you start out fat. I'm sure trading weight for improvement will eventually become a zero sum game, but at 190 (down from my original 203), I still have plenty cards to play! I imagine how much better I'll be at 165. Hell, I did weight 165 once, how hard can it be to get there? Certainly not as hard as hauling my fat ass up that wall. AND then, I'd be remiss without mentioning the whole sitcom experience of being 40 years older than EVERYBODY.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Cali
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Nov 13, 2017 - 01:19pm PT
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I'm 66 and my bouldering partner just turned 70. We both boulder all the time. We boulder in the gym to warm up before climbing (up to v5 or v6) and we boulder outside a lot. The trick is to not fall from very far up. I have a lousy back and about 3 feet is my limit without a big gym pad under me. So that means that I traverse, a lot. And I do short, hard up problems. There is no better way to keep that finger strength up.
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Gorgeous George
Trad climber
Los Angeles, California
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Nov 13, 2017 - 02:26pm PT
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I'm laughing to myself to have found this thread. I'm 62 and a big guy, 225, and whenever I find myself laying off for awhile I ease myself back into it by bouldering. No highballs, just low traverses. If you are observant you can find them everywhere.
Just last week I spent a couple of hours at Echo Rock in JT, just below all the slab climbs to the left of Sphincter Quits. I wasn't able to go all the way on the bottom to Double Dip, but you can break it up into small problems. I find it helps more with my footwork than finger strength. The key is no falls, just a little fall off balance can screw you up.
Anytime I want to get off the ground, I just find easy 7's and 8's, top rope or lead, doesn't matter.
Thing about bouldering, don't have to find a partner, and can go when it fits MY schedule.
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Lurking Fear
Boulder climber
Bishop, California
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Nov 13, 2017 - 03:44pm PT
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I'm 55 and I still boulder at the Buttermilks a couple of times a week. I climbed my hardest boulder problem ever at 47. I may have run out of doable projects in this area; I guess the low hanging fruit is gone. I haven't really felt my power or crimp strength dwindle at the Buttermilks, maybe more so at the Happys or Sads.. Biggest problem is gaining a few pounds which doesn't help.
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Guck
Trad climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Nov 13, 2017 - 09:24pm PT
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:34am PT
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I am 60 and I still Boulder, I find that bouldering helps my climbing as well as my lead climbing. I love how bouldering helps me work out hard moves and sequences. On days I can not find partner to climb with, bouldering still allows me to climb and practice climbing. I learned how to climb at Castle Rock State Park Ca by bouldering there, so I have been bouldering at the very start of my climbing career. Even after all these years, I still get super psyched on bouldering and working out new moves and problems!!! Even tho I am 60 now, bouldering at times makes me feel 19 years old lol. Ps at my age I think it's time I get a crash pad!Lol, happy climbing Mike A.
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:36am PT
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:37am PT
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:39am PT
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:41am PT
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mike a.
Sport climber
ca
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Nov 14, 2017 - 10:43am PT
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Gunkie
Trad climber
Valles Marineris
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Nov 14, 2017 - 11:19am PT
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I want to be like mike a.
On another note, I was surfing @ Scripps Pier this past weekend during the combo swell. Early Sunday morning I was surfing with 'Doug' @ age 70 still rides a real shortboard and shreds. I'm 15 years his junior and he was teasing me a bit about the wide tail in my board which makes it easier to catch waves. Hey, I need all the advantages I can find these days.
Don't get injured, don't get overweight and keep moving.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Nov 14, 2017 - 11:34am PT
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I stopped active bouldering when I became serious about alpine climbing in the early 70’s. I didn’t want to have to cancel a trip because of a broken ankle. Continued to do some solo climbing. The difference....you’re supposed to fall when bouldering and you can’t fall while soloing.
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Nov 14, 2017 - 12:01pm PT
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Question for GUCK.
Was at A-hills last weekend... I was introduced to Chris, ex-local Santa Barbara climber, now living in RR. Said he did a bunch of FA's in Panic Town, so maybe you know him....
A pretty amazing bunch of climbers somehow assembled at one of the spots in the Cattle Pocket... some college kids- just starting out, Chris and his crew ... 30 somethings, me and Kris Solem.. mid 60's old dogs, some middle aged folks from Lone Pine and Eric Beck and lady friend, from Bishop... both 75??? ish..we were all crushing the sportclimbs. (heck those college kids could't do all the climbs we were doing)
Our conversion got around to who is now the oldest active climber- sense Fred has passed.
Chris said that there is this really really really old guy climber living in Santa Barbara but he could not recall his name....
Question for GUCK..... Marcel Remy... is he that old guy living in SB?
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Nov 14, 2017 - 12:03pm PT
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you’re supposed to fall when bouldering and you can’t fall while soloing.
Word.
The only broken bones I've incurred doing various types of climbing were while bouldering. A few were nasty. I'm over it.
An accomplished climber in my age group hit the nail on the head. "I do my bouldering at the front end of the rope..."
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Alan Rubin
climber
Amherst,MA.
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Nov 14, 2017 - 12:22pm PT
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Marcel Remy is Swiss. His sons Yves and Claude, now no youngsters themselves, are responsible for many classic new routes all over Europe--and places beyond.
Here, far from the mainstream of climbing, in western Mass., Ed Daniels, who will reach 93 in March, is still getting in his weekly sessions at our local Central Rock gym, as well as occasional visits to local crag, Chapel Ledge. His partner, our former Congressman John Olver is the 'youth' at 82.
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