Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
| Messages 1 - 58 of total 58 in this topic |
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 24, 2008 - 11:12pm PT
|
Summer has been a rather large disappointment this year. Lots of cold and rain, friends not around, mom starting a new career, and dad working long hours at his job and on our house. Not much fun for a 7 year old, or anyone for that matter.
That is until...
Maxine's first climbing experience.
The plan was to just climb a pitch up the slabs on Whitehorse Ledge.
After a bunch of running around picking up some camping supplies, setting up a tent, and picking up a pair of kid size climbing shoes, we reach the parking at about 3PM and hoof it up to the base.
Still wearing her "approach" Crocs she took off up the slab laughing. "This is easy." I reined her in verbally while imagining how I would explain 3rd degree road rash to her mom.
Somehow I manged to misplace my camera. There was no way I was going to not capture this moment so I started running back down the trail retracing my steps. I ran all the way back to the car and found the camera sitting on the trunk. Not a great start but oh well we're only going up one pitch maybe two, so there's plenty of time. Camera in hand it was game on.
Lacing up on the Launch Pad.
The first pitch is a 5.nothing up to the base of a long right facing arch, the prominent feature of Standard Route. The pitch is not much more than a steep 200' stairway. I figure it's perfect to get her up off the ground and take in a little exposure.
She barely broke a sweat. I, on the other hand, sweat plenty trying to take the rope in fast enough.
I really figured this would be as high as we would go. I was kind of thinking this would be enough for her for one day and she would want to go back down. Nope. "Daddy, can we go higher?"
You bet.
Before we know it we're half way up the route with the crux pitch just ahead.
"We can go back down now if you like", I said.
"No, let's just keep going, can we?".
"The next pitch is a whole lot harder than everything below us".
"I don't care", in a 7 year old sassy determined tone.
"OK"
Finally I hear a "daddy, I'm scared". As I look she is dancing across the 5.7 thin face moves like she was playing in the yard. If that's what she calls 'scared' then I see a whole lot of trouble in my parenting future.
Incidentally, when I used to teach climbing I had full grown adult men literally cry out in terror on this very pitch.
Nothing left now but a long leg pumping slab to the top.
"Let's go on the left side, the right side looks boring and has too many trees. I want to be able to see the view".
I have a picture of my wife on our second date and her second time climbing, taken in this exact same spot and exact same pose.
(edited to add the said photo of wife)
and now both (04-26-09)
Her very first rock climb and she slayed it. Round trip from the car was under 4 hours. But she wasn't done...
Day two started with packing up the camping gear and heading out for a leisurely bit of sight seeing and dips in the river while we waited for our next route to go into the shade.
This climb, Refuse, is where I took my wife, Maxine's mom, on our very first date.
Just about here is where I heard her say again "daddy, I'm scared". Yet there was no slowing of the pace I was having to take in rope.
Now anyone who has climbed Refuse will tell you that while it's relatively easy, 5.6, this last little bit has a good bit of hair raising exposure, particularly for a beginner.
"Daddy, can we do some more?"
"Sorry, honey, I'm beat".
"Climber below"
edit: the two cliff shots shamelessly poached from neclimbs.com.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:17pm PT
|
That's delightful!
Edit: I see visits to the climbing gym in your future. This winter, say.
|
|
caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:18pm PT
|
Dang that's cool.
|
|
Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:20pm PT
|
So glad you went back to get the camera. What an awesome TR - and great photos. You must have a huge grin still. :) Thanks for sharing!
|
|
John Moosie
climber
Beautiful California
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:36pm PT
|
That rocked. Proud dad. Proud daughter.
|
|
Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:43pm PT
|
We loved it, especially dad and daughter's shoe shot. My daughters have grown, but it is still special when we get out together.
|
|
Jeremy Handren
climber
NV
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:44pm PT
|
"Incidentally, when I used to teach climbing I had full grown adult men literally cry out in terror on this very pitch. " .... that raised a chuckle Jim, I remember that being an all to frequent occurrence ..
Lucky for Maxine, she gets her looks from her mother!
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 24, 2008 - 11:51pm PT
|
Jerry,
I was just telling a friend today about the father and son team you sandbagged me with. If I remember correctly it took you all day to get them up the first pitch of Standard then you handed them off to me for their second day. I still curse you for that... but always laugh my ass off at the memory.
|
|
Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
|
|
|
Aug 24, 2008 - 11:54pm PT
|
so very cool!
here's my partner Mike doing Refuse in 1979
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2008 - 12:01am PT
|
Hey Ed,
Great photo!
We actually didn't do that pitch. It doesn't get done a whole lot anymore. The tree is no longer there and now you have to climb a bit of slimy 5.8 offwidth to get to the big ledge.
There's a great story about the demise of the tree in which I nearly met my own.
edit: 79 is probably right about the time I first climbed it. Boy, it hurts to be able to say that.
|
|
Kupandamingi
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 12:52am PT
|
Screw climbing hard yourself, this is what its all about - as the father of a 2 year, I dream of the day!
|
|
Jay Wood
Trad climber
Fairfax, CA
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 12:56am PT
|
Mega- cute!
|
|
Mungeclimber
Trad climber
sorry, just posting out loud.
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 02:39am PT
|
Adorable "mini" TR.
|
|
SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 08:41am PT
|
That is SO special.
Wow! You've got to be the proudest daddy
around. With good reason.
Awesome!
|
|
dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 08:50am PT
|
Shameless exploitation of that little girl to sneak in a trip report, UGH! OR, was it shameless exploitation of a trip report in order to post pics of your kid having a good time?
You must be a very proud daddy, Jim.
She sure is cute.
See Anders, if you had included a cute kid...
|
|
rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 09:39am PT
|
Very cool TR.
Thanks.
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2008 - 09:55am PT
|
I'm always very proud of her. She's a really great little human being. I'm no more proud of her now than usual but I was thoroughly impressed. I didn't expect her to get so into it and basically with no fear.
Other than a couple friend's birthday parties at the local gym she had never been climbing before.
Sorry for the terrible writing style. I put it together very late.
Thanks all!
Dirt, Exploitation?... You can expect to see her in the next Sterling ad... over my dead body.
|
|
AbeFrohman
Trad climber
new york, NY
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 10:02am PT
|
Fantastic. I hope to be there with my Izabella one day.
Did you have a 3rd person for belaying, or did you solo everything?
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2008 - 10:31am PT
|
"Did you have a 3rd person for belaying, or did you solo everything?"
No 3rd. The slabs of Whitehorse are pretty much a solo whether you have a belayer or not. Though I probably would have preferred to outright solo everything for expedience sake I basically short fixed the spots where I could and kept the pitches short. I've soloed both routes many, many times and by many different variations but I wasn't going to chance the unspeakable.
I considered putting a hundred pounds of rocks in her pockets and teach her to use a GriGri.
|
|
bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:21am PT
|
that's a great trip, Jim, she's all smiles too! Priceless!!!
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
wuz real!
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:30am PT
|
Spectacular. My day and week are officially started out right!
Beyond cute!
|
|
TwistedCrank
climber
Ideeho
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:32am PT
|
Ding ding ding ding ding.
Bank!
Kids on rocks. What's cooler than that?
|
|
Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 01:14pm PT
|
That looks like a whole lot of fun. Great kid!
|
|
pyro
Big Wall climber
Calabasas
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 02:00pm PT
|
very proud send!
|
|
scuffy b
climber
Elmertown
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 03:03pm PT
|
Wow, what a great start. Congrats, and Thanks.
|
|
TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 03:09pm PT
|
Awesome!
really fun TR, thanks for posting up!
|
|
Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 03:31pm PT
|
Cool little person TR dude...
|
|
Tomcat
Trad climber
Chatham N.H.
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 05:52pm PT
|
Nice going Jim !! Tradchick and I took her oldest up to the base of the arch last year.Your daughter takes after you!
Our "first date" was Jacob's Ladder at Whitehorse...lol.
You really should share the tree story dood.....
|
|
Indianclimber
climber
Las Vegas
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 06:29pm PT
|
Maxine ruuulllzzz!Great trip report
Ninfa
|
|
cowpoke
climber
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 08:03pm PT
|
very sweet! Maxine looks like she is really enjoying herself, which I suspect made daddy happy too. thanks for sharing your family fun!
|
|
Gene
climber
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 08:34pm PT
|
Max has that look in her eyes that only real cool Dad's get.
|
|
perswig
climber
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 09:34pm PT
|
It must be in the DNA.
If your daughter gets on ice this early in life, the rest of us posers are screwed.
Thanks for getting the camera, Jim.
Dale
|
|
Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 10:04pm PT
|
Just stumbled across this -- what a grand trip report, Jim. Maxine looks so delighted to out there with Dad.
|
|
Lynne Leichtfuss
Social climber
valley center, ca
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:22pm PT
|
Maxine, You rock gal, good job and ...some great enjoyment huh?
If you check on the Very Tiny TR from TM you will meet Aspen who looks to be about your age that also loves climbing.
You gals are special and you are the climbing future.
|
|
Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:31pm PT
|
A great, GREAT trip report.
Fun, so cool. What a sweetheart you have.
Zander
|
|
Ezra
Trad climber
WA, NC
|
|
|
Aug 25, 2008 - 11:32pm PT
|
Thanks so much for sharing,
I have a two-year-old princess, who i'll be taking out in 5 years or so.
best
-e
|
|
Roman
Trad climber
Boston
|
|
|
Aug 26, 2008 - 08:35am PT
|
Awesome TR. Maxine is a trooper. Those slabs cover a lot of distance due to their angle. Gotta love Whitehorse and family climbing!
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 27, 2008 - 04:21pm PT
|
I swear this was the most fun I've had climbing in years. Can't wait to do it again. Maybe I can get her mom to come with. Would be a perfect day.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
up Yonder (someplace else)
|
|
|
Aug 27, 2008 - 04:28pm PT
|
Hey Jim, looks like you have a 'rope-gun' in training there...
Awesome!
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
classic
|
|
Wade Icey
Trad climber
www.alohashirtrescue.com
|
|
way cuter than whassirname
|
|
Paulina
Trad climber
|
|
Wow, wonderful! This is enough to make me consider having kids. :-)
|
|
Dwain
Trad climber
Apple Valley, California
|
|
GREAT Trip report, Jim!
Not my Daughter but,
I am teaching my neighbors 2 kids how to climb.
The girl is 9 and the boy is 13.
The little girl is a Natural and is way more enthusiastic
than her brother.
There are pics of her on my thread, "Future Rockstar"
It takes your breath away when you come across a kid who
"GETS IT" from the very start.
If you ever get out here with your Daughter, maybe my neighbors Daughter and yours, can show us how
it's really done!
Dwain
|
|
Jim E
climber
Mountain Road
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Sep 2, 2008 - 07:14pm PT
|
Hey Dwain,
I'm dying to get out there this fall. If I do, however, I'm not sure Maxine would be able to come along with me. Maybe, though...
It's cool taking out kids that are truly enjoying themselves. Grades don't matter, cliffs don't matter, objectives don't matter. Being in the moment is all that matters.
I really liked (read impressed) that Maxine felt the fear and went for it anyway without hesitation.
Hopefully she'll continue to think it's cool to hang out with dad for a few more years, at least.
|
|
mojede
Trad climber
Butte, America
|
|
Good times, I hope to do something like that next season with my daughter.
Fine daddying, there.
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
up Yonder (someplace else)
|
|
Absogodamlutely!!!
Kids are WAY more fun than adults....they just dig it.
They're on 'input mode'. SUPER fun. Just groove.
I really dig "Uncle'ing".....
|
|
emac
climber
New Hampshire
|
|
Jim, I just saw this, though had seen photos from Cathy. Enjoyed your commentary to go along with it! I can't wait until my daughter is old enough to do this... At only 3 months I think I have a bit of a wait still!
Have missed hitting the cliffs with you this summer. See you this weekend though!
|
|
Jim E
climber
away
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 26, 2009 - 08:16pm PT
|
Addendum.
And now the both together. From today.
|
|
Crag Q
Trad climber
Louisville, Colorado
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 08:29pm PT
|
What a smile. That's a perfect TR!
|
|
Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 08:49pm PT
|
Great picture, Jim. Looks like fun was had!
|
|
deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 09:59pm PT
|
One of the best TRs ever!!
|
|
neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 10:09pm PT
|
hey there jim e.... say, nice to see your trip report... great picture....
say, hope you are doing good... nice to hear from you, here...
|
|
crøtch
climber
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 11:10pm PT
|
How did I miss this the first time around? Your daughter is too cute and the TR is out of this world. Thanks, Jim.
|
|
drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
|
|
|
Apr 26, 2009 - 11:18pm PT
|
THAT is what it's all about.
Thank you for sharing that.
|
|
Erik Sloan
climber
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2009 - 12:19am PT
|
Awesome.
Thanks
e
|
|
mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2009 - 03:57am PT
|
Great TR. Thanks!
|
|
tokyo bill
Social climber
tokyo
|
|
|
Apr 27, 2009 - 04:10am PT
|
What a follow-up to the original TR. Fantastic!
|
|
| Messages 1 - 58 of total 58 in this topic |
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!