|
mz1
Jan 17, 2010, 5:50 PM
Post #1 of 52
(5463 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2010
Posts: 4
|
Hi,
I've joined the forum here on order to do some research for something I'm working on. I am in the process of writing a script for a radio drama as part of my A2 coursework for English, with our initial text being "Touching The Void" by Joe Simpson.
I am looking at the themes of companionship here and will write about two people finding one another to climb with.
My question is "What do you look for in a climbing companion?" If you could answer this, or even tell me how you have found some of your climbing companions, I would be extremely grateful!
Many Thanks,
Miles
|
|
|
|
|
milesenoell
Jan 17, 2010, 7:01 PM
Post #2 of 52
(5424 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 19, 2006
Posts: 1156
|
Cliche questions like this will get you all kinds of flak on here, and it is somewhat deserved. The question has been addressed many times before and you can find those threads with a quick search that should give you plenty to write your paper on. The search function is in the upper right corner of your screen. After using it, if you still have any questions you should be prepared to ask a much more targeted question.
|
|
|
|
|
johnwesely
Jan 17, 2010, 7:16 PM
Post #3 of 52
(5411 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 5360
|
Great first post bro!
|
|
|
|
|
mz1
Jan 17, 2010, 7:18 PM
Post #4 of 52
(5410 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2010
Posts: 4
|
The time it took to write that message is much longer than the few words I was asking for...
|
|
|
|
|
jeepnphreak
Jan 17, 2010, 7:22 PM
Post #5 of 52
(5408 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 29, 2008
Posts: 1259
|
Iam in a benevolent mood toda, so Ill humor you. When I com across a possible climbing partner I chat them up over a beer or what have you.
Find out what their climbing level is, lead vs 2nd. Anchor buliding knowlege is. what gear they can contribute to a possible trip. what they perfer sport vs trad. Communtcation skills (ie do they know/use thet same ones I do). belay methods ect. And how much of a disire they have to learn new tricks and tips.
If they seam to be of "quality" than I ll invite them on a easy route Iam familiar with and see how they do. If everything goes well than we can progress to a trustworthy climbing partnership.
|
|
|
|
|
edge
Jan 17, 2010, 7:29 PM
Post #6 of 52
(5405 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 14, 2003
Posts: 9120
|
mz1 wrote: Hi, I've joined the forum here on order to do some research for something I'm working on. I am in the process of writing a script for a radio drama as part of my A2 coursework for English, with our initial text being " Touching The Void" by Joe Simpson. I am looking at the themes of companionship here and will write about two people finding one another to climb with. My question is "What do you look for in a climbing companion?" If you could answer this, or even tell me how you have found some of your climbing companions, I would be extremely grateful! Many Thanks, Miles
Are you a climber yourself, or someone using a climbing book as a baseline for your coursework? This will dictate how much detail responses should delve into.
If I asked a similar question on a ballet forum, I would probably have no idea what they are talking about above the basics that you look for in any partner anywhere, like reliability, availability, size of their rack (applies to both climbing, ballet, and other disciplines,) ethics, etc.
|
|
|
|
|
curt
Jan 17, 2010, 7:34 PM
Post #7 of 52
(5398 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 27, 2002
Posts: 18275
|
mz1 wrote: The time it took to write that message is much longer than the few words I was asking for...
Well, dumbass questions can often get replies like that.
Curt
|
|
|
|
|
johnwesely
Jan 17, 2010, 7:34 PM
Post #8 of 52
(5396 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 5360
|
jeepnphreak wrote: Iam in a benevolent mood toda, so Ill humor you. When I com across a possible climbing partner I chat them up over a beer or what have you. Find out what their climbing level is, lead vs 2nd. Anchor buliding knowlege is. what gear they can contribute to a possible trip. what they perfer sport vs trad. Communtcation skills (ie do they know/use thet same ones I do). belay methods ect. And how much of a disire they have to learn new tricks and tips. If they seam to be of "quality" than I ll invite them on a easy route Iam familiar with and see how they do. If everything goes well than we can progress to a trustworthy climbing partnership.
Hey! I am the one that is supposed to be in a benevolent mood!
|
|
|
|
|
mz1
Jan 17, 2010, 7:34 PM
Post #9 of 52
(5395 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2010
Posts: 4
|
Thanks for the help, I should of made that clearer.
I have no idea about climbing really, and will be writing it for people who don't.
I'm thinking more of a personality, ambition side of things...
|
|
|
|
|
theguy
Jan 17, 2010, 8:50 PM
Post #10 of 52
(5367 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 14, 2004
Posts: 469
|
mz1 wrote: A2 coursework for English
Fail
|
|
|
|
|
jcrew
Jan 17, 2010, 8:58 PM
Post #11 of 52
(5359 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 11, 2006
Posts: 673
|
curt wrote: mz1 wrote: The time it took to write that message is much longer than the few words I was asking for... Well, dumbass questions can often get replies like that. Curt
mzi....meet Curt
@ the crag, i look for super-babes who don't complain, noobs with a big, shiny rack, and rope guns that hang ropes on routes i can't.
for real climbs, equal skill and motiation.
|
|
|
|
|
Kevthecoffeeguy
Jan 17, 2010, 9:15 PM
Post #12 of 52
(5342 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 14, 2010
Posts: 149
|
mz1 wrote: Thanks for the help, I should of made that clearer. I have no idea about climbing really, and will be writing it for people who don't. I'm thinking more of a personality, ambition side of things...
(This post was edited by Kevthecoffeeguy on Jan 17, 2010, 9:17 PM)
|
|
|
|
|
lena_chita
Moderator
Jan 17, 2010, 9:41 PM
Post #13 of 52
(5318 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 27, 2006
Posts: 6087
|
mz1 wrote: Thanks for the help, I should of made that clearer. I have no idea about climbing really, and will be writing it for people who don't. I'm thinking more of a personality, ambition side of things...
So why pick climbing, of all things, if you have no idea? Why not pick something that you can reate to and understnad, something you personaly actually know something about?
Finding a partner is very much like finding a friend.
You go to places where people with similar interests hang out, you talk to them, you do things togehter, you get to know them...
Some become close friends (climbing partners). Some are good for casual not-high-stakes situations. Some, while being perfectly good people in and of themselves, turn out to be not a good match for you for 100s of different reasons, and some turn out to be douchebags.
That's it on a general level.
|
|
|
|
|
mz1
Jan 17, 2010, 10:02 PM
Post #14 of 52
(5302 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 17, 2010
Posts: 4
|
As I mentioned before, the text I am working from is "Touching the Void", which is a climbing book....
I am not focusing on details of climbing within, yet the ideas and themes of friendship and companions.
Has anyone here ever been to a group where you can meet people to climb with?
|
|
|
|
|
I_do
Jan 17, 2010, 10:27 PM
Post #15 of 52
(5287 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 2, 2008
Posts: 1232
|
mz1 wrote: As I mentioned before, the text I am working from is "Touching the Void", which is a climbing book.... I am not focusing on details of climbing within, yet the ideas and themes of friendship and companions. Has anyone here ever been to a group where you can meet people to climb with?
They're called climbing clubs/outdoor camps you'll find they're quite ubiquitous.
|
|
|
|
|
jeepnphreak
Jan 17, 2010, 11:20 PM
Post #16 of 52
(5263 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 29, 2008
Posts: 1259
|
Another thing you may wish to consider is, instead of siveing through all the internet BS. Try looking up a climbing gym and go interview some climbers and see what they have to say.
find a few that climb outside that would require partner finding skills that you are inquiring about, and not just boulders.
All though boulders display increadable climbing skills, they are not roped up hundreads of feet in the air. I would be more apt to trust a random spotter when Iam only a few feet off the ground.
|
|
|
|
|
milesenoell
Jan 17, 2010, 11:39 PM
Post #17 of 52
(5249 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 19, 2006
Posts: 1156
|
mz1 wrote: As I mentioned before, the text I am working from is "Touching the Void", which is a climbing book.... I am not focusing on details of climbing within, yet the ideas and themes of friendship and companions.
The thing about Touching the Void is that is isn't really so much about climbing, but rather about one man's incredible drive to survive.
|
|
|
|
|
slavetogravity
Jan 18, 2010, 1:09 AM
Post #18 of 52
(5220 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 9, 2003
Posts: 1114
|
After 17 years of climbing, I've roped up with more people then I'd care to think about. Some of the more memorable partners fall in one of three categories.
Awesome, adequate, and idiot.
An adequate parter is someone who knows how to climb, but is someone that I have little in common with, in terms of our personal interests (other then climbing) So the conversation and relationship is just about climbing.
An idiot is someone who knows how to climb, but is someone who I have nothing in common with, and who insists on talking about shit all day. This is never a problem if I'm climbing with this type of person for a day, but idiot climbing partners have proven to be problematic over longer month long climbing trips.
The awesome partners are who I would call my friends, there the people who I invite over to the house for dinner after a day of climbing. Most importantly they're the people who rarely talk about climbing, while we're hanging out or when we're actually climbing. Last summer my friend Andrew and I spent a day climbing a muti pitch 5.10d in an alpine area of the Valhalla range. A serious undertaking, but during the climb we laughed and talked about things like home renovations, and the finner points of married life. It's those qualities that I look for in a climbing partner.
|
|
|
|
|
angry
Jan 18, 2010, 1:15 AM
Post #19 of 52
(5215 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 22, 2003
Posts: 8405
|
Boobs
|
|
|
|
|
shockabuku
Jan 18, 2010, 1:28 AM
Post #20 of 52
(5207 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 20, 2006
Posts: 4868
|
Moxy.
|
|
|
|
|
AntinJ
Jan 18, 2010, 3:25 AM
Post #21 of 52
(5154 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 4, 2008
Posts: 475
|
slavetogravity wrote: After 17 years of climbing, I've roped up with more people then I'd care to think about. Some of the more memorable partners fall in one of three categories. Awesome, adequate, and idiot. An adequate parter is someone who knows how to climb, but is someone that I have little in common with, in terms of our personal interests (other then climbing) So the conversation and relationship is just about climbing. An idiot is someone who knows how to climb, but is someone who I have nothing in common with, and who insists on talking about shit all day. This is never a problem if I'm climbing with this type of person for a day, but idiot climbing partners have proven to be problematic over longer month long climbing trips. The awesome partners are who I would call my friends, there the people who I invite over to the house for dinner after a day of climbing. Most importantly they're the people who rarely talk about climbing, while we're hanging out or when we're actually climbing. Last summer my friend Andrew and I spent a day climbing a muti pitch 5.10d in an alpine area of the Valhalla range. A serious undertaking, but during the climb we laughed and talked about things like home renovations, and the finner points of married life. It's those qualities that I look for in a climbing partner.
+1 Good Summary!
For me - a good partner is a competent climber, but also capable of maintaining a good sense of humor especially when things are not going well.
|
|
|
|
|
rtwilli4
Jan 18, 2010, 3:37 AM
Post #22 of 52
(5145 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 14, 2008
Posts: 1867
|
If it's a girl she has to be hot.
If it's a guy he has to like whiskey.
I usually won't get on a multi-pitch with someone who doesn't know how to build a 3:1.
I won't trad climb with someone who doesn't lead.
I won't sport climb with anyone who repeatedly takes, top ropes anything, or raps a single pitch with a prussik knot.
|
|
|
|
|
dan2see
Jan 18, 2010, 3:37 AM
Post #23 of 52
(5145 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 29, 2006
Posts: 1497
|
Eyes. Definitely the eyes.
|
|
|
|
|
swoopee
Jan 18, 2010, 4:48 PM
Post #24 of 52
(5053 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 17, 2008
Posts: 560
|
I look for scars and cuts on their ankles.
|
|
|
|
|
markc
Jan 18, 2010, 5:15 PM
Post #25 of 52
(5033 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 2481
|
rtwilli4 wrote: I won't trad climb with someone who doesn't lead.
How else can you manage to hog all the leads?
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
