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kiteandclimb
Jun 27, 2005, 2:25 PM
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In reply to: I will say, the railroad ampi gets fewer climbers over there than many other places. Although they are fun climbs that I have done many times now, they aren't exactly stellar climbs.
True, but Pine Tree is a DL classic that everyone has to climb. Its just one of those climbsya gotta do. Though recently I have been going straight up, and avoiding the stepover. Plus, you can set up the "lounge room" pretty easily by stringing some hammocks at the base! Great spot!
BTW, my buddy was trying to get the stuck CAM outta the drill hole for about an hour with my pick, and he got my pick stuck in there with the CAM. So if you're wondering who was stupid enough to get their pick stuck in the hole with the CAM, you know who to blame! Now he owes me!
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jcshaggy
Jun 27, 2005, 3:43 PM
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more climbers=more access issues.
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jammer
Jun 27, 2005, 4:26 PM
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Yup! It's dying!! It is no longer a "fad" sport, so all you "fad" people, please close the door as you leave!
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southernridgerunner
Jun 27, 2005, 4:36 PM
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I could not imagine having to go indoors to climb. Seeing that I never have. No gyms where I live. I have not noticed any less people at the local crag though.
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fiend
Jun 27, 2005, 4:38 PM
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In reply to: Do you think the decrease is regional? It seems like everyone is climbing, biking or participating in H2O sports here.
It's the same out here in Squamish, but I found it interesting to talk to a friend from back home (Southern Ontario) who said that the trad crags were generally deserted these days.
handjammer48: umm... does this mean I won't need those Powerbar patches I sewed onto my harness?
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kylekienitz
Jun 27, 2005, 4:43 PM
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I've noticed a definite decrease in outdoor climbing up here in billings mt. the "local crag" is actually a band of sandstone that runs for miles in either direction splitting the city in half. There are no other areas in the immediate vicinity, but a new climbing gym just opened. maybe thats were they all went. but yeah, a definite decrease from last summer. fine with me.
kdk
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njari
Jun 27, 2005, 4:54 PM
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I can't say that I've witnessed a noticible decline in te outdoor climbing population. Around here, however it is very weather-sensitive.
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kiteandclimb
Jun 27, 2005, 7:33 PM
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I'm heading up to DL in a couple more weeks for the weekend again. This will be my 4th trip in the last 8 weeks (as long as its not 98 degrees like Friday). Been hitting it pretty hard since I can't go kiteboarding in windless Chicago these days. Every trip has been amazing, with very few climbers. I think the issue with outdoor vs. indoor is that most climbers I climbed with loved to get up early and hit it. These days everyone goes out at 11am expecting routes to be open, seen a lot of posts on this. Generally, there's a lot of setup for DL, toprope. That's why sport is getting more popular. All you need is a $0.25 screw ring from Home Depot, some QDs, a rope, and a clipper (we use a telescoping tent pole, btw, from REI for like $9 and it works great!). For outdoor TR at DL, there's getting there, the $40 in gas, the 30 minutes of hiking, hours of prep and food making the day before, early wakeup times, long drive 3hrs from Chicago, an hour to set up two ropes, etc. I think its just plain easier to hit the gym, clip into an autobelay and climb for $12 entry fee. Plus there's nothing to know and no worries about safety. I've seen some sketchy anchor setups!
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jammer
Jun 27, 2005, 7:50 PM
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In reply to: *snip* handjammer48: umm... does this mean I won't need those Powerbar patches I sewed onto my harness?
Nostalgia ... we all have it!
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euroford
Jul 5, 2005, 12:41 PM
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yeah, outdoor climbing sucks, everybody should just go to the gym instead.
more rock for me!!! :D
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marionk
Jan 9, 2006, 3:42 PM
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Sorry to revive a "dead" thread, but I'm just going to chime in with my current perspective as a newbie.
Factors for not climbing outside:
INTIMIDATION: Just the gym itself is fairly intimidating to a newbie!! Learning the gear names and the setups, etc, takes a while. Just indoor bouldering is challenging - perhaps as much the "geez I look like an ass" as the actual bouldering itself, but at least when I land it's squishy! But just *looking* at the pics of some of those rock faces makes me nervous!
CAUTION: I want to be sure I have the skills before I go out there. I'm no longer "young and dumb and full of you-know-what". I want to be safe, or at least as safe as possible. And my almost-11-year-old is climbing with me, so I definitely want her as safe as possible. I actually doubt I'll let her climb outdoors till she's a teen. So I think having "supervision" of sorts, with experienced climbers and staff, is pretty reassuring.
GEOGRAPHY / TIME FACTOR: Part of it is a lack of local crags. I'd have to drive a few hours to Marquette to climb "for real". And that's an investment of time, gas, etc, and I have to get a dogsitter.... Going once or twice a week after work fits in to my life much better!
Speaking of time... job, school, husband, child, etc. I spend way too much time on the computer reading about it, and at the gym anyway!
MONEY: I'm all geared up for under $250 climbing indoors. Getting ready to go outdoors will what, triple that? Besides the gas and dog-sitter mentioned above.
WEATHER: Yeah, I'll never be an ice-climber. I like to be warm and dry, and unbitten. Sure I'm a sissy. I'm okay with that! :wink:
SPOUSAL FACTOR: He's okay with it, but very cautious of the high male-to-female ratios in the sport. There's some tiptoeing around it, as I'd rather do this without him, but don't want to hurt his feelings. :roll:
However, with all that said, I may be tagging on a trip to RRG this summer or next with an experienced climber-chick friend.
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jackflash
Jan 9, 2006, 4:06 PM
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In reply to: GEOGRAPHY / TIME FACTOR: Part of it is a lack of local crags. I'd have to drive a few hours to Marquette to climb "for real".
Aren't you just a little over an hour from Grand Ledge? Its a fairly friendly place to those not used to climbing outdoors, due to the plethora of trees at the top for anchors.
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marionk
Jan 9, 2006, 4:17 PM
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I actually JUST put a call in to Vertical Adventures... It's actually an hour and a half away, but I go to Lansing fairly often anyway, since my ex lives there. But I'll definitely be paying for a class and for supervision. kwim?
If anyone wants to plan a climb at GL I'd love to come, even if only to watch and gather information.
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kiteandclimb
Jan 9, 2006, 10:16 PM
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I've revisited the gyms around Chicago and noticed something new, the "experts" there aren't really that knowledgeable about climbing outdoors. I took a newbie and tied when the checkout was being done, the guy didn't know what I was talking about when I described setting certain anchors or safety setups. I think without experience in the gyms, the gym climbers will find it very hard to learn about climbing outdoors. And the cost to entry to climb outdoors makes it very cost-inhibitive. Everyone wants instant satisfaction today. No one is willing to drive more than an hour to do anything anymore.
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neuroshock
Jan 9, 2006, 11:04 PM
Post #42 of 44
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In reply to: I've revisited the gyms around Chicago and noticed something new, the "experts" there aren't really that knowledgeable about climbing outdoors. I took a newbie and tied when the checkout was being done, the guy didn't know what I was talking about when I described setting certain anchors or safety setups. I think without experience in the gyms, the gym climbers will find it very hard to learn about climbing outdoors. And the cost to entry to climb outdoors makes it very cost-inhibitive.
as for cost...go with (new) friends that have gear or go bouldering :D
In reply to: Everyone wants instant satisfaction today. No one is willing to drive more than an hour to do anything anymore.
besides, experience/time on rock has little to do with working at a gym. routesetting perhaps, but not general staff-work.
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mcfoley
Jan 9, 2006, 11:33 PM
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Registered: May 15, 2002
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In reply to: Is Outdoor Climbing Dead?!
YES and so is this one year old thread...
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marionk
Jan 10, 2006, 1:11 AM
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Sorry hun... just remember, this thread may be old to you, but it's ALL new to me! :P
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