wayne Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 So you're a climber? This chart was designed to help students understand the many different sports within the climbing world. I like to compare climbing to track and field. It too has many completely different and unique sports within its parameters to enjoy. It has gone from the early decathlon to the highly specialized sports we see today. The changes in climbing historically have been chronicled well in magazines like these. Who would have thought we would see people being guide up Everest like it was a tourist attraction. After doing the Nose of El Cap myself in three days, I am stunned to see the new speed records shattered continuously. Who knows what this chart will be like in the next 50 years? A part of me wants to rub in the fact that the majority of the Climbing Population is only participating in one or two specific boxes. It is a shame most are missing out on all the wonderful aspects of the broader scale the sport has to offer. It seems most of the people I know however are branching out into other boxes as their finances and experience allows. I have enjoyed nearly all of theses sub-sports immensely over the last 25+ years. I think there is enough there to keep anybody interested and busy year round. Perhaps the only downside is all the money one has to spend to participate safely on a broad scope. All I know is I have my favorites and maybe I will see you this weekend on the next adventure! http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=304&papass=&sort=1&thecat=503 Quote
klenke Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 Hey, that's pretty cool Wayne. A lot of it makes sense, but the Peak Bagging box should not be relegated to snow climbing. Alpine climbing also sees a lot of peak bagging mentality. I should know, I'm a peak bagger. Then there's wall bagging and serac bagging (while the serac lasts) and climber's wall route bagging and so on... Quote
philfort Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 You should send this to NEWSTIPS so the media can finally understand climbing. Quote
NEWSTIPS Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 Newstips has read and bookmarked this link to future reference. Thanks. Quote
leejams Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 That chart got me to thinking about the sports section in USA today. They started a 10 day series today with the top 10 hardest sports. Today (#10) was downhill skiing like the 80 mph kind. I wonder if anything on that chart will pop up in the next 10 days? Good job Wayne. Quote
Dustin_B Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 Very well done Wayne. I have a few questions though to help me better understand it all. Why is mixed climbing the "purest form" of ice climbing? I understand that free soloing is the purest form of rock climbing. It seems like free soloing leashless on waterfall *or* mixed would be the purest form of ice climbing. Where would a route like liberty ridge fall in? It is kind of snow climbing, kind or ice climbing, and I would consider it alpine. I'm guessing light and fast alpine ascents of big mountains (single push expeditions) would that fall under "super alpine" even if there is more than 1 person? It seems like First Ascents might be a catagory too, but it could fall under many of the existing catagories. I'm not critizing at all, just trying to understand it all. Your diagram will be helpful when trying to explain climbing to non-climbing friends/family. Quote
HeadSpace Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 one thing that is certain, is there are no "ordinary moments" while climbing, no matter what the specific disipline. Quote
Cairns Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 So you're a climber? I'm a cragger. Was mountaineering created in a big bang? An immaculate conception? A lizard jumping off a bush? Forget your students. Add sticky rubber, Friends, beta, Messner, etc., and get yourself a script writer and start doing story boards. Make the world understand climbing. Quote
wayne Posted February 19, 2003 Author Posted February 19, 2003 Ok , I am of course biased. Maybe to some , ski descents are the purest form? Maybe for Trask, The trolling of this site is the purest form? When I think of the purest form, I go back to Mummery and Tillman and the like, leading (soloing) the first difficult summits in the Alps. I have presented this to people from this site, and have added and changed things with the chart. Your suggestions are appreciated on this work in progress. Quote
Dru Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 sounds like your def of "expedition" climbing is plain ol' seige climbing and should have a link to big wall... and mixed should evolve from alpine, not from ice climbing... alpine climbing has been mixed since day 1... and where is speed climbing? Quote
chucK Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 Where does rappelling fit in there Wayne . Another good climbing presentation is currently on the side of boxes of Mickey Mouse Xtreme Coolers. Tells you what carabiners, Elvis leg, and jumars are. Pretty instructive picture of Mickey belaying (with helmet) too. I'll scan it when I get home, and post it. Maybe. Quote
Fejas Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 How about caving and Cayonering... not that I do much of either... but I do have some friends that do nothing but canyons... rope desents and asents only... Quote
jennie Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 Hey Wayne The Chart looks good. It's nice to see it up. Quote
JoshK Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 I disagree that mixed climbing is "the purest form of climbing" Honestly, I think if we are trying to define that then I would say taking the easiest way to the top of a mountain is the purest form, simple. Maybe not the most fun, but that's as pure as climbing something can get. Mixed climbing, on the other hand, is 95% contrived in my opinion. WHile there are lots of big mixed routes that ascend peaks to summits, I don't believe that picking some contrived line up a bit of ice and rock is very "pure." Flame away... Quote
Dru Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 "the purest form of climbing is the one having the most fun...and it's just ice cream!" Quote
bird Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 So according to the chart bouldering isn't climbing. Ha ha! Suckers. Quote
j_b Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 wow Wayne, good job. So, is death aid a degenerative lineage? I agree with Dru that mixed follows from alpine climbing. In fact, there may be some confusion about what mixed climbing is. Perhaps some younger climbers associate mixed with the single-pitch horror show that mags like to publicize, whereas others associate it with the complete bag of tricks necessary to climb a rocky summit that also sports snow and ice. Personally I always thought of mixed as one of the purest form for this particular reason: one has to do it all and it often requires a high degree of ability to bring it all together when needed. One can't do alpine mixed at a higher level without being a complete alpinist. Quote
JoshK Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 j_b said: wow Wayne, good job. So, is death aid a degenerative lineage? I agree with Dru that mixed follows from alpine climbing. In fact, there may be some confusion about what mixed climbing is. Perhaps some younger climbers associate mixed with the single-pitch horror show that mags like to publicize, whereas others associate it with the complete bag of tricks necessary to climb a rocky summit that also sports snow and ice. Personally I always thought of mixed as one of the purest form for this particular reason: one has to do it all and it often requires a high degree of ability to bring it all together when needed. One can't do alpine mixed at a higher level without being a complete alpinist. j_b, you highlight the exact reason why I think of "mixed" as not very pure. The "mixed" I am talking about is the horror show you mention. I guess I've thought about your other definition of mixed as just plain ol' alpinism...combining all the skills to get up to a summit. Quote
erik Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 I THINK WAYNE INTENDS SUPER ALPINE TO BE THE BIG SHOW. WITH ICE AND ROCK AND SUFFERING. GOOD WORK WAYNE!! Quote
cracked Posted February 19, 2003 Posted February 19, 2003 CAMPUSING IS THE PUREST FORM OF CLIMBING. ALL CAPS REALLY ANNOYS ME.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Seriously. Quote
Dru Posted February 20, 2003 Posted February 20, 2003 SPRAY IS THE PUREST FORM OF SPRAYING ESPECIALLY IN ALL CAPS!!! Quote
wayne Posted February 20, 2003 Author Posted February 20, 2003 Wow , This is great , I havent added things in a while. I am adding "sport mixed" and "buildering"! HI JENNIE!!! Quote
Juneriver Posted February 20, 2003 Posted February 20, 2003 So.... those are the Mickey's that Dwayner's always raving about... Quote
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