OK, how about this, IF you could make one change..

[OldMan]

...what would you change about a "mistake" you made the 1st year of your climbing career. Hey, it can be anything from purchase mistakes to a trip destination poorly picked.

 

Me, I think I'd have to say it would be not climbing outdoors. But, there just isn't alot of climbing available in my part of the country. Oh well, I should have moved then, instead!!

 

The OldMan!!

[sk]

I think I would have sarted leading that first year instead of waiting. The more I know about climbing and how things work the more I am able to talk my self out of a lead. If I would have led sport that first year I think I would have been to stupid to care.... here is to over comming my head game

[chirp]

No changes, I made the mistake of buying a pair of Chouinard Canyons but I took em back to the guy at Swallows Nest and traded em for a pair of them Feerays. Thats was the best decision I ever made...next to buying all those stoppers..I do NOT regret lacing up the Great Northern...much safer with 15 pieces below ya.

 

I recon I was lucky, I dont look at my first year of climbing errors as mistakes, but merely "opportunities".

[texplorer]

1. Belayed partner through wrong end of a figure eight.

2. Lowered myself off two bolt anchors directly -safe but not good on the rope.

[EWolfe]

In retrospect, I think the one mistake I could have avoided was

 

NOT MOVING TO BISHOP!

 

Instead I was coming up with stupid variations at UW Rock for two years

[chelle]

Not going out on a big powder day and my second day of snowboarding. I could have avoided spraining my neck and I wouldn't have had to take 2 years off climbing and most everything else fun.

[Off_White]

I should have made the jump from Lowa mountaineering boots straight to EB's, without the intervening year in Calcaire's (a Robbin's Blue Boot competitor from days of yore).

[Bug]

Yeah. I used the orange bombers. Same regrets.

[dylan_taylor]

I wish I wouldn't have bought those hot pink Lowa quantum IV's w/buckels. Those coupled w/footfangs made for the heaviest boot-crampon setup known to man. I've been trying to sell them for twelve years. Anyone interested?

[Dru]

buy good harnesss right away instead of buying 20 year old whillans harness for $5

[marylou]

I wish I'd taken at least ONE clean leader fall before taking one that really messed up my body.

 

I never got a chance to really leave the ground, and it's been a long-ass time of trying and failing at something I really enjoy, with more failures than successes. I hope some day to find a way to climb that brings more more enjoyment than trepidation and fear.

[lummox]

...what would you change about a "mistake" you made the 1st year of your climbing career.

i cant pick just one. either freesoloing on acid or driving to the crags stoned and drunk. i survived it all though.

[Mr._Natural]

i would have bought about twelve pairs of toa rossas before they were discontinued. i would have avioded a trip to paschwagsten that cost me way too much skin.

[Ryan]

No changes- all the experiences I had taught me so much, even if they were a bit dangerous. I learned alot more by experiencing everything than by going by the book the whole time.

[wanderingwillys]

Not soloing Mt Hood before I knew what the hell I was doing - mainly stepping through a small cornice and falling out onto the palmer glacier.... Oh well

 

Matt

[willstrickland]

i would have bought about twelve pairs of tao rossas before they were discontinued.

 

 

I would have started leading easy trad routes instead of messing around TR'ing harder routes.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Woulda saved Badman for the onsight instead of having to settle for second go. You just never forget those fundamental mistakes.

[Gripped]

I would have hauled around a 30 pound pack instead of a 60 pounder ... What was I thinking???

[Dru]

i would have bought about twelve pairs of toa rossas before they were discontinued.

 

i wouldve bought a bunch of pairs of the boreal vectors myself. was my fave shoe ever. the moccasym is a pale imitation

[riptorn]

I never would have passed up that bomber nut just so I could place my new 00# tcu... ouch!

[RICHARD_CILLEY]

I wish I would have dropped out of school and moved to Yos.

[JoshK]

I would have had my axe out during that descent from the false summit of stuart on wet, slick snow (in tennis shoes ) several years ago. Nothing like a bunch of spring snow scrapes and a "self arrest" my slamming into some rocks a hundred feet below (feet first thankfully)