The "What I know" (or don't know) thread.

[Chad_A]

...about climbing.

 

The night shift is hard to stay awake; so I started jotting stuff down. Yeah, most of it's obvious. So what. I only started alpine climbing two years ago.

 

Feel free to follow suit.

 

What I know (or don’t know)…about climbing

By Chad Anderson

 

 

1. I have no natural talent, and I am not “gifted”. On any given trip, in some manner, I struggle in one way or another. I work for what skill that I have, and I do the best with what I’ve got.

 

2. I am not interested in chasing first ascents, as much as I am interested in what pioneering climbers have done before me with so much less than what I have.

 

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility decreases in direct proportion.

 

4. Just because a climb from afar has “a beautiful line” to it, doesn’t mean that it’s going to feel beautiful once I’m on it.

 

5. There is such a thing as Heaven, in one way or another; the North Cascades are proof of this. There’s also Hell, as I’m sure to pass a Wal-Mart on the way there.

 

6. Once, a climber referred to “keeping his head bolted down”; that is, keeping mental control. For me, this will always be a bigger challenge than anything physical in the mountains.

 

7. I learn something new on each climbing trip from my partners, whether they have 30 years of experience, or 6 months of experience. I try my best to never forget it.

 

8. House, Miller, Mahoney, Gilmore, Beckey…they’re all my heroes. And they’d probably tell me to fuck off if I told them that.

 

9. I’ll probably never be as good as House, Miller, Mahoney, Gilmore, or Beckey.

 

10. Climbing partners make it all worthwhile. I could never be a soloist.

 

11. People ask me why I climb…usually family, or a non-climber. I’ve never known how to put in one sentence, but my best guess is “to keep each day from being the same as the previous one.”

 

12. I’m continually morphing as a climber, as far as what my focus is. I started on rock; the direction I’m heading now is toward ice, and harder alpine routes. But I probably won’t be climbing the Rupal Face.

 

13. It’s a significant help if your spouse/partner is interested in climbing, as well. It also helps if I support her in her endeavors…so I feel less guilty in mine.

 

14. I’m a gear hound. Deal with it.

 

15. I’d much rather do four or five climbs in a year, that are high quality, and of some level of difficulty, then getting out of the house twenty times, only to do slogs up dog routes. I’d rather stay home and work on the house, or my Volkswagen, if it were to come to that.

 

16. Having a good job is a double-edged sword. It affords you the bank account to take climbing holidays, but not the time. I’m somewhat jealous of people I know that climb 200 days of the year, and live out of the back of their Toyota pickup.

 

17. Rainier is beautiful. But the summit view is lacking; for that, I’d rather stand on top of Sahale.

 

18. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be a proficient crack climber. But I need to try; being a well-rounded climber is one of the keys to a successful climbing career.

 

19. I don’t give a shit about ever climbing Everest…and I wish people at social gatherings would quit asking me about that.

 

20. I like to believe that the past is an indicator of the future, as far as what choices I’ve made. If it has any merit to it at all, I’m destined to get better, more skilled…and do something great someday.

[archenemy]

21. I never know how I am going to perform on any given climb during any given day. Sometimes I am utterly fearless and climb with power and grace. And then there are days I just suck.

[catbirdseat]

Indeed. On days when you can't climb well, it can be better to suck.

[DirtyHarry]

I know that what matters in climbing is not how high of a grade I can climb or whether I actually make it to the top, but what really matters is how I look in the ensemble I've chosen for the day when I'm doing it.

[Chad_A]

Fuschia, or Periwinkle? Accessorizing is key!

[Cobra_Commander]

I thought it was all about what sponsors I am paying to have advertisements on my helmet and vehicle.

[DirtyHarry]

I'm working out a deal now where Deja Vu is paying me to put their ads on my helmet. If that goes well, I'm hoping to convinve the owners to provide me with my own posse of strippers when I go to the crag.

[Cobra_Commander]

You had to get a sponsor to help you with that? The ladies just gather around me and do what comes natural. I'm banned from climbing before 9pm in several states due to this.

[archenemy]

I know that when I first started climbing, climbers were still considered a bit of a freak show. My partner and I were heading out to a wall in Zion and lugging our aid gear, portaledge, etc; and people stopped us and asked to take our picutures. That was amusing, but it got better. The first morning I got up to fill my Nalgene bottle, a busload of tourists unloaded and stared up at us through binoculars, huge camara lenses, whatever. It was unreal.

[Couloir]

Nice read Chad. I really enjoyed that.

[ivan]

22. performance enhancing drugs are highly recommended for long approaches and heinous bivies

23. the Man punishes all transgressions

24. i only feel religious when i climb

25. climbing w/ stupid people sucks - better to solo if that's the only other option

26. paranoids, wastoids, freakazoids, and high-powered mutants make the best partners - oddly, these adjectives appear to cover almost all the folks i've met in lonely places in the NW

27. talent is for cool guys - balls and gear can get mere mortals like me up just about anything, it just won't be pretty - and it sure as hell might not be fast.

28. when in doubt, leave it behind...

[Blake]

I like it Chad, but can you explain this one a little?

 

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility decreases in direct proportion.

 

[DirtyHarry]

The more you climb, the less you get laid.

[Winter]

The more you climb, the less you get laid ... and paid.

[Dechristo]

I like it Chad, but can you explain this one a little?

 

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility decreases in direct proportion.

 

I, also, wondered about that one.

[kix]

I know that roped climbing is aid dabbery, that alpine climbing is over glorified suffer-hiking and that bouldering is held in high favor by god and halter top beauties.

 

I also know that I don't know otherwise.

[DirtyHarry]

bouldering is held in high favor by god and halter top beauties.

 

and by men with small penises and little testicles.

[John Frieh]

I know that roped climbing is aid dabbery, that alpine climbing is over glorified suffer-hiking and that bouldering is held in high favor by god and halter top beauties.

 

[plexus]

* That a grade is inconsequential when years later, one swims through nostalgia to previous favorite/heinous/scary/all of the above climbs.

* That drinking beer equals a belly which really throws off your balance.

* That the Rocky Mountains (Colorado) will never, ever, ever compare to the Cascades (ie: many a trip with the wife here the phrase will be uttered," It's pretty but not like the Cascades."

* I know arthritis is around the corner after jamming my toes countless many times into climbing shoes too small and pounding them up scree and talus in mountaineering boots.

[ZimZam]

What I do know, "Is that I don't know enough, and what I don't know can kill me."

[Chad_A]

I like it Chad, but can you explain this one a little?

 

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility decreases in direct proportion.

 

 

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility suffers in direct proportion.

 

That's what I should've written; it's what I get for putting this together at two in the morning! As I try to get better in many areas, I seem to end up screwing up other things in my life to make time for training, fitness, etc. I'm not good at juggling, yet...or will I ever be??? Who knows. Having kids, well, that would be tenfold harder.

[OlegV]

9. ...but you can be Chad Anderson.

10. ...I saw you soloing pretty sick stuff.

11. Climbing is an addiction - just like marriage.

12/19. The only reason, we 'mortal climbers' can't climb 8K peaks is ridiculous international rules, restrictions, and money.

17. Rainier kicks butt of many climbers, and it is beautiful:

[OlegV]

17

[Chad_A]

True, true, it can be nice up there; it can just be a bit lonely up there, since you're so high above everything around you.

 

And, by the way, you can be Chad Anderson any day of the week, Oleg But, you can't have my credit card number

[Dechristo]

3. As I try to increase my fitness, skill level, and climbing experience, my personal life responsibility suffers in direct proportion.

 

As I try to get better in many areas, I seem to end up screwing up other things in my life to make time for training, fitness, etc. I'm not good at juggling, yet...or will I ever be??? Who knows. Having kids, well, that would be tenfold harder.

 

#57 - I know that having accepted climbing activities as a part of my life, the pursuit is no less or more important than any other facet. I don't ruminate in guilt of appropriate or proper balance in life due to false reflections from mirrors held by individuals in the minority or culture in the majority. I know climbing is an expression of my life and accept, as with all artwork, that not all (and even myself at times) are able to understand this subjective expression that defies ability to fit in all frameworks; I have no need to promote or defend it. I know, with the acceptance of climbing as a part of a life which no one else can live, I perform it as a unique expression - its value independent of comparison to others.

 

I know a part of my enjoyment in climbing is the "juggling" of decisions to be made: should I attempt this climb solo or with a partner, should I try this route with this partner or another, shall I attempt this or that route, do I need to back-up this pro or not, should I wait or continue into the storm?

 

I know I will juggle in fair and foul weather. I know items will continue to be thrown at me regardless of my energy to juggle. I know I will drop things unintentionally I intended to maintain in control. I know outside critics of my juggling will pass. I know the inside critic of my juggling is fickle in judgment. I know I sometimes go for the jugular of jugglers, including myself, in this fickle judgment. I know, if I'm gonna excell and enjoy climbing (and life), I need to lighten the judgment of juggling to see and appreciate the beauty of the art of others and myself.