What's up with Euro Climbers?

[Don_Chicho]

Of the four times I've been up to Squamish so far, twice I've encountered eastern block euro climbers that are inconsiderate, oblivious, and down right dangerous at popular crags, the most recent episode being this past weekend. In my opinion these people are nuts! Each time it's been a group of four, two dudes and two girls, there are ropes going everywhere, the loudest jibber-jabber between belayers and climbers, mass confusion (at least it seems that way), and the biggest gripe - not being considerate of those waiting in the queue to get on the route!!!

 

It's freakin craziness, ropes are going everywhere, there's all kinds of yelling between themselves, basically a huge cluster. I've had to deal with and have seen everything from them dropping a top rope on our route from above as my partner is still climbing, climbing a different route and then traversing over to our anchor and using it also, using twin ropes through the same pro and biner (i don't think this is the proper technique), toproping through rap chains, hanging out during a lower on a climb to give beta to their friend on a different route while others are waiting for that climb, pulling ropes off toprope without letting anyone know they are coming down, and just all the generally loud yelling back and forth.

 

I'm just curious if any of you have had similar experiences or if I'm the only one cursed with running into tho these nutballs.

[catbirdseat]

For all we know they are doing what would be considered normal where they come from. Every area has it's own set of ethics and rules.

[counterfeitfake]

Yeah, being a jackass is a sign of respect in some cultures.

[underworld]

D.C. - tell us how you realllly feel...

 

cbs - sure, all places have their own way of doing things. but isn't the rule something like: "when in rome"? why should we have to accomodate that stuff?

[Mr._Natural]

Post deleted by Mr._Natural

[Cobra_Commander]

they smell really bad and don't speak the english. yeah! fuck that guy and his mueslimunchingmetricmeasuringmasstransitmastermindingmastadonofamissuss

 

shit.

 

adsfasd

[DirtyHarry]

On the Grand Wall once there was a pair of east euro climbers behind us on the initial pitches and they were catching up to us even though we were climbing fast. We were simul-climbing through the merci me pitches and the euros were HAULING ASS and got backed up behind us as we got to the belay below the split pillar.

 

My partner and I, not accustomed to being passed, were like "you guys are fucking really really fast climbers - go ahead and pass us." So the euros start climbing up the split pillar and the leader doesn't really know how to place pro or jam, hangs on every piece, and in general is super slow. And we had to sit and wait for a long time for them.

 

After about 30 minutes, my partner really had to take a dump, and he insisted we bail. So it didn't really matter anyway.

 

So the mural of the story is east euros can't climb cracks. But Polish Bob can pretty well. And don't climb the Grand Wall if your partner didn't take a dump that morning at the Starbucks like everyone else.

[jmace]

Chico

 

i dunno man they all seem pretty minor to me..if you have a problem with someone why not say something..?

 

 

Yes thats how twin ropes are supposed to be used

[mattp]

Things are different in Europe and they definitely have different sensibilities. Usually they just have a greater tolerance for crowing, whether at belays or even with simutaneous parties on a single pitch, but they also sometimes get more aggressive than we do. I once had an eastern European climber pull on my lead rope while I was leading in the Bugaboos and I saw a a multilinqual shouting and biner tossing matches erupt when a French climber did this to a Spanish woman at Verdon.

 

However, even among Americans and Canadians there can be quite different levels of tolerance. Some people are more comfortable with sharing belay stations or even pro than are others.

 

By the way: running both ropes through the same biners is call "twin rope technique" as opposed to "double." I didn't see what they were doing, but it may well have been a "proper" technique.

[slothrop]

I once had an eastern European climber pull on my lead rope while I was leading in the Bugaboos and I saw a a multilinqual shouting and biner tossing matches erupt when a French climber did this to a Spanish woman at Verdon.

 

WTF? Did you trundle death on him or what?

[RuMR]

Of the four times I've been up to Squamish so far, twice I've encountered eastern block euro climbers that are inconsiderate, oblivious, and down right dangerous at popular crags, the most recent episode being this past weekend. In my opinion these people are nuts! Each time it's been a group of four, two dudes and two girls, there are ropes going everywhere, the loudest jibber-jabber between belayers and climbers, mass confusion (at least it seems that way), and the biggest gripe - not being considerate of those waiting in the queue to get on the route!!!

 

It's freakin craziness, ropes are going everywhere, there's all kinds of yelling between themselves, basically a huge cluster. I've had to deal with and have seen everything from them dropping a top rope on our route from above as my partner is still climbing, climbing a different route and then traversing over to our anchor and using it also, using twin ropes through the same pro and biner (i don't think this is the proper technique), toproping through rap chains, hanging out during a lower on a climb to give beta to their friend on a different route while others are waiting for that climb, pulling ropes off toprope without letting anyone know they are coming down, and just all the generally loud yelling back and forth.

 

I'm just curious if any of you have had similar experiences or if I'm the only one cursed with running into tho these nutballs.

you sure it wasn't a bunch o' mounties?

[RuMR]

On the Grand Wall once there was a pair of east euro climbers behind us on the initial pitches and they were catching up to us even though we were climbing fast. We were simul-climbing through the merci me pitches and the euros were HAULING ASS and got backed up behind us as we got to the belay below the split pillar.

 

My partner and I, not accustomed to being passed, were like "you guys are fucking really really fast climbers - go ahead and pass us." So the euros start climbing up the split pillar and the leader doesn't really know how to place pro or jam, hangs on every piece, and in general is super slow. And we had to sit and wait for a long time for them.

 

After about 30 minutes, my partner really had to take a dump, and he insisted we bail. So it didn't really matter anyway.

 

So the mural of the story is east euros can't climb cracks. But Polish Bob can pretty well. And don't climb the Grand Wall if your partner didn't take a dump that morning at the Starbucks like everyone else.

 

PolishedKnob got kicked out of eastern europe for bein' a wank...he's not really considered in that group anymore...

[G-spotter]

I once had an eastern European climber pull on my lead rope while I was leading in the Bugaboos and I saw a a multilinqual shouting and biner tossing matches erupt when a French climber did this to a Spanish woman at Verdon.

 

WTF? Did you trundle death on him or what?

 

That's not mattp's style... he just wrote a long and boring post responding to the guy that put everyone to sleep.

[gavastik]

Things are different in Europe and they definitely have different sensibilities.

 

Yeah but there are nice people and assholes everywhere. So speak your piece and judge by the reaction. Of course if there's a big group of burly guys with lots of tattoos* being loud and obnoxious, I will probably move rather than confront them... shame on me.

 

Cheers

Paulina

 

*as experienced at the Gunks (east coast) recently...