Climbing Trends

[summitchaserCJB]

I sometimes see climbers doing silly/dangerous things just because they see pros/respected climbers/the dude down the street doing it. What is with this? Aren't climbers supposed to be rugged individualists (True for some of us more than others)? For me, I don't like to follow the crowd at the cost of my own safety just to fulfill some ethic that really doesn't effect me in any way shape or form. Not that I don't have a climbing ethic- it's just that I like to dictate my own rather than be spoon fed it by some person I don't know. I'd rather justify my actions based on my own mind and experiences.

Okay, enough ranting. Be safe. Have fun.

Peace out.

[Pete_H]

Are all the kids running out to get fusion tattoos now or sumthin?

[summitchaserCJB]

Good guess but I don't think so.

[powderhound]

I sometimes see climbers doing silly/dangerous things just because they see pros/respected climbers/the dude down the street doing it. What is with this? Aren't climbers supposed to be rugged individualists (True for some of us more than others)? For me, I don't like to follow the crowd at the cost of my own safety just to fulfill some ethic that really doesn't effect me in any way shape or form. Not that I don't have a climbing ethic- it's just that I like to dictate my own rather than be spoon fed it by some person I don't know. I'd rather justify my actions based on my own mind and experiences.

Okay, enough ranting. Be safe. Have fun.

Peace out.

 

How bout an example of said silly/dangerous activites reenacted by non pro climbers?

 

Sometimes I drink mate while leading a sport climb in my flip flops becasue I saw Prorad anker doing it once.

[RideT61]

My climbing is getting worse. Not a good trend, but a trend none the less.

[summitchaserCJB]

That might be a good example. I don't have any proven scientific research proving the causation of said actions by pros/others. I just see climbers maybe pushing limits they don't fully understand because they saw someone else do it. If you want to do something sketchy and get killed doing it, well okay.

[Pete_H]

I just see climbers maybe pushing limits they don't fully understand

 

Being young sure was a lot of fun.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

That might be a good example. I don't have any proven scientific research proving the causation of said actions by pros/others. I just see climbers maybe pushing limits they don't fully understand because they saw someone else do it. If you want to do something sketchy and get killed doing it, well okay.

 

how is that an example?

[summitchaserCJB]

"how is that an example?"

I was referring to this man-

See-

"Sometimes I drink mate while leading a sport climb in my flip flops becasue I saw Prorad anker doing it once."

 

[Dirtyleaf]

Your post confuses me as to what it is exactly you are bothered about. "If Billie Joe jumped off a skyscraper without a parachute would you jump too?" Preceded by you saying "yes" then getting grounded for 2 weeks. Good job buddy. Now you're stuck in you're room with no MTV. Maybe a midlife crisis? HOwabout erectile dysfunction? Valentines day is coming up, got a date? ETc.etc. so on and so forth. I don't think you're being honest with yourself. I think this is BS. I watched a video of some guy pushing himself and taking falls. So, next day at the crags I pushed myself and took some falls. Silly.

[summitchaserCJB]

"how is that an example?"

Use your imagination. I don't really want to call people out and start a spray war here. For one I think climbing leashless without umbilicals is kinda stupid. If for no other reason you drop your tool. At worst you could get into some really sticky situations trying to climb with one tool.

And people are talking about rapping with a 5mm tag line tied to a 10mm line...

That might be technically ok but no thanks man. I'm not sure an ATC is capable of safely rapping 5mm anyway. And when the rope passes over rough abrasive rock... too little margin of safety for me. Just climb with doubles. It isn't a big deal.

[Dirtyleaf]

It is in tandem with a ten mil and two biners dood. Get out of your house and go to the pub.

[summitchaserCJB]

"I watched a video of some guy pushing himself and taking falls. So, next day at the crags I pushed myself and took some falls"

Exactly (and yes, I know you are being sarcastic). I guess this stems from reading Mark Twight's Kiss or Kill. Sorry I didn't give the background. Ya, so he thinks that the mountains are a place for competition and that it spurs the sport on. I agree in that it does spur the sport on but I disagree that it is suitable. In other words, the mountains are not a place for competition because so much is at stake. Save it for the triathlons.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

So, because you dont understand certain techniques, you assume they are unsafe?

[summitchaserCJB]

If you want to take it there rather than addressing the reality then that is your prerogative. Yes, I don't know the intricacies of the small/big rap system because I don't use it. I know that I'd rather not rap off a 5 mm cord.

[Dirtyleaf]

Yep. Read that one too. Mark Twight (The Man) was into competitive shooting, this n' that, martial arts, blah, blah. Remember the route done ropeless named "Fuckem' they're all posers anyway?" Whatever. Like you said, you do what you want and aren't interested in following someone else's standards. Right arm. SOunds like everybody else I know who climbs. Try not to single yourself out too much. It'll come back and bite ya. (Go to the pub and drink a beer, its friday.)

[summitchaserCJB]

Ya man he was a maniac. Visionary? maybe. Suicidal? probably.

[Pete_H]

I think you're right Summit Chaser in the sense that it is stupid if people use these techniques w/o understanding them and solely because they see others using them.

 

These techniques in and of themselves are not stupid or even unsafe, however. For example, I climbed with a 5mm tag line for a long time and if rigged right on a rap anchor is as safe as any other system, even if it is a bit of a pain in the ass.

[summitchaserCJB]

Fair enough.

[Dirtyleaf]

Check out "Beyond the Mountain" by Steve House. Unless you already have. It's one of my favorite pieces of alpine literature. The book reads a little more coherently IMO. And the way he writes he doesn't sound suicidal. I think he's just a badass.

[summitchaserCJB]

haha I'll have to check it out.

[John Frieh]

Ya man he was a maniac. Visionary? maybe. Suicidal? probably.

:laf:

[Pete_H]

I think Twight purposely tried pretty hard to cultivate that punk rock / on the edge image. Not that he wasn't bad ass though.

 

Funny shit to hear Kit Lewis talking about the time he had to take over the driving when the two were driving over Stevens Pass in a snowstorm, because Twight was all white knuckled and going like 5 MPH.

[summitchaserCJB]

Oh really?

[TrogdortheBurninator]

"If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants."