Just wondering

[iain]

why there are still so few black people who climb. Are there any on this board who could enlighten? Just wondering and bored.

[Thinker]

I had a black gal pal once who was extremely athletic and wanted to try climbing. We went to the gym a couple of times then off for a couple of easy cracks in Leavenworth. She climbed a few feet of the crack and then was done for the weekend.

 

When I finally pried out the reason behind her seemingly sudden exit from the sport, she noted that scars on her hands look 10x more attrocious than scars on my lily white hands.

 

That's one lady's reason for not climbing.

 

On the other hand, when I was in school I had an occasional native Ethiopian climbing partner who excelled at face climbing.

[terrible_ted]

I'm glad you posted this Iain, although don't expect any "answers" from anyone as sickly white as me...

 

I've climbed with one black man, and know (but haven't climbed with) one other. 'Number one' said, "too damn expensive" and I haven't asked 'number two.'

 

I've always figured it to be a mix of economics (gear plus the expense of 'leisure' time) and location (climbing hot spots of the NE and NW USA and northern Europe tend to be pretty white). I'm way out on a limb here, but I'll offer this speculation: The American climbing population tends to come from an economic middle class with access to rural climbing locales. American blacks tend to be more urban and less economically well-off in the north. Everyone has less access to good climbing down south. Both mean that fewer blacks start climbing, because fewer blacks are climbing.

 

Pretty simplistic, like all generalizations, but you have to start somewhere. I'd be interested in hearing why I'm right, or wrong, or just someone else's ideas as well.

 

-t

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

The good Dr. Flash Amazing has pondered this a bit himself. The Doctor recalls seeing a black woman at the PRG fairly regularly for a while, but hasn't seen her lately. Otherwise, there was an ad in the mags a while back featuring a black person, but that's about it. It's kind of weird, really. So many people climbing, and they're all crackers or Asians. Actually, come to think of it, the Doctor hasn't seen many black people out boating or backpacking, either.

 

Is it a social thing? Or is it economic? Both? Does outdoor recreation have its roots more in the aristocracy, or in the dirtbagocracy? Anyone? Anyone? Mr. T?

[Dan_Larson]

Don't any of you ever complain about my posts again( like those words will stop you) Talk about insensitive . I am sure this post was meant as simple curiosity. Maybe Terrible Ted was the first climber come across by the first black climber and that was that.

[Fence_Sitter]

you PC pussy... seriously get off the bandwagon and get your own opinion dan "ilovedc" larson

[Dan_Larson]

gee you told me . I better just shut up before I get all beat up

[Dan_Larson]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dan Larson:

gee you told me . I better just shut up before I get all beat up

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If I get a white hood and leave my brain at home can I join your club.....asshole

[Geek_the_Greek]

Hmm. I've wondered about this too. The doctor may be on to something here

quote:

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Actually, come to think of it, the Doctor hasn't seen many black people out boating or backpacking, either.

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I recall a fellow from the forest service (Mt Baker/Snoq.) talking to one of my classes, also wondering aloud how, year after year, so few non-whites were ever recreating in the woods. Perhaps people, other than the innovators, generally need a cultural role model. Any sociologists care to comment? Tiger Woods brought golf to the interest and attention of new groups of people.

 

I think Mike Freeman was a black climbing 'celebrity' of sorts in the early '90's (I could be way off here), but I doubt the exposure was anything most folks would notice. I've certainly seen people of all races at the gym, but less so outside.

[gapertimmy]

interesting, i've wondered this myself. the only black person i have ever seen in the back country was on st helens a few years back

 

when i was working in yosemite, there were tons of folks from all over the world the flock to the valley to gape at the falls and at badasses on el cap, and *many* few were black. I asked the ranger i worked with about this, and he said that, in a very PC tone, that "afro americans" were one of the smallest user groups of the national park system.

 

living in a highly dense population of WT doesn't help much down here in bend though.

 

nevertheless, i don't know why this is, but is pretty interesting.

[krazy_1]

i have acouple good friends that are black and they from time to time go skiing, but even then they say its just too damn cold. but they are usually cold when its sunny outside, i'm wondering if its in their blood - just thinking if us pastey white folks like the snow because we blend into it so well. . . . . . . . . . . . and be a little more cold blooded. i don't know... but definately a question i've asked as well.

[fleblebleb]

I hardly have any pigment, which isn't much of a problem in Iceland where you can count a year's worth of sunny days on your fingers - but it means that I'll pretty much never be able to hang out in the desert and climb, or any stuff like that. It's just not very much fun to have to be all covered from head to toe, or go through sunscreen by the gallon. Clearly this is much less of a problem for people with darker skin.

 

I read somewhere that black people have a higher ratio of fast vs. slow muscle fibres. Maybe there are other, less obvious physiological differences that make winter more pleasant for us whiteys? What determines how well people cope with heat and humidity? I'm a posterchild for people that can't cope with either, btw.

[Gary_Yngve]

quote:

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Originally posted by iain:

why there are still so few black people who climb. Are there any on this board who could enlighten? Just wondering and bored.

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pdf is an interesting read.

[Fence_Sitter]

i have a buddy that i have been trying to get climbing on ranier that is black and he says that..."whiteys are made to climb in the snow its camoflage..." one of the funniest things i have ever heard

[Guest]

I don't think that physical differences have anything to do with it

If anything it's cultural. A comic on BET summed it up pretty good when he was making fun of the dangerous sports that whites are into:

"I don't need to do that shit, it's dangerous enough just being a minority!"

[greghinemeyer]

it has to be cultural here in the desert despite it be nice and cool in the winter i have yet to see many blacks or hispanics for that matter asians out climbing. i don't think that black people are to keen on hanging at the end of a rope.

[Dru]

i have seen and climbed with persons of every race and skin type... white, black, brown, red and yellow... and one of my best Buds is green

[Attitude]

quote:

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Originally posted by fleblebleb:

I read somewhere that black people have a higher ratio of fast vs. slow muscle fibres.

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I'd suggest you go hit the books again, schoolboy. Or at least the sports page. East African runners have dominated the marathon for years.

 

I think the answer is a little simpler. Most people participate in the sports in which their friends and family participate. Sports as social activity. People tend to segregate themselves in social activities.

[Cpt.Caveman]

I only climb with Green buds, and Bud Lights

[greghinemeyer]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

i have seen and climbed with persons of every race and skin type... white, black, brown, red and yellow... and

one of my best Buds is green

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that is some funny shit

[rr666]

Saw a funny thing up at Washington pass the other weekend. On the way back from NEWS, on the trail to the lake, saw a black gentleman, he was a duffle bag over one shoulder, and a gallon jug of dasani in the other hand. It was already about 5:00, and he was only a half mile or mile up the trail, and asked us how much farther it was to the lake... now that he was black, white, green, it doesn't matter, he just really seemed out of place with that jug o' water and duffle bag...

[allthumbs]

it's a socioeconomic thing

 

[ 09-04-2002, 10:40 AM: Message edited by: trask ]

[Dru]

one time i saw a guy portaging a canoe up the Rubble Creek trail to Garibaldi Lake, with a case of molson's in each hand.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Where's that photo of the 420 Blunts

[allthumbs]

Where's that picture of the dudes hauling a keg up the rockpile.