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MH2
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 8, 2009 - 02:27pm PT
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The subject of this case study is a 60 year old male, referred to as me.
Me has been climbing for a little over 40 years and has a history of moving to a new climbing area every 8 years or so. Through the years there has been little evidence of change in climbing ability. There hasn't been an index climb to compare ability over a long enough span of time.
About 15 years ago me climbed a route at Squamish and last Friday returned to it. Here is the simple black-and-white. Only pitch 2 of the route is used.
15 years ago: Led pitch comfortably
10(?) years ago: Partner started pitch, reported "almost blacking out", set belay partway up; me led through wondering what partner was talking about
5 years ago: Led pitch, nearly blacked out (but only grabbed one piece briefly during clipping (which once would have been extremely mortifying))
Last Friday: followed pitch, hung twice
This is a route that Steve Seats soloed and had a smoke while hanging from a hand jam.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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All that is true, Andy, but on the other hand, you can get discounted rates on bus passes.
Welcome to Seniorville!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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60 is young dude. Do cardio like road biking twice a week, along with a couple hours of weight training. and work out on a climbing wall at least once or twice a week as well. Eat healthy and get good sleep. You'll be firing up 5.10 leads before you know it.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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You'll be firing up 5.10 leads before you know it.
I suspect that is just what he fears...
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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If you're looking for sympathy you came to the wrong place! :-)
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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I totally agree with Studly. It is a cheap shot to blame age when the core problem is simply lack of interest and conditioning. If back in the day I had somehow gained this much weight suddenly over the winter and gotten this out of shape in general, I would have blacked out too on your route, even at the age of 22. And being 60 does not mean I couldn't retrieve quite a bit of what I once was, should I so wish to. I should of course be attending to my health more. Gyms don't make me happy at all anymore. It is the actual adventures that still call to me.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Aarrggh. I don't need to be reminded. I just feel glad when I wake up and nothing hurts.
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apogee
climber
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I still have more than 10 years to go to get to the 60-zone, but have already become acutely aware of this trend. For a while, it was really disturbing to me, but the clearer I have become that my identity is the sum of many parts and not simply or predominantly being a climber, the more at peace I have become with it.
Most importantly, I can go out and climb and just have fun- something that was much harder to do when I was younger, driving myself harder to be a better climber. Though I'm not climbing as hard or as often as I used to, I generally seem to enjoy it more.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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The trick is to eat right and still climb.
This morning I sliced up a bunch of strawberries into plain yogurt and sprinkled on some cinnamon and went to rack up.
Then I puked into the garbage in the garage because, not wearing my glasses, the "cinnamon" turned out to be szechwan seasoning!
DOH!
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hooblie
climber
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a day when nothing hurts is a mighty fine day indeed.
it's kind of cute how the mind is still a young pup and gets all eager to load a bigole sack and jump up on some far flung awesome thing.....oh, ya...welcome to the flipside of can do.
i suppose a piano player who had some chops bitd would feel about the same if he sat down to play an instrument this far out of whack. you reallygottawanna
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rhyang
climber
SJC
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Is this comparable to decline due to injury with permanent effects ?
I've only been back to ice climbing for one season after breaking my neck and becoming a walking quad. It's gone alright, but sometimes I really wonder if I'm ever going to be leading ice again.
Here's hypothetical a question: if you discovered that (for whatever reason) you couldn't lead, would you keep climbing ?
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Gunkie
climber
East Coast US
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Ya old fvckers!
5.4 multipitch in the Gunks with my oldest daughter [13] is game right now. I point to roofs that I used to toy with and I get the ubiquitous eye roll. While in the car I tell wild tales of the supurb rock and sustained pitches out at Skytop and get iPod nodding in response. I avoid telling of the hauling of kegs to the High Ex ledge and then attempting to lead out in the morning.
And the climbing is better than ever.
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Thorgon
Big Wall climber
Sedro Woolley, WA
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Rock on, Gunkie!
Thor
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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As you age your goal changes from stealing Beckey's black book (or unsorted Fedex folder) of unclimbed routes to stealing Beckey's black book (or unsorted Fedex folder) of rope gun partners?
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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What about Fred's little black book of girlfriends and potential girlfriends? Now THAT would be the real deal. Like his climbing, his womanizing may now mostly happen in his head - but he's 86, and he's still dreaming.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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"potential girlfriends"
Besides most guys, who does that rule OUT???
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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I think it's time to invoke the name of our immortal Al Steck who is just about ninety years old and still climbs tons and does some 5.10's. He has kept reasonably fit and has traveled quite a bit for climbing, keeping a fresh outllook.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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I think it's time to invoke the name of our immortal Al Steck who is just about ninety years old and still climbs tons and does some 5.10's. He has kept reasonably fit and has traveled quite a bit for climbing, keeping a fresh outllook.
True, but with the caveat that even Allen has seen some age-related declines. On one visit to Berkeley a few years back he took me to Indian Rock. We climbed a variety of things, but one in particular was giving him trouble. He kept getting spat off at the same move, and was cursing that he'd never had trouble on this move before, and couldn't understand why he wasn't getting it this time.
Some heavy duty assistance from the top rope finally got him through it, and paused and shouted down. "Now I understand. I used to be taller."
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