Climbing with Sons

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mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 21, 2009 - 07:52pm PT

I've been diggin' the thread on climbing with daughters, and not having one, thought I'd start one about climbing with sons. My son, Joe, has been climbing since three (he's 17 now). We've had some great times out, and here are a few pics from the first few years:

Start them off early with the Bachar Ladder:

Ready to pull down at Deadman's Summit:

"Lemme tell ya about the first time I sent the Nose in a day..."

Donner:

Sign of a real hardman:

Getting ready to send at Indian Springs:

OK, so it's sending on toprope:

Hercules' Finger:

Lover's Leap w/a buddy along:

Same day with my wife along:
Cheers!

I've loved the times we've had on the rocks through the years. He still likes climbing, which is great! We spent this afternoon down at the Ballard Vertical World, and had a blast together.

Chiloe

Trad climber

Lee, NH

Mar 21, 2009 - 08:05pm PT

Crimpergirl

Social climber

Boulder, Colorado!

Mar 21, 2009 - 08:56pm PT

Great thread! Love the photos... Where is Todd Gordon? I really enjoy seeing photos of his boys too.

mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 21, 2009 - 09:04pm PT

Another one for good measure: Dirtbaggin' it with Dad at Apple Valley (only Joe gets to dirtbag it in his feetsy P.J.s):

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Mar 21, 2009 - 09:23pm PT

Long time ago I did some graphic design work for a friend who was a guide. Barter style -- I gave him a brochure, he gave my sons a two-day private climbing school. (Yeah, they didn't take kindly to instruction from dad and mom).

Day one was about what you'd expect, basic stuff, harnesses, knots, toprope short things, dangle on ropes and giggle... Day two is a real climb, so we check with the boys: "You still up for this?" Number One son says "No, it was okay yesterday, but I don't really want to do any more." Number Two Son (still a month away from his eighth birthday) says "Sure, I'll do it."

So the next day we hike up to the base of the Apron on the Chief at Squamish, and start up a slab route named Sickle. Seven pitches, 5.9 crux, mostly 5.6 and 5.7. We tie Ian in about ten feet from the end of the rope, and Jim (the guide) leads each pitch while I hang at the belay with Ian. Once Jim get the belay set Ian starts up and I climb along beside him (tied in at the rope's end, about ten feet below his knot).

Mostly he's fine, and really digging it. I just kind of cruise along beside him and let him and keep him company. The 5.9 slab crux was a bit much, and he said the rock hurt his fingers. But I just gave him a bit of a gentle push and he got through it.

So, after seven pitches, we traverse across the top of the Apron to where there are two choices for descent. Jim explains them to Ian, but all Ian says is "Which one is longer?" Which of course leaves me thinking, ah, I guess if you just want to get out of here as fast as you can, I guess you probably didn't like it after all.

But what he says, when Jim tells him, that one is actually much longer than the other is "Okay, let's take the long one then!"

D

bearbnz

Trad climber

East Side, California

Mar 21, 2009 - 10:47pm PT

I love climbing with my 3 boys, and thankfully, they love going out with Dad. Here are my twin boys, 7 or 8 at the time, climbing on Benton Crag. I had to tie them both in to the same rope because with rope drag, one at a time they were too light to get back down.
This was today, at a very busy Owens River Gorge. Riley, one of the twins, on a long 5.8, currently 9 years old.
And my oldest son, 11 years old, on the same route. He climbed to the anchors, set the rope into the hooks, removed the quickdraws, and I lowered him down.
Pretty sure I saw Bachar running around down there, didn't see him climb anything, at least not today.

John Moosie

climber

Beautiful California

Mar 22, 2009 - 12:34am PT

Nice thread Mooser. Thanks for sharing this.

mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2009 - 12:54am PT

Thanks Moosie...I get kind of mushy about this kind of stuff. It's genuinely staggering how quickly kids grow up. I know that the biggest regret people in later years have is that they didn't spend enough time with the people they loved, and as C.S. Lewis put it: "The future is something which everyone reaches at 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is." Here's what the little guy in the opening set of pics looks like these days:

Mimi

climber

Mar 22, 2009 - 12:57am PT

Great stuff, mooser. I hope that ladder didn't tweak their elbows. LOL!

rich sims

Trad climber

Mar 22, 2009 - 01:06am PT

mooser
Great thread
The El Cap Meadows picture is priceless.
Being a father of daughters with a son in law who jumps out of planes but is not keen on heights I will be climbing with daughters tomorrow.
Sons or daughters you are blessed.
So let’s see the pictures everyone.
YOU TOO Todd
Rich Sims

mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2009 - 09:11am PT

Thanks, Mimi. Thanks, Rich. Mimi...as you can see in the first pic, Joe's technique was a little off from the start. He didn't know he was supposed to grab the rungs. Kids these days...

Phantom Fugitive

Trad climber

Misery

Mar 22, 2009 - 10:07am PT

Zion and I rackin' up for the day-

Peter Haan

Trad climber

San Francisco, CA

Mar 22, 2009 - 11:25am PT

Phantom, your images aren't visible to me (probably others as well).

There is a wonderful short tale by John Vawter about climbing with his son Kellen at Tahquitz a few years back, here on ST that is also worth reading. Thanks

Phantom X

Trad climber

Honeycomb Hideout

Mar 22, 2009 - 01:30pm PT

Mooser, what do you feed that kid? He looks like one of those Poway toughs from back in the seventies!

mooser

Trad climber

seattle

Topic Author's Reply - Mar 22, 2009 - 02:18pm PT

Phantom X: Well, he has spent an awful lot of time in Poway, but hasn't been there long enough to look like...I don't know...maybe one of the Adams brothers, or someone.

tom woods

Gym climber

Bishop, CA

Mar 22, 2009 - 03:51pm PT

My boy is three months, so this thread has been inspiring as I try to figure out life with a little guy around.

He's been to the happy's and the buttermilks, we're trying the druid hill today, but it's really cold.

What do you guys think for top roping? Four years? Five years? When do you worry about scaring them out of it for good?

hossjulia

Trad climber

Eastside

Mar 22, 2009 - 04:06pm PT

Every kid is different Tom, mine was a little too timid to do much at any age besides top rope.

I pretty much made him lead an easy 5.6 at Clark's when he was 17 and he'd just tr'ed it. He whimpered. But pushed on and did it, and thanked me for it.

We never climbed together again and now he's gone.

Climb with your kids, lead by example, get them out doing the things you love. And push harder to know how they REALLY are feeling.

Jaybro

Social climber

wuz real!

Mar 22, 2009 - 05:24pm PT

I don't have any sons.But I have climbed with a lot of people who are other people's sons.

Here is Chasbro and his son Dave, working up an apetite for Dim Sum, a few years back. I have climbed Devil's Tower with the two of them