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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Oct 28, 2013 - 05:14pm PT
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Thanks! I'm just going to rename the route DETOUR for awhile!
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bjj
climber
beyond the sun
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Oct 28, 2013 - 05:29pm PT
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I'd only consider bouldering outdoors if I was with a group of people where we had a nice pile of pads, a lot of spotters, and a fairly predictable landing
Or use the old-fashioned, unpopular approach and don a top-rope.
I absolutely would if I was bouldering somewhere that this was a convenient option.
I was a top rope champion 15+ years ago. If I was working out a sport climb on top rope and happened to send it clean from the ground up, I would almost always say "Good enough!" and never bother to actually red/pink/whatever point it.
Yay! John Gill knows I'm alive! :)
Seriously though... Big fan from way back then (yes, all the way back to 1994).
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:12pm PT
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Before I ruined my ankle I went back to Rubidoux where we used to boulder in high school and I looked at all that stuff we did with no rope and wondered how I didn't ruin my ankle long ago. I used to have so much fun bouldering it was insane. It's sobering to see the old fire start to dim.
JL
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:14pm PT
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You just don't want your wit to dim! So you think your ankle is ruined? Or do you just mean temporarily messed up? I'm hoping my foot will point forward again!
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guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:26pm PT
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Dan.... WTF???
How do you F up SportClimbing??????????????
that is not good.
how bad is the ankle????
bad as Johns????
Anyway, I am amazed at the falls the youth are willing to take now days, at Stoney last thursday, at least 6 kids did Turlok Overhang. All took falls before the secret was worked out - at the top out - I hurt just watching and swilling brews.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:37pm PT
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Not has bad as John's I don't think. John broke his off didn't he? It's a TRI-Something or other. Spiral of the Fib and broke a corner of the Tib above the Tal and dislocated the ankle. I thought sport climbs were safe! I just forgot I had to clip in....a senior moment. I remember thinking I could just levitate and then I realized I was in another reality entirely and it all came crashing down. At least I put lockers on the first clip and anchored the belayer.
I like building traverses to stay in shape. Here's one I found in Yreka on the way south this year. It goes around 3 sides of the bldg.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:50pm PT
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Yes. Always and forever.
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Mike Friedrichs
Sport climber
City of Salt
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Oct 28, 2013 - 06:59pm PT
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For me it's not the landings that I have to be careful of, it's the dynamic movement that is so common in bouldering. It's super hard on your shoulders doing big "drive by's" and other sorts of lunging.
I have a rule that I don't try any one problem more than three times in a day to avoid injury caused by too much repetition. I down-climb, or walk off when I can and save the landings for when I actually fall trying.
That said - I find sport climbing to be more fun than bouldering anyway so I do a lot more of that. I miss the power that I had when I bouldered a lot though and do sometimes think it would be fun to be good at it again.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!
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Oct 28, 2013 - 07:29pm PT
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i like low angle slabs that go 500 ft, easy, but if you fall, you still die,
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Mark Force
Trad climber
Cave Creek, AZ
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Oct 28, 2013 - 07:36pm PT
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I'm 57 and just getting back to it. Kamps was brilliant and practical. Traverses and short problems; maybe very easy high balls just for the movement. This is safe and seems very effective training.
Interestingly, it was the best training for me when I was young and could actually climb, too!
And, what's wrong with a toprope? May not be "cool," but it is smart! I'll take smart.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Oct 28, 2013 - 09:58pm PT
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In the early 1960s Bob Kamps and I would boulder together occasionally. We may have gotten the idea of long traverses from Herb & Jan Conn, who would do them for practice in the needles when not on longer climbs. I think the Conns had been doing those exercises since moving to the Black Hills around 1950 or so.
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harryhotdog
Social climber
north vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 28, 2013 - 10:43pm PT
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it's the dynamic movement that is so common in bouldering. It's super hard on your shoulders doing big "drive by's" and other sorts of lunging.
Right on the money with this comment Mike as I agree totally. I go to a bouldering gym that has fantastic route setting. Very few tweak holds but many big moves. I've had problems in the bag and then bail on the last move even though I could have probably pulled it off with inferior technique. At my age (52) if I think I can't execute the dead point perfectly I don't do it. I also find recovery times longer than with the regular climbing. Yes I know, gyms suck compared to real rock climbing but they insure an enjoyable, injury free experience when I do have a chance to go outdoor climbing. Necessary evil I suppose.
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Todd Eastman
climber
Bellingham, WA
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Oct 28, 2013 - 11:13pm PT
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Much of the bouldering done when us geezers were young was for endurance and so lots of long traverses on buildings and rock served the purpose. Higher problems were often worked with significant down climbing before an actual top out. Bailing off boulder problems with bad landings was simply not an option that could be depended on. To this day, finding bouldering challenges that demand good movement, refined footwork, and endurance seem to trump long throwfests with bad landings.
I still love bouldering after cutting my teeth in the early-70s at Carderock and the buildings and bridges near Hopkins University in Baltimore as the young chump I remain!
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Oct 28, 2013 - 11:23pm PT
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Went bouldering today. Found a local boulder where I can progress without damage if I'm careful. Crimps, tendon pullers, the works, but if I am smart about this.... Prolly go back after work tomorrow...
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peterbeal
Boulder climber
Colorado
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Oct 29, 2013 - 01:36pm PT
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As the author of a book on bouldering and someone who is still (at 49) getting out there a lot, I want to recommend a few things. First, one pad outside never is enough. Two is a minimum, preferably three. Second, learn how to fall and land properly. Third, plan ahead very carefully regarding landings and spotting if there is any chance of falling. Fourth, warmups are crucial to avoiding injury. Fifth, embrace the new styles of bouldering. Look at what younger climbers are doing and adopt more flexible positions and movement. Sixth, get new shoes. Have fun out there!
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patrick compton
Trad climber
van
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Oct 29, 2013 - 01:50pm PT
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7th, if you don't smoke modern high grade: start!
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 29, 2013 - 01:52pm PT
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8th, listen to your body. Aging happens to all of us.
John
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jopay
climber
so.il
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 29, 2013 - 01:55pm PT
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I appreciate all the responses, I'll probably get a pad and try to use "senior judgement" and be selective in what problems I chose to work. I knew from climbing with Kamps that he bouldered and it showed in his technique. If any are ever through SoIl. be sure and visit The Holy Boulders and you too will want to try bouldering. Sat. was the inaugural Holy Boulder Comp., all went well, good turn out and I really like the energy and enthusiasm the younger climbers have, its infectious.
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FRUMY
Trad climber
Bishop,CA
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Oct 29, 2013 - 03:23pm PT
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IMO pads have added a lot of danger to bouldering. We used to see a broken heel or ankle once in a while at Stoney Point until pads started showing up. Now we see a lot of feet separated from the leg -- both bones straight out in the open and the foot off to the side.
It happens because climbing shoes stick to the pad & stop but the leg & body keep moving.
Hitting the side of the pad is the worst but I have seen it when hitting the pad in the center but at an angle.
If you need more than one pad you are not bouldering but soloing.
I'm 59 & been doing this for a while.
I bought my first pad a couple of months ago after moving to Bishop, because I have three screwed up dices in my lower back and can't afford a hard landing. Bishop is no place for old men. I get why people here use multiple pads & lots of spotting.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Oct 29, 2013 - 03:37pm PT
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All the boulder problems I do at Castle Rock have a potential 2-foot ground fall onto soft duff. With a crash pad that translates into zero impact. There have to be 50 problems at Castle Rock and Indian that are like that, so I can sure get a workout there without breaking ankles and heels. Of course, there are a few 20-foot crashers at Castle and Indian, but I just don't do them.
I did about 20 boulder problems indoors yesterday at the gym, but I always reverse my moves and climb down far enough to be able to jump a couple of feet onto the pads underneath.
I do know a couple of "seniors" who've broken their heels on high balls and who now don't boulder and always break out the top rope for going hard and high.
Saw a guy last night with double broken heels and fractured ankles who had had one of his legs patched together with a skin graft off his stomach. That sounds like going too high too often twice. Faster learners. Slow learners.
If you'd really CS, you can choose to make bouldering safe as milk no matter what age and how fragile you are. It's all up to you. Of course, if you want to get strong fingers without risking it all going high, get yourself a finger board.
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