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clarkolator
climber
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1976, age 12. Eugene Parks and Rec class taught by Chuck Solin at the Skinner's Butte columns and Smith Rock. Soon thereafter Peter Hayes took my friend and first climbing partner Peter Malarkey out to do Spiderman at Smith Rock.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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God you folks are lucky to start early.
I started at 20 but would have been right on it at age 14 if I knew it existed
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Tom Patterson
Trad climber
Seattle
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1975 - Junior year at Poway High School.
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Nick Danger
Ice climber
Arvada, CO
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Actual rock climbing with ropes (goldline) and pro = 1966, age 15.
Had been out scrambling up rocks with no clue whatsoever by myself in the 4th grade (what age is that?).
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i-b-goB
Social climber
Wise Acres
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Too Funny Donini!
That's when they had seasonal Pterosaur closures on El Cap!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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My cycling partner was a crazy young man (as was I) who went climbing frequently with his brother. I knew little of it and couldn't have cared less. Then his brother landed a job in a far away place, and there was Jean, looking at me with an intensity I'd never seen in him before. "You really need to try climbing. I know you'll love it." It was the spring of 1973, I was 20 years old.
We drove the old bug up to the Gunks. Walking down the cinder carriage road we stopped to watch a climber lead Nosedive. I was blown away, he moved so beautifully.
Jean led me up Three Pines. It seemed easy, and I was somewhat ambivalent until we emerged above the treetops. Another kind of beauty. I was hooked. Back down at the Uberfall I was soaking up the whole experience when Jean broke my reverie. "So, it's your turn to lead."
This seemed fair enough, so I began looking around at the cliff. Jean pointed up at a tree about fifteen feet up. "Climb up to the tree, then just keep going up until you have to go left. It's easy, it's called Horseman." Traversing out left under the roof with no technique was desperate. Out at the end, where I was faced with turning the corner and mounting the ledge I looked back at what would happen if I fell off. I flailed my way up onto the ledge in stark terror. It was the most exciting thing I'd ever done, and I knew that if I could move like the climber we'd watched earlier in the day it would have been easy.
Life would never be the same.
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Scole
Trad climber
Zapopan
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1970 at Stoney Point. I was twelve and never looked back.
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throwpie
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Circa 1952 Merced California
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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1975: I was 2 years old soloing up the kitchen counter and on top of the refrigerator to reach a lug of peaches. Apparently I was sitting up there, stabbing pens through all the peaches and throwing them around the kitchen when my folks discovered me.
Climbing small buildings and trees throughout my childhood.
1991: First time in Jtree, went nuts scrambling and soloing easy chimneys because they didn't seem as exposed
1994: Started with ropes- a dude mentored me to show me how to build a natural top-rope anchor. Then I bought a set of nuts, and figured out how to lead on my own, with other friends foolish enough to believe I knew more than them.
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OlympicMtnBoy
climber
Seattle
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Tree climbing before I can remember, my dad had to put some old fir branches as high point markers in the madrone trees (great climbing trees!) so I wouldn't go to the tippy top skinny branches and sway in the wind. It didn't last long.
First time on a rope was the boy scout camp rappelling tower around 13 with a figure 8 and a tied webbing harness. At 15 a mentor of mine showed me how to tie a bowline around my waist with goldline on a 4th class ridge in the Olympic Mountains. Finally at 17 in college they had a climbing wall and I learned to lead sport. I was well hooked by then, night bouldering on the outdoor wall until my fingers bled.
Almost 2 years later and it's still pretty fun.
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
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I don't know why but your literal response cracked me up Ron.
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Late bloomer reporting in. I only stated climbing with a rope and any focus in January 2012, at 30 years old.
The next generation has a bit more of a head start:
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Off White
climber
Tenino, WA
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Thanksgiving 1973 at Joshua Tree I think, 15 years old. Most places would consider that a long time ago, but around here seems like that's about average.
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Just about sixty years ago, July 24, 1957 at age 13. My first climb was the Owen-Spaulding route on the Grand Teton.
With, of course, fluctuations in frequency, I've been at it ever since. There hasn't been a year in that sixty when I haven't done some climbing, and there have been many years with quite a lot.
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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I can't tell the memory from the story.
Trinity Alps. Young. In trouble. Learned I should figure out how to use a rope.
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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nailed an unclimbed crack in 1966, age 11.
thanks Frank Bigelow, wherever you are.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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I think I just crossed the 25 year threshold
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Inner City
Trad climber
Portland, OR
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Late April '86...Snake Dike! What an unbelievable experience. Dave
Holmes led me up there and I recall a lot of fear, wonder
And awe...it was like nothing I had ever done. Scary and alluring.
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wayne w
Trad climber
the nw
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1977
The Valley
Still climb there and elsewhere
I won't get another forty years, but I'll do as many routes as I can
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