why don't "good" climbers climb in the mountains?

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Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber

I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!

Sep 25, 2011 - 01:22am PT

doug robinson is always in the mountains, don't cha know?

don't you understand?

can't you see?

can't you tell?

Ghost

climber

A long way from where I started

Sep 25, 2011 - 01:25am PT

See? Reilly understands. Some slagheap with a bunch of snow on it. My grandma could get up that one, and she's been dead for forty years.

And look at this sh#t. We went there believing that there might be some good climbing, and what do we get? Sh#t, That's what.

tradmanclimbs

Ice climber

Pomfert VT

Sep 25, 2011 - 07:31am PT

And then you have to deal with all that crap like snow and sh#t..

tradmanclimbs

Ice climber

Pomfert VT

Sep 25, 2011 - 07:33am PT

And then when the sun comes out you have to deal with those pesky 5+ pillars...Aldem Pellet on the last pitch of Le Promanade IV WI5+

Degaine

climber

Sep 25, 2011 - 07:53am PT

rockjox wrote:

Despite the relatively rare exceptions, the rule is that Rock climbers do NOT do mountaineering in great numbers.

You must mean in North America, in Europe there are plenty of good rock climbers who also mountaineer, many are guides.

Currently there are guys like Arnaud Petit (put up the "Voie Petit" on the Grand Capucin, 8a+/8b) or Yann Ghesquiers who climb 5.14 and climb hard in the mountains (gulleys, mixed, ice, etc). A like Patrick Berhault (rip) was also a top notch sport climber and a world class mountaineer.

Let's not forget the Huber brothers who seem to be good at everything.

In NA there are guys like Peter Croft, and Tommy Caldwell.

Captain...or Skully

climber

Where are you bound?

Sep 25, 2011 - 08:12am PT

I wouldn't take anything THAT guy says as anything resembling the truth.
LEB type. 'Nuff said?

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Sep 25, 2011 - 10:21am PT

In NA there are guys like Peter Croft

Oh sure he's a fairly decent climber. But can you really call the Sierra's mountaineering? The weather and rock are both just way too good there.

steve shea

climber

Sep 25, 2011 - 10:38am PT

Climbski2 you are correct, The sierras are mid altitude cragging, no danger there. Too many people, easily predictable weather. I've heard Croft and others say the Hulk is the best Alpine rock feature in the US. No way! It is not high enough, remote enough, cold enough, dark enough, too short and the rock is too good. It is a mid altitude crag. The Diamond on Longs is THE best ALPINE rock feature in the lower US. Tops out at 14,255' and is truly worthy. If you do the whole wall it's 1600' or so. And loads of history. Kor in winter etc.

Gary

climber

Desolation Row, Calif.

Sep 25, 2011 - 11:02am PT

You mean Hemingway isn't a mountain?

Degaine

climber

Sep 25, 2011 - 02:56pm PT

climbski2 wrote:

But can you really call the Sierra's mountaineering? The weather and rock are both just way too good there.

Can't tell if this comment is serious, or tongue in cheek.

In any case, why wouldn't you consider the High Sierra to be mountaineering?

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Sep 25, 2011 - 03:20pm PT

Just seems like everytime I'm there I am in a T-shirt or no shirt (summer or winter)

Not only is there no glacier or snow on the summits there are little flowers growing hell there's trees on a lot of em. Routes describes as "loose rock" tend to be fantastic by real mountaineering standards let alone the routes that say they have "good rock".

Even when it's stormy in the winter the snowpack is often bombproof. That's just not right. The spring skiing this year was ridiculous, day after day of deep powder, plenty of stable lines and t-shirt hot sun between storms every day. Totally inapropriate!!!

Severe lack of Ice.. What kind of mountaineering route has no ICE??

Really the only piece of critical gear in the Sierra's is SPF 50,000,000

How anyone manages to get themselves in trouble up there is beyond me.

Even the valleys are tiny, I've looked across em and thought, "ahh crap that's gonna take half the day" only to be on a ridge on the other side in 45 minutes.

The Sierra's have no respect for themselves. There's no decent bush-wacking! Where are the thorn's? The thick endless miles of alders?

Terrible place for a hardman... Iiiii'mm Mmmeeeeltiiingg. So weak...So Happy :)

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Sep 25, 2011 - 04:23pm PT

Seemed to be no shortage of Buckthorn and willows on my last Sierra outing.

Fritz

Trad climber

Choss Creek, ID

Sep 25, 2011 - 04:59pm PT

Is the fun gone out of mountaineering?

When did anyone last carry a whole ham, fine champagne, and a flag, to an alpine summit?

Not to mention a large pistol?

Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber

I'm James Brown, Bi-atch!

Sep 25, 2011 - 05:04pm PT

i just had a pizza

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Sep 25, 2011 - 11:36pm PT

weschrist

If you haven't encountered 10' tall manzanita and white thorn ceanothus you haven't been getting out enough.

True nuff!!..Must do more.. Tall manzanita I have found but never seemed to take much effort to get around or quickly through. The thorns.. none yet.. I will work harder...I'm getting waay to soft.

Oh, and by no way is this post meant to imply that I am in any fashion a GUD or GOOD climber. ;)

apogee

climber

Sep 25, 2011 - 11:41pm PT

"But can you really call the Sierra's mountaineering? The weather and rock are both just way too good there."

I've always considered mountaineering in the Sierra to be kinda like 'Sport Alpinism'. I love the place like a second home, but given the relatively benign objective hazards, my success rate in the Sierra has been considerably better than most other ranges. It's good to get slapped down by the mountains every once in a while, but Sierra alpinism is good for my fragile ego.