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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Oct 27, 2011 - 12:49pm PT
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Is this your idea of a good time? If so, you're all set!!
Me, I prefer this......
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Fritz
Trad climber
Choss Creek, ID
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Oct 27, 2011 - 08:56pm PT
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Yep & be sure to look like you are having fun at the Bivy.
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Stewart Johnson
climber
lake forest
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Oct 27, 2011 - 10:40pm PT
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purchase the best possible footwear.
its your connection between you and the terrain you wish to explore.
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ms55401
Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
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Oct 27, 2011 - 10:47pm PT
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there's a story I recall about how to get into sailing: "Stand in a cold shower and tear up one dozen thousand-dollar bills"
for alpine climbing, stand in an even colder shower and substitute hundred-dollar bills.
great photos of the Blanca, TYeary
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Jacemullen
Trad climber
Oceanside
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Oct 27, 2011 - 11:47pm PT
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As someone who is also trying to get into the alpine I sympathise with you. It seems to me that the added level of danger (along with more money invested upfront) makes it much harder to get into then say, trad climbing. Looking for someone who is willing to take a noob up on some sierra ice and snow couloirs is certainly an exercise in futility. How did all of you manage to find knowledgable partners when you first started out? Or did you just say "F*#k it, Im going"?
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Oct 27, 2011 - 11:58pm PT
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Hey Ed that looks like fun.Climbing Rag: The Beautiful Perfectly Cleaved Corner of the Becky Route
Actual: WTF I damn near got my head stuck in that thing until I took my helmet off after greasing my self with slimey green-black moss, but what an awesome pitch.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Oct 28, 2011 - 12:05am PT
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Climbing Rag: The ideal bivy cave below Ambush.
Actual: This thing is so windy and full of bugs that if I ever fall asleep in here just bury me here.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Oct 28, 2011 - 12:11am PT
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Climbing Rag: A beautiful pitch of alpine ice high in the wilderness of Wyoming's Big Horn Mountains
Actual: If we don't get off of this f***ing thing in the next 5 minutes the whole thing is going to fall off and take us both with it.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 28, 2011 - 12:28am PT
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like the captions mike m
Jacemullen basically, you learn by doing and hope you survive it...
find partners who teach you a few things, just as you teach them a few things...
eventually, you're climbing alpine...
...I remember the initial failure rate getting up peaks was pretty high.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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Oct 28, 2011 - 12:32am PT
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Ed, I think we could make a good thread out of your idea. Kind of a Mystery Science Theater 3000 for climbing.
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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Oct 28, 2011 - 01:10am PT
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Or did you just say "F*#k it, Im going"?
That was more like it in my case.
Course if you got weed, it's always easier to talk someone into suffering with you....
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Oct 28, 2011 - 01:40am PT
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i typically find myself in places at sea level with any mountain being at least 6hrs drive out...its terrible.
give me a break! 6 hours?!?!
I drive for 13 to get to Sierra in Winter!!!! If you want it, you will get there!
Survival is that husky chick your kazakh honey bunny with a flappy tummy? I likeeee! How much?
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AlexCobbs
Trad climber
Santa Fe, NM
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Oct 28, 2011 - 01:50am PT
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"Should I look to get certified? or do the intro clinics suffice? "
I don't see any need to get certified unless you want to guide. Clinics offer great knowledge in a easy to learn environment.
"what are mountains/routes are good to start on?"
Depends on were you live? Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevada's , White Mtns, Pacific Northwest all have different environments to learn in.
"would a typical progression involve taking a lot of clinics and going on a lot of climbs with others to eventually striking it out on my own/another?"
I found for me the best was to learn on my own, finding climbs that suited my ability level that reached an attainable goal. Then progress from there. Building skills that will gain harder routes.
Hope this sheds some light.
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wetworx
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 28, 2011 - 09:45am PT
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some great photos and great replies, thank you all...and yes, its my bag ;-)
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Oct 28, 2011 - 11:08am PT
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Looking for someone who is willing to take a noob up on some sierra ice and snow couloirs is certainly an exercise in futility. How did all of you manage to find knowledgable partners when you first started out? Or did you just say "F*#k it, Im going"?
Offer to carry more than your share of the weight
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Oct 28, 2011 - 11:17am PT
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Uh, Craggie, ya forgot that the ol' sphincter don't work when yer hosed.
But the exercise is valid. Oh, yeah, ya should also do it standing on a
flat 2 x 4 for a night, a long night.
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TYeary
Social climber
State of decay
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Oct 28, 2011 - 11:45am PT
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It's better to be fast than lucky.
TY
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johnkelley
climber
Anchorage Alaska
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Oct 28, 2011 - 01:51pm PT
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move somewhere so you have cheap access to mountains like this and completely ignore what the sport climbers have to say.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 28, 2011 - 01:57pm PT
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your answer to this simple question is an indicator of your likelihood of actually "getting into" Alpine Climbing, to wit:
When the weather turns nasty in your part of the world, do you feel more compelled than usual to go out in it and train?
if your answer is "yes" then indications are good for your Alpine career...
the use of the verb "compel" is important, it's not enough to feel that you have to go out, it's meant as an indicator that the "weather" provides you with a training opportunity that you have to take advantage of.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Oct 28, 2011 - 02:17pm PT
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Someone said it earlier: Just practice climbing on your local crags in winter; including all the pain and misery.
Then step it up a notch to bigger stuff.
All the best alpinist I know, continue to train in these conditions with the thought that they will apply these skills whenever they get a chance to do
a "big" trip.
You obviously need to "stick your neck out a little", as your goals escalate.
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