When did you start climbing?

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SteveW

Trad climber

The state of confusion

Apr 10, 2017 - 09:24am PT

in 1972 when I wuz 20.

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Apr 10, 2017 - 09:30am PT

1992. Took a class with Adventure 16 (Costa Mesa store) out to Big Rock. Good ol' slab climbing, taught on solid YDS routes.

My first sporty 5.10 lead, Courtright Reservoir (circa 1995)

clode

Trad climber

portland, or

Apr 10, 2017 - 03:45pm PT

My first "mountain climb" was Mt. St. Helens (long before she blew), in 1970 at age 15, with the Mazamas. I got my "Guardian Peaks" award later that same year, after climbing Mt. Hood and then Mt. Adams.

bvb

Social climber

flagstaff arizona

Apr 10, 2017 - 04:31pm PT

Off White said

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.

You're off by one month: The Goon and I took you to The Gorge a couple of times in October and early November. I remember we tried to sandbag you by telling you The Ramp was 5.7. *snicker* And you were wearing these burly, thick, lug-soled solid brick-leather mountain boots. You would have much better off barefoot. Instead, you've become a chronic sandbagger, under grading all your routes at the Hercules crag by two or three letter dgrades, even number grades, at a minimum. I can recall at least one 5.11b that was stought *cough, cough* 12a. I have to admire your ability to maintain a benign, sincere, straight face as I dogged from bolt to bolt.

Donald Nitchie, Jocelyn. Me climbing (sort of) Steve Grossnan

Mungeclimber

Trad climber

Nothing creative to say

Apr 10, 2017 - 05:56pm PT

Robbins got his start in So Cal as a youngster.

Around 11 or 12 I started with family trips in Joshua Tree. Then had trouble keeping friends into it, so I bouldered a lot under freeway overpasses.

When I got a truck and license I was driving anywhere I could afford gas to go. Joshua Tree on the weekends as much as possible.

yedi

Trad climber

Stanwood,wa

Apr 10, 2017 - 06:19pm PT

1975, 18 yrs old at Suicide. Took a weekend class with Steve West. Continued on till about 45 yrs old and haven't done much since.

rick sumner

Trad climber

reno, nevada/ wasilla alaska

Apr 10, 2017 - 06:41pm PT

Same as several others here. Roughly 60 years ago in the neighborhood trees. On rock- in the winter of '69/'70 on snow and verglass covered rock after an approach through avalanche debris. Could claim ignorance is bliss if I hadn't gotten the inspiration from reading a lot of the Euro death climb books.

Jim Herrington

Mountain climber

New York, NY

Apr 10, 2017 - 07:57pm PT

With a rope: 1976, age 13, North Carolina.

But lots of Keds sneakers "bouldering" before then.

Ksolem

Trad climber

Monrovia, California

Apr 10, 2017 - 09:10pm PT

My first sporty 5.10 lead, Courtright Reservoir (circa 1995)

There are yucca's at Courtright?

Edit: That kinda looks like Zardoz, in Josh.

Edit: Never mind, there's that bolt...

mooch

Trad climber

Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)

Apr 11, 2017 - 06:10am PT

Yucca? Kris, your eyes must be going. Pine needles. ;) Phone Sex Is Safe Sex.....a "one move" wonder. :)

TomKimbrough

Social climber

Salt Lake City

Apr 11, 2017 - 06:41am PT

1960 at 22. In Tennessee.
As there were zero established routes around Chattanooga at the time, my first climb was also a first ascent.
We had an old hemp rope salvaged from a foundry.
My partner was Tom Martin, now deceased from ALS.

snowhazed

Trad climber

Oaksterdam, CA

Apr 11, 2017 - 10:01am PT

First response later than the 80s!

2002, age 22, Indian Rock in Berk.

johnkelley

climber

Anchorage Alaska

Apr 11, 2017 - 10:07am PT

In 1988 at Raven Cliffs in Georgia

hamie

Social climber

Thekoots

Apr 11, 2017 - 11:17am PT

In grade 11, with the high school climbing club----many decades ago.

The attached photo is not quite as heroic as it looks. It was taken on my first day out, and I'm on the left. Unfortunately:
.....It rained most of the day
.....I was feeling sick
.....We never found the crag, and didn't climb anything!

I should have quit while I was so far behind.

jgill

Boulder climber

The high prairie of southern Colorado

Apr 11, 2017 - 12:45pm PT

1960 at 22. In Tennessee. As there were zero established routes around Chattanooga at the time, my first climb was also a first ascent. (TK)

A friend (deceased) and I climbed a bit in Cloudland Canyon in northern Georgia, southwest of Chattanooga, in the mid 1950s when I was at Georgia Tech. We never recorded anything as it didn't seem to matter - just fun times. We used an Army surplus nylon rope and a few pitons here and there. Nothing hard, but we felt like explorers. The photo is from 1954.

Charlie D.

Trad climber

Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra

Apr 11, 2017 - 02:00pm PT

^^^great having the photos, here's a few of mine over the many years:

First year of climbing was at Stoney Point and Pacifico in 1965. My mom would drive us out to the crags and wait for us reading her book or sometimes saying her rosary. I think that's why we survived those years.

Off to Yosemite by 1969 to hang for a summer, yes it was hot. Man had just landed on the moon and I landed in the dirt of C4. The place was a dust bowl with all the cars right in camp. What a amazing summer having just graduated from HS.

Spend a lot of time at Tahquitz and Suicide in the late 60's and 70's.

Moved to the Tahoe Sierra in the late 70's where I still live and climb. Met my wife out at our local crag Cosumnes River in the early 90's. Here we are on top of the Fish Hook, Mt. Russell.

Still enjoy moving over stone, here I am on Fantasia thanks to the Norwegian a couple years ago.

It's been a long but not so strange trip since 1965, I have however seen some strange sh*t :^)

Berg Heil

Charlie D.

Love the old photos keep-em coming.

Charlie D.

Trad climber

Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra

Apr 11, 2017 - 02:12pm PT

^^^DMT I think that may have been my buddy Ron V., he said he met you out there. I don't believe we've met but hey I have nothing but old brain tissue so who really knows. Regardless let's share a rope this season, would love to be shown your haunts up there around Kirkwood.

Best to you DMT, I enjoy your posts here on ST.