climbers suck

Andrew Gram wrote:If you think climbers are mean to beginners, try surfing.

for real, surfers can be real jerks.
i know people have already stood up for tucson, but i just want to say that the climbing community here has been nothing but positive and friendly to me. maybe i'm just too new to get into dick swinging contests at the crags,(too worried if i clipped in right, tied in right , belayer paying attention, etc..) but as a whole, climbers here are a pretty friendly bunch. many thanks to all who have given a friendly word of advice or encouragement. climbers rule.

I have always found climbers to be friendly for the most part. Especially at the crag, willing to give beta or pointers, or info about other areas etc.

Very rarely have I really been put off by someone at a crag. At least I can't think of any particular incedent.

Sometimes the forums here seem unfriendly though...

When I was learning to surf, a surfer deliberately ran over me messing up my arm. It was at a beginners beach...I hate to think what it would have been like at a hard core beach.

Good morning! (see, I am friendly...)

There is no question that the bulk of climbers are great people. Every sport has a few jerks. To re-clarify, what I was talking about is how we treat newbies.

I didn't mean to say that some people aren't nice to new climbers (especially the hot ones), just that I don't think we are overly enthusiastic and welcoming to new climbers in the same way that I have felt welcomed in those other pursuits. This is a generalization sure. It was just some food for thought.

Kevin Friesen wrote:When I was learning to surf, a surfer deliberately ran over me messing up my arm. It was at a beginners beach...I hate to think what it would have been like at a hard core beach.

My indoctrination was impending hurricane seas on the outside break, they took my board; I swam the 1/2 mile back to the beach to get it. I took it back and paddled out again. Maybe it was mean, but I was always prepared & aware that I might go solo & need to survive in rough seas. Course I never let anyone near my board again.

A few years later on, I skegged my head pretty bad on a fall in a somewhat remote area; some surfers helped me out and got me aid.

Surfing is like how U.S. ice climbing will be; there's just not enough terrain to go around.

I liked Stricker's post.

Ben Folsom wrote: I am so disappointed to hear that from both of you guys! :) It's all just sliding on snow... One board, two boards, free heel, it doesn't really matter. By the way TEA, it's been a long time, when are we going to get out?? You should agree with me on this TEA, but the biggest group of assholes I have ever met was fighting wildland fires.

Hey Ben! Hope all is well man! to be clear, I don't care how people slide, I just thought the bumpersticker was damn funny. When I used to work in BD warranty, these tele-skiers would come in and hose me down with tele-spray, I'm a guide in Alaska spray, and all kinds of "you should hook me up cause I'm out there killing it" spray. yawnsky.

Wildland=The biggest (and most pointless) cock swinging match EVER.

But in general, I think in all "sports", you have your assholes and your cool folks.

Wow I climb, road bike, and aspire to surf one day! What an A-hole I must be!!!

The surfers down at Huntington Beach were pretty nice when I was down there flailing a bit last weekend. Guess it depends where you go? Maybe I got lucky?

Tele-spray- that's hilarious. I think it was attitudes like theirs that got me snowboarding as a teenager back in the late 80's. Of course since I was a punk kid whenever they gave me attitude (and everybody hated us back then- there was only one or two resorts that would let us in) I would give it right back. One guy I remember tried to run me over so I caught up to him and pushed him down... stuff I would never think of doing now.

Jed Pointer wrote:"I finally realized that most climbers are social rejects " That's where I would go with this. Anyone heavily engaged in any sport is probably going to be a little socially imbalanced.

Jon Ruland wrote:

WOW! The first fail pic here, what's next, cat pics=)

Let me clearify as well. I don't think all climbers or all of any sport are better/worse than any other group. Within each group you'll find people that rub you wrong or go well beyond what is necessary to help you out. It's just been my personal experience that a much larger portion of the climbing community tends to have an attitude that it's okay to be a jackass towards others, particulalry those "seemingly less skilled" then themselves.

"Anyone heavily engaged in any sport is probably going to be a little socially imbalanced"- See, I've never seen this from skydivers. yes, from frolfers, yes yes yes from climbers, but not skydivers. I'm not saying they don't exist, and some of it could do with economics and social status differences in the sports.

I know that the degree of dickheadedness varies from area to area, SLC has a ton on the boards and in the gyms but it's not much of an issue at the crags (well, Lcc anyways, Bcc can be bad on most days). Moab seemed to swell when colorado was out for spring break, but most of the other school kids seemed fine if not down right friendly. But on the flip side, met a few kids from CO on the boards and did a few trips down south and had a blast with them. JT seemed full of friendly people where as red rocks seemed full of babbling/spraying idiots. the gunks seemed decent enough but most kept to themselves.

How about we put a social tracker on the different areas=) you can vote for how friendly a place you find it.
^^^tongue in cheek, not the sarcasm^^^

Yes please we need lolcats.

Recently, I was on the Captain climbing with someone with little climbing experience and no wall experience. At the base we ran into Tommy C. After learning that my partner had never been on a wall before, he had nothing but encouraging words for my partner and I. After he walked away, I told my partner who we were just chatting with.

My partner's response was, "He freed the Salathe, right?" I said, Yes, and he freed a bunch of other routes on the wall also. He then said, "How refreshing to meet someone who's accomplished so much and is still so friendly to new climbers." I couldn't have said it better myself; I was unbelievably impressed with the elite climber's attitude toward us.

Later, as we were approaching Heart Ledges while pre-hauling, we ran into Leo Holding. We had just watched he and his partner hike the 5.12 down-climb that gains the Hollow Flake on the Free Rider/Salathe. They were making their way down for the night. In the process of rapeling, they took it upon themselves to clip into our haul line to help us body haul for a short spell.

I'm sure that some elite climbers are arrogant, but I have to say that all of the ones that I have met have been nothing but friendly toward me. If anything, I've seen the partners of elite climbers with a little bit of 'tude. I remember meeting Joe Kinder at a crag in Rumney about 10 years ago. I chatted with him and his partner for a few minutes when they arrived; then watched Joe send some ridiculously hard route. When he got down, I asked him--half jokingly--when I was going to be seeing him in the mags. He hemmed and hawed for a minute, apparently not knowing how to respond. Then his partner/belayer piped up and said, "He's already in the magazines," what rock have you been living under?

--Marc

Well, I know I'm a little anti-social. I don't go to the gym. I don't often go to the easily accessible sport climbing walls. My days off are in the middle of the week, so whatever trad destination I hike to is thinly populated to say the least. I've often thought that one of the reasons I climb is to get out of town, away from the crowds... I'm no solo climber though, and I enjoy the company of my partners, so I'm not a total recluse. Most climbers I run into out in Red Rock seem to be enthusiastic and cheerful when I meet them. I don't think climbers are so bad in small doses...

Jon Ruland wrote:

What a waste of good Grey Goose!! That guy wouldn't be allowed to party with my liquor! :)

--Marc

Boulder can be especially lame... The elite attitude reeks in Boulder.
I always think it's kind of funny when some climbers just don't respond to comments made to them, as if they only hear the words of other elite climbers. What a funny little world we live in, where doing something that doesn't matter becomes so important.

That being said, it seems that most climbers are pretty friendly, but there are a few with an obvious 'God' complex.

Tevis Blom wrote:but there are a few with an obvious 'God' complex.

and a few with the *godess* complex also... ~yaaawn~

glad it's only a few :)

Where I grew up, the city was huge, but there were very few climbers. If you saw someone climbing outside (at one of the very few places to climb), you would most likely recognize them. As there were so few of us, it seemed that everyone was pretty friendly and helpful. In Boulder, climbers are a dime-a-dozen, soccer mom's and geriatrics pull 5.12 with ease, and there are more than a few that climb much harder. I mean, I guess I can understand how Joe.14 doesn't really care about what Bob.10 has been climbing (I mean, it's like sooo easy). But don't we all share that common goal of ascent in itself?

unless your getting into climbing via some good friends who are experienced it's a tough road. some folks are nicer than others and i think, like others here, the area has some influence.

lots of folks can be flaming at the gunks as it's a premier spot ("if there climbing there then they must be cool" attitude

up here in the adks there is lots of mellow good old boys and i have found the locals to be pretty friendly

i would hope like hell that the dude checking my parachute was friendly so it good that that community is warm and fuzzy

Tevis said: "Boulder can be especially lame... The elite attitude reeks in Boulder"

Too True Tevis. Especially in the Boulder Rock Club. That place is rancid with weird vibes.

Marc Horan wrote:Then his partner/belayer piped up and said, "He's already in the magazines," what rock have you been living under? --Marc

Sheeeaaaat, that ain't nothin. I've been on the COVER of Rock and Ice.

Along with a lot of other gumbies at Eldo that day they did the thumb nail shoot a few years ago.

That's why I'm "not so famous."