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Dumb things other climbers have said

Mike · · Phoenix · Joined May 2006 · Points: 2,615
Catherine Conner wrote:I was at one of those Red Rock Rendevous clinics 5 years ago-Conrad Anker was the host of this particular one. He was talking about setting up anchors. Someone in the group inquires to Conrad: "ya ever have one of those things blow?" He just calmly said "no" and continued with the discussion. That was funny (I thought)!
Was that the same trip where another student was advising Peter Croft on how to remove draws from one's harness?
Zac Warren · · Springdale, UT · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 210

I know I posted earlier but another dumb line came back to me while out this weekend. My partner and i was about to rope up on a sport route at the red with a large roof and a guy who i recognized from my old gym came over to offer "beta" on the route cuz he once watched a guy do it. He concluded it with...

"If you get below that roof and feel intimidated I sometimes will clip TWO draws to the hanger and then clip them both. You know, cause sometimes that added bit of safety will give you the motivation to crank"

Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781
Willa wrote: Wise. I used to pronounce "arete", "ah-reet". Did that for almost 2 years... I also routinely start up climbs with no gear or draws...i get to excited...this has lead to some serious and not so fun down-climbing/falling.
I am relieved to know I am not alone!. Even though I KNOW it is the wrong way to say arete, it comes out ah-reet nearly every time. I also start up climbs unprepared, but for me it is my shoes I forget. Thankfully, that is something you tend to notice on the first move.
Matthew Carlson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 0
Stich wrote:"I can't meet you at the gym, I'm watching "Glee" tonight."
HA
Aaron Olson · · Seattle, WA · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 5

About two weeks ago I was at one of the local crags in Malibu. I heard this guy talking to his buddy about falls they had taken recently. One guy chimed in and said, "Dude, that is nothin...about a year ago, I took like a 50 foot whipper at Echo Cliffs!!"

I'm sure the local socal climbers can appreciate this one.

Catherine Conner · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 230

Absolutely, Mike-thanks for reminding me of that additional scenario (or as Monica would say, "that little activity"). Ha!

Tim Stich · · Colorado Springs, Colorado · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 1,520
Catherine Conner wrote:I was at one of those Red Rock Rendevous clinics 5 years ago-Conrad Anker was the host of this particular one. He was talking about setting up anchors. Someone in the group inquires to Conrad: "ya ever have one of those things blow?" He just calmly said "no" and continued with the discussion. That was funny (I thought)!
I was just reading about the history of the climb "Hall of Mirrors" on the Apron in Yosemite. Kind of puts that question back in perspective. :-O Read about the route "Anchors Away" a few posts down in the scanned pages of Mountain Magazine.

supertopo.com/climbers-foru…
inboulder · · Boulder · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 5

This is the perfect thread topic for the type of folks who love to post on Mountain Project.

Tom R · · Denver, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 140
inboulder wrote:This is the perfect thread topic for the type of folks who love to post on Mountain Project.
Nailed it!
I wouldn't want it any other way.
Ryan Day Thompson · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 115
Dave Holliday wrote:Overheard in Eldo after a leader got to the top of a pitch: "Ummm, off belay ... a little bit".
That, um, MIGHT have been me....
Ryan Day Thompson · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 115
EvanH wrote:Another favorite of mine: (A hiker, while watching someone lead climb) "Wouldn't it be easier to climb if he weren't trying to pull that rope up with him?"
Didn't I hear Alex Honnold recently say something about soloing because roped climbing is a pain in the a*? As naive as the hiker sounds...he's right ;-)
Xander X · · Tucsies · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 0
Sam Stephens wrote:Climbing in Carhartts is about 4x as lame as climbing in man-pris.
Try climbing offwidth in shorts, dude.
damage · · olympia, wa · Joined May 2008 · Points: 0
Xander! Wyckoff wrote: Try climbing offwidth in shorts, dude.
thank you for that image
Sam Stephens · · PORTLAND, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 1,090
Xander! Wyckoff wrote: Try climbing offwidth in shorts, dude.
Someone else said that, I'll keep my carhartts
Elliott Crooks · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2006 · Points: 10

From my partner on a trad lead: "FALLING!.....uhhh, not quite yet..."

damage · · olympia, wa · Joined May 2008 · Points: 0

I watched a very new belayer catch a leader fall at the gym, barely, while the gym employee says to the climber, "I wouldn't have let you fall."

I wondered at her mind power, because she didn't move a muscle. I admit when I learned she was the belay 'teacher' I decided to pass.

ROC · · Denver, CO · Joined Feb 2003 · Points: 155

I recently saw this one on an an unnamed users profile on this site.

Leads C2 - Follows C3

Really? That's it? You couldn't possibly climb the rope on a harder route? Ha ha ha.

Benji Palmer · · Nashville, TN · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 0

A friend of mine learned, in this way, to always use your partner's name in conjunction with commands:

Two pitches up, to his leader,

My Friend: "You're off belay!"

Random Guy 30 yards down the face: "WAS THAT YOU JIM?"

-----

Also, while out at Table Rock, Linville Gorge, and, again, a couple of pitches up, I overheard this unfortunate conversation from down the face:

Lady: Falling.

Belayer: ....What?

Lady: FAlling!

Belayer: ...WhAT?

Lady: FALLING!

Belayer: oh, gotcha.

Ty Harlacker · · Albuquerque, NM · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 231

It's mid September around 4:30pm. An ex-gf and I are sitting at the base of Bishop's Terrace on the bench. We had just started packing after rapping the route. Two men around 40-50 yrs young come up to climb it. After both climbers had dawned nut tool, gear slings w/ double nuts, hex's, cams, and so much webbing and cord you thought they were setting out to aid the Nose circa 1958. They literally had no room for anything left on their respective gear slings and harnesses. One decided to start up the easy crack, after about 6' he stops to place a piece. About eight minutes later he was confident enough in his placement to say "take". After watching in sheer horror I whispered "we should leave". The leader finally thrutched his way to a small ledge about 15-20' up. As we're walking away, I faintly hear the follower ask the leader...

"Where am I going to put the gear I clean?"

Andrew Shoemaker · · Olympia, WA · Joined May 2011 · Points: 265
Rockwood wrote:Multiple comments heard during one climb from a father belaying his teenage daughter up Bath Rock in City of Rocks, ID Father - Don't fall for a minute, I'm putting my jacket on, you're not on belay Daughter - I'm all out of those things you put on my harness Father - what things? Daughter - the things I clip to the bolts but there's still like 2 or 3 left before the top Father - Don't worry about it, just go up to the top, you'll be fine Daughter (from the top) - So I untied from the rope but I can't remember what knot you told me to use to tie into the anchors She was standing on an insecure ledge at the anchors not clipped or tied to anything. A nearby climber offered to climb up quickly and clip her into the anchors and the father just said, ok sure, that sounds great. She held onto the anchors till the other climber reached her. She nor her father ever seemed scared the whole time, though every other climber within earshot was on pins and needles dreading the accident we were about to witness any second.
Just reading that made my testicles shoot back up.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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