Climbing with strangers

Johny Q wrote: Maybe I should have begun my statement by declaring that some people just prefer blind dates because they can't hook up on their own. Wait, is that why my comments were so offensive to you? Shit, sorry man, its the truth.

I just joined MP right now to comment because your 3rd grader mentality retaliations are hilarious! Shit, sorry dude, are you in the 4th grade?

emmaH wrote: I just joined MP right now to comment because your 3rd grader mentality retaliations are hilarious! Shit, sorry dude, are you in the 4th grade?

you joined MP just so that you could jump into a discussion and insult someone? and, you're talking about elementary school behavior?! that's funny. seriously.

damn emma you just got smacked after only your second post, MP is a rough place.

yeah fuck off emma, Johnny Q is kinda being a douche but I agree with a lot of what he's saying. some people get weird and butthurt when you try and tell them things, like taking someone off belay when they yell take is really bad, or buy the latest and greatest mixed ice tool on the planet and refuse to toprope a M4 "because I just sharpened my picks and I'm worried about wearing them out, plus I don't think I'm ready to try mixed climbing".

you're fucking annoying and easily could fall into one of those pretentious ignorant idiot categories I described above. hopefully you don't kill someone.

muttonface wrote:Goddammit Emma.

Goddammit you're right. I shouldn't have shown up uninvited to the spank party. Will go join another forum and try not to be such a dick. Thank you muttonface for understanding.

Everyone I climb with was a stranger once.
Most of the folks I climb with nowadays I met on or through MP. It's great. It WAY beats the old paper-tag-at-the-climbing-shop we used to use. Sometimes it took weeks. Now, we both look over the tick lists, read their comments [carefully] and make plans accordingly. If we don't hit it off, we move one. I think it's invaluable and can't wait for the MP Climb Now feature.

So, to answer the OP: Are your basic skills good? (Your first concern is: are YOU safe?) Next, have they climbed long enough to be safe? Have they climbed routes you've climbed, or in the range you're comfortable with? Would you be wasting their time? Did the phone call/interview go well or make you think there are "concerns"? Maybe a day of cragging would be in order to confirm your compatability? You gotta be honest with potential partners and make your own decisions, but there are lots of good climbers looking for a climbing partner on any given day. It could be the start of something beautiful.

Have fun.

rob bauer wrote:Everyone I climb with was a stranger once. Most of the folks I climb with nowadays I met on or through MP. It's great. It WAY beats the old paper-tag-at-the-climbing-shop we used to use. Sometimes it took weeks. Now, we both look over the tick lists, read their comments [carefully] and make plans accordingly. If we don't hit it off, we move one. I think it's invaluable and can't wait for the MP Climb Now feature. So, to answer the OP: Are your basic skills good? (Your first concern is: are YOU safe?) Next, have they climbed long enough to be safe? Have they climbed routes you've climbed, or in the range you're comfortable with? Would you be wasting their time? Did the phone call/interview go well or make you think there are "concerns"? Maybe a day of cragging would be in order to confirm your compatability? You gotta be honest with potential partners and make your own decisions, but there are lots of good climbers looking for a climbing partner on any given day. It could be the start of something beautiful. Have fun.

One of the most positive post's yet. Thanks Rob... sage advice. BTW tried it, liked it, probably do it again sometime soon.

Johnny... you talk that kinda trash to people in person? If so... How many of your teeth are missing?

wrote: Goddammit you're right. I shouldn't have shown up uninvited to the spank party. Will go join another forum and try not to be such a dick. Thank you muttonface for understanding.

Hey, emma! Don't leave. You are more than welcome to weigh in to any discussion with taunts, banter, jokes, aktual content, etc. Don't let some detractors dissuade you from that.

Randy W. wrote: One of the most positive post's yet. Thanks Rob... sage advice. BTW tried it, liked it, probably do it again sometime soon. Johnny... you talk that kinda trash to people in person? If so... How many of your teeth are missing?

Do I try and prevent noobs from killing themselves and each other? Absolutely. All the time. Every chance I get.

What is interesting here is that when Rob questions your ability to climb it's ok, but when I question your ability to climb I need my teeth knocked out. I guess we can tell your ego was a bit offended by my post. Again, I was joking, but we have already gone over that.

In my experience people who get offended easily usually have no confidence in themselves. They oftentimes resort to empty threats, call people names, and whine louder and louder as if their noise is making some type of valid point, which is pretty much what you are doing right now.

Dude, your ego rules you. My ego rules you. You are fully ruled by ego. That is a dangerous thing in a climbing partner.

Johny Q wrote:That is a dangerous thing in a climbing partner.

Dude... Read your post then read Rob's. You don't know me or my ego. I don't want to kick your teeth out. I just know if I spoke to people the way you do on the internet, I would be missing teeth.

You got a lot of people on this thread trying to tell you to change your attitude. I said it before, your advice wasn't the issue, it was your presentation. I'm out guy... have fun being such a badass... I'll be busy enjoying my noob climbs with my wanker internet partners who are going to kill me. Oh BTW I never specified I wanted to climb with people I met on the internet in my original post slick... I just said strangers...

Randy W. wrote:Dude... Read your post then read Rob's. You don't know me or my ego. I don't want to kick your teeth out. I just know if I spoke to people the way you do on the internet, I would be missing teeth. You got a lot of people on this thread trying to tell you to change your attitude. I said it before, your advice wasn't the issue, it was your presentation. I'm out guy... have fun being such a badass... I'll be busy enjoying my noob climbs with my wanker internet partners who are going to kill me. Oh BTW I never specified I wanted to climb with people I met on the internet in my original post slick... I just said strangers...

Actually, I can tell pretty easily from your angry response that your ego was dictating your behavior. All ten times. It takes an ego to know an ego, and I know ego.

I don't want to tell you that you are a noob who is going to get in trouble, I just know that if I had your lack of experience in climbing and I was looking for strangers to climb with I would be in trouble.

Lots of people say lots of things, they are people, and you have already said you are done with this thread so why come back again. Ego?

You guys really wouldnt climb with this guy?

Exactly. Climb something simple and easy. Unless your out to impress someone as your struggle up something you shouldnt be on anyway and take a whipper, they were too busy texting someone back while belaying you, and you deck...waking up (hopefully) in the hospital with several compressed vertebre. "Ive seen it a hundred times..." LOL. What movie? Anyway....Climb something in good conditions with plenty of daylight left. Stay alert, Stay safe, and dont do anything you yourself shouldnt be doing. Dont run out a 5.5 because you can. Dont build a shady anchor to belay off of. You dont know this person yet, cover your ass. that is ALL this entire discusion comes down to. On the same hand...Once people become comfortable with their partners skills and decision making process...people often become lazy and do not concentrate on safety as they once did. That is how accidents happen. Just because your partner has never made a mistake belaying, doesnt mean he wont today.

BOTTOM LINE....Is that you should become comfortable with your partner. Its one of the reasons lots of people climb. The relationships people build as climbers is often deeply rooted in the fact that they share potentially dangerous situations together and help one another stay safe. Thats all that matters. That, and having fun. Because in the end if you arent having fun...then why did you choose to be a climber?

Oh and to answer the above questions....lets say I decided to climb with someone from the internet whom originally told me he/she can lead 5.11B trad. You can bet your bottom dollar that I would never say OK...lets start off on this 5.10c. You want the lead?? - This would never happen, with me anyway. I would say lets warm up on something simple and fun such as a 5.6-7. Is it less involved? No. Is it boring? No. Does it enable me to enlarge that margin of safety a little bit? Absolutely! I can honestly say that I have never taken a lead fall on something below 5.11a trad. Can it happen? Sure! Will it happen? Maybe one day! Hence why I would try and make it something I am familiar with, or one that my new partner is, I would come that day with several routes in mind to start on. IF i see my partner knows his stuff and I feel comfortable, then we can progress and up the ante'. If he is struggling, well then why not help this person. Did he lie? maybe. Does that make him a bad person? Depends on who you ask. If you ask me, yes he did lie, but maybe he is having trouble finding someone to climb with since he is a beginner. Why not take the rest of the day that you planned to spend with this person and teach him the right way to do things? How to be safe. And most importantly how to enjoy climbing. I have done this on more then one occasion. I used to be an instructor for a gym teaching belay and technique classes. I enjoy teaching. In the end, it is going to keep the entire climbing community a safer place. In my opinion, THAT is the way to handle this entire post.

• * Notice the complete lack of the term "Nooby", "noob" or "noobie".

sorry Ell, I edited my post after you quoted me because I realized I had a lot more to add.

And PS John, I respect you as a person. Dont get me wrong here. The funny thing is, I am sure we would both act the right way and do the right thing if presented with one of the situations portrayed in the post. If not for this post, and we met at a crag one day, im sure we would be friendly and polite. The internet brings out the "badass" in everyone. Myself included! Im no different then every member here. And I sure as heck dont think your anything like you've portrayed in this post. Cause Im not either. Im just a regular guy. I work 2 jobs and on top of that I volunteer as a firefighter and EMT. I have a great family and I climb when I can. Every chance I get. Im polite and a good citizen. Probably just like you are. In the end, this post will wander its way into no mans land and disappear. Just like they always do. And we'll keep climbing. If I may give one piece of advice, quit using the term Noob or noobie. Cause remember that time when you went to tie in and forgot how to? It was probably your second time. Were you new? yup. Would you appreciate some climber pointing and calling you a "noobie" while laughing? Or how about the guy who said hey let me show you a trick on how to remember that?

Which person are you?

Ellenor Stone wrote:I guys r a smart bunch but why r u fixated on criticizing a female so much? I just don't understand it....as safe and as good climber as u r my day would suck if I was constantly chastised about the small stuff...

I might of missed this?? Who? Where? I enjoy climbing with females! I'll take a female partner versus a male with an ego any day! Come to the gunks Ellenor!

cms829 wrote: I might of missed this?? Who? Where? I enjoy climbing with females! I'll take a female partner versus a male with an ego any day! Come to the gunks Ellenor!

Yup i agree, ego and chest pounding dudes are the worst!

But i will crack a joke about anything i can find ammo for anytime it present itself.

Everything is fair game even if i don't mean it at all. The girl thing the gay thing the race thing. All of it. You just have to keep it in context and make sure you are not actually hurting feelings or being a dick but rather just being funny and screwing around. If that hurts your feelings we would not get along anyway and might as well stay clear of each other anyway right ;)

Now bring on the Cracks as this shit is entertaining!!

Ellenor Stone wrote: Been to the Gunks and loved it! Left the crag in tears and promising to never ever climb again after huge fights with my x...who was also a beginner then...but the challenge of the sport the rock drew me back like a magnet. So moved to Colorado for climbing and love it here...maybe Gunks in September or something...going to Alaska this summer:)

Nice! Sorry about the whole X thing though. Single is the way to be right now anyway. No one respects a relationship anymore. Look at the divorce rates!

Anyway I was just out in Ouray, Durango, and Silverton. Climbing Rock, Ice, Mixed, and Skied at Silverton. Such a sick time! Have a friend in Durango and a friend living in Boulder. I think Im going to head out that way myself in the next couple of years. I belong there, not in NJ. If you do come to the area this summer contact me and we'll head to the gunks or up to NH! I'd be glad to climb with you...but ya know....we'll have to start on a 5.5 so I can evaluate your technique and concern for safety ;)

cms829 wrote: Would you appreciate some climber pointing and calling you a "noobie" while laughing? Or how about the guy who said hey let me show you a trick on how to remember that? Which person are you?

Probably a bit of both, but let me ask you this: If we can just for a second disregard the concern for your ego, which one will be more memorable and long lasting?