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Where the hell do you find climbing partners?

Original Post
Marek Sapkovski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 65

After moving to the US (NYC) about a year ago it's been a constant struggle to find a willing and able climbing partner. Nobody wants to take road trips or go out to the rock both days of the weekend. Heck, nobody even wants to go bouldering in the Central Park after work. Trying to get together a road trip for a long weekend? Impossible. Getting together for a training session at the gym is a project in itself. People are too busy for the "rock shit" and I am probably too old to find people that have time :(

I am not looking for a mountain woman. I am not looking for a mountain man either, not even for a mountain hamster. How about a climbing partner that actually wants to climb outdoors and climb harder?

Austin Baird · · SLC, Utah · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 95

Move out west

Charles Kinbote · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5
Marek Sapkovski wrote:After moving to the US (NYC) about a year ago it's been a constant struggle to find a willing and able climbing partner. Nobody wants to take road trips or go out to the rock both days of the weekend. Heck, nobody even wants to go bouldering in the Central Park after work. Trying to get together a road trip for a long weekend? Impossible. Getting together for a training session at the gym is a project in itself. People are too busy for the "rock shit" and I am probably too old to find people that have time :( I am not looking for a mountain woman. I am not looking for a mountain man either, not even for a mountain hamster. How about a climbing partner that actually wants to climb outdoors and climb harder?
Gimme a pm, Marek. I'm in brooklyn, psyched to climb, psyched to train, try to get out every weekend when the weather is good, have car, have rack, have lots of time off from work, am not flakey, etc.
Jacob Smith · · Seattle, WA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 230

Agreed. It seems like it is way more difficult than it should be (even out west).

I spent years consistently frustrated that I didn't know anyone my age who didn't mind a little suffering (I learned to climb w/ my dad), and I did finally get "in" with a group, but now I want to diversify the people I climb with and even finding consistent gym partners is a pain.
I'm recovering from an injury at the moment so it's a non-issue, but I am seriously considering getting into bouldering and free soloing just to avoid the problem.

I think the trick is to either be really good or completely mediocre, this whole 'climbing all the time but not actually having any talent' thing doesn't seem to attract people.

Jim Titt · · Germany · Joined Nov 2009 · Points: 490

That´s like asking "how do I get a girl?". Those that can don´t how they do it and those that can´t have no idea.

george wilkey · · travelers rest sc · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 235

sounds to me like Charles is your new partner. have fun climbing together.

reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
Austin Baird wrote:Move out west
Pretty much the only real answer. Or you'll just have to be more self motivated. Finding compatible partner(s) once you climb harder or get more serious becomes infinitely harder. Other than living at a destination, places like Boulder/SLC are pretty hard to beat for the sheer number of crushers. Occasionally, some hard pulling lucky SOB finds a compatible life/climbing partner combo. I wouldn't bet on it even if I was a betting man.
DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100

Look for students and the unemployed. They have the best availability and can be easily motivated with food.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280

Does the partner finder match up area here do much good? I met one person through discussions here several years ago, and met at Red Rocks for a day or so of climbing. Often you just go to the right places and you will run into people to climb with. I've never been shut down at the Red..either at Miguels or at Muir Valley parking lot to find climbers for the day.

Shadrock · · Here and there. · Joined Jun 2009 · Points: 430

I've been in DC for almost three years and found that it was a lot harder to meet serious climbing partners than it was out west until I realized that there is a strong tradition of club-based sports and outdoor activities in the East and North East. In the DC area I've discovered a lot of great climbers through clubs like this one potomacmountainclub.org. I'd recommend looking around for some local clubs. With the 'Gunks and 'Dacks in your backyard, I'm sure there are plenty of serious climbers near you...

Jon Hartmann · · Ojai, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,766

Finding trad partners that want to climb 5.11 is really really hard over here on the west coast too. I even considered quitting climbing because I was tired of being the one who had to provide all the psyche and had to constantly 'bully' lazy climbers to get to JTree. Unfortunately the answer seems to be to hang out with the younger up and comers who have energy and don't have a solid job or girlfriend yet. As soon as they hit 27 or so most climbers seem to disappear or become weekend warriors (like me now). Its tough being a climber. It's a lot of energy output not only for the climbing but also for the trips out to the crags. You have to have a lot of passion. Or just wrangle noobs into holding on to the end of your rope.

ze dirtbag · · Tahoe · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 50

+1 for move west.....it's really your only option....ever

reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
Jon Hartmann wrote:Finding trad partners that want to climb 5.11 is really really hard over here on the west coast too.
Try harder than 5.11 & it becomes almost impossible. Having lived in the bay area last summer, all of my valley partners (that I met over the summer) ended up being either from Colorado, had lived in Colorado for a long time, or thought long & hard about moving to Colorado. Kind of made me realize how good I have it here.
Jan Tarculas · · Riverside, Ca · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 917
Woodchuck ATC wrote:Does the partner finder match up area here do much good?
I've met partners here on MP and are now consistant and have been long term partners. I know who to call for sport, weekday trad, and long trips to places. It's a great tool that have worked for me.
Taylor J · · Taos NM · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 390

I had far more partners when I lived in the New England area than I do now living out west, although I am in southern New Mexico....

Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450

Based on this and on your other post about how you don't like NYC gyms, do you think maybe you're putting out kind of a negative vibe that is interfering with your ability to get partners?

I do think the "move out west" folks aren't entirely off the track. I don't know that it has to be out west, but moving somewhere with an bunch of motivated people does seem smart. I'll bet my odds of running into a really good climber in the course of my day are a lot higher than yours, even though my town is 1/1000th the size of yours. And if you have to stay where you are for career reasons, just accept the choice you've made and move on with getting in as much climbing as you can within that choice. Or stop whining and move to Bishop.

Short of that, the partner finder does work, just use it with the attitude that you're guiding the other person until you know where they're coming from. And even if they're not as badass as you, wouldn't a day of hiking 5.6 still be better than staying home?

reboot · · . · Joined Jul 2006 · Points: 125
Optimistic wrote:And even if they're not as badass as you, wouldn't a day of hiking 5.6 still be better than staying home?
Possibly, but in that case, why would you need a partner?
Optimistic · · New Paltz · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 450
reboot wrote: Possibly, but in that case, why would you need a partner?
There you go: yet another constructive alternative! Or go TR soloing... Or go with the gumby, but set a goal of dragging him/her up 30 pitches in a day or something, sharpen the ol' alpine skillz. All better than saying how much everything sucks.
rogerk klinger · · Burlington, VT · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 1,603

People suck. Climb solo.

ottice webb · · Stanton KY · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 5

We get up early,don't ever work,climb all day and yeah, it may be Kentucky but we got headlamps here too you know....

robrobrobrob · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 10

It's been many years, but if I couldn't find partners hanging at the Uberfall I wasn't trying. If I wanted to climb harder, go to millbrook

Is Bacchus not the climber hive it used to be on Friday night?

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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