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Where the hell do you find climbing partners?

Meme Guy · · Land of Runout Slab · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 325

Your problem is that you moved to New York City.

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

It is not that I can not get a parter at all - until the weather turned to shit (well, the ice is good) I was getting out to the Gunks every weekend. However, that ideal partner that would love to go every day our days off overlap, that wants to climb hard stuff, boulders and routes, is still not found. For example, I was trying to arrange a trip down south for this w/e and nobody was interested, even though I offered to pay all the costs.

Can I just adopt a dirtbag, maybe?

Marek Sapkovski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 65
Meme Guy wrote:Your problem is that you moved to New York City.
The greatest city on Earth!
Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781

I live in Brooklyn, and I don't find it difficult to find partners. Right now most people don't want to go south because it's buried in snow and the ice is fat right here. I climb with a pretty large group, of which the core goes to the gunks every weekend when in the season, adks long weekends or when too hot here, regular trips out west and generally one international climbing trip per year minimum. We regularly train at the gym. Maybe it's easier out west, but it's hardly impossible here.

Meme Guy · · Land of Runout Slab · Joined Sep 2013 · Points: 325

Have you considered people may not like you?

flynn · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2002 · Points: 25

I married mine. Problem solved.

sgt.sausage · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 0

Sleeping in bed ... next to me.

PatCleary · · Boston, MA · Joined Sep 2011 · Points: 0

Yosemite, at work, the gym, on MP, all have resulted in partners that I'm psyched to get out with (including one guy from ny who I climbed with in NH and hope to climb with in CA). Honestly the largest problem I have is lead partners in the gym. Haven't had to marry any yet.

Josh Wood · · NYC · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 120
Marek Sapkovski wrote: The greatest city on Earth!
Unless you're a climber :(
Daniel Winder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 101
Alicia Sokolowski wrote:I don't find it difficult to find partners.
No doubt. Why don't you invite Marek to climb/train with your crew?
Charles Kinbote · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 5

Hey Marek, just emailed you back. Apologies for the delay, didn't realize mountain project didn't have a pm system and it goes to your registered email. The weather looks like it'll turn around this week, hopefully we can get out soon.

mitchy B · · nunya gotdamn business. · Joined Aug 2009 · Points: 0

Try Craigslist, men seeking men( partners) should be good to go.

Happiegrrrl · · Gunks · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 60

NYC metro people do tend to be busy,and also - I don't know of anyone who is so regularly available to climb as a dedicated partner -even out of the people I know who climb at 5.10+ and get out several times a week.

In the Gunks, the "very frequently climbing" climbers tend to avoid the obvious areas on weekends due to the nature of the thing(very crowded; having classic 5.3 routes next to your 5.hard doesn't eliminate the problem)

Also, people like to climb with people they like to climb with. You can't really expect to find someone who is going to commit "full time" to climbing with you right off the bat because they very likely already have several partners...and, well-if you come off in real life the way your OP comes off on here....sorry to say that you may not be the funnest person to be around with for days on end.

Try being happy to find the occasional day partner and being prepared to boulder/rope solo as you build your network. Give time for people to get to know you. It takes time!

Or...you could hang around the Uberfall and offer to put TR's upon Retribution, No Solution and Nosedive for people in exchange for the lead belay. Just camp out under with a little cardboard sign that says

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
mitchy wrote:Try Craigslist, men seeking men( partners) should be good to go.
Really? And here I was avoiding Craigslist,,,I thought that listing was for something else.!! All this time I could have been finding a climbing partner for good clean fun outdoors, in a manly way too!
ze dirtbag · · Tahoe · Joined Jun 2012 · Points: 50

if feel like it should be more

"100% success rate *"

  • individual definitions of success may vary
ottice webb · · Stanton KY · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 5

Don't come to the Red, it sux

Alicia Sokolowski · · Brooklyn, NY · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 1,781
Daniel Winder wrote: No doubt. Why don't you invite Marek to climb/train with your crew?
I really mean exactly zero offense by this, but every discussion started by Marek is pretty negative. He also devoted a post to trashing a gym some of my peeps collect a paycheck from and/or really love, so it may be a point of friction out of the gate. I have a feeling my PMA alone may drive him crazy as I am generally about as subdued about my joy as a golden retriever and "No complaining" is a life motto I try to live by.

That said, if he sees me out and says hello, I can't imagine a world in which I would not offer to throw him a belay to test his tolerance of me, so if you see my ugly mug about, Marek, please say hi! I'm not so ignorant to think we are all exactly as we seem in type :)
Marek Sapkovski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 65

I guess an update is due. My mistake was looking for people my age, but "domingoes" in New York are too busy/lazy to train hard. Instead, started bouldering with a few younger guys from the Upper East Side gym. They are motivated to train hard, push to get up difficult problems/routes and are never too busy to climb, indoor or outside. Hopefully, we will spend every weekend in Rumney this season.

NC Rock Climber · · The Oven, AKA Phoenix · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 60
Marek Sapkovski wrote:I guess an update is due. My mistake was looking for people my age, but "domingoes" in New York are too busy/lazy to train hard. Instead, started bouldering with a few younger guys from the Upper East Side gym. They are motivated to train hard, push to get up difficult problems/routes and are never too busy to climb, indoor or outside. Hopefully, we will spend every weekend in Rumney this season.
That was fast. You went from no partner to finding a group that you will climb with every weekend in 4 days. I take a lot longer to make friends / find regular climbing parters. Best of luck for a good season at Rumney.
Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

It's not easy. There is something "missing" sometimes, when people jam themselves together for climbing reasons only. You might have nothing in common, otherwise. I have had those relationships fade fast.

The best thing is to get your actual friends into climbing. Then you are already friends with them, and you end up climbing together all the time.

Also--- focus on your friends that have addictive personalities. They will get hooked.

The best and most fruitful stage is at the beginning when they aren't leading yet. They are more than happy to second/follow/belay. You will be on the sharp end time after time! Mmmmm mmmm good!

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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