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Having fun below your grade?

Original Post
Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

No, this isn't about *me* climbing below my grade; that place is called 'hiking'. ;)

But for those of you climbing at 5.10 or above, do you still climb "easy" routes, and if you do, do you just do it for the fun of it? I'm curious to see if people are climbing to progress through the grades, or out for enjoyment. I'm sure there's both types of climbers and many are between the two. If you feel like sharing, please do.

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800

It's all about that .15

Alexander Blum · · Livermore, CA · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 143

Both. For me it is personallyimportant to progress through the grades, but I love going out and doing four star moderates in a stunning setting. Some of my favorite climbs are well below my redpoint or onsight "limit". Mileage on relatively moderate terrain is also vital for learning new movements, how to read different types of rock, and practicing a variety of other skills necessary to effectively push your grades in the long term.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425

Grades have never been my "thang". I really enjoy climbing long moderates in alpine settings. Honestly the main reason I like to progress in my climbing is only to make the moderates more enjoyable and open up the spectrum of routes I can do. A great amount of amazing routes start in the 5.10 range while additionally reducing the crowds.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Always happy to go climbing.

Eric Chabot · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Jul 2011 · Points: 45

I love cruising/crushing a route! One reason for pushing your max grade is so that the grades beneath it become easier. Imagine yourself on a road trip, would you rather burn out and redpoint a couple routes at your max, or crush many fun pitches? Which is the better way to experience a new area? Climbing hard makes this even better because if you can climb .12s, you can SLAY all the 11s and 10s.

Adam Reke · · Boulder, CO · Joined May 2013 · Points: 10

I prefer grade pushing but sometimes I like easier stuff when...

it is in the alpine, I don't push my grade there
if it is super aesthetic
if it a classic or highly rated
I have a few beers in me

Kerwin Loukusa · · PNW · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 135

Yep love cruising long multi-pitch moderate (for me) routes on rest days or in the alpine.

DannyUncanny · · Vancouver · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 100

Any climb is worth it if the view is nice enough

John Farrell · · Phoenix, AZ · Joined Jan 2009 · Points: 85

I am all over the board, for the most part, I am just happy to be outdoors pulling on stone rather than indoors pulling on plastic.

If I am sport climbing, I do like to climb right near my ability. I don't like projecting a route though, my style is to get the on-sight rather than the red point. I tend to take out a lot of my friends that don't climb much, so we climb easy stuff.

For trad, especially multi-pitch, I tend to like the really long routes that are moderate for me. I still go back and repeat really fun 5.6 climbs. For this style of climbing, it's more the sense of adventure and just being outdoors. If I have a good partner, then we do go chase things that are right at our skill levels.

Robert Daniel · · Golden, CO · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 225

A main reason I, and I would assume many others, climb at or above our limit is to achieve that feeling of completely locking in to a climb and devoting your undivided attention to the route. That's when it gets the most fun for me. Speaking personally, I can't reach that next-level mental state on routes well below my limit. The mind has room to wander, because you don't NEED to focus 100% to send. But ... we all have different motivations and views of what constitutes "fun."

CareBear M · · Worcester, MA · Joined Jun 2011 · Points: 0

I enjoy climbing at my grade or below, I don't like pushing it constantly. There is a time and place for that, but stressing out about getting the next grade is not the fun for me. In fact worrying about the grade almost ruined climbing for me. Miles of moderate has helped me improve far more then cruxing out over and over. Sure if a route inspires me I will get on it, but grades don't decide whether or not I get on a climb.

The Call Of K2 Lou · · Squamish, BC · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 20

Fun first, grade second. If the route happens to be a good looking line, then that's also more important than the grade to me.

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2

I love below-my-grade climbing. Especially on longer trips, and when I'm climbing trad, and multi-pitch trad.

Tug · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2007 · Points: 0

I don't love crushing but I just can't help it.

Brian Payst · · Carrboro,NC · Joined Jan 2014 · Points: 10

I do this all the time. Some routes are just fun, no matter what the grade and chasing numbers isn't really all that much fun a lot of the time and you miss out on some great stuff. Case in point - I was at the gunks a couple of months ago and the hardest thing I climbed was 5.8 and we had the most fun on High E (5.6). Lots of NC routes are moderates and tons of fun and I've done many of them time and time again just because.

A friend posted this to Facebook the other day and it pretty much sums up everything:

“You know, climbing is a gift,” she said as her feet touched the ground. “We never know what life’s going to bring. We aren’t going to be able to climb our entire lives. There’s no time to waste consumed by fear, self doubt, and comparison. Those are all negative emotions. We need to spend the time given to us climbing with all the joy possible, all the joy that climbing deserves.” — Kitty Calhoun.

J. Broussard · · CordryCorner · Joined Feb 2011 · Points: 50

I'm a fucking pussy and ONLY climb way below my grade.
I'm okay with it & I have a lot of fun.

EDIT: and it's a great excuse to climb with dudes that were hardmen back in the 70s and 80s. They know how to have fun.

Mannamedstan Smith · · Carpinteria, CA · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 35

Climb by climb what excites me the most. Some of my hardest trad sends have been when I don't know the grade, and I OS. Sometimes the curiosity of if it will go free is what gets me through a crux. Although now I'd probably struggle on some harder climbs that when grade chasing I would have flashed. Who knows, either way it's a blast

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
Scott McMahon wrote:Grades have never been my "thang". I really enjoy climbing long moderates in alpine settings. Honestly the main reason I like to progress in my climbing is only to make the moderates more enjoyable and open up the spectrum of routes I can do. A great amount of amazing routes start in the 5.10 range while additionally reducing the crowds.
My feelings now days. I dont' care about numbers,,just the enjoyment of a route. Even if I've done it many times,,,just to see if I can put together the sequence, not slip, hangdog, or fail on it once again. It's all about fun, and sharing that fun now days with new climbers who have not done the route I have in mind.
anna.gutwin · · Burlington, VT · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 85
Robert Daniel. wrote:A main reason I, and I would assume many others, climb at or above our limit is to achieve that feeling of completely locking in to a climb and devoting your undivided attention to the route. That's when it gets the most fun for me. Speaking personally, I can't reach that next-level mental state on routes well below my limit. The mind has room to wander, because you don't NEED to focus 100% to send. But ... we all have different motivations and views of what constitutes "fun."
I completely agree with this. Which doesn't mean that I don't enjoy climbing moderates. My fiancé is more into "adventure climbing" just below his limit (5.11c) while I enjoy projecting at/above mine (5.12c). The two make an excellent mix to be sure neither one of us gets burnt out. Variety is the spice of life.
Kevin Neville · · Oconomowoc, WI · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 15
Robert Daniel. wrote:A main reason I, and I would assume many others, climb at or above our limit is to achieve that feeling of completely locking in to a climb and devoting your undivided attention to the route.
This is a big part of it for me, and I usually try to get on at least one or two pitches that will push me. (Though the grade isn't always the defining factor -- a "full-value" 5.9 or scary run-out 5.7 or 5.8 might push me more than a one-move-wonder 10b).

Beyond that, I like to get mileage a couple of grades below my limit, and I'm happy to climb easier stuff, too; especially if it's either long and esthetic or ugly and obscure (a 5.6 offwidth with extra moss?).
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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