By € $t0& 960 €® From Colorado Mar 19, 2012
| How often do you guys get out to climb while having a family and a full time job? |  FLAG |
By € $t0& 960 €® From Colorado Mar 19, 2012
| I'm struggling with putting priorities onto things. My wife is very supportive of my hobbies though. Just want to hear your all's opinions on the subject. |  FLAG |
By Gary N From Durango, CO Mar 19, 2012
| When I had full time job and girlfriend (no family), I'd get out at least once a week. Now I have neither and climb as much as I want!!! If you get out once a week I'd probably say you're doing alright. |  FLAG |
By Travis Dustin From Derry, NH Mar 19, 2012
| I have one child (19 months) married and work 2nd shift 6 days a week for about on average of 50 hours. I get out to climb atleast once a week. I wish I could get out more but its not possible for me at the time. Get out and enjoy every second you can. |  FLAG |
By rogerbenton Mar 19, 2012
| married, kid in grade school, own and operate two businesses (50 hrs/week minimum), and spend 1-2 weekends a month traveling for another job. i have a small bouldering spot very close by, i try to hit that up at least once a week. for trad climbing, which is my preference, i am shooting for once per month this season but will more likely end up getting it done twice per 3 months. for that chance at once per month I am giving up ref'ing my kid's soccer league, which feels shitty, but not too shitty considering how ridiculously and completely we spoil her. there is a really good rock gym local to me too and i hit that up once in a while, maybe 6-9 times per year. Starting this year I am trying to incorporate one climbing trip per year. looking at RRG this fall. planning/saving for it now. I wish I could hit the trad crag once per week (like most of my climbing buddies/partners) but that just is not going to be a reality for me so i have to be happy with what I've got. it's weird not being able to spontaneously get motivated and hit the rock; I go when I have a time allotment whether I'm psyched that day (or window of a couple hours) or not. the supportive wife really helps. |  FLAG |
By Larry S Mar 19, 2012
| Weather and climbing partners permitting, I get out one day a week. The hard part for me is the nearest climbing is a 45 minute drive and 20 minute approach, (and the good climbing is twice that) so that generally rules out climbing after work except on the long days in the mid summer. If you live somewhere where the access is close/easy and you've got a partner who has your same schedule, you can get alot more days in, even if it's just a route or two after/before work. |  FLAG |
By kennoyce From Clearfield, UT Mar 19, 2012
| Mitch Zimmerman wrote: How often do you guys get out to climb while having a family and a full time job? I'm married with 2 kids (almost 3 and almost 1), and have a full time job. I get out climbing generally once a week, sometimes twice. I do have the benefit of having a wife who climbs so that definitely helps. The biggest issue I have is that my wife doesn't climb nearly as hard as I do which makes it hard for me to progress, but at least I'm out climbing. |  FLAG |
By Jake Jones From The Eastern Flatlands Mar 19, 2012
| The wife and kid aren't determining factors in how much I get to climb. Believe it or not, partners are. Like Larry, I live in a spot where the nearest outdoor climbing is an hour away- if you even want to call old granite bridge abutments outdoor climbing. For that matter, both the gyms in my area are over an hour away from where I live; in opposite directions. The nearest crag is 3.5 hours away. I TR solo if I'm really jonesing, but I'd much rather climb with a partner. It's sad that it's lack of a partner that keeps me from going more than I do- especially given that I'm married with a kid and live in a place where there isn't any real rock. I get out about once a week, but if I had a motivated partner, I could triple that. |  FLAG |
By Jake Jones From The Eastern Flatlands Mar 19, 2012
| kennoyce wrote: I'm married with 2 kids (almost 3 and almost 1), and have a full time job. I get out climbing generally once a week, sometimes twice. I do have the benefit of having a wife who climbs so that definitely helps. The biggest issue I have is that my wife doesn't climb nearly as hard as I do which makes it hard for me to progress, but at least I'm out climbing. +1 Same boat. |  FLAG |
By portercassidy From UT/CO Mar 19, 2012
| I have a kid in elementary school, and a full time job. Getting out once a week is good, if I get out twice I am probably neglecting some other interest in my life. It helps if you live close, if your family likes to climb and if climbing is your current sole focus. Dirt Biking, Mountain biking, River Running, Exploring etc... so much cool stuff to do. |  FLAG |
By kennoyce From Clearfield, UT Mar 19, 2012
| johnL wrote: That took me a second. I thought you wrote that you couldn't decide whether to have another or get rid of one. Sorry, I can see how that could be taken that way. I do sometimes wonder about getting rid of one though;) |  FLAG |
By NC Rock Climber From The Oven, AKA Phoenix Mar 19, 2012
| I am married, my wife is pregnant, I own my own business and make it a point to spend significant amounts of time with my elderly parents. I get out 2x a week, three out of every four weeks. Doing this requires planning and discipline, but it is working well so far. When my son arrives in July, that might change. For me, the two keys to climbing regularly is finding the right partners and my wife's support. I went through a LONG period where I did not climb outside at all due to moving to a new state and not having any partners. My wife supports me doing this 100%; she knows that I am miserable when I am not getting outside regularly. |  FLAG |
By Lanky From Portland, ME Mar 19, 2012
| I've got a 1 year old and a full-time desk job. I'm in the gym once or twice a week, and out for a day on the weekend once a month or so. My wife doesn't climb. If you are more disciplined with your time than me, you could definitely do more. If you're more adventurous with bringing your kid along, you could do more as well, but you need a group of partners who are comfortable helping with the little one. |  FLAG |
By J. Fox From Black Hawk, CO Mar 19, 2012
| I can count on one hand how many times I've gotten out to climb this year, and I still have my thumb left to count. |  FLAG |
By ThreeDee From colorado springs, co Mar 19, 2012
| I try to get out on the weekends. Usually after work I'll workout with my hang board. My wife climbs but at a lower level so I end up doing a lot of routes that are well below my ability. To tell the truth I don't mind doing easier routes. |  FLAG |
By Chris Duca Administrator From Hinesburg, Vermont Mar 19, 2012
| 21-mos old son, I am a full-time elementary school special educator, and my wife is a full-time nurse. She climbs, as well. We get out, as a family once a week, but separately, we do at least 5 or 6 day-trips to the adirondacks a month, as well as rope-soloing at a local cliff a couple times a week for about 2 or 3 hours at a time. I find what works the best is to get out with other climbing families, have low expectations, and learn to climb first thing in the morning (5 a.m. starts for a couple hours before work). |  FLAG |
By Rob Eison From Denver, CO Mar 19, 2012
| Two kids, 2 and 4, I'm a doc in private practice working almost every other weekend and I take Monday's off to climb outside and sometimes one late afternoon during the week as the days get long. I'm more accurately an obsessed climber, not a recreational climber, but my extraordinary wife understands. I don't sleep much, but I guess that's what residency prepared me for. It helps to live in Denver where the climbing is so close. |  FLAG |
By Daryl Allan From Sierra Vista, AZ Mar 19, 2012
| Explain to your significant other than if you don't get out regularly, you get irritable and then start being a royal pain around the house. The trick is to be really upbeat and chipper when you get back from climbing then start tapering off into being an ass again toward the end of the week. A few weeks of that routine and she'll be packing your lunch before your outings. |  FLAG |
By € $t0& 960 €® From Colorado Mar 19, 2012
| Daryl Allan wrote: Explain to your significant other than if you don't get out regularly, you get irritable and then start being a royal pain around the house. The trick is to be really upbeat and chipper when you get back from climbing then start tapering off into being an ass again toward the end of the week. A few weeks of that routine and she'll be packing your lunch before your outings. I don't think its gonna work :) |  FLAG |
By "H" From Garden of Gods Mar 19, 2012
| Damn nice to see so many married, with job and kids getting out to climb at least once per week. I'm lucky to get out 2 times a month and then the occasional 4 day trip. Otherwise I spend my time in the early morning training to climb! I got a lot done before I got married. Some done before kids and now I wish my kids would grow faster. Of course I'd like to get out more. Maybe should have had kids in my 20's! Then they'd be old enough to be more on their own. Course I'd probably get out more if the people I climb with had a similar schedule. My wife now knows that I go nuts if I can't climb more. Most of the time it's scheduling that conflicts. It would probably be better in some aspects if my wife climbed. After 13 yrs I think she finally understands!!! |  FLAG |
By Adam Paashaus From North Carolina Mar 19, 2012
| I am a stay at home dad/homesteader but my wife works full time. Luckily she is my main climbing partner but we still dont get out more than twice a month (it depresses me to see that in print). This month was good and we got out 4 days but that was mainly due to friends visiting from Colorado and we made extra time for that. I do plan on getting out with my 2 year old to the closest bouldering area more often. |  FLAG |
By John Farrell From Phoenix, AZ Mar 19, 2012
| Daryl Allan wrote: Explain to your significant other than if you don't get out regularly, you get irritable and then start being a royal pain around the house. The trick is to be really upbeat and chipper when you get back from climbing then start tapering off into being an ass again toward the end of the week. A few weeks of that routine and she'll be packing your lunch before your outings. I tried that. Now I am single again and can climb on the weekends again. |  FLAG |
By Sunny-D From SLC, Utah Mar 19, 2012
| I have an 18 month and 4 year old. My wife and I try to split time so that we can both get out. We go as a family almost every weekend some where and I try to climb 2-3 mornings a week at 5:00am dawn patrol so I can get to work. (Full time Job) I might be able to slip in one evening here and there as well. Like others have said finding the right partners seems to be the hardest part of climbing for me. Finding other families that have kids that want to get out and do the same types of things is really key. We love doing family trips but it has changed how I view trips. 3-5 routes a day instead of 10 or more a day, so we can hang out with our boys and have fun as a family. It does help to have amazing rock and ice 20 min. from my house. Dallen |  FLAG |
By APBT1976 From Never never land... Mar 19, 2012
| Daryl Allan wrote: Explain to your significant other than if you don't get out regularly, you get irritable and then start being a royal pain around the house. The trick is to be really upbeat and chipper when you get back from climbing then start tapering off into being an ass again toward the end of the week. A few weeks of that routine and she'll be packing your lunch before your outings. Ha funny that is exactly how it works for me alanatural no pretending required. Post a day climbing i am Freaking joy for like 48 hours. After that i turn back into a moody bitch till i get out again. The resolution is climbing three days a week and running cycling or swimming the others.. |  FLAG |
By rogerbenton Mar 19, 2012
| Mitch Zimmerman wrote: I don't think its gonna work :) try telling her that without regular climbing you'll turn into a giant fat-ass couch potato. forgot to mention, the lack of opportunity to climb as much as I like translates into increased motivation on the hang board. hey, it's something... |  FLAG |
By Chris Duca Administrator From Hinesburg, Vermont Mar 19, 2012
| | Wyatt choosing his rack wisely. Submitted By: Chris Duca on Mar 19, 2012
| We bring our little man to the crag with us (along with a sitter and/or a third climber we know WELL!),and typically have a mellow day alternating between doing routes and playing with Wyatt. Make a day out of it, have a good time climbing low-stress routes, and don't get miffed if you only get a couple of pitches in. Parenthood does not come with a guarantee. |  FLAG |
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