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gblauer
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Nov 3, 2008, 11:45 PM
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Rock climbing NOT ice climbing!
We climbed on Sunday at the gunks and it was 38 degrees when we started. We enjoyed direct sun on 1 climb (2 pitches) and then the sun slipped away and the day just got colder and colder. By the time we got back to the car it was back to 38 degrees.
Truthfully, it really bordered on NOT FUN. So...how warm does it have to be for you to hit the rocks?
I think my new threshold is 50 degrees with full sun and no wind.
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macherry
Nov 3, 2008, 11:56 PM
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when my hands cramp and i can't feel my toes in climbing shoes.
not fun!!!
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wonderwoman
Nov 4, 2008, 12:06 AM
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On Sunday, I think it was 40ish out and I led an 8 and 10ish sport climb. When the sun went away and it felt 30ish, my hands hurt like a mother before they finally went numb and I couldn't bend or feel my fingers anymore. I retreated off a top rope and called it a day!
I was thinking ice might be better for me, because at least I could wear some gloves and not have to touch cold rock or metal with my bare hands!
Or maybe I'm just not that tough!
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happiegrrrl
Nov 4, 2008, 3:34 AM
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Gail - break out the tools and go dry!(joke, referencing the incident a few years ago when someone was dry-tooling in the Uberfall.)
For local cragging, I pretty much feel 50 degrees and at least some sunshine is my cut off point.
I was irked this weekend because i didn't trust the forecast for Saturday. It SAID high of 54..... but I didn't want to find myself out climbing on 38 degrees, so I hiked instead. Missed a beautiful day out there. Stupid me.
I have climbed in the low 40's and as Gail said - bordering on not fun. Now, if I was on a trip and had limited time, and the weather crapped out, I'd want to climb in the lower temps. Or if I had someone visiting, similarly, I would get out there and buck up.
I also extend my season by taking two decent-length trips per year to Jtree; one at the start of December to "finish" my season, and one in late March to start out.
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shockabuku
Nov 4, 2008, 5:21 AM
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I climbed at the Gunks one day when it was like 42 and drizzling. I could barely aid the start of Trapped Like a Rat (5.7). It was horribly fun, and it was quiet that day.
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jakedatc
Nov 4, 2008, 5:22 AM
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Hey i saw this and thought i'd give some tips that i've picked up the last few years bouldering in some pretty cold temps through the winter.
1) shoes.. kept in the warmest spot beforehand.. ie don't pack them in the car the night before.. COLD! keep them in your jacket once you get to the crag then keep some nice wool/blend socks for between routes
2) Warm up a little bit on easy stuff (if single pitch stuff/bouldering or skip to step 2) Then get your hands really really freaking cold.. numb.. then warm them back up again. The pro's do this all the time since ideal temps are pretty cold.
from Ethan Pringle's blog
In reply to: The next dry day, it was 35 degrees at the B and T, which would have been fine, without the 20MPH gusts of wind that seemed to pick up just as I was ready to climb. I had to employ some old tricks in between burns to stay warm including layering (duh), jogging around to keep the blood moving, staying hydrated (as always), wearing pants over my harness and performing the “Freeze-Thaw” technique, where you climb around the base of the cliff or fondle sharp crimps until your fingers freeze, then warm them up in your pockets to get the blood moving before you quickly get ready to climb.
3) acclimatize... the more time you spend outdoors in the cold the more used to it you get. same as the heat in the summer. 50F feels bad right now but in Feb/March 50 will feel too warm on projects haha
i've sport climbed in low 40's in long sleeves comfortably at rumney since it's south facing. Have bouldered at 30 and probably below that wind chill using 1-3 and keeping bundled up between burns. Friction is awesome in the winter.. you should find a way to function so you can take advantage of it :)
i wasn't here
/runs from the ladies room..
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clee03m
Nov 4, 2008, 5:31 AM
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When it stops being fun. But I am a really bad judge, and seems to always end up freezing my ass off. When it's so cold I start getting stupid, that's when I know I should stop.
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macherry
Nov 4, 2008, 5:38 AM
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when i no longer can hold on to the rope to give a good belay
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erica
Nov 4, 2008, 12:50 PM
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For me it completely depends on the sun (and a lot on the wind)! I have climbed comfortably at a south-facing crag on a calm sunny day with a high of 30. I have also been miserable at the same crag when its 50 and cloudy/windy...
I find putting hand warmers in my chalk bag helps out a lot - also putting my hands on the back of my neck mid-climb can warm things up for the short-term.
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tigerlilly
Nov 4, 2008, 2:06 PM
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I'm about the same, maybe as low as 45 with lots of sun and no wind. I have plenty of warm clothes the keep the rest of me warm, but when my fingers are so cold I can't tell if I have a grip on the rock or not, well, that's when it's time to retreat for some hot chocolate and a cookie.
Or, buy a plane ticket to Vegas! Yeah, baby! Red Rocks, here I come!
Kathy 
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clausti
Nov 4, 2008, 2:31 PM
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32 to boulder, 45 to climb.
Sunshine is preferred.
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Gmburns2000
Nov 4, 2008, 3:24 PM
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Gotta be 60 on the rock for me. That means if it is 40 in the shade but the sun is shining brightly on the rock, then I can probably climb. But I had a hard time cleaning gear on a 5.3 two weeks ago in 60-degree weather that was in the shade (Yum Yum Yab Yum). Funny thing is that I led the first two pitches in the sun just fine, but the last two pitches were too cold and my fingers really hurt even when pulling out cams. And it doesn't matter the grade either. If it is warm, then I can climb anything at my limit, but if it is below 60 degrees then even a 5.3 shuts me down. Frustrating to say the least.
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stonefox
Nov 4, 2008, 3:39 PM
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I can boulder all year long - temp doesn't bother me there.
Rope climbing - probably 50's min. w/ sun.
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troutboy
Nov 4, 2008, 4:06 PM
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I'll go down to the mid 40s at the Gunks, as long as it is not too windy. But at those temps I stay with 1-pitch and TR and keep a thermos of hot tea nearby.
There are a couple "local" crags that are fine for me in the upper 30's as long as the sun is out. Of course, the climbing pretty much sucks  so I just end up mountain biking instead.
TS
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granite_grrl
Nov 4, 2008, 4:10 PM
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Generally I can "comfortably" climb till 7C (~45F). Sunday we were out and it was 5C (~40F) with a wind, on a north facing cliff and we most certainly weren't dressed warm enough. I would try 5C again if I was dressed better though.
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clausti
Nov 4, 2008, 5:15 PM
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stonefox wrote: I can boulder all year long - temp doesn't bother me there. Rope climbing - probably 50's min. w/ sun.
brrr i used to say that. then i went bouldering in college once when it was 19F. too cold. very much too cold.
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stonefox
Nov 4, 2008, 5:48 PM
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clausti wrote: stonefox wrote: I can boulder all year long - temp doesn't bother me there. Rope climbing - probably 50's min. w/ sun. brrr i used to say that. then i went bouldering in college once when it was 19F. too cold. very much too cold.
That's really weird that you said that - I started writing (then deleted) about my 19 degree 5 day climbing trip to Rumney where I must have brainwashed myself into thinking it was warm. I guess it depends on how you start your day. If you are cold from the start that usually doesn't change.
2 weeks ago I was bone cold at the New.
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acacongua
Nov 4, 2008, 8:10 PM
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30 and cloudy. 30-40 and sunny is optimal.
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limeydave
Nov 4, 2008, 11:59 PM
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clausti wrote: 32 to boulder, 45 to climb. Sunshine is preferred.
This is correct.
Although belaying in the shade <50 is teh suck/
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lena_chita
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Nov 5, 2008, 12:20 AM
Post #20 of 42
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The coldest I've ever climbed at was 34F, VERY windy (but sunny)-- in Red Rocks, of all places! I don't think I would want it any colder than that, but I wouldn't mind a repeat.
It was our last day in Vegas, when we got to 2nd pullout it was so windy that i couldn't open the car door. We decided that we were NOT climbing that day. But before heading back to the hotel for a lazy day of "other types of physical activity" my husband thought that we could at least hike for a little bit and take pictures of some cacti that he saw the previous day but was unable to photograph.
So we hiked-- and disovered that once we got off the windy spot and started moving, it wasn't so bad, after all. By the time we hiked back to the car for gear, and then hiked to the (very sunny) crag, I had my gloves and hood off, and removed two of the layers... Sure, I put everything back on to belay, and it was really colder than I would have liked, but it ended up being my best climbing day of the trip, in terms of sending routes.
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mindaa
Nov 5, 2008, 6:47 PM
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tigerlilly wrote: Or, buy a plane ticket to Vegas! Yeah, baby! Red Rocks, here I come! Kathy
Haha, I too had my worst days of cold, windy climbing at Red Rocks. Highs were somewhere in the upper 30s/low 40s. Even the handwarmers in my chalkbag could keep my fingers from getting numb. Fortunately my hubby is much tougher and made sure we kept climbing. :)
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marebear
Nov 5, 2008, 9:00 PM
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I am a wuss about cold, so upper 40's is my absolute low for climbing routes, and that's only if it's sunny and not windy. My hands get so cold and the pain is crazy. I start putting hand warmers in my chalk bag at or below 50 degrees.
As far as bouldering, I'll do that any temp above freezing. I have some big down booties that I put my feet in between goes, climbing shoes and all, and I wear a cozy hat, a down jacket, mittens, and lots of fleece layers. Try the down booties, they are fantastic.
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bizarrodrinker
Nov 7, 2008, 5:14 PM
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its never too cold to boulder...unless there is snow and ice on the rocks
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shorty
Nov 9, 2008, 9:18 PM
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My sister has Raynaud's, and thus has her share of challenges in cooler weather. Here are a few things that work for her:
- Wind stopper fleece is her friend. It's amazing how the insulation properties of regular fleece are reduced with even the lightest breezes. She has a wind stopper fleece hat, gloves, neck gaitor, vest, jacket, and (I think) pants.
- Those chemical handwarmer packs do help. On cold days she drops a small one in her chalk bag and a couple of bigger ones in her jacket pockets (i.e. warm hands inside jacket). I've learned to do the same on alpine climbs.
- Gloves make a big difference. We started with the old-school half-finger wool gloves, but found that the cheaper nylon carpenter's gloves (available at most hardware stores) hold up to climbing better. Some of the carpenter's gloves are available in half-finger styles. If not, just cut the fingers to the proper length and seal the seam stitching so they don't unravel. On a side note, I now use carpenter's gloves while putting up new routes, as my hands get beat up pretty badly from the cleaning and brushing. With a little practice, it's amazing how well one can climb with fingerless gloves.
Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer.
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mindaa
Nov 10, 2008, 5:46 PM
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shorty wrote: Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer.
Interesting...I'd actually like to learn more about this. I did a quick google search and came up with a few insights, but not much.
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bizarrodrinker
Nov 10, 2008, 6:17 PM
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fair enough
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tigerlilly
Nov 13, 2008, 3:39 PM
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mindaa wrote: shorty wrote: Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer. Interesting...I'd actually like to learn more about this. I did a quick google search and came up with a few insights, but not much.
From my own experience, I've found that if I eat a lot at once, I get really cold. "A lot" being relative. If I eat a whole pb&j, it seems like all my blood goes to my stomach to digest it and my fingers and toes freeze. I've had better luck nibbling, or eating no more than a half sandwich at once. Maybe pb&j is one of those things I shouldn't eat at all on a cold day, but it's my favorite trail lunch. If anyone finds more on this, I'd love to hear it.
Kathy
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olive
Nov 13, 2008, 5:15 PM
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tigerlilly wrote: mindaa wrote: shorty wrote: Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer. Interesting...I'd actually like to learn more about this. I did a quick google search and came up with a few insights, but not much. From my own experience, I've found that if I eat a lot at once, I get really cold. "A lot" being relative. If I eat a whole pb&j, it seems like all my blood goes to my stomach to digest it and my fingers and toes freeze. I've had better luck nibbling, or eating no more than a half sandwich at once. Maybe pb&j is one of those things I shouldn't eat at all on a cold day, but it's my favorite trail lunch. If anyone finds more on this, I'd love to hear it. Kathy
When it is really really cold I find similarly that nibbling the whole day, eating small amounts consistently works better for me then eating something big (in my case big is also relative) and not eating anything else for the next few hours.
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acacongua
Nov 13, 2008, 5:16 PM
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You have a point, Tiger Lilly. Also, high caloric preferably warm foods are best at this time. When your body is cold, the metabolism kicks up to keep the internal parts warm. It's a great time for chocolate!
I suggest buying merino wool as a base, get a good fleece jacket, and a high fill down. Also, I hear North Face has a battery heated jacket.
Bring a propane heater and put rocks on top to heat up while waiting to climb. They work much better than Hot Hands.
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tavs
Nov 13, 2008, 9:02 PM
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During ice climbing season, I keep a pocket full of hard candy of various kinds. A little shot of sugar throughout the day seems to help stave off some of the cold.
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Gmburns2000
Nov 13, 2008, 9:09 PM
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tigerlilly wrote: mindaa wrote: shorty wrote: Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer. Interesting...I'd actually like to learn more about this. I did a quick google search and came up with a few insights, but not much. From my own experience, I've found that if I eat a lot at once, I get really cold. "A lot" being relative. If I eat a whole pb&j, it seems like all my blood goes to my stomach to digest it and my fingers and toes freeze. I've had better luck nibbling, or eating no more than a half sandwich at once. Maybe pb&j is one of those things I shouldn't eat at all on a cold day, but it's my favorite trail lunch. If anyone finds more on this, I'd love to hear it. Kathy
This is interesting because every late autumn I start to get the munchies. I always lose weight over the summer and always gain weight over the winter, and the weight gain usually starts to happen just as it gets cold and the loss begins as it starts to get warm.
The thing is, I think I eat because I'm cold (OK, so that's obvious), but the deeper point is that I normally eat a little bit throughout the day anyway (as opposed to three meals), which is in line with what you state above. However, I never get warm when eating like this. I always find that I become warmer upon eating a larger meal. In other words, if I'm just munching away, I never feel comfortable, but if I just say, "screw it, I'm hungry and I'm eating until I'm not hungry anymore" then I'm not so cold anymore.
Or, maybe I'm just weird.
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acacongua
Nov 14, 2008, 3:45 PM
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Fat is insulating so your body boosts metabolism for the heating properties, which means more hunger.
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mheyman
Nov 17, 2008, 4:51 AM
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In reply to: When it is really really cold I find similarly that nibbling the whole day, eating small amounts consistently works better for me then eating something big (in my case big is also relative) and not eating anything else for the next few hours.
Last weekends partner told me the same thing.
A dozen years ago better climbers than I taught me to tape the hand warmers to my wrists and also to avoid cracks. Use surface holds whenever possible. Both help prevent frozen hands.
When to stop? Depend on sun and wind, but I agree things are less fun below 45.
(This post was edited by mheyman on Nov 17, 2008, 4:55 AM)
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shorty
Nov 18, 2008, 1:23 AM
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mindaa wrote: shorty wrote: Diet is important in colder weather. I won't get into the details, as nutritionalists can say it better. But the wrong food and drink can make a cool day feel like being in a freezer. Interesting...I'd actually like to learn more about this. I did a quick google search and came up with a few insights, but not much.
As previously mentioned, huge meals generally aren't your friend. Most of us perform better with smaller, more frequent meal intake. Eat before you are hungry.
Don't radically change your diet the day you push yourself to new limits. I learned this the hard way from long distance bicycling. Bonking isn't pretty, especially on a full stomach. On one long ride, I found out that even changing the brand of supposedly similar energy drinks made a difference.
Eat a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats. Your body needs all of them.
When possible, go with the complex carbs over the simple ones (i.e. processed sugar). But if you're really getting low on energy and warmth, sugar and caffeine can be your friend. Just don't expect a lasting effect.
As easy one -- warm drinks work on cold days. However, high intake of caffeine (coffee or tea) probably isn't a good idea if your body isn't use to it. If I remember correctly, caffeine constricts blood vessels /blood flow to the extremities which could be an issue with circulation.
Ixnay on the alcohol. It sends blood to the extremities (causing an initial warm feeling), which could eventually lead to hypothermia.
Stay hydrated. Being thirsty won't help circulation. OK, so you have to pee more, just learn to deal with it. Drink before you are thirsty.
Common sense time -- Be well rested before a big day in the cold. Add layers before you need them (a lesson I learned the hard way high on a Mexico volcano). Wind chill is your enemy, but so is trapped sweat -- work to keep a balance.
And finally, the biggest lesson -- at some point we all have to realize it's too cold, and it's time to call it quits. That means getting off the rock, down from the mountain, or out of the wind. My favorite example is one day while ski race training giant slalom at Copper Mountain. It was a brutally cold day -- below 0F, high winds, no sun, 11,000' altitude. Our course was right next to the Italian men's World Cup team. The Italians would only ski for 90 minutes or so before they went into the lodge to warm up and have coffee. We finally convinced our coach that if the best in the world (who were paid to be out in this garbage) couldn't hack it, we weekend warriors should also get a break.
Our coach finally relented when we offered to buy him a hot chocolate with brandy. Bottom line -- be prepared to bribe your warmer climbing partner.
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acacongua
Nov 18, 2008, 2:12 PM
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I had to use a slightly damp crack sidepull on Sunday (real feel sub 30°) and now I have a little frostbite damage. Really little, but I did send!!!
We use hot rocks and the rock (minus that crack) felt fantastic. The Hot Hands don't get warm enough anymore. Bummer. Just go to Walmart and throw down $25 for a catalytic heater.
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cloud9climber
Feb 7, 2009, 12:55 PM
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gblauer wrote: Rock climbing NOT ice climbing! We climbed on Sunday at the gunks and it was 38 degrees when we started. We enjoyed direct sun on 1 climb (2 pitches) and then the sun slipped away and the day just got colder and colder. By the time we got back to the car it was back to 38 degrees. Truthfully, it really bordered on NOT FUN. So...how warm does it have to be for you to hit the rocks? I think my new threshold is 50 degrees with full sun and no wind.
I have a VERY low threshold. I live in california so I'm spoiled temp wise. I hate climbing in the cold! I'd say 50 degrees with full sun and no wind is about where I like to be as well!
We climbed at the beach one time on a crappy day and I had to go sit in the car with the heater on between climbs. It sucked.
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rockie
Feb 7, 2009, 9:00 PM
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cloud9climber wrote: gblauer wrote: Rock climbing NOT ice climbing! I think my new threshold is 50 degrees with full sun and no wind. I have a VERY low threshold. I live in california so I'm spoiled temp wise. I hate climbing in the cold! I'd say 50 degrees with full sun and no wind is about where I like to be as well!
Pretty low threshold for cold here too.
Am aok with skiing as long as I wear inner and outer gloves and the hand warmers.
But with climbing hands are exposed and it is my fingers that always suffer in the cold, white, very painful if I continue to stay out in it with hands exposed.
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ladyscarlett
Feb 11, 2009, 8:42 PM
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I am a wimp when it comes to the cold. To offset this, I often do cold weather climbing trips looking like a StayPuff Marshmallow.
My personal record as of now is 35-40, light breeze, no sun - usually at dusk or dark (top pitches of multipitch days-heh) I have gone bouldering when there was solid ice on the ground, no melting, so I suppose I have bouldered in at least low 30s. But when it's cold, it will always win, it's just a matter of how long before I lose.
My biggest problem is my body is warm, but the rock just sucks the warmth right out of my fingers. I'm not cold, but my fingers are numb. Do the fingerless gloves trick work for that? And how do you address the issue of reduced grip capability where the glove covers?
My weapons in the battle against the cold - alpaca sweater, warm beanie, arm/leg warmers.
Thanks for the tips about food. I don't get hungry during the day and often forget to eat. It's scarey when at the end of a cold day, I realize that I've only had a light breakfast and a stick of cheese w crackers.
ls
(This post was edited by ladyscarlett on Feb 11, 2009, 8:44 PM)
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kbearchk
May 7, 2009, 2:46 AM
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I don't even go if it's below 60. I hate cold fingers and hard nips...
When it hits 90 and sunny I love it.
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lhwang
May 14, 2009, 2:37 AM
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ladyscarlett wrote: My biggest problem is my body is warm, but the rock just sucks the warmth right out of my fingers. I'm not cold, but my fingers are numb. Do the fingerless gloves trick work for that? And how do you address the issue of reduced grip capability where the glove covers?
No gloves. Put those chemical handwarmers in your chalkbag. I've even taped them to my wrists (on the side where the arteries are).
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WordsVerbatim
Jun 25, 2009, 6:21 AM
Post #42 of 42
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Registered: May 4, 2009
Posts: 133
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I can't stand it if it's below 40 degrees. Anything lower and I'll be miserable. I love when it's in the 60s. That's perfect weather for me! :D Climbing in winter in general is just not my thing at all.
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