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talons05
Aug 26, 2001, 5:37 AM
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What are some climbing stereotypes that you have experienced?
Here are some:
Climbers are all hippies
Climbers are all rude
Climbers impact the climbing areas negatively
Climbers are potheads
Climbers are egotistical...
You know some more, I know you do. What are some ways we, as a climbing community, might disprove those stereotypes?
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congo
Aug 26, 2001, 2:19 PM
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i only agree with jtl, ive never experienced the other ones
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iclimb512s
Aug 26, 2001, 4:29 PM
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i agree with jtl. most people think were crazy, and were not. another one is that newbies thinks a lot of climbers are punks. this comes from the gym. a lot of climebrs are punks at the gym, but once ur outside, u relize how nice everyone really is
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patman
Aug 26, 2001, 5:09 PM
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were dead heads
and have to much spare time
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vaness
Sep 1, 2001, 6:09 PM
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im not a pot head!
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compclimber
Sep 1, 2001, 7:14 PM
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Dive bombing our belayer's
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fiend
Sep 2, 2001, 1:01 AM
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60% of the climbers I know smoke herb. That's enough to warrant a stereotype.
http://pincher.homestead.com/files/cartoon9.jpg
For the full size pic go to http://pincher.homestead.com/files/cartoon9.jpg
[ This Message was edited by: fiend on 2001-09-01 18:04 ]
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marcsv
Sep 3, 2001, 2:29 AM
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ok . . .i'm to young to be a hippie
i let other climbers take a shot at a problem.i dont trash the place (nor do i leave trash), i hate smoke (therefore i don't smoke), so i guess that puts me well beyond the climber dogma. those were very hasty generalizations.
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snuffyalpine
Sep 3, 2001, 3:36 AM
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Well here's my gripe for anyone willing to listen. When I started climbing over six years ago I climbed mainly with "dinasour" climbers and true alpinists. Everyone you met was extremely nice and seeking conversation it seemed.
Now when I go to the local crag I see nothing but fifteen year olds talking about how "extreme" climbing is. Not to mention the new crosses and flowers at the bottoms of climbs(which kind of ruin the mood) - Now please forgive me because I really don't care how old you are, its just that climbing has now become an "extreme" sport which will of course help out the major trends (the North Face)and bring more and more people to the local REI with an idea that all you need is a rope and some cheap gear, which will then bring a call to me on my off day (search & rescue).
I apologize again for the whining - so please answer me this to those of you who have been climbing for two years or more:
How has the attitude of strangers you meet at climbing areas differ from when you started?
I'm still pissed that soemone stole my shovel while on Longs Peak while using it to mark our camp while on search and rescue (which could have easily cost a life)
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kriso9tails
Sep 3, 2001, 5:14 AM
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Here's the chang that I've noticed from when I started up until now. The climbers I looked up to when I started were modest. They loved to climb and that was enough. Sure they had images and egos, but it rarely showed. Now I see more (not that many, but enough) people who climb just to be trendy. They stand around and talk about how hard core they are and brag about nothing. They struggle up the world's easiest 5.11 in the gym(of all places), and try to petend that they thought it was only a 5.10. Again, that isn't the dominant attitude in my experience, but it is ceratinly growing. Maybe my perspective has just changed.
The only stereotype that really bothers me, is that climbing is 'extreme' and, as has been peviously mentioned, a suicidal pusuit. It mainstreams the sport which I think is a bad thing. Publicizing and promoting are good, but mainstreaming is bad.
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rck_climber
Sep 4, 2001, 4:52 PM
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I agree with the last two. It seems there used to be a certain rapport or understanding between climbers at the crag or on the mountain. There was an inalienable bond or kinship, which made coming upon another climiber a neat experience, a chance to chat, however briefly, with a like-minded person about something you both love. There was never any question about leaving something behind to hold your spot at the camp site, or a draw or two up on a hard route that you're working - no other climber would think of running off with it. Other climbers were always on the lookout to help a brother in need should he need it. Not anymore it seems, you can't leave your gear out for a second without someone taking off with it; and more and more climbers are too into their own goals to lend a hand or some beta when you need it. Maybe I've just become a bit cynical on it, but that's my take - for what it's worth.
Mick
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climber1
Sep 6, 2001, 6:31 AM
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I have been climbing off and on (more on than off)since 1979. I think that climbers are more friendly than they were years ago.
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mtnneer
Sep 6, 2001, 8:37 AM
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I can see why climbers (mostly bouldering kids) are stereo typed as pot heads, because most of them are. The others are either non existant or not frequent enough to warrant a sterotype. I always find great people to talk to on the crag. YOu just have to look in the right place. Don't talk to the kid amongst the cloud of smoke dying on the V-2. WHen he sees your trad rack he will immediatly become Intimidated anyway. Talk to the other guy on the next belay ledge over, on the third pitch. I'm sorry to have heard someone lost a shovel on LONG's (i live in Longmont).But this past weekend we had to leave our gear in, due to bad timing, and retreive it the next day. I rapped down to retrieve it and came across to different parties, both of them did not touch my gear, and who knows if someone climbed before them. I was able to return with all my cams, and nuts, and my rope to boot. THere still are honest people, and My stereotype for climbers is that they are good people.
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bart
Sep 6, 2001, 12:42 PM
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I agree REAL climbers are freaks. At least, I am a freak.
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congo
Sep 7, 2001, 3:00 AM
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yeah, i guess they are mostly pot heads..
..chris sharma got busted smoking pot on a drug test at his last comp, he had to give up first place..
..i dont know why, its not exactly performance enhancing.. ..if anything is performance dibilitating and he should get more credit
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aulwes
Sep 7, 2001, 3:13 AM
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fiend - where did you get the picture of my dad? the rope and the webbing harness is totally him.
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