Quitting Climbing!

Really?

No, not really.


I just finished reading the latest Gripped magazine with the article about Thomosina Canada's top female boulderer. Pretty good article with photos from my good buddy/snake Mike Chapman.

(I won't get into the snake part... but Chapman's projects will be available with topo's and directions upon request.)

Anyways, where was I?

Oh yes quitting climbing.

In the article Thomo talks about getting so frustrated that she often quits climbing. Only to come to her senses, usually this realization takes about five minutes.

Well this got me thinking. Why do people quit climbing? I mean there are legit reasons: legs fall off, move to place with no rock or gym, die, plenty of reasonable reasons. Why is it I know five dudes that were sitting on the winning lottery tickets and never cashed in.

Jordan Wright -- a friend of mine -- who just gave up a sport. He was in the one percentile. Here's some facts. He climbed 5.14c, bouldered V13 and won the National championships. A few weeks back after not climbing for a full year climbed Viper with no warm up.

Now I know what your thinking; Big deal Viper! I mean phish that's like V5 whoopie do! Stop, and think about this. Could you go home now sit on your couch for a year, not climbing ever, no hangs, no pullups, then have a friend call you up to hang out. So you bring your brand new super down turned shoes you haven't yet broke in. Then just jump on Viper and climb it with relative ease?

I don't think so fatty!

Vince Chung, campusing climber extraordinaire, just up and quit climbing. Here's a guy that could do everyone of the hard problems I've done in ten years probably in his first few weeks of his climbing. I have no doubt I could call up Vince and he could climb them all in a day or two if he wanted now without climbing for like two years.

Nick Gibbs, Squamish powerhouse, and early developer. This guy was climbing harder than just about everyone is now. And he was doing it as the big fish with no one else to climb with. He up and quit. I hear legends about him doing one arm pull ups on crimps I can't even hold with two feet on.

I met a guy the other day, Mitch. He stopped climbing when he was climbing double digits regularly. I was like what the hell? I'd kill to climb hard.

Oh and it doesn't work drinking the blood of other strong climbers. It doesn't make you stronger. Sorry Vince. Lesson learned.

Stu Worrall, strong climber, major Squamish developer, has just cashed in his chips. Don't know who he is? Pick up your guide book look up the classics and you'll find his name.

So what makes some dudes quit?

Is there chance I can out wait everyone and be the best? I mean that's my only chance.

I'm competitive I'll admit it. I'm also not delusional to think that my pullups and crunches are going to make me the best. I mean I did do like ten this week... combined... with breaks... over a couple of days.

But I might be able to be the best in my catagory. 6'3, 200 pound guys from the Yukon, in Squamish. Maybe just maybe I won't have to quit climbing like those other guys. And I can hang on because I love this sport and not worry about what others are climbing.

Peace!