"What to make of it" Rant

[MCpl]

So I was going to bring a buddy (decent sport climber and boulderer) of mine up Diedra on Sunday. He had never done multi-pitch and wanted to get up aways. We got to the base around 9:30am only to find a party of 4 on the first pitch and and 2 other parties waiting in line. The party on-deck was a threesome and only one (the leader) looked like he had climbed before. In fact, he was teaching the other two proper rope management on a hanging belay while on the route, whiched caused the following leader to have to wait just below the station while the instruction went on. But worst yet, the third memeber of the trio looked totally inexprienced and unprepared. She had this mesh bag (the kind you get when you buy a harness), full of crap (ie. lotion, towel, etc), clipped to her harness and it was dragging by her ankles while she was climbing. All the while, the leader was bringing them up on one rope as they simul-ed 2nd-ed. Which, in my opinion, would just casue tons of trouble when the climbing gets harder on the route.

My rant is: why does someone bring inexprienced people to do a very popular route on a weekend and obviously not sort their kit out so that its at least condusive for efficient climbing?!!! 2 things, I think, that should have been reconsidered.

Now, I know to expect lots of parties on the route on the weekend, and people have the right to go at their own pace which they feel comfortable with. But teaching totally inexprienced people while on the climb and not seeing to all aspects of them (ie. mesh bag of lotion), is a lack of forward thinking.

What do you think?

[WhiskeyKid]

I agree, fully. I've experienced this many times in several different locations. I do think though, that you're probably preaching to the converted, and that maybe your rant would have been more effective if you brought your concerns up to the party themselves. I know that that's hard to do sometimes though, to voice your concerns without sounding confrontational.

[Cloudraker]

Reminds me of the time I saw a party on Exasperator learning to aid climb....in the middle of summer.....on a weekend!!!! A 3 hour C1 pitch for the leader and then another hour to clean. Dumbasses....

[EnigmaM]

the way you should think about this: diedre is the first tick for many parties hoping to do multi pitch. Why not just get an earlier start so you don't have to deal with the newbs?

[J Mace]

He had never done multi-pitch and wanted to get up aways.

its a beginner route meant for beginners...plenty of people just figuring out.

[MCpl]

What beginner?! These weren't beginners in the most generous sense. The didn't have a clue. They were learning on the route.

I have no problem if someone is less exprienced and is taking their time becuase they are not proficient with stuff and they're working their way through stuff (ie. the climbing or building stations). But learning on Deidra on a weekend?! Come on.

[jefffski]

ahh those beginners. on saturday a friend and i raced up snake, passing one party, flew up desert dyke and memorial crack, ran through the bush to the base of the squamish buttress, pitched the first 5.7, soloed the next three, pitched the last and found--to our chagrin--7 people at the base of the 10c.

any guesses as to how long we waited while they hung and clawed, and hung and scrapped and hung and dithered their way up?

1 hour? nope
2 hours? nope
three ferkucked hours!

jeesh.

note to self--and others--don't bring your newbie friends up to climb 10c routes.

[Jason]

Just be personable. And fast.

From my experience, if you are prodigious at these two skills you will never have to wait on Diedre - you can pass every party.

[Brendan]

Just be personable. And fast.

From my experience, if you are prodigious at these two skills you will never have to wait on Diedre - you can pass every party.

that's exactly the Right attitude, and the way people should act... only it's hard to have self control when dealing w/ buffoons.

[sportysuz]

No excuse beginner or not; as beginners did we all climb like that and carry unnecessary junk with us when we went climbing? I think not. Also as a beginner I wouldn't have opted to do a multpitch up the chief for a first climb, maybe for a 5th climb but not for the very first climb no.

[sportysuz]

Jeffski waited 3 hrs to get up a 10c climb due to others??: a good pointer to others who cause delay to others is 'try climbing and sticking to and knowing your limitations especially on the Chief'.

[EnigmaM]

a good pointer to Sportsuz and others:

don't comment on the situation unless you are there. "Comment deleted by Moderator, unnecessary childish comments will not be allowed"

Now,
I was there and was AHEAD of Jeff on that traffic jam on the Buttress. there were 5 groups in total ahead of Jeff including myself... That's the reason for the wait, not because of "newbie parties". Get an earlier start next time and maybe you won't have to wait.

[sportysuz]

"Again, Comment deleted by Moderator, unnecessary childish comments will not be allowed"

I feel all their responses were quite valid, contrary to what you want to think or believe. And since there is more on here that feel that way, there's would seem more valid than your little disagreement.

Know your limitations I say, and stick to them rather than ruin it for everyone else.

[jefffski]

a good pointer to Sportsuz and others:

don't comment on the situation unless you are there.


Now,
I was there and was AHEAD of Jeff on that traffic jam on the Buttress. there were 5 groups in total ahead of Jeff including myself... That's the reason for the wait, not because of "newbie parties". Get an earlier start next time and maybe you won't have to wait.

not sure which party you were with but in general, hauling packs, hanging lots and being disorganized suggests beginner status to me.

i figure 15 minutes per person which is 15*7=1hr 45 min.
3 hours gives 25 minutes each. that's a lot!

[dirty]

Man, y'all sound like you are, or should be GOLFING!!
In MY opinion, climbing is all about doing just whatever you want, and in anything, not endangering anyone else by your actions (or non/actions).
Do what you want to do, however you want to do it, and if someone doesn't approve of your style, they can go somewhere else...f-em!!
This is Not the golf course! Or the highway!!
Get over yourselves and find some other pass time while you are not climbing, other than b%$ch at other people's style!