Hiking and Climbing

[samurai_sarah]

Any hikers here? Climbers? Tell us about your adventures!!!

 

Mine, for the day, isn't very exciting. I'm trying to get into shape for a long-distance hike, and today was Day 1. So, I hiked up a minor hill. Since I'm mortally afraid of heights, I thought I'd take the path that looked like a nice, steady slope. Little did I know that the bit I couldn't see, required me to climb up a rocky surface. Bizarrely, I love climbing, but there was the heart-stopping moment, when what looked like rock turned out to be a stone that came loose. *deep breaths* I made it up in the time-window I'd given myself, and was feeling a bit chuffed, celebrating with some chocolate. Then I saw two guys running up the same minor mountain. There went my pride. Yeah, so I'm rubbish at this and hillwalking is probably a bad hobby for someone with a serious case of vertigo, but hey, it's fun!

 

So, what are your stories?

[crazyforkate]

More of a casual hiker than anything - BC and the Western US offer ample opportunity for such - but it's a pretty common thing to do here. When my bosses want to do bonding exercises/kill us all, you can bet we're headed off to some godforsaken rock in the woods. Last time we went to Deep Cove (North Vancouver) and nearly lost the Photoshop guy when he slipped near a cliff. Can't live without the Photoshop guy.

[Aurora rising]

I´m from South Germany and it´s pretty hilly here (1000 - 2000 m). When the weather is nice, my husband and I love to hike and usually we are gone for the whole day (6-8 hours, 1200 - 1900 m) and both enjoy it.

We even hike in our vacations, so far we hiked in Austria, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Italy. We got lost a few times, even went through a snowfield (Canada), had lots of fog (just for 15 min - Canada as well) and saw some bears much too close (yep, Canada as well). A few snakes and spiders in Australie was no trouble after this... :dance:

I love the feeling to be on top of the mountain. And yeah, we are both slow but who cares? We enjoy it.

[lawlifelgbt]

I know this thread is really old, but does FJ have any indoor climbers? I love it! I'm only at a 5.7 difficulty rating, but I'm improving really fast. The problem is that I'm so short, so it's harder to reach the holds in the wall. Also, my hands aren't yet used to this sport, so I get really painful calluses and torn skin in the area between my palms and fingers (currently typing this with T-rex hands since I taped gauze strips over the calluses). Besides gloves, any ideas? I don't climb with gear except shoes and harness, since anything else might hurt my grip or be extra weight.

[Aerial312]

I know this thread is really old, but does FJ have any indoor climbers? I love it! I'm only at a 5.7 difficulty rating, but I'm improving really fast. The problem is that I'm so short, so it's harder to reach the holds in the wall. Also, my hands aren't yet used to this sport, so I get really painful calluses and torn skin in the area between my palms and fingers (currently typing this with T-rex hands since I taped gauze strips over the calluses). Besides gloves, any ideas? I don't climb with gear except shoes and harness, since anything else might hurt my grip or be extra weight.

I've been climbing inside for about a year now (5.8/5.9, V1/V2). For hands, I recommend Badger Balm. It comes in a little tin (my rock gym sells it at the register, but drug stores and Whole Foods have it too). It keeps them moisturized so that they heal faster. I have the kind with arnica, to help with the sore hands after wards. I keep it in the car and put it on right after I'm done at the gym (don't do it beforehand because your hands will be too slippery).

I've used cloth tape on my hands in the middle of a climbing session when I've ripped, but I don't really like the feel of it on my hands on the holds. I do wear half finger gloves to belay, but not to climb. Do you use chalk? Chalk helps with your grip.

Overall, it gets better as you climb more. You hands just have to develop those callouses. I am also short, but I'm flexible, so that helps me out a lot where my height fails me (and sometimes you just have to press your shoe to the wall and make your own "foothold").

[Maggie Mae]

I know this thread is really old, but does FJ have any indoor climbers? I love it! I'm only at a 5.7 difficulty rating, but I'm improving really fast. The problem is that I'm so short, so it's harder to reach the holds in the wall. Also, my hands aren't yet used to this sport, so I get really painful calluses and torn skin in the area between my palms 1-V2and fingers (currently typing this with T-rex hands since I taped gauze strips over the calluses). Besides gloves, any ideas? I don't climb with gear except shoes and harness, since anything else might hurt my grip or be extra weight.

I'm mostly 5.8/5.9 or V1-V3. Being short isn't much of an issue for me, in climbing it doesn't matter. I mean, sure some guys can just muscle themselfs up because they are taller; but we can climb gracefully. If there isn't a place go, we figure it out. It might be more of a challenge, but we are totally more badass when we climb.

I don't climb with anything besides a harness and shoes (and clothes, of course). I keep chalk with me. You really just have to muscle through the calluses. Call yourself a honey badger if you have to.

[lawlifelgbt]

I topped out on a 5.8 for the first time last week!

[Maggie Mae]

I topped out on a 5.8 for the first time last week!

Good work! Soon you'll be working for your lead card and scaling those 5.12s like no one's business!

I need to get back into it. There is not enough time to do everything I want to do, and have a job. If only the least fun activity on my list was optional.

[Alachantal]

More of a casual hiker than anything - BC and the Western US offer ample opportunity for such - but it's a pretty common thing to do here. When my bosses want to do bonding exercises/kill us all, you can bet we're headed off to some godforsaken rock in the woods. Last time we went to Deep Cove (North Vancouver) and nearly lost the Photoshop guy when he slipped near a cliff. Can't live without the Photoshop guy.

Did you guys go up to Quarry Rock?

[Alachantal]

I live in BC & we go hiking every weekend here. Love doing The Chief, usually do it once or twice per year. We were recently out east hiking Anarchist Mountain. Saw a rattle snake, which was a hell of a lot more frightening than any bear would be considering we see bears all the time here.