Rock Climbing / Bouldering

bdams19 · Post by **bdams19** » 02 Apr 2008 23:06

Anyone do this? I started indoor climbing and it is a ton of fun and very physically and mentally challenging. I think it also serves as a great way to keep in shape aside from footbag. Bouldering is similar to rock climbing except you dont wear a harness and it is intended for challenging walls of about 15 feet at max.

Here's a vid of Dan Osman (RIP). He was the definition of fearless, the guy was absolutely nuts. He often free climbed solo, without harnesses or ropes. He died 10 years ago doing a controlled rope jump (as seen in the video) and one of the ropes broke.

[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=4_wbNfre8AM[/youtube]

pips · Post by **pips** » 03 Apr 2008 03:17

I've been bouldering a few times, except I attempted a higher wall than I thought. Could have hurt/ killed myself, but I made it up eventually. I can't wait to visit my sister in Colorado and hopefully climb something with equipment.

C-Fan · Post by **C-Fan** » 03 Apr 2008 05:48

I remember thinking the videos of Chris Sharma were sick back in the day.
I also thought dynoing was really cool.

ted · Post by **ted** » 03 Apr 2008 06:05

I climb three times a week (when my finger tips are intact), mostly boulder, some sport. Climbing is the only recreation that has rivaled footbag in rewards for me.

Edit: I read that Dan Osmand died not because of a simple rope failure, like you might expect, but when jumping in Yosemite and he had to actually carry the slack with him off the cliff and toss it as he fell and some coils fell on the opposite side of the anchor. As he descended and pulled the slack back across the anchor to his side, it created a tremendous amount of rope-on-rope friction and sawed through his line. Anyways, crazy, check out his speed record free solo on the bear's reach, especially the all-points off dyno at like 400 feet up:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fpm0m6bV ... re=related[/youtube]

Interestingly, another famous free soloer, Michael Reardon, died this year, not from falling but being swept off the ledge at the base of a sea cliff he was going to free solo.

Dat · Post by **Dat** » 03 Apr 2008 20:56

Damn, I can't believe he did those 2 dynos.

I used to climb a lot, bouldering and plain top rope. It's a good challenge of discipline, while having a much nicer learning curve than footbag. Much easier to find climbing partners than footbag partners too.

BainbridgeShred · Post by **BainbridgeShred** » 03 Apr 2008 21:37

I've repelled once and I nearly shat my pants. I'm really bad with heights, but I shine in small, tight spots. For instance, in New Hampshire there were these catacombs we were going through and we got to this one and everyone was scared they'd get stuck but I'm nimble and wily and was in and out of that hole like womens swim wear.

I can also get out of straight jackets with the simplest of ease, because I've dislocated my shoulders so many times that if I reach across my back to my opposite shoulder it pops out. My friends use to pack me into duffel bag/suitcase kinda things (Pretty damn small) and bring me into someones house and then I'd pop out. Lol sorry. If I post a straightjacket escape video will it make things better?

Muffinman · Post by **Muffinman** » 03 Apr 2008 22:01

When I saw this topic, I instantly thought of you Ted.
Your... repelling(?) pictures from Arizona(?) are some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen in my life.

ted · Post by **ted** » 06 Apr 2008 10:00

Wow, thanks Erik. I'll put up some more in my blog soon, plus it's almost canyoneering season again!!!