Climbing, Mountains, and Outdoorsy Thread

I have gone deep into both rock climbing and mountain climbing in the last few years, and they are both an incredible way to enjoy nature, get really fit, as well as spend all of your disposable income on gear, lol.

I didn't start climbing until I lived in Mexico City.  Turns out there is a ton of rock climbing and high altitude glaciated mountains within hours of the city, and there I caught the climbing bug big-time.  The mountian climbing started gradual, beginning with longer hikes and then working my way up to the larger mountains (as I got the requisite gear to do so).  Iztaccihuatl was a milestone for me and my climbing partner, being our first high altitude (5,230 m (17,160 ft) glaciated peak that introduced us to how intense and rewarding climbing can be.  You really do have to be able to deal with suffering, and take a methodical approach to these type of objectives.

To take our mountain skills to the next level, including the use of ropes, we then enrolled in a rock climbing class.  I do think its important to take a class or apprentice under a very well qualified friend, because you REALLY have to know what you're doing in any sort of vertical rope work.  But rock climbing has an interesting and varied culture, and is a great way to make friends.  Many people start with indoor gym climbing before climbing outdoors, I've only recently enrolled in a gym for the first time recently.  My skill level with outdoor climbing peaked around leading 5.9, and some 5.10a routes, so I'm hoping to use the gym to compliment and grow my skill level here.

I recently moved back the pacific northwest usa, and am astounded by the mountainous paradise that surrounds me now.  Looking forward to tons of mountaineering here, and trad and alpine climbing is a whole other discpline that I want to learn now.  I'll add some pics in the next post

Thanks, very inspiring. I wanna get into more outdoor stuffs as well since mostly I'm just indoor and doing small walks at most. Do you have any tipps on sleeping outside? It seems that a tarp shelter is the way to go because it's very light and much smaller than a tent and fits into a backpack nicely but setting one up seems not to be as trivial as it may appear, lol, it's a science in and of itself (I have a small booklet that explains all the knots etc. but maybe it's best to just try it out without instructions, maybe tonight in the nearby forest) ... so, how do you sleep / take shelter when you have to? like you don't wanna get rained on while laying around there sleeping

  Quote

"Whoever can lucidly read the mountains shall know the future".

Also, do you collect psychedelic mushrooms and/or peyote in the Mexican mountains? 

  On 6/7/2021 at 6:23 PM, markedone said:

I didn't start climbing until I lived in Mexico City.  Turns out there is a ton of rock climbing and high altitude glaciated mountains within hours of the city, and there I caught the climbing bug big-time. 

Did you ever run into any narco-related activities (bodies or hideouts)?

My proudest climbing accomplishments thus far:
-Climbing Mt Rainier last summer, via the standard (DC Route).  We had perfect weather which makes a huge difference on big gnarly peaks like Rainier.  Amazing to summit the mountain I grew up seeing in my backyard.  Want to try other routes this season

-Climbing and then circumnavigating the crater rim of Pico de Orizaba (Citlaltépetl) (5,636 m (18,491 ft).  This is the most difficult climb we've done, combining a bit of rope skills (a 20m rappel off the crux of the crater circumnavigation) and of course very high elevation.  We had to try multiple times to get the right snow conditions (snow was low and there was a lot of rockfall danger on our first attempt)

Upcoming objectives:

-Have an expedition to Bolivia Cordillera Real planned for next year.  Will be first 6000m peaks.  In the meantime climbing as much as possible in the pnw this summer.

Some photos:

Descending the Glacier Jamapa on Pico de Orizaba December 2020:

Crater Rim Circumnavigation Citlaltepetl January 2021:

Alpine start on Citlaltepetl:

Socked-in weather on Mt Hood May 2021:

Rock climbing at Las Manzanas, Mexico 2020:

More at my ig here if ya care:

https://www.instagram.com/mitchlorberau/

  On 6/7/2021 at 6:40 PM, Joyrex said:

Did you ever run into any narco-related activities (bodies or hideouts)?

No joy.. hahah. I'll admit mexico doesnt have all it's shit together, but the areas around Mexico City are quite safe.  The remote areas in the north of the country are known to have less state control.  Gotta do your research, but we even backpacked through a less-safe state (Michoacan) and were fine and had a great time.

  On 6/7/2021 at 6:34 PM, dingformung said:

Also, do you collect psychedelic mushrooms and/or peyote in the Mexican mountains? 

never did partake, but interested someday.  The state Oaxaca has some culture around this and I've heard good things about it (not sketchy or anything). Unrelated, but I spend 4 years living in mexico and literally never made it to the beach either, because I became obsessed with it's mountains haha.

  On 6/7/2021 at 6:33 PM, dingformung said:

Thanks, very inspiring. I wanna get into more outdoor stuffs as well since mostly I'm just indoor and doing small walks at most. Do you have any tipps on sleeping outside? It seems that a tarp shelter is the way to go because it's very light and much smaller than a tent and fits into a backpack nicely but setting one up seems not to be as trivial as it may appear, lol, it's a science in and of itself (I have a small booklet that explains all the knots etc. but maybe it's best to just try it out without instructions, maybe tonight in the nearby forest) ... so, how do you sleep / take shelter when you have to? like you don't wanna get rained on while laying around there sleeping

There are some interesting tents that utilize your trekking poles as the structure to minimize weight while backpacking.  But the main thing is knowing your objective and any potential hazards; for anything high altitude or alpine, the wind can get very intense so I would never take a tarp or ultralight tent into the high alpine.  Anchoring the tent using rocks or a dug-out snow platform in high wind alpine scenarios is a whole ordeal.  We have a generic Coleman tent someone gave us that we use for low elevation, but invested in a fancy black diamond 4-season tent (Hilight 3 person) for mountain use.
And for the sleep setup, know the night temps but also how your body sleeps through experience.  Down sleeping bags are expensive but worth it for the compressibility.. I had a synthetic-fill bag that took up half my pack so happily upgraded to down once I could afford it.
In terms of taking shelter, a hardshell jacket, rain pants, and waterproof boots will allow you to keep hiking through inclement weather until you get to your camp.  Or can just take shelter under trees or rock overhangs.
 

  On 6/7/2021 at 12:27 PM, o00o said:

I own the la sportiva nepal as well - best mountain boots I have ever owned - care to elaborate on the rest of your equipment? Looks like you have a decent skill level in that area 

Mountaineering boots are the most expensive shit ever but the one that you will come to love..  All of sportiva's mountaineering offerings are super high quality. I lucked out and scored a second hand pair of Scarpa double boots, for pretty cheap.  Heres the main kit for big mountain stuff (weather depenedant)

boots: Scarpa Phantom 6000 double boot which was great on 5000+M mexico volcanoes, still looking for a lighter boot that is more suited to the cascades
crampons: Singing Rock Fakir 12 point strap on
ice axe: Petzl glacier for walk-ups, and a pair of Singing Rock Edge hybrid tools, most recently used on some easy alpine ice on Mt Hood
tent: BD Hilight 3p
pack: a pretty old Gregory Serrac 45L
ropes: rock or lead climbing, a Petzl 9.4mm dry 70m.  glacier walk-ups, a Simond 7.8mm half rated dry 40m
shell jacket: norrona faltekind
parka: just got a Rab Positron Pro down jacket in anticipation for the Bolivia trip.  a bit overkill for the cascades..
rock shoes: some basic shoes from a Mexican brand, Poglo

Mountains are awesome.

Unfortunately I live here:

Those pics are so cool. I have a friend who got into mountaineering in a big way (he's done Everest, tried K2 - he was in Siren of the Himalayas), and his pics were always amazing as well. Love seeing those shots - really shows the awe of the world.

I get cranky walking uphill on a beautiful day. Mountain climbing is not appealing to me in the slightest. I know I would get blisters and twist my ankle immediately and complain about it until someone pushed me off a ledge or something.
I do like movies about mountain climbing tho. That documentary Free Solo makes me think anyone who wants to climb a mountain must have a few screws missing. 

  On 6/7/2021 at 8:13 PM, J3FF3R00 said:

I get cranky walking uphill on a beautiful day. Mountain climbing is not appealing to me in the slightest. I know I would get blisters and twist my ankle immediately and complain about it until someone pushed me off a ledge or something.
I do like movies about mountain climbing tho. That documentary Free Solo makes me think anyone who wants to climb a mountain must have a few screws missing. 

Alex Honnold surely has a few loose bolts, but channeled in such a way that gives him superpowers..

For contemporary climbing films, the Dawn Wall is probably the best made of the bunch.  Meru is amazing for experiencing the true suffer-fest that is alpine climbing.

This full length and free to watch film is full of vintage Choinard goodness (including epic psych rock soundtrack)

And I just watched Dirtbag: The Legend of Fred Beckey, which is more niche but incredible documentary about the guy who literally wrote the guidebooks for cascades mountain climbing.  People refer to the 'Becky Guides' like the bible, and the dude can claim the first ascent of more peaks than just about anybody.

Sent me down a brief rabbit hole of youtube climbing - this one had my palms sweaty as fuck:

used to travel from Portland to Bend quite often and we often stopped at Smith rock to watch climbers, or just hike around a bit.  Another favorite spot was Paulina's peak.  Must be such a beautiful feeling to climb to a goal and then take in the view and feel at peace.  Here's to reaching many more goals/peaks climbing markedone, and make sure to keep updating with more awesome pics.

Chris Bonnington did a talk at our school once. He told stories using an OHP about respecting mountains and the feats of Reinhold Messner. As a kid, you don’t really take it all in.

The Fan-Dance is the local workout bar none if you start from the valley floor, nowhere near as high as elsewhere, but it took out 3 SAS trainees on a summer day. Which leads to the flip side of mountain exploring (grim reads warning), their inherent dangers:

https://mpora.com/mountaineering-expeditions/the-gruesome-truth-about-the-climbers-who-die-on-mount-everest/

https://www.gq.com/story/mount-everest-chaos-at-the-top-of-the-world

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Boots

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannelore_Schmatz

  On 6/8/2021 at 3:37 PM, cwmbrancity said:

OHP

Lol I wonder how many one here will understand that acronym. Us ancients will, but surely to fuck they're not still using these in classrooms.

Roger Penrose pimps his.

Rhos Dirion & Twmpa are among the main peaks of the Black Mountains, the eastern escarpment of the Brecon Beacons Nat Park. A network of rivers line the valley floors & hardly anyone goes there. A few farms, collies running down lanes. Bliss & only 45mins from Bristol, 90mins if you take the Wye/Tintern Abbey route:

  On 6/7/2021 at 7:35 PM, rhmilo said:

Mountains are awesome.

Unfortunately I live here:

 

 

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Looks like where I live, only that here there are many hills and it's kind of tiresome to go up a hill with a bike when you are one of those people (like me) who doesn't do much sports. I much prefer the Netherlands for riding bikes, it's A+

Proper mountains are cool, though. Last time I climbed a proper mountain with a heavy backpack I almost died from exhaustion, but I will never forget the view at the top!

I love my bike, but here the roads are too crowded and it's too hot in summer (except when there is one of these blissful mild summer rains).

I bought a bike because I thought it would be really good exercise for this area, but I never really used it for that. I just use it to get faster from point A to point B, or to escape my house quicker and escape people I see on the streets or in the park more swiftly. Human race... despicable

I just don't have time to ride it around for fun or exercise or getting some fresh air, so I don't do that anymore. If I had time, I'd use it.

I just don't have time.

I don't know if I should be happy or sad about that, but it is what it is.

Oh wait, I have plenty time. I will go ride my bike.

Sorry, off-topic.

  On 6/7/2021 at 9:18 PM, chenGOD said:

this one had my palms sweaty as fuck

                                                              use some chalk?

  On 6/8/2021 at 3:37 PM, cwmbrancity said:

Chris Bonnington did a talk at our school once. He told stories using an OHP about respecting mountains and the feats of Reinhold Messner. As a kid, you don’t really take it all in.

dude is a legend.  i just read his book about Annapurna South Face last year and would recommend it.  He is super meticulous recounting the logistical aspects of the expedition, you can tell he is super expereienced to internalize all of those details 

  On 6/9/2021 at 5:08 PM, cwmbrancity said:

Rhos Dirion & Twmpa are among the main peaks of the Black Mountains, the eastern escarpment of the Brecon Beacons Nat Park.

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epic landscape, i love those sculpted formations. would love to visit and do a backpacking trip along that ridgeline, though by the looks it would get pretty windy and cold up there..

  On 6/7/2021 at 9:20 PM, cloud capture said:

used to travel from Portland to Bend quite often and we often stopped at Smith rock to watch climbers, or just hike around a bit.  Another favorite spot was Paulina's peak.  Must be such a beautiful feeling to climb to a goal and then take in the view and feel at peace.  Here's to reaching many more goals/peaks climbing markedone, and make sure to keep updating with more awesome pics.

Smith rock is a SUPER popular climbing destination, it has hundreds of routes on really high quality rock.  I've also only hiked around it, because I didnt climb last time I was there.  But I just bought the guidebook, since I have family down in Bend, and am itching to go climb there.  Did you see the monkey face spire? People climb up it and into the 'mouth' and on top of its head 

  On 6/9/2021 at 5:42 PM, dingformung said:

I will go ride my bike.

Sorry, off-topic.

Theres not much focus to the topic. It would be cool if people share pics of their hiking/biking/running trails as well!
 

And climbing gyms!  Given the popularity of climbing gyms these days, im sure some people can show off their local indoor spot.

Edit: I added Outdoorsy to the thread title to make it more open ended

I've been doing some hiking again now that I've been mostly stuck in Finland. Last year 60km in eastern Finland, then 90km in Lapland. This year 60km in central Finland so far. Sleeping in a tent and cooking mostly with a gas cooker that I updated this year to Jetboil Flash 2.0 from the old Primus cooker. Occasionally cooking with open fire.

Some photos from the Lapland hike last year.

Some cool photos and stories in this thread, great work watmm.

I recently moved to Devon and I can see Dartmoor from my bedroom window.  In the stock photo below, I live in the town just below the sun and I can see Haytor from here.  It's gloomy / drizzly and grey AF now though and it's barely visible.  Awesome place to explore, OVER 360 square miles of wilderness.  So excited to have wild camping trips in the dark sky there soon.

I love Hiking, luckily I live in a beautiful place (out in the country)

I am *so* jealous of all of you right now 

  On 6/9/2021 at 7:35 PM, markedone said:

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looks like an ape in profile

  On 6/9/2021 at 10:46 PM, dingformung said:

looks like an ape in profile

i did say it was called monkey face...  the mouth is overhanging so people rig a rope to it for a big 'ol swing. note i haven't done this nor am i particularly interested.. although I probably wouldn't pass it up if friends wanted to.

I'm would not consider myself an adrenaline junkie, I prefer the methodical and technical aspects of climbing and rope systems.

@zkomamazing landscapes.  did you get to stay in that earthen hut? or is it owned by someone?

@Soloman Tumpawesome to have that nature close to a city.  I love the idea of doing only-human-powered trips, like biking from your doorstep into nature to go for a hike.  Unfortunately everything in the US is for the most part very spread out and sprawling.  I found it easier to do bike to trail hikes in Mexico..

@d-a-m-oi missed a naming opportunity for the thread.. those hills are sweet