It was a hot summer day in Ten Sleep, perfect condies to send the hardest thing you’ve ever done, as many new-ish climbers who like soft grades and mind-numbingly straightforward beta have discovered over the years. We were a group of tired parents and young children just desperately trying to do a couple pitches.
We arrived at our crag, which had only a handful of routes, each of them high quality. There were about five other climbers there that afternoon, and they were already working on the two best and hardest routes at the cliff, a 5.13a and a 5.13b. They seemed young, carefree, living their best lives on an endless-summer road trip. They also seemed a little snooty and miffed about the arrival of our shit-show, albeit a well-behaved shit-show.
There are many things that people without kids of their own don’t “get.” Without progeny of your own, you will almost certainly lack any comprehension of what kind of Herculean effort is required to move a litter of kids from point A to point B. It’s literally easier to onsight 5.12c …
Not that I climb anymore with two toddlers, when I did and encountered Superlooping I simply put down my rope, tied in and climbed when it was clearly my turn. We aren’t children, so playground rules don’t apply, and adults share and cooperate respectfully. Likely wouldn’t work for every scenario but when I was getting after it that was one approach that appeared to work a few time though I could see where eventually there may have been conflict.
I applaud your heroic send on getting kiddos up the approach to the crag and keeping your cool while those girls displayed ridiculously rude behavior. Regardless of age and parental status, it’s always the right and correct thing to offer /permit people to join in if you’ve put a rope up for a super loop. Again, bravo dad!
Ha1 I’ll bet that was Grasshopper Wall. the same obnoxious individuals were flailing on those routes all summer. My understated and gracious friend actually put the draws in the 13b one morning and then couldn’t get back on it for more than 5 hours.
After they left, he sent second go.