The Chief wrote:

Well, that clears it up. So the first "gym" was the 'Gunks.

Don't think so.... Dresden is more along the lines as the "first gym" then the Verdon then the "Gunks".

No auto belays at either of them "real" gyms.

Dresden? No kidding? Isn't there some big,famous rock climbing area(limestone crags?) in former East Germany?

The Chief wrote:
Don't think so.... Dresden is more along the lines as the "first gym" then the Verdon then the "Gunks".

No auto belays at either of them "real" gyms.

No belay devices period... I was taught to do a body belay (another good reason not to climb naked).

Bob Sihler wrote:

cyborg wrote:

The Chief wrote:What is a gym?

Go back to guiding the Whitney trail granddad.

How's the NZ summer shaping up?

Not to bad, still lots of snow in the low country, the crevasses are starting to open up a bit higher up though, so I hear, will find out next week, they are just getting hit with a heap shitty snow seasons up on the main glaciers, it makes access a bitch. Tones of hard blue ice around, cant even get crampons in it.

The Chief wrote:

No belay devices period... I was taught to do a body belay (another good reason not to climb naked

What did you use for a harness?

The very first "harness" I used was tied myself from 1" webbing - had a couple loops for my legs and wrapped around my waist. That was on a Colorado Outward Bound course in '77, (OB was Old Skool even then - still used gold line, for example). When I went to college a year later I bought a Whillans Sit Harness and a pair of EBs - cutting edge gear at the time. I don't think I got a rappel/belay device (figure eight) until sometime in the mid 80s.

1" webbing comes from 35 year old memory - might have been 2" but I was 17 and it was my first time on the rock. I was also climbing in Fabiano boots so the Whillans and EBs I got later seemed very high tech.

I think the Northeast, where I went to school, was a few years behind the west coast. E.g., the first time I saw a Friend was in '83.

I still have my first alpenstock. The shaft is made from American chestnut, a tree that is now extinct.

15mm webbing is enough.

JHH60 wrote:My extended family lives near a gym in Northern VA that has several of these installed. I like them since if I go there for Christmas (as I will be doing in a few weeks) I can take family members who aren't old or experienced enough to belay me to the gym and belay them myself, but can then tie into an autobelay rope and do some laps.

We don't have them in the local gyms in the SF Bay area but my climbing buddies and I mostly lead climb there, and autobelay devices don't support that (yet).

When you're out here, shoot me a PM if the temps are mid-40's or higher. We can go climbing at Great Falls (warning-- toproping), which will beat the hell out of the gym. I have all the TR gear already, so don't worry about anything but your shoes and a helmet. If you want to bring your family members, we pick some easy routes and introduce them to outdoor climbing.

But if the temps are under 40, the numb fingers, the really smooth rock, and the rushing river below will be sufficient incentive to stick with the gym.

Thanks Bob, if the weather's looking good I'd be delighted to take you up on your offer.

MoapaPk wrote:I still have my first alpenstock. The shaft is made from American chestnut, a tree that is now extinct.

The American Chestnut is devastated by the blight, especially the larger and older trees, but it is not extinct. Some large trees can actually be found in the western US, where there isn't as much blight! It's unlikely the species will ever become extinct but it might be that the number of trees that could produce an alpenstock shaft will remain less than a couple hundred.

Gafoto wrote:

MoapaPk wrote:I still have my first alpenstock. The shaft is made from American chestnut, a tree that is now extinct.

The American Chestnut is devastated by the blight, especially the larger and older trees, but it is not extinct. Some large trees can actually be found in the western US, where there isn't as much blight! It's unlikely the species will ever become extinct but it might be that the number of trees that could produce an alpenstock shaft will remain less than a couple hundred.

My 2nd alpenstock had a handle made from unicorn ivory.

What did your 3rd have?

cudos wrote:What did your 3rd have?

It was made from the shinbone of the New Zealand Troll, an exceedingly rare but very curious breed, highly uncontrollable but always predictable. Word is that Peter Jackson hired them for cheap when shooting The Hobbit.