Formative influences with hiking, camping, and the outdoors from my dad and grandfather as a youngster. When I made it to college I fell in with the right crowd that turned me on to some rock climbing and mountaineering. We also did some spelunking but that did not stick with me...more interested in the light of day.

Interestingly my early experience with scouting was a disaster as well. I was in a cub scout troop (during the 1960's Vietnam error (pun intended)) that was all about visiting police academies and military bases and turning us into good little soldiers rather than exploring the outdoors. Even as a grade schooler I only lasted a few years with that stuff before I said "enough". My dad had been highly involved with scouts in his youth but I think he understood.

why do i have to have a stupid office job for a stupid big shot investment firm...

i want to work outdoors!!!

trip to Yosemite at age 4.....

Going to a high school with a mountaineering program (yes, seriously!) Twenty minutes south of San Francisco. There was a track field coach who also ran a climbing class as part of the regular curriculum. This was a regular public high school and one awesome teacher. Ron Kauk is a product of the school as well as Scott Cosgrove. We had a climbing and aid wall in the gym that ran to the ceiling, aid routes in the rafters, and rocks glued to the outside wall with lie back problems in the corners etc,etc,etc. My Brother did the class a year behind Ron and I was one year behind Scott. Sadly when I was eligible to take the class it was axed due to insurance costs (loud guttural scream echos through the land). Tracked down a grad of the class and let him teach me everything he knew. Best part, first climbing trip was just a rope, hip belay, dulfersitz etc. Second trip he brought a few carabiners and slowly taught me every climbing skill as it was developed over time just as the teacher had taught him. History, skill, and an awesome quiver of tricks to fall back on for when you drop something.

emmieuk wrote:why do i have to have a stupid office job for a stupid big shot investment firm...

i want to work outdoors!!!

Go work outdoors.

sjarelkwint wrote:

rpc wrote:

emmieuk wrote:where lol?? not in the UK i know

photo hpyerlinked from Nanuls' gallery (http://www.summitpost.org/user_page.php?user_id=36805). you should check out his pages for more.

Or near Marseille in France (Calanque)



Looks like a more gentle sea

it's interesting that I can think of seaside rock climbing venues on most continents (Europe, Asia, Australia, S. America) but not N. America...except perhaps Acadia National Park (never been)...wondering if I'm wrong about this??

rpc wrote:it's interesting that I can think of seaside rock climbing venues on most continents (Europe, Asia, Australia, S. America) but not N. America...except perhaps Acadia National Park (never been)...wondering if I'm wrong about this??

Never done it, but this comes to mind -

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/California- ... 0502n.html



There is also seaside bouldering north of SF .. "Mickey's Beach" I think it's called, never been. I'm pretty sure there is some other stuff in Tom Slater's "California Road Trip" book, but don't have it handy ..

I would say my Father and Grand Father. They had me hiking since I was old enough to walk. our family vacations were always focused on hiking classic areas in the U.S. and also peaks.
So I guess you could say I was brain washed as a kid....

Probably how most people start Always enjoyed long walks so hill walking was a natural progression. That soon became scrambling. Before long I was visiting climbing walls and that soon became climbing outside. Not long after I was snow and ice climbing. Before too long it all merged together into mountaineering!

Started in North Wales, and it's taken me to the Peak District, Lake District, Scotland and The Alps. I'm sure it will take me further!

emmieuk wrote:why do i have to have a stupid office job for a stupid big shot investment firm...

i want to work outdoors!!!

no, you don't.

gbeane wrote:

rpc wrote:it's interesting that I can think of seaside rock climbing venues on most continents (Europe, Asia, Australia, S. America) but not N. America...except perhaps Acadia National Park (never been)...wondering if I'm wrong about this??

I just got back to my office after climbing at Otter Cliffs in Acadia National Park. It is great listening to the waves crash, the bell on the buoys ring, and the lobster boats hauling traps as you climb.

sounds like fun. nice photo too.

emmieuk wrote:What were your first climbs?

Up the tree in my front yard when I was 4 years old. I went so far up my Dad had to call the fire department to get me down. These days I can get myself down

rhyang wrote:There is also seaside bouldering north of SF .. "Mickey's Beach" I think it's called, never been. I'm pretty sure there is some other stuff in Tom Slater's "California Road Trip" book, but don't have it handy ..

In addition to Mickey's Beach there's some decent seaside bouldering at the south end of Stinson Beach - and you can get a good burger afterwards at the Parkside.

A friend has climbed in Big Sur and apparently there are some seaside granite routes there. It's supposedly coarse grained and a bit crumbly but granite nonetheless. I'll see if I can get the beta...

rhyang wrote:

rpc wrote:it's interesting that I can think of seaside rock climbing venues on most continents (Europe, Asia, Australia, S. America) but not N. America...except perhaps Acadia National Park (never been)...wondering if I'm wrong about this??

Never done it, but this comes to mind -

http://www.supertopo.com/tr/California- ... 0502n.html



There is also seaside bouldering north of SF .. "Mickey's Beach" I think it's called, never been. I'm pretty sure there is some other stuff in Tom Slater's "California Road Trip" book, but don't have it handy ..

"Mickey's Beach" is somewhere on the Marin County coast north of the Golden Gate. I could not find it on USGS 7.5 map.