SummitPost.org

"The Tower."

Devil's Tower?

I love Devil's Tower, but the interactions with "normal" people there can be odd. I recall once being told there by someone with a straight face that for me climbing was not an age appropriate behavior.

Personally I think the prarie dogs are smarter and funnier that the average touron there.

ksolem wrote:Personally I think the prarie dogs are smarter and funnier that the average touron there.

Cuter, too.

Regarding the diagnosis...

I have encountered the same stuff at various climbing places, especially the "narcissistic prick" business. Mostly this comes from people who are excessively attached to their own mortal existence.

Either that or I am a narcissistic prick.

I've been called crazy for walking a 15 foot wide flat trail in Tevas.

It really lies more with them. Trust me.

I then showed those ladies where I was actually headed, and then I'm sure they thought I was just totally batshit insane.

a year or two ago we were in moab walking the town looking for food & beer after having fixed ropes 1/2 way up a tower. A random grandma on the main drag grabs my arm & says "You climb those rocks out there??".....uhhhhgh, before I could respond she parks her face 6" from mine & says with a bitter & sarcastic smile: "YOU"RE SOOOO DUMB!!!"

gotta be honest - kind of freaked me out. kept thinking about it next day on the climb. fucking nuts.

rpc wrote:a year or two ago we were in moab walking the town looking for food & beer after having fixed ropes 1/2 way up a tower. A random grandma on the main drag grabs my arm & says "You climb those rocks out there??".....uhhhhgh, before I could respond she parks her face 6" from mine & says with a bitter & sarcastic smile: "YOU"RE SOOOO DUMB!!!"

gotta be honest - kind of freaked me out. kept thinking about it next day on the climb. fucking nuts.

How did she take you for a climber? Don't tell me you were walking around town with your harness on...

Arthur Digbee wrote:

ksolem wrote:Personally I think the prarie dogs are smarter and funnier that the average touron there.

Cuter, too.

Yeah, but they're not as cute as the "German Beer girls."

I've found people (in general) are much too serious these days, especially the ones
"trying" to have fun.

ksolem wrote:

rpc wrote:a year or two ago we were in moab walking the town looking for food & beer after having fixed ropes 1/2 way up a tower. A random grandma on the main drag grabs my arm & says "You climb those rocks out there??".....uhhhhgh, before I could respond she parks her face 6" from mine & says with a bitter & sarcastic smile: "YOU"RE SOOOO DUMB!!!"

gotta be honest - kind of freaked me out. kept thinking about it next day on the climb. fucking nuts.

How did she take you for a climber? Don't tell me you were walking around town with your harness on...

no, no harness - just dirty & bloody knuckled?

Crazy is relative.

knoback wrote:

Andinistaloco wrote:Crazy is relative.

To a point. Do you have climbing friends who can't pass the cocktail party test: at the end of the night a new acquaintance can honestly say, "Really, I never would have known. He/she seems so normal.". The only climbing friends I have who can do that consistently are the rec. climbers (sew up a 5.6 three times a summer) and alpinists. The latter can pass 'cause they're so good at lying though, so it really doesn't count.

Interesting test. Reminds me of that old joke: How do you find the climbing guide at a party?

A: Don't worry, they'll tell you.

By relative I mean that I'm crazy to most people (and hide it well) but there are climbers who are crazy to me (those that solo 5.10 and such).

Soloing 5.10 is no big deal. Even I have done a lot of that. But there are folks out there like Honnold, Huber, etc., who solo 5.13. Now that might be a little crazy...

ksolem wrote:Soloing 5.10 is no big deal. Even I have done a lot of that. But there are folks out there like Honnold, Huber, etc., who solo 5.13. Now that might be a little crazy...

Which takes us right back to "crazy is all relative"

Stay away from areas where the naive and unwilling are. Then you will not encounter this issue. But, you may encounter this same response from fellow enthusiasts depending on what you attempt.

But does it matter in the end?

Who are you doing this all for anyway.

I tune them all out, regardless who they may be. They all just get in the way.

PS: One man's "crazy" is another mans normal. All depends on one's abilities, focus level, dedication and gifts.

Dave Dinnell wrote:

ksolem wrote:Soloing 5.10 is no big deal. Even I have done a lot of that. But there are folks out there like Honnold, Huber, etc., who solo 5.13. Now that might be a little crazy...

Which takes us right back to "crazy is all relative"

Precisely!

...I suppose the word I should've used is onsighting. I wouldn't have a huge problem soloing a hard line I'd memorized (not that there are any like that any more ). It's going out and climbing unknown stuff in Sedona where I wouldn't do anything over mid-5th. Yet there are folks who would.

...um, and they're crazy.

The Chief wrote:Stay away from areas where the naive and unwilling are. Then you will not encounter this issue...
I tune them all out, regardless who they may be. They all just get in the way.

PS: One man's "crazy" is another mans normal. All depends on one's abilities, focus level, dedication and gifts.

You're missing out if you don't climb at Devil's Tower. It is a powerful and magical place with great climbing too. But tourists are part of the scene there, are are best enjoyed. The rangers even do a demo act in the visitor center parking lot with a wall where they demonstrate the gear etc. It's very entertaining.

And when you get to the base and rope up, there's no tourons in your face then.

And The Tower is always ready to provide serene and powerful moments like this...