[DistantFellow]

I was curious about the correlation between mountain-bikers and rock climbers/mountaineers. Is there anyone out there passionate about both? It seems to me you either climb or mountain bike, around Moab anyway, but I've met few who are serious about both.

 

[FTM]

Passionate about both but since the singletrack is less than a mile from my door and the nearest bouldering is a 45 minute drive... haven't been climbing in far too long.

 

[SpecRider96]

Im into both, I know quite a few others riders that at least rockclimb but not many who are into the mountainering.I ride every week and i try to get out and climb about once a month, for me I just like doing anything in the mountains.

 

[BelaySlave]

Former climber here. And my screen name is self explanatory. I unretire and reretire every couple of years. The local crag is just outside of town, but it's sooo much more work just to climb out there. It was turning into more of an ordeal than something fun.

I don't consider myself a mountaineer. I have bagged a couple of peaks, but those were spring/summer ascents...easy stuff.

 

[kev1n]

when I was livin' in Golden, CO, I used to do a ton of climbing and found my way to the top of a mountain at least once a week in the summer. Great boulders within 5 minutes, nice sport crags within 15 minutes, epic trad routes within 30 minutes. I was so into climbing and hiking, that I wasn't really into biking at all. then I moved to the SF bay, and stopped climbing because it was too much of a hassle, among other reasons. Sometimes I miss climbing- especially long easy routes on a nice summer morning.- but I don't miss it at all when I'm biking enough.

 

[jibmaster]

I ride more than anything else, but have been skiing since I was 8 years old. Does ski-mountaineering count? I haven't rock climbed in a while - lack of partners. I also like to do some whitewater kayaking.
The best weeks are those that include -
3-4 days on the bike
1 day of kayaking
1-2 days of backcountry skiing/ski mountaineering.
All the while pulling off a full time job 5days a week.

 

[rollswithpogies]

Hell yeah... but it's hard to live in Alaska and not be down with both. I like both of them far too much and I am often torn... but I found that biking on the approaches to my climbs is often a good sub. (FYI: you can cover a lot of ground on glaciers on a MTB with snowcats and studs...booya)

 

[jeepmtnbiker]

deffinatly into both, spent new years eve about half way up the back side of mt washington, and summited new years day around 2pm... we had an amazing trip back out most of which was lit by headlamps and an absolute blast!

 

[radair]

I was heavily into rock & ice climbing (as well as MTBing) for over 20 years. The climbing waned a bit after we had our second child, when biking became a good fit for the short window of time when the kids were napping.

While I enjoy both, I do very little climbing these days. Hard climbing is stressful on the joints and my wrists and elbows would not take it if I climbed as hard as I once did.

Still love to go ski mountaineering and backcountry skiing (when we have snow).

 

[DistantFellow]

Thanks for the input guys. It's interesting for sure. I'm torn between through-hiking the CT this summer or mountain biking it. I think I'll end up hiking it, taking my time, reading some good books, and smoking some cigarettes... But I'll look forward to getting back on the local trails as soon as I get home. The hard part for me is whenever I'm hiking on some some of those great Colorado alpine trails I end up thinking about how great it would be to have squishy mtb handy. Owell.

 

[Dave_schuldt]

I do both, just depends on mood wether and partners. Also realy into back country skiing.

 

[used2Bhard]

Agree

I was heavily into rock & ice climbing (as well as MTBing) for over 20 years. The climbing waned a bit after we had our second child, when biking became a good fit for the short window of time when the kids were napping.

While I enjoy both, I do very little climbing these days. Hard climbing is stressful on the joints and my wrists and elbows would not take it if I climbed as hard as I once did.

Still love to go ski mountaineering and backcountry skiing (when we have snow).

I had the same situation. I climbed rock and ice multiple days a week for 10 years and put up alot of Sport and Trad routes near my old home. I had been climbing peaks for 15-20 years. When my son was born I realized that I could only get out climbing once every couple weeks.... if even that often. The 5.11 routes near home that I could climb in my sleep were becoming harder, and I was putting on weight.

Partner issues also got frustrating. Every time I found a good partner, it was like I got stuck in another "relationship". My partners would get upset at me for not "being supportive enough" or climbing with someone else. That got really old!

Since I live within 5 minutes of great biking, my buddy convinced me to get a bike and start riding with him. It was amazing. I could get totally worked in a 1 hour ride before my wife and son even woke up in the morning. On the weekend I got 4 hours in with two hours of driving before lunch! Climbing was a 1/2 to full day outing no matter what.

A few years later here i am doing 25 races a year, training non-stop, and climbing in a gym occasionally for "cross training". I will still say there is nothing on earth quite as satisfying as being shirtless on a warm sunny crag in the middle of November after putting up an amazing FA never touched before....

 

[Herbert]

I love alpine climbing and hope to ascend a few peaks in the next couple years. I grew up in Europe (Souther Germany) and have done all kinds of mellow stuff in the alps, but would love to climb Aconcagua in South America or Mount McKinley in the next few years.

Cheers,

Herbert

Litespeed
www.litespeed.com
The Litespeed blog

 

[Mountaingirl1961]

MTB and alpine climbing/ski mountaineering/BC skiing are wonderfully complementary sports. Peakbagging/hard climbing and MTB are less so, although desert trips for me usually involve both hard climbing and riding.

I generally spend the winter BC skiing, with a little ski mountaineering and/or snow climbing thrown in for fun. It flows into riding season beautifully, because I start the season in good shape and used to the balance/response of having to pick a line. And, of course, a summer spent riding always flows into ski season so nicely...

FWIW I summitted Denali in 2003 - trained my ass off before that trip and spent very, very little time on the bike... was mostly hiking in mountaineering boots carrying big packs around on my back. Came back from Alaska in the best shape of my life... went to Moab two weeks later and my riding buddies dropped me like a bad habit. Completely different kind of fitness and I rode like crap.

 

[Carbon Ken]

I'm with Mountaingirl.

Back country skiing in the winters and a mix of alpine/scrambling and mountain biking in the summers. I usually mountain bike in the early summers and late fall when there's too much snow high up in the mountains. Of course the best days out are the climbs which involve a mountain bike approach.

Just picked up a new pair of G3 Baron's off Ebay. Can't wait to try those out with my new Freeride Plus's. :thumbsup:

 

[Mountaingirl1961]

Of course the best days out are the climbs which involve a mountain bike approach.

Heh. Do you remember the picture on the cover of the Mountain Gazette from last season... some guy on an MTB with a pair of Havocs strapped to his back, heading up to go skiing? Photo taken near Hailey, ID, I think.

Just picked up a new pair of G3 Baron's off Ebay. Can't wait to try those out with my new Freeride Plus's. :thumbsup:

Sweeeeeet - I''m a Havoc/Freeride girl meself. Probably will need to get another season out of these before I start looking for cool new technology. You should get plenty of love out of those!

 

[DistantFellow]

I remember that Mountain Gazette cover... I think it was in Ketchum, Idaho. Sick. Cheers.

 

[Carbon Ken]

Heh. Do you remember the picture on the cover of the Mountain Gazette from last season... some guy on an MTB with a pair of Havocs strapped to his back, heading up to go skiing? Photo taken near Hailey, ID, I think.

Sweeeeeet - I''m a Havoc/Freeride girl meself. Probably will need to get another season out of these before I start looking for cool new technology. You should get plenty of love out of those!

I've done some ski approaches with my bike before but I've always borrowed my friends Bob trailer. I just couldn't balance myself with the skis poking out of my back.

Ahh... the Havocs must be nice. My current skis are a set of Crossbows on Naxo bindings. I have to say I'm really impressed with the Black Diamond skis (which I heard were made by Atomic) but I wanted to try something new this year.