Trip Report
The East Buttress of El Cap with the little ones
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Tuesday October 22, 2013 10:09am
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Jim Herson
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About the Author
Jim Herson is a climber from Emerald Hills, CA. |
Comments
go-B
climber
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:15am PT
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Two Cool!
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Johnny K.
climber
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:21am PT
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Never have two climbers had so much fun on a climb where the climbing was so completely incidental to the fun! Listening to those two little munchkins, and their astonishing yap-a-thon, was hilarious. (Says the guy who gets agitated having his mountain solitude disturbed by anything more than the bare essential of belay grunts.) You just can't find better big wall partners than this
Jim,your TR's are the best. Just pure awesome fun,sucks about the pack again, nonetheless awesome fun. One day those munchkins will be taking you up all the amazing classic routes =D
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climbski2
Mountain climber
The Ocean
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:53am PT
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Why do I come away from Herson's TRs feeling completely inferior and daydreaming about moving somewhere warm and flat playing kanasta and shuffleboard?
Not really.. well maybe a little bit.. but mostly I am just wonderstruck and happily in awe.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:02am PT
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Inspiring with a capital 'I'!!!!
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Dirka
Trad climber
Hustle City
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:17am PT
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Awesome!!
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:23am PT
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Why do I come away from Herson's TRs feeling completely inferior
+1
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limpingcrab
Gym climber
Minkler, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:52am PT
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I think of your trip reports every time I ask a parent to do something and they say something like "I have kids now so I don't do that anymore, you just don't understand."
Ha!
I hope my little 4 month old learns to love the mountains like your fam.
Thanks for another great TR!
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brett
climber
oregon
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:55am PT
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Is she wearing 80's Sportiva Megas?
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 12:29pm PT
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very cool,
and an adventure on a whole different level
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squishy
Mountain climber
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Oct 22, 2013 - 12:39pm PT
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This is so inspiring, I cannot wait till my daughter is older.
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David Plotnikoff
Mountain climber
Emerald Hills, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 12:40pm PT
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Is she wearing 80's Sportiva Megas?
Yes.
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WBraun
climber
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Oct 22, 2013 - 12:45pm PT
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Holy sh!t !!!!
Those kids did all that!!
Mind blower!!
Those kids are bad to the bone, badass .....
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PAUL SOUZA
Trad climber
Central Valley, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 01:37pm PT
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Awesome!
As always, Jim delivers! TFPU!
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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Oct 22, 2013 - 01:43pm PT
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Check the guys on the little girl!
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rnevius
Trad climber
The Range of Light
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Oct 22, 2013 - 01:44pm PT
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Rad.
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:16pm PT
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wicked!
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brotherbbock
climber
So-Cal
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:44pm PT
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Sweet trip report! I cant wait to start doing this type of thing with my boy. Got a while to wait......he's only 3 months right now.
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:48pm PT
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Will you adopt me?
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Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:53pm PT
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Ribbet!! :-)
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:54pm PT
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Dude, while yer writing is exemplary I must admonish you on yer child-rearing.
These kids clearly have no concept that what they're doing is sposed to
be hard work and taken seriously! ;-)
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labrat
Trad climber
Erik O. Auburn, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 02:55pm PT
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Wow! Not sure what to think other than that....
Keep having fun and be safe out there....
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 03:19pm PT
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Jim, your TR's are a wonderful asset to this site. Thank you so much for extending my concept of the possible so completely.
John
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 03:22pm PT
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So cool! They are firing!
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deuce4
climber
Hobart, Australia
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Oct 22, 2013 - 03:28pm PT
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Good stuff, thanks! So you were leading all those with the pack, I gather. What a blast for those kids! Cheers
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Macronut
Trad climber
Fresno, Ca
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Oct 22, 2013 - 03:32pm PT
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Mind if I farm out one of my seven for a babysitting trip promise they don't talk much...TFPU, it was a great read. Got my 11 year old son for his first multi-pitch climb this fall and can't wait to go again.
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Phil_B
Social climber
CHC, en zed
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Oct 22, 2013 - 03:41pm PT
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Stuff like this makes the Taco great.
Thanks so much for posting up. Loved it
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steveA
Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
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Oct 22, 2013 - 04:16pm PT
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Jim,
I was pretty amazed when you posted the TR of climbing the RNWF of HD with your daughter!
Perhaps dropping your pack on the NEB was a blessing since that was a pretty late start, and wading/climbing thru those bushes at the top would suck in the dark. My favorite route however.
I took my son up a 12 pitch-5.10 route in the Wind Rivers when he was 13. Good character building exercise.
Your kids are pretty lucky to have you as a dad.
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Oct 22, 2013 - 04:30pm PT
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Awesome Jim...you're one hell of a pops!
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Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
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Oct 22, 2013 - 06:41pm PT
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Awesome! I was waiting for this one!
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Trusty Rusty
climber
Tahoe Area
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Oct 22, 2013 - 06:52pm PT
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So bitchen, thanks for this inspiring TR!
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Oct 22, 2013 - 06:57pm PT
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Super nice!!!
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:29pm PT
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That's awesome.
i'm guessing this was sunday the 29th? We were there on the morning of the 30th and the first party mentioned seeing a guy take 2 kids up the day before.
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 08:06pm PT
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Jim, your trip reports are the absolute best. I love to see the joy you get from both the climbing and the children.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 08:36pm PT
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Very well done, Herson!
A tandem belay of the both simultaneously?
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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Oct 22, 2013 - 09:35pm PT
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What a great read! the smiles are worth gold but I guess it was a good idea you didn't include a voice dialogue with this.?
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Evel
Trad climber
Nedsterdam CO
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:05pm PT
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Outstanding!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, CA
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:24pm PT
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It is theorized that frogs place a pot of cold water and slowly heated to a boil will eventually meet an unpleasant end. You, gentle readers, are the frogs. I've been slowly, imperceptibly ratcheting it up on these pages until now a "I climbed the East Butt of El Cap with two 10 years olds" is met with an anesthetized collective shrug from my formally well adjusted readers. Nevertheless, being "belayed" by two distracted 10 year olds did grab my attention. And yet, it could not have been more fun. The kids rocked it!
A chatty nighttime descent of the East Ledges and we were back at the van and then home a good 6 hrs before the Monday morning school bell rang.
This is f-ing priceless. You made an indelible impression on this kids, and I guarantee you they will NEVER forget that.
Some fools would call you irresponsible for this travel. And the adventure given to the kids.
They will NEVER forget this, and for that I think you are awesome. It's not something any schmuck should try, or should be advertised as safe, but I've heard about you and more experienced climbers should get kids into this. WHEN THEY'RE READY!
These two did well. Especially the East Ledges, NIce!!!
These 2 kids are living on Cloud-9er, and I'm sure you are too, Jim.
Well done!!!
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Marshall
climber
bay area
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:33pm PT
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So badass and inspiring!
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Bob Harrington
climber
Bishop, California
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Oct 22, 2013 - 10:44pm PT
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That is excellent! High standard climbing by any measure. Loved your Crest Jewel report too.
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i'm gumby dammit
Sport climber
da ow
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Oct 22, 2013 - 11:37pm PT
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If it was the 29th, this is likely a picture of you. Taken from the top of the manure pile
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Bargainhunter
climber
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Oct 23, 2013 - 01:02am PT
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Jim Herson is my hero
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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Oct 24, 2013 - 03:40am PT
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Blows me away
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NutAgain!
Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
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Oct 24, 2013 - 11:52am PT
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Full of wonder as usual. TFPU!
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couchmaster
climber
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Oct 25, 2013 - 11:10am PT
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Wow....awesome and inspiring story(s) with your lil pups. Thanks for sharing! Wait, awesome and inspiring were words which were already used. Hmm, we'll - it fits. Anything worth saying once is worth saying again I suppose:-)
The best part about going to a climbing gym anywhere these days seems to the lil ones who are always so stoked, upbeat and happy (and usually climbing so darned good too). Nice to see some of them getting out.
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mouse from merced
Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
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Oct 25, 2013 - 11:40am PT
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Got me where I live.
"Serenity, now!"--Mr. Costanza
And don't bother saving anything for later--they'll have done 'em all by the time they're out of HS!
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TripCheq
Mountain climber
Pennsylvania
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Oct 29, 2013 - 12:30pm PT
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Wow, for a second there, I thought this was a TR about 2 10 year olds who climbed more cool stuff in Yosemite than I ever did in my life. I almost sold all of my gear on ebay!
Oh, wait. It IS about 2 10 year olds! I am so selling my kit...
Seriously, what an amazing TR! Are you looking to adopt? I can cook...
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L
climber
Just livin' the dream
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Oct 29, 2013 - 12:53pm PT
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Totally cool TR!
What an awesome dad you are!
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Oct 29, 2013 - 12:57pm PT
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Pretty soon they will be your rope gun!!
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Charlie D.
Trad climber
Western Slope, Tahoe Sierra
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Oct 29, 2013 - 01:18pm PT
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So great to see your kids out there enjoying the mountains, as opposed the many stuck at home in front of a computer playing games. Great work dad!!! Of course the climging at that age is mind-blowing, looks like nothing but some good family fun for you all in the years ahead.
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localdan
Trad climber
Visalia, CA
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Oct 30, 2013 - 01:05am PT
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This is amazing! Thanks for inspiring all the dads out here :)
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JohnnyG
climber
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Oct 30, 2013 - 11:22am PT
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"It is feircely debated among linguists who need to get out more, as to whether the Yupik Eskimos or the Sami Scandinavians have more words to describe snow. Either way, it points to the utter inadequacy of verbal communication. For nothing matches the expansive descriptive powers of non-verbal communication among the oldest of married couples."
hahahaha
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Squirrell
Boulder climber
N. Cali under the bridge
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So awesome!
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David Plotnikoff
Mountain climber
Emerald Hills, CA
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Nov 18, 2013 - 04:00am PT
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I smile every time I look at these trip reports with the amazing kids. They apparently don't know (or don't care) that they're supposed to be doing (ahem) *serious* climbing. Their smiles -- climbing for the pure joy of it -- say it all.
Way to go, SuperJim.
DP
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Mar 13, 2014 - 06:49pm PT
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bump
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BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
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Mar 13, 2014 - 10:33pm PT
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I don't know any ten year olds with this kind of experience. You are a pretty cool dad.
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East Buttress with top of The Nose on left. Photo: Mark Kroese
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