Any climbers here?

[Tom]

I've seen the Citibank ad numerous times, and here's the YouTube upload. Anyone been climbing here? Any comments from climbers on the difficulty and safety issues associated with this climb?

I have a very serious fear of heights (acrophobia), a poor sense of balance and, more seriously, suffer from a related medical condition. So, I wouldn't get very far up this one and, even if they lowered me onto the peak from a helicopter, I wouldn't last any time before falling off 

 

[Molaker]

I'm not afraid of heights.  I can sit all day and look up at them.

 

[SeilerBird]

Climbing is still on my bucket list. I am not afraid of heights in the least. I have done a skydive and loved it. No problem getting out of the plane and jumping. I have spent an unbelievable amount of time sitting on the rim of the Grand Canyon waiting for the Condors to arrive. The girl in the commercial is Katie Brown, a very famous rock climber. Here is a link to her book "Girl on the Rocks":

http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Rocks-Climbing-Strength-Courage/dp/0762745185/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362915503&sr=8-1&keywords=girl+on+the+rocks

 

[Tom]

It's more than 'fear of heights', but I've discussed that in prior topics. Many years ago I worked on cranes and the 'fear' part goes away when you do it for a living. However, on the last day of a compulsory safety class I took, we had to jump off a tall crane. They first strapped on a harness (more like a belt around the waist) with a rope attached to a centrifugal brake. The faster you fell, the harder the braking, or so the theory went. I kept hiding at the back of the line, until eventually I was the only one left. I think they finally had to push me off    It pales in comparison to what I see in that video 

 

[Tom]

Interesting story of how they went about "casting" for the ad here.

 

[mylo]

I used to do quite a bit of rock climbing. That particular route is "Stolen Chimney" and is rated a 5.11a. That's pretty tough, but not impossible. US scale is 5.0 - 5.15. I used to do 5.10s all the time. The overhangs make it difficult. Climbing really strengthens your stabilization muscles, and improves your balance. When I was doing a lot of it, I could inspect and wash the bottom of one foot while standing on the other in the shower without wavering at all.


Mylo

 

[camperAL]

Hi Tom and all,

I've been up Mt. McLoughlin in Oregon about a dozen times. Gets harder with age and it's a dry mountain in late summer and only about 10,000 feet. It's 11 miles up and 11 miles down some some serious hiking involved before you start to go up. If you don't pay attention you can get lost as the trail is not well marked.

Rule of thumb, don't climb any higher than your willing to fall 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_McLoughlin

 

[Jim Godward]

Rule of thumb, don't climb any higher than your willing to fall 

I had a new rule imposed and that is "don't go any higher than you can breath".  It sure imposes new limits as 8000 is not that high! 

 

[camperAL]

Greetings Jim and all,

Just carry oxgen tank 

The last one or two thousand feet up McLoughlin requires about ten breaths to one stride for my eastern lungs. But the view if worth it.

 

[Bob Maxwell]

Jim, when I was getting ready to buy the Suncruiser two summers ago, I purchased and Eclipse 3 portable oxygen machine, approved for airlines, battery [bought2,] 12 volt or 120 powered. I figured that's what I'd need over 7800' to get to certain parts of the country and maybe get me a shot at Western MT. I know I-70 - Vail Tunnel is out of the question. Hmm maybe my new biventricular pacer will help keep me oxygen saturated? I better check!

 

[tstumpf]

The girl in the commercial is Katie Brown, a very famous rock climber. Here is a link to her book "Girl on the Rocks":

I read this book while doing research for the novel I'm writing. It's a great book (hers, not mine. well, mine too, maybe..lol)! Wish I would have read it in my younger days! Something I always wanted to do, but fear of falling always prevented me. She's had to battle that herself and look how amazingly she's learned to deal with it!

-Roni

 

[Jim Godward]

Jim, when I was getting ready to buy the Suncruiser two summers ago, I purchased and Eclipse 3 portable oxygen machine, approved for airlines, battery [bought2,] 12 volt or 120 powered. I figured that's what I'd need over 7800' to get to certain parts of the country and maybe get me a shot at Western MT. I know I-70 - Vail Tunnel is out of the question. Hmm maybe my new biventricular pacer will help keep me oxygen saturated? I better check!

Al & Bob,

Dr is willing to let me go higher than the 8000 for short times and I have  to watch my O2 saturation, I have my own meter.  So far I'm OK but strenuous activity does tend to deplete the O2 quickly.  I've been in a few situations where was breath for a couple of minutes and walk for 30 seconds.  My biggest problem when exerting myself is the resulting upper back pain due to the nerve pinching in the neck and left shoulder.  If I can get ahead of that, the O2 problem is minor in my opinion. 

Bob,

There are few places in western MT that are more than 7000' so you should be OK.  Even Yellowstone is mostly below 7800' and I can do Dunraven pass with no problems.  Even the passes on the highways are in the 6000+ altitude unlike CO.