The passion for climbing that pumps through my veins is shared by other people who feel the same way. Its very interesting to see the different types of people that all stem from one common interest.

Lets start off with the guides who have turned this passion into their job. They are normally clean cut guys/gals who do everything by the book. Most of them are wicked strong but when ya go climbing with them, it always seems like they want to instruct you or spend way to long making some five-point anchor systems.  We owe  them our existence though.  Many guides empower people with the skills and knowledge to accomplish climbing goals. They are many’s inspiration and motivation.  Their attention to detail pays off when taking out gumbies but not so much to the fast-and-light alpinist.

The gumbie…. Easy to find because they are the ones spraying the loudest about climbing. It’s kinda cute in a way but more often than not, they are annoying. I love gumbies with shiny gear racking up triples on outer limits. But, every time there’s a line for all the classic 5.8 climbs, my southern comes out and says “bless their hearts” at least they’re getting outside.

There are the young twenty something year olds who just want to have a good time. These people are the stereotypical dirtbags who just don’t want to grow up. We get service or retail jobs in the most awesome places ever and live vicariously. We are the fight club members of climbing, living life by the skin of our teeth and climbing our hearts away. We are awesome until we realize we are all fifty with a broken body, no retirement fund and no family or close friends outside the climbing community.

Most of us dirtbags hope to become a climber-with-a-career. These people crush 5.13, but hold a steady job and have a somewhat meaningful life. Most of these people live in SLC or Boulder, Seattle. Some are lawyers,  nurses, physical therapist and engineers. Many climbers are very intelligent people who are well respected in their communities.  So look dirtbags, it is possible to join society while maintaining a climbing lifestyle.

Now this leads me to the weekend warrior. These guys are awesome, because they are kinda like the climber-with-a-career but are more like a professional who climbs. Some crush it, but most end up injured. Sorry guys, but climbing 5.12 comes at a price… And it’s either going to be your time or your body.

I love the most those who dream big. Those who go on expeditions half way across the world. These are crazy mother fuckers. I seek them out and then I fall in love with them.  Their sense of adventure into the unknown can be contagious.  They imagine, plan, execute and endure until they come back.

And I almost forgot the climber’s girlfriend. It’s the best when the girlfriend is on top rope scared shitless and the boyfriend is yelling at her. Or how about when the girlfriend comes along and supervises the climbing… I love it when she smokes cigarettes at the base of the climb and when she has to undercut my integrity any chance she gets…. Am I sounding bitter?

Now down here in the southeast, I occasionally run into the redneck adventure rapeller. It seems as though they learn their skills in the army? The best was at Rock Town where the “rappeller” had a rope thrown over a tree limb above a large boulder, he was tied in and his wife was hand over hand on the other end.  He yells, “Now honey, pull me up!” as he was attempting to ascend a black face in order to rappel off the top of it.