Trip Report
A waterless West Face, a frightening Fairview, a crazy Crest Jewel, a solitary Snake Dike, and a hungry Hulk with the kids.
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Sunday July 22, 2012 5:58pm
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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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Jul 22, 2012 - 06:06pm PT
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Oh sweet, def old school "E" ticket!
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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Jul 22, 2012 - 06:46pm PT
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wow*20
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micronut
Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
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Jul 22, 2012 - 06:46pm PT
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Jim,
I'm absolutely speechless by the difficulty and yardage your kids put in. Simply beyond normal man. Your kids are mutants.
I TR'd with my nine year old this weekend, and he barely made it to the top of a 5.8 slab at Wishon. I probably could've been a better dad by actually remembering to bring his climbing shoes. Barefoot worked well, though the rock was probably 104 degrees in the afternoon sun. He's from Fresno. He should have been able to deal.
Thanks for the trip report. It belongs in the "good ones" stack. P.S. Please don't pass us with your kids in tow on Mathes Crest when we head up there this August. My fragile ego would not do well.
Scott
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perswig
climber
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Jul 22, 2012 - 06:51pm PT
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No child left behind.
Literally.
Always fun to read your TRs.
Dale
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10b4me
Social climber
Lida Junction
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Jul 22, 2012 - 07:29pm PT
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a really cool trip. you gotta love it that your kids climb that well
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Dick Erb
climber
June Lake, CA
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Jul 22, 2012 - 08:19pm PT
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Good to see that you have children who will never be normal.
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monolith
climber
state of being
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Jul 22, 2012 - 08:32pm PT
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Best family climbing trip report ever.
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Tan Slacks
climber
Joshua Tree
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Jul 22, 2012 - 08:46pm PT
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^^^^^^^ AGREED!!!
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Peter Amend
climber
Visalia, CA
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Jul 22, 2012 - 08:58pm PT
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beautiful.
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Dirka
Trad climber
Hustle City
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Jul 22, 2012 - 09:29pm PT
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Ultra dad! Tfpu!
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fosburg
climber
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Jul 22, 2012 - 10:21pm PT
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Feeling like kind of a light-duty Dad, sigh...
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
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Jul 22, 2012 - 11:01pm PT
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Great write up and sense of humor, thanks!!!
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Jul 23, 2012 - 12:34am PT
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Looks like a great family. Keep the fun alive
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Jul 23, 2012 - 04:59am PT
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I have to say, I continue to be amazed by your adventures!
Steve
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cowpoke
climber
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Jul 23, 2012 - 08:05am PT
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Geez, your kids' climbing resumes are amazing!!! I really love the pictures looking down at your crew coming up the rock as a team -- all smiles.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jul 23, 2012 - 08:10am PT
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Yep, pretty amazing...
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Jul 23, 2012 - 11:30am PT
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Really ... flat out Jaw-Dropping.
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Inner City
Trad climber
Portland, OR
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Jul 23, 2012 - 11:52am PT
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I think this is the most amazing thing I can recall seeing on this site. These kids (and their parents!) are unbelievable!
Congratulations on raising the bar, it can't go higher? The Hulk too, Jeez...gob-smacked!
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Jul 23, 2012 - 12:27pm PT
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Ummmmm....don't know what to say, those kids are amazing!
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Jul 23, 2012 - 12:51pm PT
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Doubled up on the birth canal on the hulk! Yeah!!
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Dos XX
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jul 23, 2012 - 01:04pm PT
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Familia Herson rocks!
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NA_Kid
Big Wall climber
The Bear State
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Jul 23, 2012 - 01:09pm PT
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Very COOL! Im still dreaming of getting up The Hulk. But 3 routes in a few days is awesome. good work on the trip reports. i spent all morning looking through them. such an inspiration.
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Jul 23, 2012 - 02:25pm PT
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I can see the situation in a few years:
Dad: "Want to go climbing?"
Kids: " No Dad you will just slow us down"
Looks like good rope gun potential when you get older
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jul 23, 2012 - 02:33pm PT
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Great TR. Your family amazes me, and your writing both inspires and entertains. Couple all that with some all-time classics, and the result is flawless and wonderful. Thank you very much!
John
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seneca
climber
jamais, jamais pays
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Jul 23, 2012 - 04:17pm PT
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It is truly amazing what you can do with Photo Shop!
Way to get 'er done.
Bob
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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Jul 23, 2012 - 04:35pm PT
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also the triple leg flag on RD is priceless
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Barbarian
Trad climber
Being held captive behind the Orange Curtain
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Jul 23, 2012 - 05:14pm PT
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Dude - yer killin' me! I love these awesome TRs and promise I won't report you. It's all about family time!!!
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Emon
Trad climber
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Jul 23, 2012 - 05:55pm PT
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bump!
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briham89
Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
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Jul 23, 2012 - 06:17pm PT
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Wow this is amazing! RAD family!
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Emon
Trad climber
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Jul 23, 2012 - 08:15pm PT
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Jim,
Will you take my kid climbing, lest his beta-spraying outpace his skills?
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climbski2
Mountain climber
The Ocean
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Jul 23, 2012 - 09:22pm PT
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Those smiles look pretty easy.. beautiful
Woot you guys are awesome. Was just wondering the other day what you guys were up to this year. Have always been blown away by your TRS. Half-dome and such.
So glad to see the saga continue.
The next generation will think doing amazing sierra climbs we all dream of as your average day in the park. What will they do for a real challenge?
Lolz.. what a way to raise the bar!
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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Jul 23, 2012 - 09:19pm PT
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You gotta be kidding me!!!
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!!
All smiles here, that was EPIC!!!
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matlinb
Trad climber
Fort Collins, CO
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Jul 23, 2012 - 09:40pm PT
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Don't know what to say. . . . except I wish you were my dad - and I am probably as old as your are :)
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tarek
climber
berkeley
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Jul 23, 2012 - 10:07pm PT
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can I hire one of your kids to haul me up freerider, say, 18 months from now?
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Capt.
climber
some eastside hovel
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Jul 23, 2012 - 10:28pm PT
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Awesome! I feel really small right now.
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Seamstress
Trad climber
Yacolt, WA
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Jul 31, 2012 - 02:32pm PT
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ll keep this as evidence to present to child protective services when they come to see me. Glad to see that you also believe in an outdoor and survivsl skill sessions for kids.
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Matt
Trad climber
it's all turtles, all the way dooowwwwwnn!!!!!
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Jul 31, 2012 - 03:42pm PT
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way to keep them outta the snow this time jimmy!
=)
that's great that you are all 4 getting after it now, congrats!
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Mungeclimber
Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
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Jul 31, 2012 - 03:49pm PT
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madness, terribly good madness
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pneame
Trad climber
Tampa, FL
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Jul 31, 2012 - 05:12pm PT
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Cheered me up no end.
Wow.
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Marshall
climber
bay area
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Jul 31, 2012 - 09:36pm PT
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what a inspiring, funny, and generally kickass TR. amazing.
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jul 31, 2012 - 10:49pm PT
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I wanna be a kid and climb that stuff !!!
(Heck, I want to be an adult and climb that suff!)
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john hansen
climber
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Jul 31, 2012 - 11:10pm PT
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So,,,, what did you do this summer?
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em kn0t
Trad climber
isle of wyde
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mind-bogglingly awesome
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snowhazed
Trad climber
Oaksterdam, CA
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TRs cant really get any better
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Johnny K.
climber
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Jul 16, 2013 - 07:32pm PT
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Up
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Risk
Mountain climber
Marooned, 855 miles from Tuolumne Meadows
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Mar 16, 2015 - 03:45pm PT
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Amazing and awesome!
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portent
Social climber
your mom's house
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Mar 16, 2015 - 05:07pm PT
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Right on! Great pictures and stories, thanks!!!
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couchmaster
climber
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Mar 17, 2015 - 09:03am PT
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Everyone read's these great TR's Jim. It's that no one knows what to say which explains why the comments don't go for 2000 posts, but are an absurdly low count. I can assure you that the readers heads are all shaking and their mouths are all open.
And that's all I have. (my mouth is open and head still shaking of course). Thanks for sharing!
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KP Ariza
climber
SCC
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Mar 17, 2015 - 08:14am PT
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Living the life Jim!
Awesome!!
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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Mar 17, 2015 - 08:38am PT
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Love, love, love your TRs!!!
The only reporting you have to do is to the Dad Hall of Fame!!
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Larry Nelson
Social climber
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Mar 17, 2015 - 11:03am PT
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Dang, your kids have done climbs still on my list.
I am humbled, but you have every right to be proud.
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland, CA
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Sep 15, 2016 - 06:39pm PT
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The older and deeper into dadhood I get the wilder the feats behind the understated Herson-family TRs become.
More TRs please!
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Sep 15, 2016 - 07:21pm PT
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Way to go Herson's!
Not your average USA family.
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Mur of Opotrepus
climber
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Sep 15, 2016 - 08:33pm PT
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there is no more terrifying sight than watching your kid lead a runout! sycophant
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hellroaring
Trad climber
San Francisco
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Sep 16, 2016 - 10:47am PT
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No disneyland bullcaca lies for your kids...awesome!!
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StahlBro
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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Sep 16, 2016 - 11:30am PT
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Fantastic. These memories last a lifetime.
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Enty
Big Wall climber
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Sep 16, 2016 - 11:30am PT
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Inspiring! keep up the good work Jim.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Sep 16, 2016 - 11:59am PT
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I love your trip reports, Jim, but I confess to a certain apprehension about damage to my ego when I see pictures of kids simul-climbing where I struggled. My wife, however, says I suffer from an enlarged ego, so please keep the trip reports coming. They help ease the inflammation while simultaneously multiplying my joy.
After all, how can I do anything but smile from ear-to-ear looking at those wonderful pictures of kids and parents having such fun. That shot on Crest Jewel, in particular, was priceless.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
John
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labrat
Trad climber
Erik O. Auburn, CA
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Sep 16, 2016 - 12:34pm PT
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I am in constant amazement.......
Your son looks look he is having so much fun!
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thebravecowboy
climber
The Good Places
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Sep 16, 2016 - 01:21pm PT
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SO. COOL.
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aspendougy
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Sep 16, 2016 - 01:31pm PT
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This is the sort of thing that would be fun in CLIMBING or ROCK & ICE. It's all right to hear about Adam Ondra doing another 5.15, but this is so much more interesting. It is a bit humiliating to see your little tykes cruising up things that I would wimp out on, but it is wonderful to see them have such a good time. Some parents might agonize over letting their kids do climbs with dicey run-outs, but maybe it gets passed on in the genes.
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limpingcrab
Gym climber
Minkler, CA
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Bump for the crazy family
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