You know what we love more than anything? Rock climbing. But there’s one thing that can keep any of us stuck at home, and it’s not the weather or the sketchy approach. We have to get through the true crux of spending a day at the crag: having someone to spend it with.
It’s one of the most common complaints we hear from fellow climbers. Everyone wants to get outside, yet the fragmentation of our community, from schedules, to proximity, to having similar objectives, frequently keeps us from finding one another and spending a blissful day pulling on real rock. That’s where our friends at the American Alpine Club come in to play.
The good people at the AAC are demonstrating their commitment to community by bringing Member Share 2.0 to AAC members. They understand that a climber’s mental health can become, well, fragile, when long periods of time go by without making vertical gains.
So to give its members an even better chance of actually climbing (instead of just reading about it) they’re providing a solution to getting past the first problem we collectively face: finding someone to catch you. To shout “breathe!” as you tentatively commit to the last move before the top out. To give you a couch to sleep on (and a shower to rinse off in). To let you borrow a guidebook last minute when they’re all checked out from the AAC library. Maybe even to just nerd out on climbing videos with when it’s raining.
It’s really pretty simple. Bouldering would be better if you could pool pads and have someone to hold the camera while you project. It would be nice to find a friendly neighbor willing to split gas with you for a weekend of clipping bolts or getting humbled on a Vedauwoo off width. The no-partner-blues are especially known to set in on a weekday in the dead of winter; the sun finally emerges after a cold spell, and you’re at your desk searching Mountain Project for the perfect south-facing wall to get in a few laps after work. Unfortunately, your pals are tied up with other responsibilities, and your day gets more grim as the sun begins to set and the opportunity begins to slip away…
Whether you’re looking for a partner for the day, or for a lifetime, we guarantee there’s someone looking for you, too. Become an AAC member to find a partner, find discounts to local shops, gyms, and guide services, a place to stay, and more.
Learn more here: http://americanalpineclub.org/clubhouse/membershare
