Cragmama "Not all who wander are lost…" JRR Tolkien

Tag Archives: Hiking

Creating a Cragbaby: Always on “Doo-ty”

Creating a Cragbaby: Always on “Doo-ty”

Everyone knows its an unfortunate fact of life – “doo” happens.  And it doesn’t stop happening just because you’re out at the crag and its inconvenient.  Spend any length of time outdoors as a family, and sooner or later you’re gonna end up with a diaper explosion that rivals Mt. St. Helens…so you’d better be ready for it!  Read on to learn  the lowdown about dirty dipes in the woods! DISCLAIMER: I should toss it out there that we use cloth diapers.  It’s better for the environment, its better on the wallet, and most importantly, its better for baby’s bottom health. …Read the rest of this entry →

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Creating a Cragbaby: Weather or Not?

Creating a Cragbaby: Weather or Not?

Just picture it – You’ve been climbing hard all morning, and are one run away from sending your summer project.  You’ve got the crux dialed, the draws are already hung, and you’re totally psyched – all you need now is to refuel, hydrate, and depump for a little bit before tackling your redpoint burn.  But just as you sit down with your trail mix and nalgene, the heavens open up.  What?!?  There was only a 10% chance of rain today!  Or picture this – you’ve got Monday off so you made plans to head to the Obed River for a…Read the rest of this entry →

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Creating a Cragbaby – Baby Bouldering Beta

Creating a Cragbaby – Baby Bouldering Beta

  In Rules for the Ropes, I gave some practical tips for how to keep your little cragbaby safe and happy while Mommy and Daddy rope up.  But for those of you that prefer a crashpad and a spotter to some quickdraws and a grigri, this post is for you!  Taking a baby to the boulderfield is much the same as taking him or her to the cliff in many ways, but there are some distinct differences – some pros, and some cons.  This post will discuss how bouldering compares with roped climbing when it comes to having a little…Read the rest of this entry →

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Creating a Cragbaby – Rules for the Ropes!

Creating a Cragbaby – Rules for the Ropes!

So you’ve taken your family on some local mini-adventures, you’ve got all the right gear, and you’ve got the right perspective – you’re ready to hit the crag for real!  You’ve got a few different options – you could clip some bolts, plug some gear,or break out the crash pad.  And although a lot of the logistics are the same, we have discovered that within different types of climbing there are a few distinct differences with how a baby best fits into the picture.  In order to keep this post fairly concise, I’ve decided to split this section into two posts – this one…Read the rest of this entry →

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Creating a Cragbaby – Training Days…

Creating a Cragbaby – Training Days…

A mountaineer doesn’t choose Everest for his first alpine climb.  A figure skater doesn’t begin with a triple-axel.  And you can’t expect your sweet bundle of joy to turn into a cragbaby overnight.  You’d better take a few runs on the bunny slope first before tackling the moguls. In the climbing world, the term “approach” is used to refer to the initial hike that one takes to get to the base of the route you are going to climb.  Depending on the climbing area, the approach could be anywhere from a few feet away from your car to a multi-day hike.  Before your…Read the rest of this entry →

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“Not all who wander are lost.” —JRR TOLKIEN