Become a rock climbing hippie?

Question

I'm mad into rock climbing and would like to do nothing else. I'm in college but hating it. The thing about going and being a bum or a hippie is you need others that have the same interests as you, but the only people I know that like to do nothing are acid freaks. Where are there people that just climb rock and do enough work to keep food in thier belly?

Answer 1

I have it on good authority that lots of climbing "bums" work construction. Pay is pretty good, work is seasonal and if not seasonal pretty easy to find (this is also a classic set up for trout "bums").
The long term commitment is not there for many general labor jobs (not me saying that, just reflecting a sentament).

Lots of other climbing "bums" are rich kids. I'm not saying this in a derogatory way either, but that is just what I have encountered in my many years of climbing and being around climbers. Often times these folks are down to earth and compleatly grounded, but they just have the financial backing to take off for a few months and climb climb climb (they might even give you old pro as they replace theirs).

When I was in college I was bouldering almost every day, on buildings and bridges when I couldn't get to the rock or the gym.

I do know that taking time off from school to follow your passion is important, but it is also very important to have an education to fall back on if the climbing life does not pan out (and for plenty of people it does not pan out).

Look for people who are like minded at the rock (or gym). If they are all acid "freaks" then don't base your life on their's if you don't want to.

There are plenty of folks quietly living how they want to and need to, going from crag to crag and also eating.

Learn a trade, be very strict with your spending habits and life style. Make coices based on your goals and plan rather than impulse.

I know it sounds preachy and basic, but hey, it's easy to overlook the little stuff and then not have things pan out. (I have watched many climbers spend more on booze than rent and then ***** about being broke!)

good luck. I feel for ya. been there.

Answer 2

First off, you've got to get the terminology correct...it's dirtbagger, not rock climbing hippie.

Most "climbing hippies" either work in the food service industry (dish washer or wait staff) at a restaurant close to their crags or in construction, where they work during the winter months and then take off for 3 to 6 months to climb, living out of their car.

Fred Becky is the ultimate dirtbagger.

Below is a "You might be a dirtbagger if you..." list that gives you an idea on how to develop this lifestyle (taken from the below URL):

Live in your vehicle for at least half the year
Take a job washing dishes so you can scavenge off the plates
Swap meat stickers to a cheaper price in the grocery store
Stuff your pockets and underwear full of food at buffets
Shave with hand soap ... in a library
Eat booty-food pillaged from dumpsters
Always use someone else's rack because yours is dangerously old and tattered
Have slept in a heated public bathroom, even once
Live in a one-room apartment with 11 roommates
Your "car key" is a coat hanger
Do all your grocery shopping at gas stations

Answer 3

You're basically looking for a sweetheart, someone close to your interests and to share the kind of life you have now. Right? Most guys have a hard time finding such sweethearts, and so will you. May your journey be interesting and long in your search. My suggestion is to try a couple of things 1) Check out rock climbing blogs, and 2) frequent some rock climbing places that's more for the hard core crowd and get to know the denizens. Don't bother with the "pop" places because there's too many weekend Joes with regular jobs they have to worry about during the week.

Answer 4

Work in a rock climbing gym. You get paid **** all and it gets really boring after the first couple of months, but seeing as most gyms open about 1 in the afternoon you can sleep in and generally there are a couple of nights per week when the hardouts come in and your can boulder with them, as long as your boss doesn't walk in!

Make sure you get dreads.

On the other hand, I heard a story the other week about a guy who spent all his money on climbing gear, then went to live in a national park where there was climbing and survived off scraps given to him by passing climbers. Sounds like a fun life!

Hope this helps!

Answer 5

I agree with the above post; a job in climbing is a good choice. (Whether it's at an indoor gym or working outdoors as a climbing guide/instructor.) Before long, you'll meet up with hard core climbers who want to do nothing more than climb 24 - 7.

A kind of sad story is when I worked in downtown L.A. and ran into two guys who, desperate for food money, were actually selling some of their climbing gear out of the back of their beat up truck. (They'd pretty much given up everything to climb.)

Fortunately for them, they ran into us (fellow climbers) and we gave them money and bought them lunch and, later, dinner. In return, they regaled us with many great (and scary) climbing adventures.

Answer 6

If you really want to do it, just go to the craigs, meet people, and do it. Try Squamish, BC. Do whatever the other climbing bums are doing to get by, maybe pick morel mushrooms, plant trees, there's lots of construction in that region as well, roofing is fun, and pays extra fror steep roofs, so good training for those slab routes...

Answer 7

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