Climbing and Age Limits
Steph, is it too late for a 52 year old guy, in good shape, to begin to climb? What are the limitations?
Charles
Hi Charles,
My friend Lee Sheftel is one of my greatest climbing inspirations. He’s over 60, and he has been climbing at Rifle for over twenty years. Lee redpointed his first 14a at the age of 59–perhaps the oldest person in the world to have climbed this grade. He also climbed many 13c’s and d’s in his 50s, on his way up the grade ladder. Not only that, he’s done many long routes in Yosemite and the Black Canyon, and penned perhaps my favorite tech tip ever: corraling an absent-minded partner.
Lee is out at Rifle several times a week, since he conveniently lives in Carbondale, Colorado (just outside of Rifle) with his wife Cheryl and lovely Australian Shepherd, Ruby, and works as a full time as a self employed income tax professional. And just to put the icing on the cake, he is a classical pianist, in his spare time. So Lee is generally a superhero, as well as a climbing hero.
I first met Lee at Rifle and was deeply impressed with his climbing at what I consider one of the most physical and techy sport climbing areas in the US. And when he broke the 5.14 barrier, it got me so excited, because he was climbing a grade that didn’t even exist when he was at his “prime” climbing age!
Nowadays kids seem to be starting to climb basically from the day they leave the womb and going directly to train in the gym, and so they almost expect to be climbing 5.16 by the time they are in eighth grade. Like watching young gymnasts or ice skaters, it’s lovely and fascinating to see children and small lizards scampering up unimaginably difficult walls, but it is definitely not what I would call “inspiring.” Since none of us will ever become younger or a small reptile, these impressive feats do not give anyone who is not in that demographic anything to aspire to–and can also make you question if it’s possible to even try….
However, watching someone who is several decades older than you, AND of the same species, climb an unimaginably difficult wall makes you think, “wow, maybe I could do that someday too!” and that is the meaning of inspiration. All Rifle climbers love Lee, not just for his wonderful personality, but because he gives us that inspiration every time we watch him crushing at Rifle.
Lee generously offered to answer your question–with advice that is wise and valuable for any climber.
Thank you Lee!
xxSteph
Charles, my name is Lee Sheftel and i am a friend of Steph’s who forwarded your query to me since I am an “older” climber.
The short answer to your question ” is it too late for a 52 year old guy, in good shape, to begin to climb? ” is NO, it’s not too late (never too late!!).
Although I started a bit younger than you, at 33 years old, to climb, I am considered to be a late bloomer so to speak. I am almost 65 years old now and am still passionate about the sport and climb often. A few thoughts follow on starting out later in life. I will present my “long” answer in two sections to each point; the first section describes how I think you should train and what to expect or not to expect. Then I will describe the possible disadvantages and problems that the “older” climber faces. I will then describe our possible advantage over the younger climbers.
How to begin:
First off you should get out on the rock with an experienced climber and learn the “ropes” and you should start on easy climbs; you should concentrate on on efficiency of movement at first and NOT on powerful or gymnastic type moves. As a matter of fact i would tend to stay away from the climbing gyms at first unless you have access to a gym that has climbs graded at 5.8 or easier. I have a friend who recently started climbing and he is 40 years old. he keeps saying how he needs to get strong and I keep telling him he needs to learn how to climb first and not worry about getting strong. it will come.
-the advantage that younger climbers have over us, especially when they are in their teens or early twenties, is that they are more supple, more flexible, and thus less injury prone. Therefore, take a gradual approach and stretch and warm up prior to climbing.
Secondly, whether you are getting into trad, sport, mixed or whatever type of climbing, the important thing is to understand that you need to be patient; very, very patient. It takes most of us years to get good at this sport. it’s like a martial art or a complex dance routine in many ways. It’s mostly about technique and it simply takes time for your body to understand the movements and body positions needed to get up a given section of rock.
-here us older climbers may have an advantage over the younger ones in that they are typically impatient in both their expectations and in their actual climbing. Remember to be patient and not to expect too much too fast. Younger climbers also tend to “go for it” more and give in to peer pressure and thus often end up injured. Listen to your body. You don’t want to get injured.
Thirdly, the more you climb, the faster you will see progress. Everyone is different in how they develop but i would use an estimate of approximately 6 months of climbing to a year before you should start a strength training regimen.
-regarding this, because the younger climber has hormones on their side they can get strong very quckly and can recover very quickly as well. We typically cannot, so to get fit for climbing, i would concentrate on endurance during the first year or so which means you want to climb lots of pitches in a day and typically longish pitches which usually translates to 30 hand movements or longer on either the rock or the gym. The beginner climber at any age will gain strength simply by default by climbing various routes.
Finally, there are many factors that will determine how proficient you get at this sport. some factors you have control over such as passion, time, access, fitness level and weight (weight is a huge factor in climbing as we are constantly fighting gravity so any excess weight is not to a climbers advantage. If you think you could lose a few pounds then it will be to your advantage to do so) Factors we don’t have control over are obviously our age and genetics. I found that after climbing 10 years or so, my main weakness was that I am not a “powerful” climber relatively speaking. My strength lies in my endurance and perserverance. I continue to train strength periodically but realize I cannot overcome my genetics in this regard. I also noticed that it takes me two to three days to recover from a hard day on the rock or in the gym so expect longer recovery times than the young lads and gals. The main thing is to enjoy yourself. Too many climbers get caught up in the “grades ” of climbs (I am no exception) and i have seen many climbers get burned out of the sport because of it so make sure your climbing and training are enjoyable. that is another area that I think us older climbers have as an advantage in that we get into the sport for the correct reasons- we like climbing!
Hope to see you out there!
Lee Sheftel
And don’t forget your Yogas!
And don’t forget your Yogas!
And don’t forget your Yogas!
this is so inspiring! thanks so much to both Lee and Steph for sharing this. I can only hope to be climbing within several grades of where Lee is now when I’m 65, but love how Lee’s focus is on enjoyment, not on grades. I think someone relatively important to the sport (hehe) once said something about how the best climber is the one having the most fun 🙂
I started at 47 and one of my best climbing partners is 70! Go after it!
Oh — and I’m 61 now. . . it’s my favorite outdoor activity.
I just started rock climbing last May, at age 50! Made my first ice climb at age 51 years! I love the sport and agree….go out with experienced climbers who can help and inspire you! I hope to be climbing for as long as possible! Btw, I have 4 grandchildren and the two oldest love rock climbing too!
I’ve climbed with the famed Exum Mountain Guide Tom Hargis. He’s a National Parks Senior Pass holder, and schooled me on the rock in JTree. He did 3 laps of the Gunsmoke Traverse problem (100 foot 5.11c boulder traverse) without issue, while I made it most of the way 4 times. Age is not a limitation as far as I can tell. When a senior citizen can trump a 23 year old its obvious climbing can be a life long venture! Here’s a little Bio on Tom, definitely an inspiration! http://www.exumguides.com/?page_id=77
great! thanks 🙂
I go climbing on a regular basis with my dad. He is 70 now and he still climbs better then I 😉 I think he started climbing around 50.
Such a great article Steph! I remember first meeting Lee back in the summer of 93 at Rifle…and it is still always great seeing him there each year! He is a true inspiration for climbing!
Feel free – there are no limits in climbing: no age, no gender, no too difficult routs:)) Open your mind and enjoy it :))
My new GF got me started climbing, just over a year ago, by asking if I would ever consider ice climbing. I said sure, and we have been learning together ever since…both ice and trad. I turn 50 this fall, and she is a year younger. We have had great teachers, and are both leading the easier stuff now. It has been an incredible experience for us both so far. One of the great things about being “old” is you get the excuse to go slow, and learn how to really climb, and take care of each other ( self rescue) without the pressure of being a “cool hot shot twenty something gym climber”
The other great thing to remember is that its awesome to go outside again, get anxious together over a route, get amazingly engaged, solve the problem, carry too much gear in your pack cause you are still trying to figure out what to leave home, and camp, and eat stuff like hotdogs ( vegan of course Steph), while drinking really good wine, and bump into endless friendly people. Nobody wants to give crap to the “old guys”.
We love climbing together. It is an incredibly intimate experience, and is always a huge let down heading home to sea level.
We will never make a cover of a magazine, although Cherie certainly has the smile, and shape to, but there is nobody having more fun than us ( except maybe Steph or Eric Odenthal). I’m shooting to follow 5.10 with some style by age 50… well maybe 51. I’ll be out there trying regardless…I’m better on ice anyway, and Cherie looks pretty damn good leading even if it is pretty easy stuff…so far!!
I just started climbing about a year and a half ago, at age 36, and now I’m certainly in the best shape of my life. Who knew I was actually athletic? Just needed to find a sport that uses all my senses and intellect as well as body at the same time! Climbing is so good for you, seems to me it would never be too late to start. Thank you both (Steph & Lee) for your insights on the subject!
My wife and I started climbing a couple of years ago. I was 59 and she was 52. I will be 62 next week. We both were relatively fit for our age when we started but it took about a year for our tendons to adjust fully to a climbing regime. We started in a local climbing gym and approached it as a work out. When we climb out doors we went with guides who taught us what we needed to know very quickly. Climbing has been great for our health and confidence and is something we enjoy doing together, We now have a lot of friends who are half our age and we do not feel out of place. I intend to climb as long as I am physically able.
I’m just now catching up on my reading and absolutely *love* this post (thanks Steph!) – It’s so inspiring to read such great advice (thanks Lee!) and so many comments from late-blooming athletes reminding us that it’s truly never too late to play outside and begin something new.
“Old” is very much a relative term… and limiting if we let it. Charles – go for it! And come back and let us know how it’s going. 🙂
 Charles hi, I echo what Lee just said and want to add that even power can be added when you are older.  I’m 66 and just for fun tried to see how many pull-ups I could do.  After 8 weeks of training I went from 10 to 20 – a record for me. Pull-ups don’t have much to do with real climbing, but knowing that you can get stronger does wonders for the attitude.  My old climbing partner is in his 60’s has done some 13s.  If you are like me and always strapped for time, you’ll have to make a conscious effort to think about being graceful and playful as opposed to trying to rack up numbers.  In the long run these qualities make you a better and happier climber!Â
 That’s inspiring! I started climbing 10 months ago at age 41, and keep suppressing thoughts of ‘you’re too old for this..grow up!’ Especially as I’m addicted to bouldering . Yes, I initially started as an alternative to boring weights and gyms. But now I find that the focus and mental aspects of climbing ‘hard’ (hard for me) problems and the pleasure gained from unlocking a sequence and sending it, are insanely powerful. Hope I still climbing well into my 50’s. Thanks for a great post.
thanks tim 🙂
 Yeah …. this is my goal for 65 years .. and live to be 100 years .. Congratulations
i’m 30 years Old, and i’m from Chile…. i’ve been climbir for a month more less, and i was thinking i was too old to start… what an inspirational post!! thanks!
you’re welcome 🙂
Thanks Steph and Lee for continuing to inspire us ‘mature’ climbers! I always say you choose your definition of age, the chronological number means nothing
Thanks for the inspirational story. I have been climbing since age 20. At 52 I love the sport more than ever. I have been frustrated by a lack of improvement over the years. Lee’s tip on patience is good advise but hard to follow.
I have my wallpaper set to a picture of you soloing Outer Limits on the Cookie. Lee Sheftel, Peter Croft and you inspire me everyday to keep training and climbing. One mans 5.10 is another’s 5.14. I will never climb 5.12 but strive to climb the classic long routes in style. I am blessed to have good health and be out climbing. Thanks for your inspiration.
that’s great Paul, thanks!
i agree with you 🙂
This is such a wonderful post! its amazing the inspiration that can come from all of these shared experiences.Â
I thought maybe i’d share something too. A while back i was reading Will Stanhope’s blog (Will is an amazing climber from BC) and in his blog he shared a story that truly inspired me: Â
“It all reminds me of an old story I heard about Jim Bridwell, one of the most accomplished climbers to ever live. As with most climbing stories, perhaps the specific details have been blurred over the years. But the theme remains the same. As the story goes, at the bar one night, when asked about his most proud accomplishment, Bridwell pushed the question aside. ¨In the end, it doesn´t matter what routes you climbed. All that matters is how many people you helped along the way.¨’
This quote is so powerful, its not only relevant to climbing but rather an outlook on life itself.Â
yes, thanks!
I recently turned 40 and for my Birthday my wife and family secretly sent me to a local wall for my first climb. It was an incredible eye opener. I am generally not an athletic person or even remotely interested in sports and I was instantly hooked! I’ve tried many things but nothing engages you on so many levels both mentally and physically than climbing does. Its really a fascinating sport that is deeply enjoyable/satisfying in a way that most sports simply aren’t.
So far recovery seems to be the biggest single issue at a beginner level 40 years old (and losing some pounds…lol) with at least a 3 to 4 day wait between sessions. Mentally I feel much younger, so fitting in at that level isn’t really an issue though I think there are advantages to starting older in terms of general patience.
My only regret is that I didn’t find this sport about 20 years sooner but I’m more than happy to make that discovery now!
Congratulations on finding climbing!
i didn’t start climbing until i was 52 – almost ten years later, i’m still going after it and (although not as quickly as the youngsters) continue to imrpove – age only matters if you let it!
Yes! 🙂
Really inspirating example! I’m a woman who started climbing and alpinism at 38 – quite old one, but my desire is  much stronger than limitations. Wish me good luck!
Great!
wow! the post is very inspiring… I am a beginner also and i am 30 years old… I just love it!! I feel I have found my passion in life.
that’s great Roxana 🙂
Great story. I started at 49 and am now 64 and still improving. 5.11d is my best so far … plenty of room for improvement 😉
I agree with Lee that recovery time is the biggest difference with younger folk. I take several days to fully recover, whereas young folk seem to be able to climb every day without problem. I’m sure this leads to faster improvement.
Keep cranking!
[…] name is Tim, I came across your site while inquiring about climbing and age limits. I found a post relating to just that, thanks. As I checked out the rest of your site I found your story to be inspiring (and living in […]
I am very pleased after reading this. About 6 months ago, my nephew asked me to start hiking in the Red River Gorge with him and some friends. He was bitten by the climbing bug and wanted my advice and company. He knew that I used to climb there years ago and knew the area well. I was reluctant at first because I had been sedentary for a long time and not climbed in nearly 13 years. At the age of 56, I now want to climb again more than anything. I started an new training regimen and have shed the extra pounds I acquired as a couch potato. We are planning a trip to Seneca Rocks this spring for some reeducation for me with the local guides and his first multi-pitch climb. I have always loved mountaineering and trad routes and Seneca has always been my favorite place to climb. After reading Lee’s advice, I realize my experience as a climber can only lead to the most fun I have ever had at the crags. I never wanted to climb anything more difficult than 5.11, but who knows what I may do now that I have a renewed enthusiasm for the sport. By the way, k8tlevy, it was Alex Lowe that said,”The best climber in the world is the one who’s having the most fun.”
Good for you Tony! I’m so glad you wrote, and happy that Lee has inspired you too. And I hope you have the most fun!
Hi, This is a great article, great inspiring advice from Lee. I started climbing about a year ago (May 2012) at age 38 and it took me a long time to feel like I would ever progress out of the UK V.Diff grade, a change of climbing partner … and last week I climbed my first UK E1!! (June 2013) Breakthrough!! Don’t know how it happened, except as Lee said it takes perseverance!
that’s great to hear Jeannie!
I just turned 40 and never “climbed” (rocks) until I was 39. Another thing against me in the “climbing gym” is that I’m a woman, I feel there’s a lot of misogyny in this environment. I had done aerial circus for a while, though, and frankly look more athletic than most boulderers I see…I also look much younger than my age. I can climb 30-ft rope in a proper gymnastics straddle climb, with no legs. Still, I feel so intimidated and depressed from “climbing gyms”, being filled with very young people and mostly male–can’t bring myself to climb any route there actually, too stressful and embarassing, it kills all joy….so I just do pull ups on holds or use campus boards, instead, to get my cross-training on…There’s NO way I’m going to get over this intimidation factor, so I gave up on climbing in gyms… Much less scary to do circus tricks high on air, I assure you. I guess I need to find some nice boulders locally where I can climb alone in privacy, without feeling judged or being watched (I just moved). Atmosphere in those climbing gyms seems to be incredibly strange, with people watching others and gossiping instead of getting on with their conditioning, etc in between their climbs and minding own business in general. I can understand people like Honnold climbing 1000s of feel alone unroped–at least there’s none of that “social climbing” bullshit in it.
Hello from Finland! Just found this interesting page & conversation and must agree that it’s really inspiring to hear all this! I’m 39 and started to climb 6 months ago and just love it 🙂 It gets even better after hearing your real life comments and experiences about ones ability to learn even if getting up there a bit later.. Thank you for the encouragement! 🙂
Awesome post, even as an on and off again climber turning 30 still lots of relevant info. Thanks!
I was climbing on Shepherds Crag in Borrowdale one day about 20 years ago when an ‘old’ guy turned up on a bike, he had ridden from Cockermouth some 10 miles away, he looked to be about 80!
We all watched in astonishment as he pulled on an ancient pair of boots before soloing up some VS route, after which he jumped on his bike and pedaled off to another crag.
great story, thanks Laura!
I started to climb in the 1980 ( 20 years old). Years ago I stop to climb when the surfing touched me. So the rock is always in my mind. Seven years ago I tried to climb one big boulder close to my home, also I was visiting an beautiful climbing zone in my country: no way I had more focus but less skin and strenght in my finger for the route. I love the bouldering. I remember me trying to translate “Bouldering : the inner experience” by Jhon Gill ( article apeared in Climbing ). I remember me looking the pics of largo ( jhon long) bouldering in some places in the USA, or dreaming to try “Midnight lighting”. In one moment I was thinking that was late for me to return to the bouldering, but recently, after a yoga and slacklining yoga sesion I was walking to the block close to my home and this was a beautifull day. I’m 54 tears old ( today is my birthday) and no matter if is V15 or V nothing, the important is to feel the life outside, to move. While older, less food and more move. Saludos a todos, keep rocking and Peace.
Wow, this was very inspiring. I am only 26, but I want to be able to climb my whole life and have been trying to recover from a chronic shoulder issue, and more recently, finger injury/strain. I just finished the book Vertical Mind (it was fantastic!), by Don McGrath and Jeff Elison. I decided to look into Don’s first book, 50 athletes over 50, which led me to this article. I was amazed to hear that someone achieved higher climbing capability at age 59. That I could potentially continue grow stronger and have more fun, even when I do get older. These injuries have been concerning me, because it has been over a year with the chronic shoulder pain, and I even took a month off to heal. I would love so much to heal and climb for life so this was inspiring. I am always trying to improve myself in all areas of life, and it’s nice to know that someone is still doing that at age 59 – still improving. I hope to be like Lee one day. And thank you both for taking the time to write this and respond to people.