What Stands Out About the Climbing Partners I Turn to Again and Again?

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Like the thumbnail to the video says, “I trust them with my life.” That phrase is often said as a cliché, but in climbing, it is quite literal. If your belayer lets go of the rope as you fall, that’s it.

When you get into the game of high altitude and/or big expeditions, then the various ways we put our lives in the hands of others can become both more frequent and more subtle. There are discussions of weather windows and snow conditions and wind. We discuss logistics and delegating jobs for the day and communication demands. Thousands of decisions, both tiny and large, factor into when and in what style and with what tactics we might start heading up or working our way down. Each of those decisions have the potential to reduce or magnify risk, and any one risk can turn into an event at any particular time.

That’s why team dynamics is so important. Like we discuss in the video, it’s far more than finding someone who matches pace. Mentalities need to jive but they also can’t be the same (differing perspectives mean you are more likely to perceive risks). Humor. Communication styles. Problem solving approaches. All these personality traits, and more, can be a big deal when placed in the crucible of a big climb.

I find that it’s comparatively less challenging to differentiate between potential partners who would be good and bad. That’s not to say it is easy, but it is comparatively less difficult. Less difficult than what? Less difficult than differentiating between people who would be good versus great climbing partners. And while every big climb and every expedition has its rewards, I certainly can recall with a warmer glow of fondness those trips that were populated by great climbing partners, rather than just good ones. These were the life-changing and life-affirming trips.

So, I wanted to take a little time to call out what I have found to be the biggest factor in identifying those partners that have proven to be great fits for me. If we are up there for similar reasons, we are more likely to make compatible choices (as well as more likely to have better inter-personal connection). So, take a look at the video. Have an honest conversation with yourself about what is motivating you to go up into the high places, and then maybe have an honest conversation with your climbing partners.

There are no wrong answers and just because some partners will prove to be a better fit doesn’t mean the others are “bad.” It’s just degrees of compatibility and support, and I think we owe it to ourselves and to them to be as aware as we can about how we will gel when things get real and the consequences get high.