UKC

Given that all the usual stuff is likely to make you fall off through diminished co-ordination, as well as be more courageous, does it balance out? Are Al Harris and Jim Perrin good examples to young climbers?

In reply to Steve Parker: are we talking coke and the like or steroids?

In reply to djviper:
Don't think Jim and Al did steroids, just recreational stuff like lots of speed.

In reply to Steve Parker: if ethics are based on past practice then toot away dear boy! some of the early first alpine accents included an emergency phial of "special" heart liquid for dire emergencies

In reply to djviper:
That like liquidized heart for those faint-hearted moments? Whose heart they use? Whymper's?

In reply to Steve Parker: lol i dont think there was much left of his!

In reply to Steve Parker:

who cares. Theres no unfair advantage since its not a competition
p

In reply to Hotbad Peteel:
I don't care either. Wrote this dumb thread and some like it under the influence of too much Stella.

In reply to Steve Parker:

we'd noticed. I guess tellas got you under some sort of drivel spouting thumb
p

In reply to Hotbad Peteel:

Don't get, like, all bleached out on me, man! ;0)

In reply to Steve Parker: Hmm, not sure it's unethical. Like someone said, it's not a comp. But personally, I'd like to think that I managed to do a route off my own steam and not some drug, giving me false confidence. Saying that, first time I climbed in Arran, there were some Yorkshire dudes there, def on speed (takes one, to know one, aye!) and they were cruisin route after route after route, multipitch stuff. They'd done about 3-4routes in the time it took us to approach our route, climb our route and come down, and we ab'd off! Then they pulled their ropes and ran full speed down the Glen back to their tent, eyes bulging all the while!

In reply to lasonj:

Actually, I reckon certain kinds of drugs can probably get certain people 'in the zone', as in totally engaged and concentrated and relaxed. Wouldn't do it for me these days, though.

Also, no it's not a competition (unless it's a competition, obviously!), but it has some similarities: success/failure etc. Unassisted ability versus enhanced ability. I suspect using anything other than yourself and the rock to get you to the top is kind of cheating in a way. Unless you're an Aid climber, of course.

In reply to Steve Parker: I would have thought that it is a personal choice as the only person you are competing against is yourself. You might want to mension to your climbing partner that you are stoned though.

In reply to Richard Bradley:

I think a lot of people went climbing (and everything else) in the 60s and 70s on drugs. The general finding seems to have been that it didn't work, or at least is generally so unreliable and unpredictable in effect as to be worthless in the long-term.

Wasn't a serious thread, this BTW! Part of a joke that didn't come off very well late last night, that's all. Grumble, mutter...