Tag Archives: climbing

“Bring Sally Up”

Dartmouth Climbing Music Folklore
“Bring Sally Up”

Sarah Jennewein
Hanover, NH
May 22, 2019

Informant Data:

Sarah Jennewein is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. Sarah grew up in Tampa, Florida with her two brothers and sister before coming to Dartmouth. Sarah only began climbing when she got to Dartmouth. She was a member of a Hike and Climb freshman trip. While she initially found climbing at Dartmouth to be intimidating, after going on a climbing trip with Dartmouth students during a break freshman year, she fell in love. She now climbs and attends mountaineering events regularly. She is a member of the Dartmouth climbing team and has the designation of a leader in the mountaineering club for sport climbing, ice climbing, and top rope climbing. Climbing has made Dartmouth feel like home for Sarah.

 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This piece of folklore was collected via a video interview with Sarah Jennewein while at Dartmouth College. Sarah learned about this piece of folklore as a freshman on the Dartmouth Climbing Team. The idea of doing push ups to “Bring Sally Up” was not started by the Dartmouth Climbing Team, but the tradition of the Dartmouth Climbing Team routinely performing push ups to the song has become an integral  method of training and bonding. The song was brought to the Dartmouth Climbing Team by senior Matt Rube. The tradition is typically performed in the climbing gym at Dartmouth, but members of the team perform it at various locations whenever they are with teammates; for example, the activity has occured at airports traveling to and from climbing activities as well as at crags. Typically only climbers participate. The tradition at Dartmouth began as a method of conditioning during recruitment for the climbing team. The song is still used for conditioning purposes, but it also serves as a fun way to encourage friendly competition. The informant said it has become a great bonding method for the team.

 

  • Cultural Context: Despite common misconceptions, climbing is a social sport. The Dartmouth Climbing Team competes in competitions where each member’s score will contribute to how the team as a whole does. The climbing team trains together and will give feedback while climbing on how best to complete a climb. As such, team bonding and joint training is integral to a successful team. The social nature of the “Bring Sally Up” competition fosters team bonding and a collaborate urge for improvement. Additionally, climbing requires incredible physical strength; quite often, climbers will need to pull themselves up with only their arms without a foothold. Arm strength training, as practiced in the “Bring Sally Up” tradition, is essential for successful climbers.

 

Text:

(While i have recorded the Dartmouth climbing tradition of “Bring Sally Up” as closely as possible to Sarah’s exact words based on notes taken during the interview, this is ultimately my own phrasing of Sarah’s words.)

“Bring Sally Up” refers to a tradition of doing push ups throughout the duration of the song. Each time the song says ”Sally Up”, the teammates push up, and when the song says “Sally Down”, the teammates hold the downwards position of the push up until the song says to go up again. The song is three and a half minutes long, and 31 push ups are performed throughout the song. The tradition was brought to Dartmouth by senior Matt Rube. The song is officially called “Flowers” by Moby. The main lines of the song are “Green Sally up and green Sally down

Lift and squat, gotta tear the ground”, which are repeated multiple times. Occasionally throughout the song other lines such as “Old Miss Lucy’s dead and gone

Left me here to weep and moan” are added, causing the participants to have to hold themselves in the downward push up position until the song again instructs them to rise. Many participants, including my informant, often substitute the word “Green” for “Bring”, thereby interpreting the song as a more direct order for when to do the pushups. It is very difficult to complete all 31 pushups, creating friendly competition over who is able to do so.

 

Kelly Peterec, Age 20
Hinman Box 3552, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College
Russian 13
Spring 2019

 

Thumb On Rope

Dartmouth Climbing Customary Folklore
“Thumb On Rope”

Sarah Jennewein
Hanover, NH
May 22, 2019

Informant Data:

Sarah Jennewein is a sophomore at Dartmouth College. Sarah grew up in Tampa, Florida, before coming to Dartmouth. Sarah only began climbing when she got to Dartmouth. She was a member of a Hike and Climb freshman trip. While she initially found climbing at Dartmouth to be intimidating, after going on a climbing trip with Dartmouth students during a break freshman year, she fell in love. She now climbs and attends mountaineering events regularly. She is a member of the Dartmouth climbing team and has the designation of a leader in the mountaineering club for sport climbing, ice climbing, and top rope climbing. Climbing has made Dartmouth feel like home for Sarah.

 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This piece of folklore was collected via a video interview with Sarah Jennewein while at Dartmouth College. Sarah learned about this piece of folklore as a freshman on the Dartmouth Climbing Team. This tradition is not unique to only the Dartmouth Climbing Team, but it is routinely performed by the team each time they climb outdoors. This tradition is performed by members of the team only; non-climbers typically do not participate. The “thumb on the rope” game is played specifically when climbing outdoors with a top rope. At Dartmouth, this usually means that the game is performed at a climbing location called Rumney or on a trip during a school break to other outdoor climbing locations. Typically, only a small group of all climbers are present on these trips, and the game is performed as the group is getting ready to end the climbing for the day. Specifically, this game occurs as the top ropes are being taken down. Sarah noted that the tradition gives a sense of bonding and fosters the feeling of family. She added that the game is both fun and competitive, and it provides a forum for jokes and entertainment. Whoever manages to get their thumb on the top of the rope has bragging rights within the community.

 

  • Cultural Context: The two major types of climbing are bouldering and sport climbing. Unlike bouldering, sport climbing involves being roped in and wearing a harness while being belayed by another climber on the ground due to the dangerous heights that the climbers can reach. Top rope climbing is a type of sport climbing. The rope is attached to the climber,  passed up through an anchor at the top of the climb, and then passed down to a belayer at the bottom of the climb. At Dartmouth, top rope climbing is not performed in the climbing gym on campus, as the climbing gym on campus is a bouldering gym. Therefore, no ropes are used in the Dartmouth Climbing Gym, and the “thumb on rope” game cannot be played unless the climbers are not on campus. Dartmouth climbers typically top rope climb at an outdoor area called Rumney or on break trips. This item of folklore is a fun and competitive way for team members to bond after top rope climbing.

 

Item:

(While i have recorded the Dartmouth climbing tradition of the thumb on the rope game as closely as possible to Sarah’s exact words based on notes taken during the interview, this is ultimately my own phrasing of Sarah’s words.)

The “thumb on rope” game does not have an official name, but rather is a game commonly known by the climbing community. This game is played by members outside of the Dartmouth community, but these are the specific rules that the Dartmouth community adheres to. When disassembling the setup of a top rope climb after everyone has finished climbing, the top rope must be allowed to fall from the anchor at the top of the climb. Before the rope hits the ground, if you are able to catch the end of the rope within a thumbs length of the end so that you can put your thumb on the very top, someone who you are climbing with has to buy you a beer or other beverage.

 

Kelly Peterec, Age 20
Hinman Box 3552, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College
Russian 013
Spring 2019

 

The Feed

Dartmouth Climbing Polymodal Folklore
The Feed

Marlee Montella
Hanover, NH
May 22, 2019

 

Informant Data:

Marlee is a sophomore at Dartmouth College from Nevada. She began climbing her freshman year of high school before attending Dartmouth. Marlee originally started climbing indoors. Once she got to Dartmouth, she participated in team trips outside as well as continued bouldering in the Dartmouth Climbing Gym. Marlee is now a member of the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club and is on the Dartmouth Climbing Team. She often participates in break trips. Marlee says that climbing has helped shape her Dartmouth experience; climbing was the first group that she joined on campus. When she started, it was a small group and she was one of the few people that had climbed before. She noted that the climbing community is fun and a great friend group.

 

Contextual Data:

  • Social Context: This piece of folklore was conducted via an interview with Marlee at Sigma Delta sorority. My informant learned about this tradition after joining the climbing team and participating with friends.The Dartmouth Mountaineering Club (DMC) Feed occurs weekly and is hosted by members of the DMC. Typically, only members of the DMC or the climbing team attend. The feed is shaped by the people that attend as mingling and informal conversation is a large part of the appeal. The feed serves both as an opportunity to present any important information that members of the climbing community should know about as well as a chance to enjoy spending time with fellow climbers and to meet new members. Marlee noted that it is a  good chance to see other people in the climbing community that you do not always see and to meet and talk to other DMC members. The Feed is both a fun bonding experience and a functional way to establish bonds between members of the climbing community.

 

  • Cultural Context: Marlee noted that the Dartmouth Climbing Team is not part of the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club, but rather is a separate subset of the overarching Dartmouth Outing Club. Members of the Dartmouth Climbing Team are encouraged to attend the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club Feeds, as climbers make up a significant portion of members in the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club. The Feed is an important way to bring together members of these communities to establish bonds within the community and to have a forum to present important information to the community.

 

Item:

(While i have recorded the Dartmouth climbing tradition of  The Feed as closely as possible to Marlee’s exact words based on notes taken during the interview, this is ultimately my own phrasing of Marlee’s words.)

The Feed is a dinner that occurs every Tuesday evening with the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club and the Dartmouth Climbing Team. This specific tradition is unique to Dartmouth College. Each week, two members volunteer to cook for the rest of the community. The funds are provided by the Dartmouth Outing Club. Typically, one large meal such as tacos or chile will be cooked, and there will be a vegetarian option. Participants bring their own bowl to be ecologically friendly. Typically, all attending members will participate in an introduction game with questions such as “Tell us your name, your year, where you are from, and if you could lactate anything what would it be”. People mingle and leaders of the communities will present any important information such as upcoming events and trips. Occasionally guest speakers relevant to the climbing community will present. The number of people attending the feed fluctuates widely, and attendance is not mandatory.

 

Kelly Peterec, Age 20
Hinman Box 3552, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Dartmouth College
Russian 13
Spring 2019

Talus

Informant Info
Mallory Bird, 18, grew up and lives in Durango, CO with a family of climbers. She is now a freshman undergraduate at Dartmouth College. She’s been climbing with her family for as long as she can remember. She loves the puzzle-aspect of the sport and simply finds it enjoyable, while her biggest climbing fear is being high during windy conditions. Mallory first learned of the tradition during her freshman fall when she first became strongly involved in the DMC.

Type: Material, Customary

Language: English

Country of Origin: US

Date Collected: May 12, 2016

Location Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social Context: Talus is a book consisting of Dartmouth Mountaineering Club folklore. The book is well-known by DMC members and is given as a parting gift to seniors.

Associated File:

51SK81LQWGL._SX373_BO1,204,203,200_

Lore
A copy of the book is placed on top of the locker of each graduating senior during the end of Spring term. Over a few weeks, anyone can write and sign the book, much like a yearbook.

Informant Comments
Mallory hasn’t personally read the book but knows of many stories within it which have been retold by friends. She really likes this tradition since it reflects the tight-knit community that is the Dartmouth Mountaineering Club.

Collector’s Comments
Signing Talus at the end of the year is a custom that gives DMC members a way to remember the club, its members, and its defining stories for years to come. It’s one of many parting rituals that seniors participate in.

Tags/Keywords: book, climbing, Customary, material, Ritual, seniors, talus

Climbing Near Harvard

Informant Information
The informant was Josie Nordrum, a 20 year old junior at Dartmouth and a member of the DMC. She was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in Corte Madera, CA. She learned how to climb at Dartmouth from Jay Dumanian two and a half years ago on her DOC freshman trip. Josie’s climbing phobia is exposure to the elements. She loves the feeling of satisfaction after a climb.

Type: Customary

Language: English

Country of Origin: U.S.A

Date Collected: May 15, 2016

Place Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social/ Cultural Context: This is likely in the spirit of Ivy league rivalry between the Harvard and Dartmouth Climbers.

CHRIS SHARMA & DALIA OJEDA Photographed by Boone Speed on April 30, Buttermilk region, Inyo National Forest, Bishop, CA Photographer: Boone Speed Hair: (no hair) Makeup: (no makeup) Prop Stylist: (no prop stylist)

Lore: The DMC frequently climbs are Rumney, an extremely popular climbing area in New Hampshire about 50 minutes from campus. When DMC members see Harvard climbers also at Rumney they take off their clothes and climb naked.

Informant’s Comments: Not all but some DMC members will adhere to this tradition. It’s a way for the Dartmouth climbers to not one-up Harvard but also embrace nature and themselves

Collector’s Comments: This is another example of Dartmouth climbers’ rebelliousness as well as generally fun and outgoing attitude. It shows the DMC’s desire to embrace themselves and their view that nudity is not a complete social taboo.

Tags/Keywords: naked, Harvard, Rumney, climbing, DMC, self-expression, Customary

 

Climbing Etiquette

Informant Info
Mallory Bird, an 18 year old freshman undergraduate at Dartmouth College, grew up in Durango, CO with a family of climbers. She’s been climbing with her family for as long as she can remember. She loves the puzzle-aspect of the sport and simply finds it enjoyable. Her biggest fear while climbing is being high during windy conditions. Mallory learned the etiquette when she was young while learning how to climb with her family.

Type: Customary

Language: English

Country of Origin: US

Date Collected: May 12, 2016

Location Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social Context
An important aspect of trad climbing is the gear (pictured below) that is placed in the wall and is needed to keep the climber safe. The pieces of protection can often get stuck in the wall– certain etiquette surrounds these situations.

Associated File:

200933_29553_XL   137745_17533_XL

Lore: If you lose someone else’s gear while climbing at the end of the day you’re supposed to buy them a beer. Similarly, if you come up after someone and free their stuck gear and return it to them then they should buy you a beer.

Informant Comments: An important part of climbing is what you do at the end of the day. There’s usually a lot of down time, especially if you’re camping near the wall, so there’s a well-defined after-climbing culture. It usually involves alcohol.

Collector’s Comments: Trad climbing etiquette is a good example of how climbers are not a groups of adrenaline-high thrill-seekers looking for danger. Although the group has many traditions which might suggest delinquency, there is a strong sense of trust and community shared by all climbers. It’s necessary when your life is in the hands of your belayer.

The Wine Game

Informant info: The informant was Ian Raphael, a Dartmouth ’18, who was born in Kirkland, WA and raised in Miami, FL. He learned to climb when he was 18 from an older, close friend in Port Angeles, WA.

Date Collected: 5/16/16

Place Collected: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Type: Customary Folklore, Ceremony, Prayer

Language: English

Country of Origin: U.S.A

Social/ cultural context: The wine game is ceremonial in climbing culture and is used to bring members together. Climbers often go on day trips together. At the end of each trip, climbers are usually tired and hungry. The wine game is a way to finish off the night and come together to reflect on the day.

Associated File:

Picture1

Lore: After a long day of climbing, climbers gather around in a circle with a gallon of wine and christen it by making toasts into the fire to famous past climbers and the climbing “gods”. The climbers toast to Earl and Valerie, John Joline, DMCers of the past and present, and the “homies and the homeless”. Afterwards, the gallon wine bottle is passed around the circle. Participants may only hold the bottle to drink with their pinky finger. The person who drinks the last drop of wine is considered the winner of the game.

Informant’s Comments: This is a way to celebrate after a climb. It is a fun way to wrap up the day and have fun with your friends. No one knows why we toast to the “homies and the homeless”, but we toast to Earl, Valerie, and John Joline because of their importance to the club.

Collector’s Comments: The wine game begins with a prayer when the climbers christen the wine. It is followed by a game where each player tries to drink the last drop. The game is a celebration of the end of a long day of climbing. It is a way to reflect on the day and relax after a long climb; basically, it encourages mindfulness and team bonding. While playing the game, climbers celebrate their friendships and their outing.

Tags/Keywords: wine, games, prayer, climbing, alcohol, celebration, Customary, DMC, folklore

Fairlee Bridge Challenge

Informant Info
Natalie Afonina, 25, born in Moscow, now lives in Seattle, WA. She learned how to rock climb 5 years ago in the Adirondacks with Eric, who was a senior at Middlebury College. She enjoys rock climbing for the feeling of control it brings and her biggest fear while climbing is finding snakes. Natalie learned of the game in Hanover from Zebediah Engberg while chatting about what their plans for the night would be.

Type: Customary, Game

Language: English

Country of Origin: US

Date Collected: May 15, 2016

Place Collected: Jonathan Belden Daniels Climbing Gym, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH

Social/Cultural Context: The game is often performed as a fun afternoon or night adventure. The afternoon offers better views and the possibility of Whippi Dip afterwards, while the nighttime brings additional since the police will actively try to stop people from climbing the bridge.

Associated File:

Samuel Morey Bridge Orford NH to Fairlee VT-L

Lore: The Fairlee Bridge Challenge consists of starting on one end of the 45′ tall bridge and climbing  to the other side over the top of the bridge. It’s strongly discouraged by local law enforcement and especially dangerous and little to no climbing protection is used. Some variations of the game involve doing the climb naked. Afterwards, Whippi Dip, located down the street, is a popular way to relax after the strenuous climb.

Informant’s Comments: Climbers complete the challenge as a way to celebrate and honor tradition. It also is pretty thrilling to climb the bridge and break an established rule without being caught. In addition, climbers complete the challenge to gain membership into a select group who have also performed the same feat.

Collector’s Comments: This was another one of the many games that we collected from climbers and is similar to the “buildering” games played on campus. The excitement comes from climbing a well-known local feature as well as the trill of rule-breaking.

Tags/Keywords: climbing, Customary, Fairlee Bridge, game, rule-breaking