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MrBizarro
Mar 11, 2009, 3:31 AM
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I'm trying to get into sport climbing, and I'd like to be able to do some lead climbing outdoors this summer.
I took a college rock climbing class this fall, and I've been climbing regularly since then. I haven't done any lead. I've done plenty of toprope climbing in the gym, but mostly bouldering because the Outdoor Program guys are really unreliable about being there to unlock the ropes and stuff.
I made an appointment for a private lead climbing lesson this weekend, at a gym I've never been to before. I'm a little nervous about that. The next level they offer is an outdoor leading class. They're one-time classes and only last 2-3 hours.
I guess my question is, what can I do to gain the experience to lead climb safely outdoors? I definitely plan on taking the indoor and outdoor lessons, but then what? Just find a partner and go at it? Two short classes can't be enough to prepare me for that, can they?
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no_limit
Mar 11, 2009, 3:42 AM
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Taking the short classes at the gym is a good start. If you really want to pursue lead climbing outdoors, though, you should find an experienced partner who is willing to teach you what he knows. If you don't have a mentor readily at your disposal, you could try hiring a guide for your first few excursions.
Good luck.
(This post was edited by no_limit on Mar 11, 2009, 3:43 AM)
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byran
Mar 11, 2009, 3:53 AM
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Just climb with some more experienced people at the gym or outdoors. They can watch you and make sure you don't back clip or z-clip, and will yell at you to get your foot out from behind the rope. There's not any magic to it, you just clip the draw to the bolt, and the rope to the draw. I learned by watching other people, and after a while of thinking to myself "I can do that", someone finally asked me if I'd like to try leading. I said sure and they gave me a few pointers and off I went.
At first you'll probably get terribly pumped, fumble with the draws, freak out, and take constantly. Especially if you learn in a gym where the lead walls tend to be overhanging. But the more you lead, the more confident you'll become, and the faster those clips will go.
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Myxomatosis
Mar 11, 2009, 4:14 AM
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Watching people really isn't the best advice... You need someone watching over you and you didn't touch on how hes going to watch someone rappel? Somethings need to be taught and then supervised a few times to get it right. Small things like getting the ATC the right way and rope management is usually skipped in a intro to leading course
But as per above, you really need to get yourself a mentor who lives by being safe ethics. To find a mentor is a little hard sometimes, some people know alot of information but are complete fuck nuckles and will give your poor advice...
Take your belay/lead course. Start practising in the gym your leading then hopefully someone will see how keen you are and take you outdoors and teach you how to rappel and get your draws back. Theres also ton's of little tricks on how to make things easier for you (stick clips, bailing off routes, how to climb hard outdoors, how to read rock, cleaning overhangs etc etc) that are normally learnt from watching your mentor at the crag...
If you really struggle to find someone, join one of the local climbing clubs (they all over the place) and put a note up at the gym you want to organise a climbing trip and will pay for gas/beer.
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Craggmire
Mar 30, 2009, 6:51 AM
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Like its already been stated your best bet is to find someone safe and exprienced to show you the ropes (haha). If you're like me and can't find a mentor read an ass load practice what you read on the ground, build some muscle technique and confidence on top rope or in the gym grab someone who you know can belay find a 5.6 and sack up. Its not the best way but if you can't find a mentor thats what I offer. I didn't have anyone to climb with who was a stronger climber than me until I was already leading 5.10
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mikebee
Mar 30, 2009, 10:27 AM
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I started with a course at my local gym too.
Have a read around, some of the "How to Climb" Falcon Guide series ("Sport Climbing" and "Clip and Go") are good instructional books.
I found heading to the course with a basic theoretical background from my reading meant that I caught on to the principles shown in the course much faster than the others doing it.
Sport Climbing isn't magic, it's pretty straight forward really. Once you've done the course and the instructor has shown you how to clip, get a carabiner and end of a rope and practice. A lot. The right way (not back clipping). Keep doing it in front of the TV etc. When clipping is second nature to you, then it's one thing that you can feel confident about when you start leading.
When you're confident with your clipping, start leading at the gym. Get yourself confident with everything you can there. By the time you're sorted with that, hopefully you'll have met someone who can take you outdoors and safety introduce you to the other sport climbing skills that don't really apply in the gym (especially cleaning and anchor and lowering off).
From there, enjoy!
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apeman_e
Mar 30, 2009, 12:22 PM
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My two cents:
Leading is never really "safe"- even if you do everything "right" you can still break an ankle or worse (I've seen it quite a few times). That being said, sport climbing is pretty damn easy to do correctly. After your class, you really should be ready to lead; go ahead and lead something several grades below your top rope ability for your first climb. You'll be a bit scared, and you'll love it.
If you can't figure out how to sport climb after a class, youre probably hopeless  , and if thats the case, im sure someone will be more than happy to take your money and show you again.
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MrBizarro
Mar 30, 2009, 8:19 PM
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Thanks for the replies, guys. The class went well. I did do a ton of reading before I went, but I was unsure of how well I really knew my stuff. It turned out I had pretty much all the knowledge that was covered in the class, just not the practical experience. I didn't back-clip or z-clip at all, and I only had to be told to get my foot out from behind the rope once.
I did get terribly pumped, like byran said. The gym was much higher than anything I've climbed before, and they just finished up a tournament, so any of the actual routes were way beyond my ability. I led one pitch that I couldn't even finish; fortunately it was in a gym so I could just lower. That was a real wake up call to work on my endurance.
So yeah, it was an exciting and informative experience, and also a humbling one.
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jeepnphreak
Mar 30, 2009, 8:25 PM
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Side form the harness and gear/rope , there are 3 main things that you will NEED to learn for a sport lead
1 proper clipping. + Back clip and z clip, what they are and how to avoid that.
2. proper top anchor buliding. at first find a rout that has chains or cold shut at the top. know how to use them with our pissing peope off. ie dont run the rop through the chains and get lowered. useally two locking biners/locking draws is used.
3 how to clean the rout once you at the top/done with that rout. the cleaner useally raps down gathering the gear.
All of witch shoudld be learnd through an experienced person that can show you how its done.
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TJGoSurf
Apr 3, 2009, 1:17 PM
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Not that I recommend this, but it was my 3rd time climbing ever. I had learned how to belay my friend leading, I was going thru a divorce and I said I can do that. So he said are you sure? And at this point I didn't care what I did, so he showed me how to properly clip in, face the opposite way of travel, and don't fall. So I lead a 5.9 my 3rd time out. But I don't recommend this since my fear and me getting laid has returned.
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slablizard
Jun 3, 2009, 11:48 PM
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jeepnphreak wrote: Side form the harness and gear/rope , there are 3 main things that you will NEED to learn for a sport lead 1 proper clipping. + Back clip and z clip, what they are and how to avoid that. 2. proper top anchor buliding. at first find a rout that has chains or cold shut at the top. know how to use them with our pissing peope off. ie dont run the rop through the chains and get lowered. useally two locking biners/locking draws is used. 3 how to clean the rout once you at the top/done with that rout. the cleaner useally raps down gathering the gear. All of witch shoudld be learnd through an experienced person that can show you how its done.
You can lower off an anchor, a fixed biner or a locking ring, just don't top-rope off it, if you want to TR place a locking biner and remove it when you're done.
I never seen anybody rappell off sport climbs, you get lowered and clean the draws, wich is much safer.
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hafilax
Jun 4, 2009, 12:02 AM
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I climbed at the gym for a while then bought a rope, some draws, biners, slings, a guidebook, and a climbing book and just went for it. I got on a few easy climbs then a few harder ones. I never had any problems and in hindsight didn't do anything dangerous.
I did, however, hire a guide to show me how to place gear.
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puerto
Jun 4, 2009, 5:09 AM
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In a gymnasium.
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rtwilli4
Jun 4, 2009, 5:11 AM
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no_limit wrote: Taking the short classes at the gym is a good start. If you really want to pursue lead climbing outdoors, though, you should find an experienced partner who is willing to teach you what he knows. If you don't have a mentor readily at your disposal, you could try hiring a guide for your first few excursions. Good luck.
Nuff said!
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swoopee
Jun 4, 2009, 11:57 PM
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I just started.
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shimanilami
Jun 5, 2009, 12:23 AM
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In a moment of weakness, I accepted an invitation to go clip some bolts. I think I have become a little bit gay as a result ... at least, I never used to wear spandex.
DAMN YOU, BELIZZI!!!
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foodgeek
Jun 5, 2009, 12:28 AM
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I've never seen anyone get lowered through the rap rings, everyone I've ever climbed with rappels off when cleaning a bolted anchor.
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jt512
Jun 5, 2009, 12:36 AM
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foodgeek wrote: I've never seen anyone get lowered through the rap rings...
I have, and it isn't pretty.
Jay
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altelis
Jun 5, 2009, 1:41 AM
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shimanilami wrote: In a moment of weakness, I accepted an invitation to go clip some bolts. I think I have become a little bit gay as a result ... at least, I never used to wear spandex. DAMN YOU, BELIZZI!!!
But now you do?
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seatbeltpants
Jun 7, 2009, 10:08 PM
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i clipped the first bolt. things sort of just happened from there.
serious answer, did a few leads in the gym and went from there. climbing with a more experienced partner is definitely a good thing but i only did a few leads before i was feeling confident enough to do it without screwing up. read as much as you can, watch what others do, get the main problem areas (back clipping etc) clear in your head, then go from there.
steve
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bill413
Jun 8, 2009, 12:04 AM
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seatbeltpants wrote: i clipped the first bolt. things sort of just happened from there.
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NiNe
Jun 14, 2009, 8:42 PM
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Thats kinda what Im feelin.
Is it really necessary to take courses? I mean if you read up, head to the crag with someone that has done it before and knows all the safety stuff, isnt that enough?
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Neel
Jun 15, 2009, 8:32 PM
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slablizard wrote: You can lower off an anchor, a fixed biner or a locking ring, just don't top-rope off it, if you want to TR place a locking biner and remove it when you're done. I never seen anybody rappell off sport climbs, you get lowered and clean the draws, wich is much safer.
hrm, depends on the location, usually it's alright to lower off the anchor, but might be wise to check with the locals first if you're unsure. Lots of people rap off sport climbs, especially in situations where lowering off it would cause your rope to drag across a sharp edge. just my two cents.
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Rudmin
Jun 16, 2009, 12:35 AM
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Unless it is overhanging, I prefer to rap when I am climbing on my own rope.
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