|
oasis27alh
Oct 19, 2004, 12:33 AM
Post #1 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 15, 2004
Posts: 65
|
[Moderator's note: Can we try and give topics more informative titles, please. Calling a thread in the Beginner's forum "Beginner Q" doesn't really tell us much. -Jay]
I have been gym climbing for a year now and am looking at outdoor climbing comming this spring, I live in Oregon and there are some good locations to climb, anyhow, I'm confused with all of this climbing jargon, even though I have experience it's just explained too complicated in your answers, sorry. Here are a few questions that I hope can be answered as simply as possible
What is the difference between aid, top-roping, sport and trad? All the answers I get just further confuse me.
What is a slab?
Are there many 5.5-5.7 routes in Smith Rock, OR to start off on?
|
|
|
|
|
dutyje
Oct 19, 2004, 12:45 AM
Post #2 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 1, 2004
Posts: 727
|
Top-roping is probably what you do in the gym. When the climber starts, the rope is already going up the route to an anchor, and then usually all the way back down the route to the belayer.
Sport climbing is lead climbing where bolts have been drilled into the rock. You start at the bottom tied into your rope, with the rope running to your belayer and the rest on the ground. As you climb, the belayer feeds out rope. When you reach a bolt, you clip a quickdraw to that bolt and then clip the rope to the draw. Then you continue climbing.
Trad (traditional lead climbing) is lead climbing where there are no bolts in the rock. You put protection (nuts, cams, etc) into the rock and clip your rope into that. When you're finished, you clean all the gear off the route and leave the rock as close to the way you found it as possible.
Aid climbing is using gear to help your forward progress up the rock. The opposite is free climbing, where all the progress up the rock is made by the climber and gear exists only to protect the climber in the event of a fall.
Slabs are less-than-vertical routes. They usually have a reduced availability of good, positive holds, and you make progress up the route by relying on the friction in your shoes, and your hands providing balance.
Can't help you with OR climbing.
|
|
|
|
|
oasis27alh
Oct 19, 2004, 12:50 AM
Post #3 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 15, 2004
Posts: 65
|
how would you use your gear to aid your climbing in 'Aid Climbing'?
|
|
|
|
|
fixednut
Oct 19, 2004, 1:02 AM
Post #4 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 3, 2004
Posts: 509
|
You will understand the answers to these questions much more easily and quickly if you have a conversation about them rather than asking once and getting incomplete answers.
|
|
|
|
|
hemp22
Oct 19, 2004, 1:05 AM
Post #5 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 22, 2004
Posts: 94
|
In Aid climbing, you use your gear by letting it take some/all of your weight instead of a handhold or foothold on the rock.
You place a Nut, or a Cam, for example, and then you can attach a sling to the gear to put your foot in and stand up on, or you just pull directly on the gear with your hand...
Smith Rock does have a couple good beginner climbs in the 5.5-5.7 range. Try going to Rope-de-Dope block - on the parking lot side of the river, across the river from the majority of the climbing. It's possible to set up a top-rope on those climbs without having to lead-climb up them first.
You should probably go with someone who's been there before, or someone who's experienced enough with climbing to know how to set them up and get you started. There are usually a lot of other beginning climbers at the Rope-de-Dope Block.
Enjoy
|
|
|
|
|
cliffhanger9
Moderator
Oct 19, 2004, 1:08 AM
Post #6 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 26, 2002
Posts: 2275
|
Hey! welcome to climbing and to RockClimbing.com! 8^)
We definitely can answer your questions. In fact most of the questions have already been answered on the site since every new climber has these questions at some point (no matter what others tell you ;) ).
Anyway, wander around the site a bit and you'll quickly realize what a gold mine you've set foot on. This site is really an excellent resource for all things climbing. That said, it can no doubt be overwhelming so I'll try and point you in the right directions..
For the climbing jargon, check out our climbing dictionary. There are over 240 terms sorted alphabetically so you can refer to this whenever you hear a new one.
I also encourage you to look through the Frequently Asked Questions. There is both a Site FAQ for gettign to know the site better and how it works as well as a Climbing FAQ, that answers most of your other questions, including a pretty good description of the different types of climbing.
I personally have never been to Smith unfortunately but we also have the most extensive Routes Database online where you can search for your area and learn about that spot as well as meet other registered users who are in your state.
In addition, the site offers our own Gear Guide with user submitted reviews and ratings, an enormous collection of user submitted photographs, and some excellent articles ranging from extensive details how to do something, to entertaining trip reports.
So again I welcome you to RockClimbing.com and encourage you to stay and snoop around a bit. The forums are but a percentage of what the site has to offer. :mrgreen:
Rock On!!
Dan
P.S. - climbing, like any physical activity, extreme sport or otherwise, is not something you can learn online - no matter how detailed the descriptions are, you should always seek the experience of someone that can show you in person. There is no substitute for hands on experience.
|
|
|
|
|
micon
Oct 19, 2004, 2:35 PM
Post #7 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 8, 2004
Posts: 43
|
I am also new to this site, and have only been climbing for eight months. I just started lead climbing outdoors a few months ago. Ive been wandering around it in the last week because I have nothing better to do at work somedays, and I have learned quite a bit. I knew the basics of most of the different types of climbing, but reading some of these posts has cleared up a lot of questions that I've had. However, Exerience is without a doubt the best way to learn, and it helps to experiment with someone who knows what they are doing.
Ive learned - more than anything- that there are a lot of ways to get hurt while climbing, and that it is important to know how to protect yourself and those you climb with. It is important also, not to jump into the sport too quickly, because there is so much that can be over looked, if you don't know what your doing.
|
|
|
|
|
orerockclimber
Oct 20, 2004, 4:43 PM
Post #8 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 24, 2004
Posts: 20
|
Hey, oasis27alh I went to your profile to find where in Oregon you are from, no help. Anyway get the book "Climbers Guild to Smith Rock" by Alan Watts. In the back of the book the routes are in grade order, there are over 100 routes between 5.0 & 5.8. If you are in the Portland area get "Portland Rock Climbs" by Tim Olson. This book has places and routes all within 100 miles of Portland. If you are going to an outdoor climbing area then you should always get the route book for that area. If you are going outdoors there is a few things that I would like to say to you. I am a newbe also. I went to Mt. Hood C.C. and took all three of there classes to learn to rock climb. I also work as a monitor at there indoor wall, for the last three semesters. I went to Climb Max (2105 S.E. Divison St. Portland, 503-797-1991) to get all of my gear. I talk to Eric or Darrin, they give me a good price and they are real climbers. Eric will sell me only the gear that I need at the level of climbing that I am at. Eric has taught me alot about climbing. I climb with a pardner and I climb by myself. I have over 51 outdoor trips sence Feb. of 2004. If you want to go to a good begenners place, Salmon River Slab. You need a rope, 8 quickdraws and a good pardner, it's in the book. Good luck. If you want to, you can e-mail me.
|
|
|
|
|
magpie
Oct 28, 2004, 4:28 PM
Post #9 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 13, 2004
Posts: 118
|
Smith definitely has some routes in the grades you mentioned. Get the book listed above, and it's nice to go with someone who's been there before. Be prepared for little nuggety foot and handholds, not usually like the gym. It's a good place to start to learn to trust your feet on small holds. Definitely get the Portland Rock Climbs book as well.
For a visualization on aid climbing, look at some of the pictures on this site, or in magazines like Climbing or Rock and Ice. Often seen in places like Yosemite, you'll see people with their feet in looped webbing ladder-looking things instead of on the rock, for example. I think the magazines are a good place to absorb lots of information and to get psyched up.
Welcome to climbing as a sport, and climbing in Oregon!
|
|
|
|
|
dontfall
Oct 29, 2004, 1:36 PM
Post #10 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 31, 2003
Posts: 2798
|
In reply to: Hey! welcome to climbing and to RockClimbing.com! 8^) We definitely can answer your questions. In fact most of the questions have already been answered on the site since every new climber has these questions at some point (no matter what others tell you ;) ). Anyway, wander around the site a bit and you'll quickly realize what a gold mine you've set foot on. This site is really an excellent resource for all things climbing. That said, it can no doubt be overwhelming so I'll try and point you in the right directions.. For the climbing jargon, check out our climbing dictionary. There are over 240 terms sorted alphabetically so you can refer to this whenever you hear a new one. I also encourage you to look through the Frequently Asked Questions. There is both a Site FAQ for gettign to know the site better and how it works as well as a Climbing FAQ, that answers most of your other questions, including a pretty good description of the different types of climbing. I personally have never been to Smith unfortunately but we also have the most extensive Routes Database online where you can search for your area and learn about that spot as well as meet other registered users who are in your state. In addition, the site offers our own Gear Guide with user submitted reviews and ratings, an enormous collection of user submitted photographs, and some excellent articles ranging from extensive details how to do something, to entertaining trip reports. So again I welcome you to RockClimbing.com and encourage you to stay and snoop around a bit. The forums are but a percentage of what the site has to offer. :mrgreen: Rock On!! Dan P.S. - climbing, like any physical activity, extreme sport or otherwise, is not something you can learn online - no matter how detailed the descriptions are, you should always seek the experience of someone that can show you in person. There is no substitute for hands on experience.
***disclaimer*** :wink:
|
|
|
|
|
declinebass
Oct 29, 2004, 2:09 PM
Post #11 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 22, 2004
Posts: 46
|
i have 3 questions for oasis27alh.
1. why wait until the spring to start climbing on new rock? climbing on new rock is like the diffrence between light and dark...dark being the gym. its an experience that shouldnt be procrastinated.
2. did you think of just gettin a guide? they are very useful and can show you the good spots answer you questions and what not.
3. at your gym do you not know anyone? you'ld think after a year you would be friends withs omeone who climbs outside. i know at my gym the guys that come in come in to train. but also to find some people to climb outside with.
makes some friends. get some help...experience the life of climbing.
|
|
|
|
|
peroxide
Oct 29, 2004, 3:00 PM
Post #12 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 3, 2004
Posts: 117
|
We were all beginners once... a few recommendations:
1) The public library
I taught myself to climb at Smith Rock with old fat rope and EBs....this was in the late 90s to show you how old those shoes were. While I do NOT recommend this since the learning curve vs death/mistake potential is not worth it, reading up on the subject will give you a good basis. Since public library books are sometimes old they also show an evolution of the sport.
2) There are tons of great learning routes at Smith
Check out the 5.6 and 5.8 top ropes on Rope de Dope boulder. Get a rope gun to lead Lichen It at the right of the dihedrals at 5.7 its a lot of fun. Easy Reader is a 5.6 that is easy to lead and climb. For a top notch multipitch route once you have worked out your systems and can climb 5.7 strongly (this will take a couple of months at least) take an experienced climber out to climb Round River on Koala rock. Very fun and great climbing.
3) Go to the gym
Oregon gets mad rain and Smith is very cold during the winter months. Go to the local gym where you can meet up with other climbers in the same boat and get some of the basic technique down pat.
BE SAFE, TAKE YOUR TIME, AND ENJOY!
P
|
|
|
|
|
coylec
Oct 29, 2004, 10:40 PM
Post #13 of 13
(2478 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jul 12, 2003
Posts: 2024
|
If you're in portland, why don't you try some climbs at one of the local crags, like Carvers, Broughton, Rocky, or Beacon?
coylec
|
|
|
|
|
|
