Indoor/Outdoor rock climbing?

steve-in-kville

steve-in-kville

Joined
Dec 25, 2001
Messages
1,139
Any advice on getting started? Found a gym nearby that offers instruction on indoor climbing, but can't find any instruction on outdoor rock climbing.

Thanks!
 
Ask around at that gym. Most likely you'll be able to find some people that are active in a club or something that does some outdoor climbing.

You have any gear yet??
 
I'd ask around at the gym as well, and some have "wanted" boards looking for climbing partners etc.
 
Nope, haven't bought any gear yet... I can rent shoes and chalk bag at the gym. Know where there's some used gear for sale?
 
Did you ask at the gym? Our local gym offers guiding services. So do the local climbing shops.

Gordon
 
Gyms are an ok place to start. It gives you the basics. But plastic and rock are WAY differerent. If you climb 5.11 in the gym, you can expect to down grade that to 5.9 on rock. At least till you get experience. And if you want to lead, expect to climb a couple levels below your following level. The sharp edge (no pun intended) is scary until you get used to it.

Any way, get down to your local book store and get copies of Climbing and Rock and Ice. Both magazines have ads in the back where you should be able to find a school. Both magazines have a web site too. Google will tell you. And you can learn a lot by reading the mags.

Or get down to your local REI store. They have classes. And bulliten boards where you should be able to find ads for people looking for partners. Or EMS stores.

Or head down to the local crags. Not too sure about PA, but the shawgunks is a (commonly called The Gunks) a GREAT area. In NY. Talk to climbers. Don't be cocky. Ask questions, but expect to be ignored or slighted. Climbers are kind of a tight group sometimes.

Climbing is a society. Hard to break into sometimes. But worth it. If you're an adrenilin junkie, it's a great high. Excercize creates endorphines and fright does too. When you're leading at your level and the possibility of a fall is real, you will be filled w/ adrenilin. Oh, ya. What a rush. And then when you top out....... Awesome.

Sport climbing won't be as expensive 'cause you won't need as much equipment. Traditional (trad) climbing, you'll need more equipment, but I like it better. But, I'm getting too old for hard climbing. :D
So, I hope this helps.
 
rnr said:
Or get down to your local REI store. They have classes. And bulliten boards where you should be able to find ads for people looking for partners. Or EMS stores...
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Steve, your nearest REI is in Conshohocken, if that's anywhere close to you. Probably not, but they'd be a superb resource!

Isn't EMS out of business?

Fortunately, you're in a state where there are some really good outdoor opportunities for climbing. A possibility is to find the 2 or 3 nearest to you (try a tourist website for Pennsylvania), and then find the sporting good stores nearest those areas for some local expertise.

Another thought: http://www.climbingsource.com/gymlist/LocalBeta/Pennsylvania/ might help you out.
 
gym's are great places to start - it's good training, easy to get to and do, and depending on the gym it's also really good people. You get the basics there and develop general climbing fitness.

Go to your gym, meet some folks and talk to them about getting outdoors. One thing to note when you go out, please keep safety in mind and if you're going to go with someone you don't know very well who's going to be teaching you the fundamentals of outdoors, try to pick someone who's very concious about safety issues. Someone who insists that you wear a helmet while belaying and climbing, etc..
 
About used gear...I wouldnt do it. At least with things that you are putting your life on the line with (ropes, cord, biners, friends, chocks, harnesses etc) I have a pair of used shoes that work well (resoled those suckers) When you go to get gear, buy new stuff. If you drop an aluminum biner it will develop microcracks/fissures in it causing to fail when you need it most, and you dont know the history on used gear. As for ropes, no telling how many falls they've taken or where they've been worn at.
 
good to hear of some else discovering the joys of verticallity. if you really want to learn quickly, take a class or hire a guide. we in the usa tend to like to learn by hit and miss, trial by fire, if you will, while in europe, mountain guiding is a very respectable profession. nols (national outdoor leadership school) offers some excellent courses, though they are expensive. try a local college outdoor program. there are some very respectable ones in the northeast and most will let non-students go on trips for a very fair price. if you go for a guide, make sure that they are amga (american mountain guide association) certified. not that pieces of paper prove anything, but it will keep you away from hacks like myself. finding a mentor is probably the best way, but that can be hard and sometimes questionable. you definitely need to buy mountaineering: freedom of the hills, now in its 7th printing, and memorize the entire thing. well maybe not all but it is definitely THE reference guide to all things climbing. also, stay away from any used gear except shoes and chalkbags. you should know exactly where any life/safety equipment has been.

i have worked in the outdoor recreation industry for many years and have seen many scary things. be safe and smart. if you need reminders of what can happen, pick up a copy of the accidents and incidents reports in north american mountaineering published yearly by the american alpine club. it makes good toilet material because it should scare the crap out of you. but you can learn alot from others' mistakes.

oh yeah, have fun. climbing is great.

k
 
Another method for learning can be to join a club of like-minded outdoorsmen and women, likely at universities & colleges. Since they are answerable to the sponsoring school in case of accidental injury, safety tends to be a priority in both instruction and execution, which is good for a beginner.

http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/listArea.php?AreaID=1065
http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/listArea.php?AreaID=1909

Rockclimbing.com also has forums where you could query for info on instruction in your area.
 
shanshui75 said:
...you definitely need to buy mountaineering: freedom of the hills, now in its 7th printing, and memorize the entire thing...
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Even if you aren't interested in climbing, I think this book is a must-read for anyone in this particular forum. It's a deep and easy-to-read resource on all sorts of things, from navigation to food preparation to clothing to rope techniques... all in an outdoors context. Every public library should have a copy, although there are benefits in owning your own!

And if you are interested in climbing, this book covers thousands of life-or-death situations and what to do.
 
I dont know where in Penn you are, but EMS has many stores located in the North East. They have a climbing school that teaches basic rope work and other useful beginner classes. They run some of the classes in the Gunks (in the New Paltz, NY area) and also up in New England at various location.
 
Roodog said:
...but EMS has many stores located in the North East...
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Roodog, I stand corrected. I just checked their website, and they're very much still in business. They used to have quite a few stores in my area, but they all folded up about two years ago. I thought they *all* folded up. :footinmou
 
IlikeSA said:
About used gear...I wouldnt do it. At least with things that you are putting your life on the line with (ropes, cord, biners, friends, chocks, harnesses etc) I have a pair of used shoes that work well (resoled those suckers) When you go to get gear, buy new stuff. If you drop an aluminum biner it will develop microcracks/fissures in it causing to fail when you need it most, and you dont know the history on used gear. As for ropes, no telling how many falls they've taken or where they've been worn at.
Click to expand...
I agree fully to this. this is one of the most importent things only shoes could be bought second hand but make sure they fit to your feet. you don't want to be up high with alot of pain in your feet, if you do buy new shoes(recommended) forget about brands look for fit. Never trust anyone's equipment unless you are 100% sure you know what it has done. My brother worked for cave rescue you would not believe the stupid stuff people do. They make a save sport look so dangerous.
 
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