Jonathan Hanson said:An indoor gym is a perfect place to start. I never liked them because for me rock climbing is about being outdoors, but a gym offers a very controlled environment where you can practice technique under relaxed supervision. All you need to start is a pair of climbing shoes, and you can rent those.
For outdoor climbing, bouldering is a fun introduction. You never get so high that you can't jump off, but you're using the same techniques you would be if you were 200 feet off the ground. Again, all you need is a pair of shoes and someone to show you the, uh, ropes.
I virtually gave up climbing after my partner moved back east. We had the same philosophy - we never did named or rated climbs; we'd just head into an area that had lots of verticals and rope up. "Hey, let's see if we can get up that!" was our strategy. Comparisons with friends on named climbs showed we were rarely doing anything more difficult than 5.10, but we had a blast.
It's a wonderful sport that combines physical strength with dexterity and strategy. And, whatever gene it is, there are few feelings cooler than standing on top of a vertical cliff you just scaled.
Jonathan Hanson said:Good point: southern Arizona is blessed with about 360 days per year of perfect outdoor climbing weather, if you just pick your time. Getting on an east-facing pitch just as the sun hits it is sublime.
A tip that might help you get better faster: Whenever I taught new climbers I found that women picked it up faster than men because they paid attention to finesse and technique, rather than simply trying to Tarzan their way up the face. It's about using as little energy as possible.
I didn't mean to put down gyms. They really are a perfect place to learn. But someday you'll want the experience of having a canyon wren pop out of a crack to inspect you from a couple feet away when you're halfway up a difficult pitch.
Jonathan Hanson said:The male/female thing is even more apparent when teaching eskimo rolling. Women sometimes complete a roll five minutes into their first session; men thrash and flail for hours before settling down and listening to how to do it.
expeditionswest said:Smith Rock, near Bend is insane! Eastern Oregon has some world class rock.
I have never climbed in a gym, but would recommend it to gain strength and technique.
I have about routes within view of my house, from bouldering to two pitches... :REAdvRockClimber:
devinsixtyseven said:great thread...i'm really digging this forum section.
i learned during the winter in a gym, then took it outside when the weather was better. gyms are a great place to learn, but they'll never beat the real thing.
it's cheap to get started. grab a punch card at a local gym, borrow a harness from a buddy, rent shoes, or rent everything...wrangle a buddy so you can get some altitude without having to bug everyone else in the gym for a belay, and make sure you stretch everything before and after. like anything else, ya really gotta go a good half dozen times before you'll know if you like it or not.
it's a lot of fun to just put on the shoes and join everyone working the low altitude problems at the gym, great for practicing technique, building strength, and trying new moves without the work or risk of having to climb 20' to get there.
I got my shoes really cheap...thirty bucks I think...for shoes that are good enough but were discontinued so they were on sale. Don't skimp on the harness...find something comfortable that fits perfect, has some adjustability and pay what you have to in order to get it...you'll thank yourself ten years later when you're still using the same trusty harness. Eventually I got a chalk bag, but I climbed all through high school and college without it...it helps, but it's messy and it's a must to learn without it.
The best part is, once you've learned how and have invested in a pair of shoes, you can toss them in the bag and boulder anywhere you go. I'm planning on taking them to Canyonlands this spring to mess around in camp...total investment, thirty bucks .
-Sean
melotaco said:Hmmm going to have to google eskimo role.