RRC Archives

Start in the gym and after a few months when your skills are honed, find a guide or an experienced rock climber to take you out. I would even get some books on the subject just so you can learn a few extra things he might have missed and so you can always freshen up on what you learned(from the guide) before you take a trip out without a guide. If you aren't sure you're ready to go without a guide then you're not, and just keep going with a guide until you're SURE you are confident enough to go without one.

There is some great books on sport and trad climbing, just research. John Long, and Jerry Cinnamon are good authors.

I always recommend to people that they should know all this sport climbing stuff like the back of their hand:

http://www.petzl.com/files/all/us/activ ... imbing.pdf

O and whatever you do don't take any advise from that guy on http://thegumbytwinkieexperiment.tripod.com, he's a moron.

Redpoint wrote:O and whatever you do don't take any advise from that guy on http://thegumbytwinkieexperiment.tripod.com, he's a moron.

wow...we agree.

btw, pick a different sport..it is too crowded already down here.

pigsteak wrote:

Redpoint wrote:O and whatever you do don't take any advise from that guy on http://thegumbytwinkieexperiment.tripod.com, he's a moron.

wow...we agree.

Ya the last I heard was that he was involved with doing 40 foot whippers (by letting the rope slip through the ATC) on a 20 foot route at Practice Wall.

Don't pay any attention to those "pretenders".

First, move into your car....It doesn't matter if its in the driveway.

Second, empty your bank account and go buy all the Ramen and King Cobra you can strap-to or stuff in your car.

Thirdly, go to a hardware store and buy the cheapest ratchet straps you can buy and fashion a harness from it.

Fourth, http://www.googleearth.com/roadsideattr ... /gonzo.com
Talk incessantly about how badass you are to anyone that isnt interested.

Stand in line..good luck...

In hindsight I could see how this type of post could be annoying. Thanks for the responses...serious and humorous.

Red River Outdoors is the best guide I ever tagged along with. I learned from others that weren't as good at teaching the how and why. Seneca Rocks has some good guides and much easier routes that great in spite of the grade. The rock takes gear like it was candy. The summit is something you don't forget.

ironmike wrote:In hindsight I could see how this type of post could be annoying. Thanks for the responses...serious and humorous.

Nah...you've made their days....

Do take heed and significant pause at the recent spate of tragedies and be humbled (as we have) at how even experienced climbers can commit pilot error with terrible consequences. If you get into climbing outside, just remember- you have to do the safety stuff the same way every single time. It is the habits you develop early in your climbing career that will ultimately save your life the one time you are out of your element and forget the one crucial step. Gravity is always there.
To that end, you really need to consider having a teacher instill these in you. As already stated, Matt Tackett/Red River Outdoors is the consummate rock climbing teacher.

Mike, what you need to take one of my many gumby climbing courses. For a small fee, I will introduce you to the beginner level of climbing instruction. In my course you will learn impotent 'nowlege such as how to beg more advanced climbers to hang your rope through the anchors for you and the impotence of carrying a bail beener with you at all times and how to rig it. And one of the most impotent, how not to pee on your rope when you take your first lead fall. There is no need to buy lots of expensive climbing equipment either. I have spent years digging up stuff that other climbers discard that appear to have only minor cosmetic blemishes.

And I found the gumby twinky experiment purticulurly interesting and helpful. If you would like to go ahead and get started soon, I have several tree limbs in my back yard that need trimming. I will be happy to give you belay while you go up and use your balance skills to move amongst the limbs, and cut them loose.

Mike this class will fill up quickly. Don't pass up this exciting oppurtunitee. Send a private email to me soon !