RRC Archives

I may be able to help out, email sent.

I'm also new so I've noticed myself bouldering a lot in Rowan County, I know there has to be all kinds of spots but just opening up my RRG book I see somewhere called "friction slap" from miguel's, drive south on KY 11 toward roadside crag for 2.5 miles until you see a large boulder close to the road on the right. Park in the pulloff in front of the boulder. Looks to be a V3 and V8 difficulty. GPS 37.7587N -83.6699W

If you have trouble having the gear, people to climb with bouldering has always been my backup, check the online guide on this site as I'm sure there are tons of spots that require little gear and knowledge.

Pisano, here's the hard truth. Climbing isn't something one can just do a couple weekends a year. It is not a spring break activity. No amount of gym training, reading, or courses can prepare you for the real thing. Please don't think you can hire a guide for a day and then be ready to strike out on your own. Unless you live somewhere where you can find experienced climbers to take you out regularly for MONTHS of guidance and instruction, you will always be an unsafe participant in an already dangerous activity.

Appreciate the honor responses guys, seriously. So my question is, if "No amount of gym training, reading, or courses can prepare you for the real thing." how do you get prepared? I've been waiting for this trip for a long time now and I plan on seeing it through in the safest way possible. If that means i'll just be coming to the Red to hike and observe that's fine by me. All my life I've been active and I want climbing to be my new sport. I guess what i'm confused about is how did everyone get to the point they are now if the learning curve is intimidatingly steep?

Appreciate the honor responses guys, seriously. So my question is, if "No amount of gym training, reading, or courses can prepare you for the real thing." how do you get prepared? I've been waiting for this trip for a long time now and I plan on seeing it through in the safest way possible. If that means i'll just be coming to the Red to hike and observe that's fine by me. All my life I've been active and I want climbing to be my new sport. I guess what i'm confused about is how did everyone get to the point they are now if the learning curve is intimidatingly steep?

i got my start in an apparently very dangerous way. my partner and i had been backpacking at the red for years and decided to take up climbing. read freedom of the hills and pretty much every john long book and went outside and led my first route with my also beginning partner. i took no undue risks (at least in my opinion). ideally, a mentor is of course better, but i couldn't swing 100/day. go to the little 15 foot routes at practice wall and spend half a day "leading" and cleaning. also, man...being behind a computer screen makes some people mean. good luck.

Completely sincerely, hiking is a much better use of time.

i don't know how long some of the commenters have been climbing and i don't have experience with guides though i know a few and they are generally great people, though out of my price range. before gyms were widespread there was a bit of a mentoring approach. of course, someone had to get the whole thing started and the game has changed a lot, but it is something that one can manage individaully with some reading, observation, inquiring conversation, friendly exchanges. i'd emphasize that even with 'certified' instruction the key point to keep in mind is that safety is always an issue. there are a few standard eventualities to keep in mind and then some more oddities and complications that fuck people up. start small.

i remember one of the first trail days i did and a group started working clearing out the base of a wall while another group had gone up top to set some anchors and were getting ready to clear of debris, otherwise known as trundling. because it was not the typical 'climbing' scenario presenting the established dangers, it could have gotten ugly. be aware, think ahead. good luck.

You stated earlier that you are certified to belay. Are you certified to lead climb and lead belay?

Most of us probably learned from someone who already knew the ropes and subtle safety concerns (ie. back clipping, rope behind the leg, ledge awareness on the belayers part, giving a soft catch, cleaning without coming off the sharp end ...). There was a time when we all enjoyed teaching someone new but that was before the hoards of disrespectful colege kids began their entitlement climbing. This has greatly increased the number of accidents and we are tired of hearing about bad belayers hurting people, I don't even feel sorry for them anymore. And as was mentioned before, giving up personal climbing time to teach someone you really like can be trying, much less someone you have never met (we are all a bunch of narsacistic, self absorbed climbers after all, willing to sacrifice health and home for another beautiful day). Guides are worth the price, just like a rope, harnes, and quickdraws, they save your life. Otherwise, go for it, have fun, most of us have had some close calls as well, but don't say we didn't warn ya.