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alexschultz1
Dec 26, 2007, 5:52 PM
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roseraie wrote: My question was more this: if there are no bolts at your cliff, to what do you anchor yourself? Do you place pro? Have you received proper instruction in anchor building?
the couple of cliffs around me have large trees at the top and bolts to help anchor.
Does your new rack include a dynamic rope? Trad climbing on a static rope is not a bright idea.
ya i picked up a bluewater 60m 10.2mm rope from backcountry.com for $80 w/ free shipping.
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reg
Dec 26, 2007, 6:41 PM
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i had a mentor - if i didn't i would have paid guides to learn me "the ropes".
or hung out at the crags and tried to meet partners/mentors.
some said climbing on a static "is not a bright idea" -it is a death wish.
take out door classes at the gym for both top rope and lead instruction.
read read read FOH, john long, self rescue, etc
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binrat
Dec 26, 2007, 11:47 PM
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yokese wrote: 8flood8 wrote: ... stay on the ground, clip a throwaway sling to some placements and BOUNCE HARD... Use a helmet when testing placements that way... no, seriously.
That reminds me of a fine climber from Toronto a few years ago. Middle of his forehead was a bruise that looked like a #10 stopper on top. Cable marks and all. Priceless.
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mountainstuss
Feb 18, 2008, 3:35 AM
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Prescott College in Arizona. I got a bachelor's degree in Wilderness Leadership emphasis on teaching/ guiding rock climbing. Highly reccomended but very expensive.
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CaptainPolution
Feb 18, 2008, 3:57 AM
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I taught myself. Nothing will help you more than climbing with somebody who actually knows what they are doing though. Don't be stupid, get someone to properly teach you.
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GeneralBenson
Feb 18, 2008, 5:50 PM
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Another great book is Rock Climbing Anchors by Craig Luebben. It's part of the Mountaineers series of red covered books. Long's book is good, but some of the pictures are confusing and it's a touch antiquated. Luebben's book is incredible in my opinion. Very accurate, descriptive and easy to understand. I read Long's book, and picked up alot, but didn't feel like quite understood it all. Luebben's book gave a much deeper sense of understanding and confidence. It also has alot of very up to date scince and physics and the like.
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fenderfour
Feb 18, 2008, 5:57 PM
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I learned in my head. Placing gear is easy. Keeping calm and making everything happen how and when it needs to is not.
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sausalito
Feb 18, 2008, 6:01 PM
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just wondering how many years have you been out of college? Are you making a living with that degree?
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irregularpanda
Feb 18, 2008, 6:13 PM
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Alex-
i also learned with a mentor. It's really best because (if you're lucky) you'll learn the basics and be able to borrow gear until you figure out what you like.
Also, I learned in squamish, BC, where the crack is friendly.....
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robbovius
Feb 19, 2008, 4:57 PM
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I am self-taught. I started outm byb buying a few nuts and then began using them to build top rope anchors at my local crag (College Rock in Hopkinton MA) . as my gear collection increased, I used the new pieces in my top rope anchors. I would have a couple more experienced climbers who are/were regulars at my local crag look at my pklacements and critique them, but I pretty quicly was able to determine what what a good placement, and what was not. as mentioend by others, I read A LOT. mostly FOH, and always strived - still do - for an FOH textbook placement.
I seconded one lead before takling off on my own, leading easy stuff, and repeating those leads multiple times, sewing them up.
I've fallen on my own gear several times (talking leading here, not the hundreds of top rope anchors I've built), and it's always held
I don't know if I would have done better with a mentor or not. there are those of us who are of the mindset that, they'll look at some thing, witness some activity and think, "oh, I can do that", and then go and figure it out on their own.
part of that learning process includes the adventure of learning something by your own furrowed brow and thinking things through...I don't think it's for everyone, and I admit I've scared the absolute shit out of myself a few times in the past, following this course.
in general, I would say get a teacher, as anyone asking about how to learn trad, probably needs a teacher/mentor, as their question implies a request to be taught. anyone who chooses to go the self taught route, would already be, as I was, out on the rock figuring things out.
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jt512
Feb 19, 2008, 5:10 PM
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wzrdgandalf wrote: clymber wrote: one thing i used to do alot was goto a local bouldering area or even the cliff and start bouldering around with your rack...as you are going place gear build anchors etc etc....ppl give you some strange looks but who cares.....also depending on where you live hire a guide for a learn to lead class or try to find some trad climbers at your gym...i followed for a year or so before i started to lear trad...in my opinion theres no need to sport lead first..if you want to learn trad start praticing....im thinking all the old hard core climbers back in the day didnt have sport to practice with before jumping into the trad lead That has to be the funniest thing ever. Its good advice definately because you need to be ready for the extra weight while climbing, but I cant get the mental picture out of my head of someone walking to the boulderfield with a rack on them 
I'm sure that it's a common sight in Pennsylvania.
Jay
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blueeyedclimber
Feb 19, 2008, 6:05 PM
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I'm still learning.
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robbovius
Feb 19, 2008, 7:38 PM
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blueeyedclimber wrote: I'm still learning.
+1 ^ I am in the midst of a LONNNNGGG apprenticeship. maybe someday I'll make it to journeyman.
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tolman_paul
Feb 19, 2008, 7:49 PM
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I took a few classes from Yosemite Mountaineering school in the 80's, and have been practicing and learning since then.
I didn't have any mentors, and was hard pressed to find partners with a harness and shoes let alone any pro, so it was a steep learning curve.
If you don't have a good school nearby, nor any experienced folks to show you the ropes, the next best thing would be to find every book on the subject, read them inside and out, and find some moderate cracks nearby that you could aid climb up and down.
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erick
Feb 20, 2008, 1:17 AM
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i learned from a course. i don't have a mentor -- i'm the only one in my current circle of friends that wants to get into trad more.
http://www.yamnuska.com/advancedrock.shtml
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notapplicable
Feb 20, 2008, 1:48 AM
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A lots of reading and even more trial and error.
Not recommended.
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piton
Feb 20, 2008, 10:01 PM
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jt512 wrote: wzrdgandalf wrote: clymber wrote: one thing i used to do alot was goto a local bouldering area or even the cliff and start bouldering around with your rack...as you are going place gear build anchors etc etc....ppl give you some strange looks but who cares.....also depending on where you live hire a guide for a learn to lead class or try to find some trad climbers at your gym...i followed for a year or so before i started to lear trad...in my opinion theres no need to sport lead first..if you want to learn trad start praticing....im thinking all the old hard core climbers back in the day didnt have sport to practice with before jumping into the trad lead That has to be the funniest thing ever. Its good advice definately because you need to be ready for the extra weight while climbing, but I cant get the mental picture out of my head of someone walking to the boulderfield with a rack on them I'm sure that it's a common sight in Pennsylvania. Jay
this dude from NJ use to climb that way and he happens to be one of the top climbers in the US right now.
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greatgarbanzo
Feb 29, 2008, 6:19 PM
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I learned in J-Tree, CA. Better to extensively practice placement on the ground with some expert watching what you are doing and giving you tips/suggestions on how to better place the gear. If not possible just get all Jhon Long books... that worked for me.
I would not recommend trying sport climbing first to learn how to fall. Just get Arno Ilgner Book (Rock Warrior Way) and go for it.
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unbreakablesoul
Mar 3, 2008, 12:51 AM
Post #44 of 61
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I learned how to lead by reading John Longs Anchor Book and then getting out there and doing it.
I have been climbing for 2 years now and must say that I wish more than anything that I could just find someone really experienced to follow me and check my gear so I have some verbal affirmations. All I have right now is that it looks like the pictures in the book!
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opti12206
Mar 25, 2008, 12:36 AM
Post #45 of 61
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I learned to Trad climb by paying a guiding service. On my last trip to Enchanted Rock a week ago I led my first routes. The hardest was a 5.7. You need to find someone to help you. The learning curve for trad is way too steep. Start slow and stay well within your abilites. Worry about placing gear well. The climbing can come later.
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EvilMonkey
Mar 25, 2008, 4:02 AM
Post #46 of 61
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i too recommend finding a mentor. i spent a full season seconding on rock before doing my first lead on WI3+ on a route that i had seconded and TR'ed several times. another benefit to having a mentor is that they can show you how to rack your gear efficiently.
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dta95b7r
Mar 27, 2008, 2:59 PM
Post #47 of 61
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I started leading in red river gorge. Basically just lead climbs within my ability having the second critique.
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dingus
Mar 27, 2008, 3:31 PM
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They dug my ass out of slimey dirt. This woke me up from a weird but interesting dream so I was fucking A pissed off from the start. This really ugly short dude with Bad Breath from Hell thrust the crappiest rack of gear you ever did see at me and then slammed a bogus helmet on my head. What with my headache I lost it, ripped that little dude's head off and added it to the rack. Then the Weirdometer went to 11 when this Evil White Dude with a Silver Beard told me, 'there is a climb I want you to do. Bring me the summit register. UNSPOILT.'
and sent me off with a team of German biatheletes for a Group Grope on the North Face of the Eiger. Twas there I placed my first bogus piece, made of tin and pot metal, and pounded into the fractured rock with the butt of my climbing sword. We didn't have any ropes so the whole thing seemed a bit over the top, but I was just doing what my programming instructed. And?
WE LIKED IT LIKE THAT.
You kids have it SO EASY these days.
DMT
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rasoy
Mar 27, 2008, 4:05 PM
Post #49 of 61
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Excellent dingus
You couldn't have said it any better. That's how it all starts.
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gochubug
Mar 27, 2008, 4:46 PM
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Of course you should not rely on learning how to do anything from a book, let alone lead trad, but several essential books have been suggested as supplemental material, and I would add one more: TRADITIONAL LEAD CLIMBING by Heidi Pesterfield. I haven't seen the new edition, but the old one was very helpful to me.
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