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lanyrocks
Sep 9, 2004, 4:31 PM
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Hello there...
My name is Lany.... I have been on the forums before, but I don't think I posted anything yet.
So I have a couple of questions. I want to get into the sport, but I'm not sure where to begin. Are there just great places to begin this sport in the California areas? :)
Also, I have unexplained minor seizures ... are you always on a rope that
can be your safety cord if something as such would happen? :?
Thanks for you help.
Lany
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jerrygarcia
Sep 9, 2004, 4:36 PM
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Try taking a class at a rock climbing gym or find yourself a mentor.
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robmcc
Sep 9, 2004, 5:02 PM
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There are places to climb all over. Some are better than others. I doubt there's anything in FL other than indoor gyms, but you can check the Routes section of the web site. On the left side of your screen, click "USA" under Routes, then FL, or any other state you want to check out.
As for the seizures and safety, climbing's a variable risk activity. Climbing entirely without a rope is usually pretty risky, but a few people do it. The vast majority are on rope or climbing low enough to the ground that the risk of serious injury is lessened. At the low end of the risk scale is top roping. You're tied in to a rope that goes up and through an anchor at the top of the climb. If you fall, you hang on the rope with very little vertical drop at all.
There's no such thing as zero risk in climbing, but do find someone competent and experienced to take you out top roping. I think you'll find it's doable. Taking a class is a great idea.
Rob
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omenbringer
Sep 9, 2004, 5:17 PM
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Where in California, North or South?
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rcaret
Sep 9, 2004, 5:24 PM
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The climbing school or guide services at Yosemite in my opinion is the best place to start < They can take you up a climb and show you the basics.
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lanyrocks
Sep 9, 2004, 5:29 PM
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In reply to: Where in California, North or South?
Nothern California. :wink: ... Thanks for your help. :)
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slablizard
Sep 9, 2004, 5:38 PM
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Hey Lany
I'm in the Bay Area. City Beach (Fremont) is a great gym if you're in the Pleasanton-Fremont Area, IronWorks if you're more in the Berkeley area.
Mount Diablo is a very easy place to start, you can set Top Ropes easily or climb on other people's ropes.
I suggest you find someone to climb with, either at a gym or here in the forums, climbing with more expert climber will help you becamea better climber A LOT faster than if you try on your own.
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crimpandgo
Sep 9, 2004, 5:44 PM
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If you have unexplained minor seizures, you should consider not performing belaying or leading duties.
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omenbringer
Sep 9, 2004, 6:32 PM
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In reply to: If you have unexplained minor seizures, you should consider not performing belaying or leading duties.
In reply to: Nothern California. ... Thanks for your help. |
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crotch
Sep 9, 2004, 6:38 PM
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Just curious, are you allowed to drive a car?
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crimpandgo
Sep 9, 2004, 8:08 PM
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Quote:
I would say he can lead if he wants to, though he should definately try to sew up every climb, stay away from any runouts, and make sure his belayer knows about his condition. As far as belaying goes you may want to take a serious look at the Petzl Grigri with a good belay anchor, just as a precaution in case you siezure while belaying.
Response:
The topic of using Grigris has been debated pretty thuroughly on this site and I don't want to rehash in this thread. Please do a post search if you are interested. I will, however, reiterate my opinion. Grigris are great back up devices should anything catastrophic go wrong (belayer goes unconsious, etc.). I am not sure I would place seizures in this catagories if the seizures are even considered remotely probable. I would not want to be on the top end of the rope and worry about the grigri holding me when the belayer has a seizure. Again this is just my opinion, but as a beginner, please consider the consequences of the actions you do decide to take. those actions involve other peoples lives :)
have fun and be careful out there
P.S. you might want to read thuroghly on escaping belay techniques, etc. as well
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philbox
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Sep 9, 2004, 10:32 PM
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I concur about the advice for people who have seizures. Please do not lead or belay. Top rope climbing would be fine and a top belayed abseil is also fine. Always have someone else watching over you as a back up. If you have unpredictable seizures then this is the only wise advice that anyone can give you.
I will also reiterate the advice that you need to tell the people you are climbing with about your medical condition. This the only fair thing to do. They will know what to expect if the event occurs. Let them know what to do if you do suffer from a seizure.
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lanyrocks
Sep 10, 2004, 4:38 AM
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:righton: Thanks for your help.
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bad_lil_kitty
Sep 11, 2004, 12:08 AM
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Also another option (northern cali) - mission cliffs in the mission district of san francisco - very nice facility, imo.
Have fun!!!
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iclimblilrocks
Sep 11, 2004, 1:12 AM
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I have Diabetes And I could easily go into seizures if I dont take care of my self, I have heard of other diabetics going into sizures while belaying and the other climbers had to tie the climber off and hand the belay over to someone else and get him medical attention, It could have turned into a bad situation if there hadnt been other climber there......
The point is that As long as the other climbers that you are with know about it and what To do im sure that they will be kool with it But I thjnk that A grigri Is a great Idea, Because From the sounds of it there isnt much preventing of the sizures so The grigri would be a great thing for you to have
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sugarrie
Sep 12, 2004, 11:19 PM
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Hi everyone, I am also new to the forums and to rock climbing. Climbing is something I have always wanted to try and now I feel that the time is right. I need some instruction though, as this is something I have never done before. I found a place that does rock climbing instruction in Santa Barbara ( I am in Southern California, in Pomona). Has anyone had any experience with this school? I think it is called Earthworks. Can anyone suggest where a complete novice should start? Thanks!!
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lanyrocks
Sep 13, 2004, 9:17 PM
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Thanks... Can somebody please explain this "grigri" a little better... I don't even know what that is, Thanks. :oops: :wink:
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dingus
Sep 13, 2004, 9:29 PM
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In reply to: I concur about the advice for people who have seizures.
I have had some unexplained attacks of vertigo, absolute stomach purging bouts of the spins. Up until last year I could say that while I have one or two of these a year since I was 30, some of which have lasted more than a day, none had ever occured while climbing.
300 feet up the fixed ropes one sunny morning, at 11 thousand feet elevation, I turned my head to the right really fast and the spins hit me like a brick. I tried to push it away, to jug through the dizzyness. Each move made it worse.
Then the shivers hit me, goosebumps in the blazing sun. My hearing went to white noise and I got tunnel vision.
This was bad. Real bad. I wa so dizzy I couldn't look up or down. I hollered up toward my partner I was getting sick and to his eternal credit he immediately told me to go down. No hesitation at all.
Switching over to rap, passing the rap station and getting to the ground was as trying a situation as any I have ever encountered in the mountains. As soon as my feet touched the ground, before I could unfasten my belay plate, I spewed and projectile vomitted in several directions at once and then collapsed into a pile. I didn't lift my head for at least an hour and it was another hour after that before I could sit up and start thinking about hiking back to base camp. I didn't even try to squirm out of the way of falling rocks as my partner descended.
I was a basket case for the next two days. It rocked my world.
Haven't had a single episode since. Not one.
Someone suggest occular migraines. Could be. After mucho diagnostics and MRIs over the years no one has ever figured out what is going on inside my brain (me least of all.... if they could just tell me where the voices are coming from!)
The point is... a seizure can kill you if it hits at the wrong moment, and you don't have to be leading or belaying for it to do you in.
Cheers
DMT
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crimpandgo
Sep 13, 2004, 9:54 PM
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lanyrocks,
COncerning your questions about the GRIGRI... Someone posted a link tot the Petzl website earlier in the post. Go check it out. Also, go to your local climbing gym. most use GRIGRIs. YOu can see how they are used first hand. In short, a GRIGRI is a device you can belay with that automatically locks off when pressure is applied to the rope (i.e. climber falls). The lock-off feature is a back-up to normal belaying techniques and can provide an EXTRA level of protection should a belayer experience trouble. It should not be relied upon for the primary lock-off of the climber.
iclimblilrocks, your belaying technique of switching belayer while the primary belayer is having a diabetic seizure is disturbing. I have seen a diabetic seizure first hand and I would not want to be the lead climber wondering what happened when my belayer went into a catatonic state not able to talk to anyone around them because they are slurring their words so bad. Its your choice, but be darn sure you make your climber buddies fully understand what your condition can cause :(
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omenbringer
Sep 14, 2004, 4:09 AM
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In reply to: In short, a GRIGRI is a device you can belay with that automatically locks off when pressure is applied to the rope (i.e. climber falls). The lock-off feature is a back-up to normal belaying techniques and can provide an EXTRA level of protection should a belayer experience trouble. It should not be relied upon for the primary lock-off of the climber.
In reply to: I have had some unexplained attacks of vertigo, absolute stomach purging bouts of the spins. Up until last year I could say that while I have one or two of these a year since I was 30, some of which have lasted more than a day, none had ever occured while climbing...After mucho diagnostics and MRIs over the years no one has ever figured out what is going on inside my brain (me least of all.... if they could just tell me where the voices are coming from!) The point is... a seizure can kill you if it hits at the wrong moment, and you don't have to be leading or belaying for it to do you in.
Edited to correct numerous embarassing mistakes :oops:
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lanyrocks
Sep 14, 2004, 2:21 PM
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"he"
Thank you for saying what you did... But just for the record... I am a woman, not a man...lol .... My name is Lany, nice to meet you. :wink:
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