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scrdofhites
Jul 22, 2004, 11:45 PM
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For a relatively new, young climber like me, it seems a mighty big step from bouldering to alpine and ice climbing. Seems not many people my age (19) are interested in anything higher than a boulder :cry: ....... Stories of alpine adventures were what originally drew me into climbing, and slowly my aspirations have shrunk from high mountains, to small boulders.... but anyway....... Any suggestions on what direction i should take.... are classes on glacier travel and self arrest worth the money? They seem awfully expensive....... I've also heard advice to try out many different crampons, boots, and axes before you buy anything...... Is it possible to rent equipment? Is it expensive?..... or would I be better off trying to find someone with experience willing to teach me? That's been pretty hard up untill now though...... Anyone in California interested in taking on a very motivated student? Heheh, gotta try...... any suggestions would be greatly appreciated......
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cryder
Jul 23, 2004, 12:15 AM
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I started climbing with alpine, and have since then been working on other skills to augment what I am able to climb.
My only advice: The learning curve is steep. Take your time and work on realistic objectives that lead you towards a bigger goal... and have fun every step of the way.
That said, there are tons and tons of resources out there for getting started on climbing in the mountains. Books, clubs, climbing shops that can hook you up with partners or may have a message board... and lastly the internet. The single best thing I ever did was start climbing with people waaay better than me.
Good luck.
- n -
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lv2climb7
Jul 23, 2004, 12:20 AM
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555
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kailas
Jul 24, 2004, 4:16 PM
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What's with all the young ones all out bouldering, why is it so popular?
I've been holed up in the mountains for so long I don't know bout such things. I boulder occationally to get stonger, all with a long mixed route in mind, a means to an ends. But these kids just boulder.
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dredsovrn
Jul 24, 2004, 4:32 PM
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Why don't you post something in Regional for your area and ask for anyone willing to take on an apprentice. Lot's of people have learned that way, and some would be willing to pass on the favor.
That's how I learned to trad lead and many other things. If I lived in an area that had alpine climbing, that's what I would do.
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pmagistro
Jul 25, 2004, 3:04 PM
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scrdofhites,
I don't think that courses or an apprenticeship are the only way to get into the mountains. I am 22 and just finished my first major expedition....while we didn't climb anything tremendously hard I had a blast and learned a TON! While my partners have similar stories, I pretty much have the most experience of any of them and at no point did we use guides, cooks, porters, even mules...
I am more or less self-taught...touched rock for the first time at 18. I learned what I could from FOTH and talking to more experienced climbers, then went out on the rock and cautiously practiced, found my own systems, and gradually improved.
Getting into alpine climbing started similarly....snowy backpacking in the Adirondacks, then some slightly technical stuff, more FOTH, and then some easy mtneering in Wyoming. And now, the sky feels like the limit.
I would say, if you are in school try getting involved with your college outing program. Likely they have equipment and/or folks with gear and similar interested that you can take advantage of. Being in the west, you have access to a load of moderate mtneering where you can learn. Borrow an axe and head out to a safe snow slope and practice some arrests. Walk up some snowy hills. Trad climb all the 5.2s and 5.3s you can find. Just take it slow and carefully, and pretty soon you might suprise yourself. Oh, yeah, and get yourself a copy of Freedom of the Hills and read it cover to cover a few times!
Good luck, climb safe.
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dingus
Jul 26, 2004, 12:31 AM
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Dude, you live in California. These mountains are perfect to get started on and it doesn't have to be snow covered or Yosemite steep to be a good climb. Mountaineering starts where the trail ends and there are plenty of ass kickers in the Bay Area / northern Coast Range as well as in SoCal. You can launch your mountaineering career by hiking and running the local peaks.
That's half of it. The greater half, in fact, to mountaineering. Its pure peak slogging and you'll know quick enough if you have the mule-like persistence to do it repeadedly.
The other half probably starts out with a mountaineering ax and the basic knowledge of how to use it, to self belay, to self arrest, boot ax belay, making a bollard, cutting steps and of course opening a beer.
With a decent pair of shanked hiking boots class 3 Sierra routes like Mt. Abbot are within your reach. Up to class 4 and you need to start thinking rope, harness and protection. Light is right in mountaineering. So since you're in this for the long haul, you create a long term wish list and buy items according to short term need (I need it THIS weekend) or its on sale (don't need it any time real soon, but...). Everything from the gym carries over, harness, rock shoes, draws. Alpine climbing wants different gear, but you can use that to get started.
Boots and crampons are only needed for certain kinds of climbing. If ice is your bag, performance ice that is, the the boot / crampon choice go toward stiff / rigid. Front pointing gear.
Then of course there's all that pesky camping gear too.
So in the end, you're broke, what do you do? Freedom of the Hills, Peaks Passes and Trails of the High Sierra, RJ Secor, a good multipurpose 60 or 65 cm ice ax (REI has 2 good ones)... head on out.
Oh, you gotta be like rock solid self sufficient to go this route, know what I mean dude? No one looking over your shoulder, slows you down, makes you double and triple check everything, keeps you more timid (which is prudent of course). Take a mountaineering course to jump start your career and bypass some of the noob pain. It'll also help you better understsand the gear you need sooner rather than later.
You don't need a brand new pack, or the latest cool zipper soft shell, or the rad sun glasses, or the ultra-cool pants. Don't need the $400 boots or the $600 pair of ice tools. Be frugal and buy smart and try to make do with what you have. Make your hobo look COOL.
But do not buy bottom shelf ice tools, crampons or boots. Mid-level or better, trust me on this. Better to save up for good tools once than to buy shit thrice.
The old adage really applies to the alpinist - the climber takes care of the tools that take care of her.
Cheers
DMT
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rockprodigy
Jul 26, 2004, 3:12 PM
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Mentor? Pshaw!! Let the mountains be your mentor.
No body taught me a damn thing. I read books, and figured it out myself.
Pick stuff within your abilities (as Dingus suggested), then incrementally increase the difficulty on each subsequent climb. That's how you gain experience. Have fun.
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thegreytradster
Jul 26, 2004, 4:16 PM
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Once again Dingus hits one out of the park (sound of cracking bat)
You have one 11,000 ft and two 10,000 ft peaks as well as the premere alpine rock crag (Tahquitz) all within a couple of hours drive.
In reply to: That's half of it. The greater half, in fact, to mountaineering. Its pure peak slogging and you'll know quick enough if you have the mule-like persistence to do it repeadedly.
The San Gabriels and San Bernardinos can teach you all you need to know about this aspect as well as whip you into the kind of aerobic condition required. If you can navigate cross country and live comfortably there, the Sierras are easy in comparison. Iron Mountain is as bad as Red Lakes or Sheapard Pass :wink:
Go to Baldy this winter, teach yourself to self arrest, live and bivy in the snow in relative comfort.
In reply to: You don't need a brand new pack, or the latest cool zipper soft shell, or the rad sun glasses, or the ultra-cool pants. Don't need the $400 boots or the $600 pair of ice tools. Be frugal and buy smart and try to make do with what you have. Make your hobo look COOL |
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topher
Jul 26, 2004, 4:34 PM
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being a 19 year old apline monkey... i will give you my advice...
i first hooked up with my local chapter of the alpine club of canada when i was like 13-14.. and i started going on some back packing trips with them usaly ending up in the mts. or summiting some easy like 3-4th class peaks... from them i learned about glaciers self arrest and all that fun stuff... the big thing is that i meet other people all be it older than me but none the less still into the same things. from there i started joining in on personal trips ( i was also climbing at the crags at least 5 days a week learning as much about trade anchors aid as i could by the time i was 15 i was leading 10c gear and a3-c3and in the winter i started ice climbing on borrowed gear ) that was only a few years ago i still climb lots!! and i now go out on trips i have planned.... i have put up 2 first accents in strathcona park one being a 5.4 ridge on rambler mt. the other being a 10 pitch rock route on the north face of victoria peak going at 5.10b! as well as doing count less other climbs on vancouver island, the coast rang and i just got back from the bugaboos! so all i can tell you is learn the basics and practice them!! and then go from there the mountains are the place to be!!! have fun and climb long and strong
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crotch
Jul 26, 2004, 4:36 PM
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I'd suggest taking up solo backpacking before investing in alpine gear. The gear you need for (lightweight) backpacking will work in your early alpine forays and you'll develop mountain skills like weather forecasting and reading terrain, and you'll learn what you need to take with you int the mountains.
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oregonalpine
Aug 21, 2004, 6:03 AM
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I've got your same problem, so many mountains, so few people my age willing to climb them. I've taken a couple snow climbing classes and found them extremely helpful, even though they're very expensive. As long as they help me to be safer in the mountains, i'm willing to fork over the extra cash. I'm surprised no one has said anything about Mt. Shasta, Avalanche Gulch is a very non-technical route that just requires that you be in good shape and have some familiarity with crampons and ice axe. You should take a look at that, for sure. I also agree 100% with crotch, the experience gained backpacking made alpine so much easier to start with for me... and most of the gear is transferable. I'm not the most experienced climber, but I could maybe show you some of the basics on Shasta this next summer, unless you find someone more experienced that's willing to help.
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graniteavenger
Aug 27, 2004, 2:12 AM
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When I first started out I came across a few subsidised courses for young people (mind you this was in the UK, and the BMC does a fair bit of stuff like that). Have a look at your local climbing clubs for any courses offered. That is one way to keep it cheap (if you want to take a course).
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akicebum
Aug 29, 2004, 6:01 PM
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You have the sierras! What more could you ask for? If you have a helmet harness and belay device you should be able to scrounge a partner. Once your there start climbing, it is as easy as that. If you climb 5.10 then step it down as you learn to place gear, but don't forget how to climb hard. Buy yourself a guide book learn to read topos and recognize features. There is nothing worse than climbing with someone who sucks at route finding. Its one of the best things you can do as a new guy. There is also Lee Vining in the winter, I don't know how it has been forming lately, but it is Cali Ice.
Somewhere back there there was a good post that mentioned gear purchases. WAIT! don't start buying gear until you've tried a variety, there is nothing worse than having a bunch of gear you don't like and are too broke to replace. If you are going to buy anything, get a rope, and boots. You can borrow everything else. Spend your money on trips, get experience then delve into the dark world of buying climbing gear.
Don't be scared to travel. I started climbing in Alaska. Our crag climbing isn't the greatest, so I had to fly down south to build on my rope skills.
Good luck, climb hard, and climb safe.
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mmckinney
Aug 29, 2004, 6:57 PM
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In reply to: I'd suggest taking up solo backpacking before investing in alpine gear. The gear you need for (lightweight) backpacking will work in your early alpine forays and you'll develop mountain skills like weather forecasting and reading terrain, and you'll learn what you need to take with you int the mountains. |
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reno
Aug 29, 2004, 8:17 PM
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BIG SNIP
In reply to: - the climber takes care of the tools that take care of her.
What he said.
(Dingus, you continue to write good stuff... thanks.)
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kid
Aug 30, 2004, 1:30 AM
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All good advice but do not rush the learning process. Alpine climbing involves every aspect of mountaineering as a whole. You need to have comfort levels on rock, snow, and ice. You need to understand the weather and the gear needed when you were wrong. You will be your own rescue team. Go slow and start with simple routes to hone those skills. When will you know when your ready and have learned enough? When you are not doubting your self and have confidence in your decisions. Good climbing skills are a result of good judgement, good judgement is a result of prior poor judgement. Goodluck learning. It sounds like you are on the right track - Just get out and climb when you can and the skills will find you. Don't expect someone to give you what you are looking for. ~ Greg F. (Kid)
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match
Sep 2, 2004, 3:47 PM
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Hey, im a 18 year old beginner climber from southern alberta, just getting into climbing, and real interested in mountainnering alpine and ice, this topic has tons of great advice and really good info, just wanted to thank all the people who put the time and effort into it, but was wondering what some similar mountains around here are, like equal to the sierras, or would mount shasta be close to mount robson? but hey thanks again for tons of great info
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kid
Sep 4, 2004, 2:42 AM
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Start with some easy ground - if you are truly interested in alpine climbing I suggest you get in your vehicle and head up highway 1. Go to the parking lot for Athabasca and hang out until you find a party willing to let you join in on the standard route. If you complete that and are still interested in alpine climbs, I am sure you will have no problems finding people to climb with. Be careful, be agressive and most of all keep climbing. The skills will find you. I may be going up that way in a few weeks for some alpine rock or mixed routes if we get a break in the weather. I will keep in touch. ~ Greg F
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airtech
Sep 5, 2004, 3:19 AM
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I have to admitt that I haven't seen very many people my age (14) on the mountains I've climbed. I think I'd go with crotch's advice. I've been backpacking since I was five and it helped me a lot when I went into mountain climbing a couple years ago. Just take it easy.
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