Rock Climbing

[silentbutdeadly]

Sadly an ex-climber these days as the nearest rock is Mt Arapilies and that's five hours away. Since I was never good enough for Arapilies in the first place...:drama:

Still got all the gear for a sport climb except quick draws (given I wasn't much of a lead climber).

The main thing to remember (and already covered by others) is that climbing in the gym is nothing like climbing outside and it can create a whole lot of poor decision making when you do make the transition.

I found that bouldering both in the gym and outside gave me a much better appreciation of technique and line selection which was great on the bigger walls. Low level traverses (both in and out) are great too. And both do wonders for your hand and shoulder strength...

Like everything technical, you'll benefit from a few lessons.

If you do go outside...never ever ever take the apparent skills and common sense of your climbing buddies for granted no matter how well you know them and how much you trust them. Your safety (and that of your buddies) is more important than wall bagging.

Whilst most of my climbing was on Sydney sandstone (Palm Beach, Berowra, Newnes, Hawkesbury River, Bangor)...my favourite place to climb was the granite slabs of Evans Crown near Tarana.

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

Tarana is great, about as far removed from indoor as you can get

 

[Cronar]

I love Tarana too, such a unique place, pure friction.

One piece of advice re. shoes is don't get them painfully small, if you're just starting out you don't need them super tight you'll have plenty of big footholds on easier climbs, no need to cripple yourself like I did.

Who can name this classic?

 

[latheboy]

Do you still frequent lactic? It's really changed in the last year, still as finger breakingly awesome as ever

Nope I haven't been back since Christian sold it.

I've been out for far too long. I want to get back into it but time is against me at the moment.
Seeing routes that I could do back in the day crushes me a bit as I am weak as piss now.

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

I love Tarana too, such a unique place, pure friction.

One piece of advice re. shoes is don't get them painfully small, if you're just starting out you don't need them super tight you'll have plenty of big footholds on easier climbs, no need to cripple yourself like I did.

Who can name this classic?

View attachment 316707

is it on north head ?

 

[wesdadude]

The main thing to remember (and already covered by others) is that climbing in the gym is nothing like climbing outside and it can create a whole lot of poor decision making when you do make the transition.

Could you elaborate on this a little please. What are bad techniques I should watch out for and avoid developing?

 

[climberman]

I love Tarana too, such a unique place, pure friction.

One piece of advice re. shoes is don't get them painfully small, if you're just starting out you don't need them super tight you'll have plenty of big footholds on easier climbs, no need to cripple yourself like I did.

Who can name this classic?

View attachment 316707

Grey Mist 17, Point Perp, Seaside Upper. Possibly the classic of the whole Point, certainly at the grade. Too long since I've been on it.

 

[ajay]

I don't know it, but it look like a fantastic route!

 

[ForkinGreat]

Could you elaborate on this a little please. What are bad techniques I should watch out for and avoid developing?

In a Climbing Gym, you can be reasonably sure that a given quickdraw on a gym lead climb isn't going to pop or rip out of the wall if you fall. Also, quickdraws seem to generally be placed at regular intervals so you will probably never fall too far, assuming you clipped the 'draws correctly (see back clipping)

Outdoors, no cam or nut placement is guaranteed to hold a fall. Nor can any bolt be considered 100% safe. Some climbing areas have old, rusting bolts on routes that might have been bashed in with a hammer, or have a dodgy failing glue-job holding them into the rock. Just because a bolt (ring bolt, u-bolt or carrot bolt needing a plate) looks ok, doesn't mean that it is.

some routes have bolts at irregular intervals, or have run-out sections ( eg: very pucker inducing sections of almost blank wall) with no bolts or nooks & crannies for nuts or cams. many slab climbs can be like this . if you fall while leading a climb on a run-out section, well above your last placement of pro or clipped bolt, then you might have a ground fall.
I have also known people to have ground falls because all their pro ripped out. Injury or death.


A grade in the Gym is NOT equivalent to a grade outside. even a grade 5 or 10 (or any grade) can kill you outside if you fall and/or your pro shits itself. Climbs outside can be much longer and higher than the gym. More gravity. More speed, Bigger Splat.

Tackle the grades slowly. realise that top-roping and lead are two very different beasts.

The other critical consideration is setting up a good anchor for both lead and top roping. It's a skill you must learn.

Check your knots, esp the one securing you to the rope, then get your climbing partner to check.

Choose your climbing partners carefully...

Remember to have fun

 

[wesdadude]

Thanks for clarifying, I was a little concerned that I was picking up weak technique. I'm only top-roaping at the moment but those things will definitely be important once I start leading.

 

[ForkinGreat]

Thanks for clarifying, I was a little concerned that I was picking up weak technique. I'm only top-roaping at the moment but those things will definitely be important once I start leading.

NP, SilentButDeadly may be referring to other things as well. I just mentioned what came to mind. Also beware sandbagging. (usually) a person trying to say that a certain climb is 'easy at the grade', when it could be a desperate struggle up a humungous pile o' crumbly rock with some nasty crux moves. (and shit placements for nuts and cams)

 

[climberman]

NP, SilentButDeadly may be referring to other things as well. I just mentioned what came to mind. Also beware sandbagging. (usually) a person trying to say that a certain climb is 'easy at the grade', when it could be a desperate struggle up a humungous pile o' crumbly rock with some nasty crux moves. (and shit placements for nuts and cams)

Shhhh.

The kid can't french free a gym route yet, don't let him in on sandbagging artistry.

 

[silentbutdeadly]

It's not so much technique (though that plays a part because outdoor is less 'pure') it is more the capacity to make decisions about holds based not solely on colour and shape.

Think about the difference between riding a groomed flow trail compared to a natural kangaroo track...the difference is almost conceptually the same.

 

[3viltoast3r]

SNIP


Check your knots, esp the one securing you to the rope, then get your climbing partner to check.

Choose your climbing partners carefully...

Not just that, but be careful of all climbing equipment - especially other peoples gear. That rope your buddy brings might actually be his dads from 10 years ago.. Likewise he might store it in his car boot with his spare battery rolling around.

Ask lots of questions, look at what your buddy is doing, and remember that they might not know everything.

 

[ForkinGreat]

Not just that, but be careful of all climbing equipment - especially other peoples gear. That rope your buddy brings might actually be his dads from 10 years ago.. Likewise he might store it in his car boot with his spare battery rolling around.

Ask lots of questions, look at what your buddy is doing, and remember that they might not know everything.

Exactly. Any Frayed gear or gear stored near acids etc - rope, quickdraws, slings, harness etc.... and your climbing partner's actions and skill level.

 

[dropotaro]

Hey, I have just recently started climbing as well. I have only mainly done indoor climbs but have been on an outdoor climb once. Think we are both at a similar level, im still just climbing toprope and looking at doing a lead climbing course when I feel a little more comfortable.

I followed all the advice in this thread, although from my friend who climbs, and i went to the store to try on gear before i bought it. Made a huge difference as my friend had recommended 5 10s but i ended up with a pair of evolv, and a petzel harness. So much better climbing in comfortable gear than the stuff I was hiring at the gym.

 

[foxpuppet]

Anyone who has not heard about it, go check out 9degrees in Sydney. New bouldering gym in Alexandria opened this month. Awesome fun and great on a wet day like today when you can't ride!

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

Anyone who has not heard about it, go check out 9degrees in Sydney. New bouldering gym in Alexandria opened this month. Awesome fun and great on a wet day like today when you can't ride!

I see my old friend the campus board there as well.

 

[foxpuppet]

I see my old friend the campus board there as well.

yeah they have a zlagboard in there too which is pretty cool if your into tech stuff

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

yeah they have a zlagboard in there too which is pretty cool if your into tech stuff

my fingers are aching just thinking about it