So you wanna get involved in the sport of Climbing, eh? You wanna scale walls, rocks, and boulders? You wanna learn about knots, carabiners, ropes, climbing shoes, harnesses, where to go, and what to do once you get? You wanna be a climber today, but you're nervous, apprehensive, overwhelmed – you have no idea how to start this process. Well, let’s go through this together!!
The sport of climbing, in this author’s mind, is THE most natural, the most real, the most graceful, the most ‘true’ sport of all time. For centuries, humans have always needed, have always wanted, to climb. Food was up in trees, getting it was a matter of life and death. Mountains blocked possible exploration and new lands…going over them was a lot easier then going through them. Castles to Pyramids, houses to 15 story buildings, bridges, and monuments – as a society, we have learned to conserve space here on ‘ground zero’, and we often look skyward in search of alternatives. Whether it be for necessity or sport, climbing, conquering heights, will always play a huge part in our society!
But you have no interest in building a bridge…you have no desire to climb a tree in search of apples…no, you want to enjoy the sport aspects of it. I recommend that you proceed in the following manner:
1. go to a legitimate, service oriented, specialty retail shop and be fitted for climbing shoes. You will be fitted for shoes based on the intended application: gym climbing, rock climbing, sport climbing, indoor climbing. Any qualified member of any quality, service-oriented, legitimate gear shop can/should educate you as to what the differences are. Believe it or not, there are shoes better suited for gym climbing than for outdoor climbing – whether you think that you’ll be climbing inside or outside, you will need shoes
2. I recommend buying the following gear – these are the essentials: a harness, a belay/rappel device, large locking D carabiners, 5-7 oval carabiners and 1 rescue carabiner, carabiner quickdraw sets, chalk bag, chalk, and a UIAA approved climbing helmet. This set up, with the addition of rope, is what you’ll need to begin climbing, today!
3. in terms of where to go – first of all, do not go by yourself! bring people/persons who have experience in the sport of climbing. It is no more/less dangerous than any other sport, but you must be educated to be involved. Knowing which knots to tie, where to tie them, where to clip in, what to clip in once you find out where to clip in to, proper rock etiquette, proper climbing terminology, required safety techniques, not to mention form/maneuver are all best learned from an instructor or someone with instructor like knowledge/experience. Local outdoor hot spots include: Carderock (Maryland), Annapolis Rocks (Maryland), Seneca Rocks and New River Gorge (WV), Great falls (VA) - local indoor hot spots include: Sport Rock (MD and VA), and Earth Treks (Maryland) – I also highly recommend buying the book Climb Maryland, written by Mark Kochte, just as I suggest asking any climber that you see, “where’s the best rock ‘round here?”
4. I wouldn’t be abiding by the Climber’s Oath if I didn’t reiterate some things:
a. climbing can be dangerous
b. it is the responsibility of the user to get the proper instruction and to exercise adequate judgment at all times
c. always climb with care…always know that being unsafe today, will determine whether you’re able to come to the rock tomorrow to further enjoy the sport
Those are just the basics – what you also must know concerns Carabiners. You’ve seen them before, but maybe you just didn’t know what they were called. I’ve heard the terms: clips, that key chain thing, the circle rings…and I’m sure that you may know of some phrases yourself. But know this; carabiners are an essential piece of gear for rock climbing. An understanding of the design, application, and limitations of carabiners is crucial to reducing the risks associated with their many usages in climbing situations. Modern sport climbs sometimes require you to take numerous short falls before achieving success. It happens. Although impact loads generated in these falls aren’t necessarily high, repeated falling cause’s equipment to wear out quickly. Made of aluminum, carabiners are essentially grooved and nicked by bolt hangers and pitons, which are made out of harder steel. They can hold 4,000 – 6,000 pounds, making them more than capable of handling loads found I n normal climbing situations. Keep in mind, just because carabiners are strong, does not mean that you can simply load them at any point. No, they are designed to take loads along their major axis with the gate closed. 4 types of Carabiners:
1. Oval carabiners – among the most popular designs, hold lots of gear
2. D-Shaped carabiners – high strength to weight ratio, distribute the load between the gate and the spine of the biner
3. Asymmetrical D carabiners –typically smaller at one end in order to reduce weight, many have bent gates. Many modern super light carabiners are asymmetrical D’s
4. Locking carabiners – have a mechanism that locks the gate closed – among other usages, used for rappelling, belaying
5. recommended brands – Petzl, Black Diamond, Omega Pacific
I have climbed all my life – my love for the sport has shifted from self accomplishment to getting ‘city-folk’ as I call them, involved. It is a sport that will always provide a challenge…there’s always a faster way, there’s always a better route. Nonetheless – it is the addiction that has governed my life for some 35 years. Get to your nearest specialty outdoor retail shop, start asking questions, and start climbing…now! Stop reading…go climb.
Ritchie Parks – Mid-Atlantic Climber, teacher, rock lover, knot specialist and father of 4. Lives in Montgomery County, Maryland.
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