outdoor bouldering

[sixbeforelunch]

Does anyone here have experience with outdoor bouldering? Nature and climbing both being rather helpful to my mental health, I'd really love to combine the two, but I don't have the first idea where to start. I know that there are bouldering problems out there *waves in the general direction of the unpaved world* but I don't know how to find them or where to start with them or what sort of equipment I might need. (Crash pad, yes, but anything else?)

Help? (Help can come in the form of "Here's a book/website, go read it". I'm not averse to doing research.)

Comments

[silveronthetree]

I've done a little bit and it can be really fun. Sometimes it has just involved seeing a boulder that looks interesting when you are out and having a go.

I've usually found places via general climbing guidebooks which sometimes have sections suggesting bouldering areas or showing specific problems. There are specific bouldering guides available as well, with illustrations of problems that look like this.

You don't need much equipment all you really need is shoes, a crash pad (if you have one), something to clean your shoes with (e.g. old towel because you don't want them to be muddy when you are trying to smear), chalk (but it can damage the rock so it probably depends on the area), and some people take a toothbrush to clean chalky holds. Also a friend to spot you and move the crash pad around can be very helpful.

[rydra_wong]

I have not yet managed to achieve outdoor bouldering, but here's the little I know:

You need a crash pad, and probably a spotter. If you are going in a group, you may be able to share a crash pad with other people.

There are usually regional guidebooks about bouldering in particular areas.

Climbing walls often serve as a base of operations for people planning outdoor bouldering trips; if you go to a wall regularly you may be able to ask around and find out if people there are planning an excursion and if you can tag along.

[silveronthetree]

I just found a couple of links that should be helpful as well.
a few basics about outdoor bouldering

a guide to spotting

Beginning bouldering 101

The regional guide to bouldering in your area should give you information about the best areas, when you can access them and safety tips but I'd second what rydra_wong said about asking at your climbing wall.

You'll probably want to start problems a few grades down from your indoor bouldering grade because climbing outdoors is a bit different from indoors and unless someone has been going crazy with the chalk before you, the holds won't be marked.

[jumpuphigh]

Some locations have local online communities that you can get hooked into. All of the links that I have bookmarked are just for my local area but I did a search and found that http://www.rockclimbing.com/ has a list of people looking for climbing partners so you may find something there that is helpful.