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.