Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Climbing, But Were Afraid To Ask

[rydra_wong]

This is a post where you can ask all the questions you're always wanted to ask about climbing, whether you've already started or are just beginning to think about maybe possibly kind of giving this a try.

Or maybe you've been climbing for decades, and have always wondered about that one thing, and by now it would be OMG TOO EMBARASSING to admit you don't know.

No topics are off-limit, no questions too clueless, so let rip and get answers from demi-n00bs experienced climbers.

Comments

[cofax7]

For the roped stuff, they'll put you in a harness and make sure you know how to put it on and how to make sure it's fastened correctly. They will show you how to tie a figure-eight to your harness. They might teach you to belay, and they should teach you the basic command sequence all roped climbers learn. ("On belay?" "Belay on." "Climbing!" "Climb away/Ready/whatever")

They'll send you up a short easy route while you're tied into the rope and belayed by the instructor, and if they're smart they'll show you how to come down while you're only five feet off the ground -- basically you sit back in the harness, letting all your weight hang on the rope, let go of the wall, and prop your feet up against the wall in front of you as though you were sitting on the ground. It sounds simple, but it's psychologically kind of scary because you have to trust the harness, the rope, and the belayer. Coming down is, for a LOT of new climbers, the scariest part of it all. Oh, and no matter what you see the other people doing, don't bounce on the way down: it's a good way to sprain an ankle. Just walk your feet down the wall. (Those Army commercials with the guys doing huge leaping bounds while rappelling have a lot to answer for.)

It really is tons of fun, and the other folks in the class should be supportive and enthusiastic.

And yeah, your forearms are likely to hurt afterwards: after my first formal climbing class I had a very hard time changing gears driving home.

Oh, and one last thing: wear light soft pants that you can move in: yoga pants or something like that. Jeans get bunched up under the harness and it's uncomfortable. Best is a pair of capri pants because really long pants get in the way of your feet.

[bessemerprocess]

I could see where coming down could be a bit disconcerting. The pants thing is also very good to know. Thank you!