Beginners FAQ

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Trusting your life to something you read on the internet is just plain stupid. Get corroboration from a more reliable source, use your common sense, don't get yourself killed, and don't come crying to us if you do.


Accidents in North American Mountaineering annual publication by the American Alpine Club

Contents

[edit] I just read Into Thin Air. What should I read next?

Everest '96 related books (not necessarily recommended):

Recommended books:

Annapurna by Maurice Herzog Touching the Void by Joe Simpson The Boardman Tasker Omnibus by Joe Tasker and Peter Boardman Starlight and Storm by Gaston Rebuffat Thin Air by Greg Child Eiger Dreams by John Krakauer The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer The Endless Knot by Kurt Diemberger Deep Play Paul Pritchard

[edit] So-and-so just died. How can you justify participating in such a dangerous sport? / How can you climb if you have children?

From: Pat Vernon
I am part of a family, i can justify what they do. If my dad died of ink poisiong, sure he died doing something for himself, but as a family member I accepted it and knew he died doing something he loved. If I did not accpet the fact he was a writer and had a problem with it, and he knew it, then his death would appear unjustified in my eyes. You should have at least some understanding among your family members wwhen you do something to enrich your life. My family also realizes i climb for reasons they cannot fully understand, but they know that I understand them, and they trust that I am climbing for the right ones. Climbing is to have fun and challange myself, those are the right reasons in their eyes, the wrong ones are to put myself blatanly in the face of danger as soling does, and somehow get enjoyment out of it.
From: Grant
I find it so pathetically predictable that every time some big name (Alison Hargraves (sp?), Hall/Fisher, Dan Osman, Alex Lowe, etc) dies while pursuing the sport, a bunch of people will chime in and lament how senseless the loss is. People die, everyday, doing everything imaginable (and otherwise...). Better in my mind to focus on what the person brought to the sport and what new frontiers were opened. People like Alex Lowe and Dan Osman couldn't give up or tone down their pursuits any easier than any of us mortals could do without a lung. It's what makes up the core of their existence and passion for life. I'd rather be one left behind by someone who made a real impact with their life rather than one who had potential but never used it, living a life of dull mediocrity. "What's your dad/mom do?" "Uh, I don't know- something that makes them come home in a bad mood all the time..." Gee, that's certainly better than dying pushing the limits. I feel a debt of gratitude to those who continue to define the cutting edge of the sport, taking the risks to live the moments some can only dream.
From: Chris Ferro
I'd take Alex Lowe's 40 years over just about anybody else's 70 or 80 years anytime (except maybe Sinatra's). You're born, you live, and then you die. Unfortunately, too many people miss that middle part.
From: Med Dyer
Many people who have kids scale back on their pre-parental activities. Mostly this is due to having less available "free time", but for some of us it also has to do with risk-taking and our responsibility to be there for our kids. I'm sure many climber/parents would love to climb more than they do, but the fact that they don't does not mean they are "doing without a lung". It just means that they realize there might be something that outweighs the necessity of "pushing the limits".
Everyone has to decide for themselves what risks are worth taking and how those that are left behind will be impacted. Alex Lowe made it clear before his death that he had done just that. While it is fine to respect him for his choices and accomplishments, I think reducing his death to "we're all gonna die" trivializes the total cost of his death. PS --And for the guy who said, " You're born, you live, you die...too many people miss the middle part", well, for many parents, kids -are- the middle part.
From: Kris
That's fine for some parents, but others are autonomous beings and don't believe that once they have children, their own lives are over. Where do you draw the line? Not only that, but, as has been repeatedly stated, parents are killed all the time and the kids still manage to turn out okay.
I've just seen too damn many cases where parents gave up all of their personal activities for the sake of their children, and then smothered and spoiled their kids into little bastards while trying to live vicariously through them.
From: Tom Rogers
I would like to generally think that if you take less risks then one is less likely to be killed or hurt.
I don't fool myself about the risks. I've been climbing long enough to know the risks to me and my families health. I do try to not get myself into too many serious spots based upon my broader experience. I would like to think that most of my partners think I am a very careful climber. Will this keep me totally safe? No. Well it keep me safer? Yes.
From: Andy Clifton
Someone's dead, doing what he loved. He knew the risks, he made the choices. That's what Mountaineering is about; balancing up one sets of choices and risks, doing it for yourself, not letting someone else make the rules.
It's also called life...
From: MadBolter
Will forgets that Dan was a friend to some on here, not just a curious sidenote to make you shake your head and say "what a waste."
From: Steve Gray
I was in error for responding the way I did, but I'm of the opinion you were in the wrong for immediately chastising me in such a negative manner.
You didn't have to sit through the months of analysis when Dan died. It was bad enough for those of us who didn't know the bloke - how his friends kept their tempers, I'll never know.
From: Jeff
Driving is dangerous, walking is dangerous, everything in live has a an element of danger, but I'm not going to live my life in an oxygen tent hidden away in my house, I'm going to _LIVE_ my life. Just because I know people that died in a plane crash doesn't mean I go to flying posts and "warn" people that you can die from it... expecially when the accident screams of it being the victims fault and stupidity that caused the accident.
How can you say that climbing is "against the natural rules of god and man"? We have hands, we have feet, we have the ability to climb rocks. There are many _many_ first ascents of cliffs and mountains by monks and other healers back in the 18th century and even before, searching for food and medicine. If you want to start pulling a religion card out, then we can play religion. If God didn't mean for people to climb, he wouldn't have put stuff places that require climbing to obtain it. If you want to preach the will of god, then go right ahead, but the will of god isn't going to be 'don't climb', it's going to be 'don't climb with any protection. Anything that can be done using only ones natural body natural surroundings can't, by definition, be against the natural rules.
All in all, it all comes down to one thing in my book. Sure there is risk, but with greater risk comes greater reward. I would rather die doing something and have done something than live long and die haven't not done anything with my life.

[edit] What does "sport" mean? What does "trad" mean?

From: Dylan Sutton

To oversimplify, sport routes are bolted whereas trad routes use 'natural' (ie. place it yourself as you go) gear. Natural gear can be nuts, cams, slings around trees, pitons, whatever works. Beyond that it get's fuzzy - you can have bolted routes that aren't sport routes, and unbolted routes that are "sporty" (but still trad). Many "trad" routes will also have some bolts or old fixed pitons on them.

From: John Byrnes

Sport climbs are bolted in a manner to allow the climber to focus on doing the moves rather than the consequences of a fall.

From: Jonas Wiklund

Trad: All routes are done ground up, no inspection, no cleaing and prepping, no problem. The first acsensionist goes to great distances to avoid placing drilled protection, but happyly mangles any crack whith pitons whenever he/she gets really scared. A tradclimber (see below for definition) uses hemprope, hobnailed boots and a swami-belt.

Tradclimber: A old person with beard or a young failed sportclimber.

Sport: All routes are prepped and bolted on rapple. Every move is as least V5 or harder. You are never scared because the shiny new bolts are so close apart.

Sportclimber: A young person without technique and hexes, or a old failed tradclimber.

[edit] What does (climbing term) mean?

A good introduction:

Rock Climbing Equipment and Techniques

Glossaries:

The Climbing Guide The Climbing Dictionary

[edit] How do I get started climbing?

Recommended books:

How to Rock Climb Series

How to Rock Climb! by John Long Climbing Anchors by John Long More Climbing Anchors by John Long and Bob Gaines Gym Climb by John Long Toproping by S. Peter Lewis How to Rappel! by Craig Luebben Sport Climbing by John Long Clip and Go by Duane Raleigh, John Long Knots for Climbers by Craig Luebben Self-Rescue by David J. Fasulo Better Bouldering by John Sherman Building Your Own Indoor Climbing Wall by Ramsay Thomas How to Ice Climb! by Craig Luebben Big Walls by John Long and John Middendorf

Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills by the Mountaineers Society

From: Undercling

You and your family are at the classic point where getting involved in climbing might seem difficult. You know enough to realize you want to do more of it, but not enough to do it successfully without guides or mentors, and where do you find those or pay for the guides for the next year! Going to the gym is a good way to not only find mentors but to actually get the skills you want and need. And the better gyms of course have a variety of classes that can get you started safely, such as technique and also leading classes. Most gyms are fairly social too, and in that milieu you probably will make lots of new friends, some of whom will actually be these mentors you need. And of course you have to start reading the books we have on the sport, specially the books by John Long. The gym or climbing store should have them.

From: Jay Cloidt

Also, one of the best ways to meet people who lead is at a gym. Most gyms I've been to around the country are very friendly, and most climbers will gladly help you out if you can't figure out a problem. This is a good way to meet and get to know more experienced climbers. This is how I met the person who became my climbing mentor. He took me up my first multi-pitch climb, taught me how to set top-rope anchors, and following him taught me a lot about gear placement. The lead class I took was more of a final exam for me. It let me know that I had absorbed enough knowledge to start leading safely.

Learning how to set top-rope anchors is an important step. Learn how to do it correctly from competent teachers. Everyone who climbs on your anchor is putting there lives in your hands. It's important to remember that.

From: Vaughn Ripley

Buy John Long's book: How to Rock Climb. And, buy a one day class that covers the essentials of top roping for beginners. This way, you can make sure that your friends are placing safe anchors, etc.

When starting out finger strength is not nearly as important as skill and technique.

The only way to work on your skill set is to go out and climb a lot.

Check out my site for a beginners workout and some more info: www.virtualinks.com

From: dgallardo

Perhaps there is a mountaineering/outing club nearby that you could join? They may have classes, workshops etc. It's also a good place to meet more experienced climbers willing to take you underwing.

Another idea is to hire a guide at a major climbing area for a day or more of one-on-one climbing. Maybe a bit pricey but it's probably the most intensive way to learn.

From: Sandra Reeves

Before you commit to spending lots of money bare in mind that many University have climbing clubs that will help non-climbers get started.

Beware though I have seen alot of dougey pratices from university clubs, the im-portant thing is not to run before you can walk. Outdoor climbing has a few more potential pitfall than wall climbing but the rewards are tremendous

From: blyslv

If possible it is a excellent idea to find someone to mentor you. This is difficult though, as the person who has the patience, inclination and desire to train a newbie can be pretty rare. Failing that I would sign up with a reputable school. Ask them what you'd be qualified to do after one of thier courses. If it is top-roping, when you graduate you should have a basic understanding of the various knots, gear and considerations required for setting up safe top-ropes. If it is a multi-pitch class you should know how to follow a leader, clean gear and elements of self-rescue. Classes also are a change to meet interested people at the same level of competance. Climbing with fellow newbies, you might not "advance" as fast, but there are other rewards.

See also:

How do I find/keep a mentor? on Tradgirl Is there a climbing gym in my area? on Tradgirl Is ice climbing for me? / How do I get started? on Tradgirl How do I get started aid climbing? on Tradgirl How do I get started mountaineering? / Is mountaineering for me? on Tradgirl

[edit] Can I learn to climb if I'm afraid of heights?

From: Lori Ennis

I realized I was hooked the first time I tried out the climbing gym when it opened in town...I went twice that first day, dragging my brother with me in the morning and my best friend in the evening. Couldn't keep me away. I was (and still am sometimes) afraid of heights and wasn't willing to go past about 10 feet the first few climbs, but each time I came down I wanted to go up again. Couldn't help it. The happy feeling I got from climbing seemed to win out against the frightfullness of the height, and it still does. Later that year I went climbing outside for the first time and I knew it was something I would always want to do.

From: Joffrey

I had (have) the same problem. I started on low (10m) walls & that was fine. I gradually tried high (60-90m) climbs in the crags. I almost froze with fear sometimes & found that chimneys were the best place to start. It slowly gets better.

From: Sabays

You're not the only one! I'm scared to death of heights, too, but I love climbing and I'm very new at it. I started out in a climbing gym to get the basic knowledge, and to learn how to trust your equipment. From there, I've played around at the local outdoor climbing walls, with a friend who's an experienced climber. It helps to go with someone who's PATIENT, and let's you go at your own pace. I went with someone who wasn't, and ended up going up about 10 feet and very frustrated. My climbing friend lets me go up 20 feet, then come down, then go up 50 feet, then come down, until I feel comfortable. Just concentrate on the wall in front of you, and you won't even think about how high you are.

From: TradMan

I once thought that I was afraid of heights, but I realized that it was actually a (more sensible) fear of falling, which I still have. Being afraid of falling is simply the desire not to get hurt or die from a fall. We all probably feel that. But fear of heights is less rational and I think it comes from not thinking through the whole situation.

If you are in a tall building looking out the window, or on a high spot looking over a rail and feel frightened, you must weigh the actual possibility of getting hurt. Very small.

If you are scrambling around on a dirty ledge unroped while setting up an anchor, the chance of falling is much more real, and the "fear of falling" may occur and falling is actually very possible.

Once I gave some thought to the subject, it became easy to say to myself, "OK, I'm tied in, the rope ain't gonna break, my harness is good, my pro is good, and my belayer is paying attention, so I'm not gonna deck." Becoming familiar with the incredible strength built into the gear and the rarity of gear failure helps calm those fears too.

Instead of allowing your mind to freely feel undefined fear, you've gotta accurately define it and then correctly assess the situation and decide if those feelings are really justified or not. When you do, you'll probably be more afraid driving home on the freeway than on the rock.

From: Steven Branam

I have always been afraid of heights, but as most climbers seem to find, it is really a fear of falling. Learning to trust the security of the rope has allowed me to get up high without freaking out. But still, the knowledge of hundreds of feet of air below you stays in the back of your mind, and gravity is unforgiving.

From: Sherry

As a recovering acrophobic, I can testify that the more I climb, the less fearful I am of heights in general, not just on cliffs. Not that I don't still have my moments of panic, but they don't come as often. I got interested in climbing because it draws on the same skills I used when I used to study Aikido - balance, mind-body coordination, flexibility, focus, and centering. And because I thought it might help me get over my fear of heights.

For me the secret was to start slowly, respect my fears, and learn when to push myself and when to give in. It helps to have more experienced climbing partners who are calm, are compulsive about climbing safely, have seemingly infinite patience, never berate me when I decide to give in, encourage me when I decide to push myself, and let me make the decision.

To give you an idea of what _not_ to do - my worst climbing experience so far was during a climbing course, when I rapelled to what seemed to me to be a pretty narrow ledge about 200 feet above the ocean. I was so frightened I forgot what to do, and couldn't get myself tied in to the anchor. What I needed was for the instructor to speak calmly to me, tell me what to do (but make me do it) and reassure me that I was safe. Instead he got up in my face, yelled at me (which increased my fear to panic), jerked the rope out of my hand and tied me in, and started to lead the climb while muttering obscenities at me under his breath. BTW, once we were safely back at the van, I got up in his face and told him, calmly but firmly, what he had done wrong and what he should have done. To his credit, he heard me and was much easier on me and the other folks on the course after that.

From: Malcolm Daly

In the past 25 years I've taught 400-500 people how to climb, both casually with friends and professionally through outdoor programs and guide services. I've even taken my mother-in-law climbing.

During these first lessons I always ask my students why they want to climb, and 40% - 50% of the students responded that they were scared of heights. Despite this response, not once, in all my lessons, did I have a student "freak out" or be unable to handle their fear. There's just too much going on to have time to be scared.

So go for it. Get a couple of friends together and take a day with a professional guide. You'll love it.

Milan Kundera, in The Incredible Lightness Of Being said that "Vertigo is not the fear of falling‹it is the fear that you will be unable to overcome the urge to hurl yourself into the void."

From: George Bell

When I started climbing I had a moderate fear of heights. Basically, you have to learn to trust the equipment and yourself. The way to do this is practice, practice, practice, indoors and out. You can boulder to develop climbing ability without feeling acrophobia, and then this confidence will help fight the fear up high. Eventually when leading you will become so focused you won't feel the height, although this may take years. By now it's only when belaying or rapping in exposed places that I have enough time to think about it and get scared.

From: Francis Devonshire

One of the reasons I started climbing was to explore just how real my fear of heights actually was. I still can't answer that one but despite having climbed for a while now I still think I'm afraid of heights. (nb, the term "afraid of heights" fails to convey the degree of absolute terror involved). Anyway I just went off with some mates and, after protracted whimpering and squealing, top roped my first ever pitch. Today, on the whole I'm too involved with the climb to worry about heights; if I'm trying to make a move I'm only concerned with things within the span of my arms which I may or may not be able to cling on to; the distance to the deck becomes an irrelavance. However, I have yet to complete a climb during which I don't, at some point, curse loudly that the whole thing is a bloody stupid enterprise and I'm giving my gear away the moment I reach the top.

From: Larry Owens

Actually if you would just get on the rock and start doing it, you would overcome your fear. Remeber, you are tied in (hopefully) and assuming you have a good belayer that knows how to set things up, you will be fine

[edit] What do the numbers mean? / How are climbs rated?

Grade:

From: Dave Andersen

Note that the times here are for the "average" climber, whatever that is. People have done up to grade VI's in a day, and people have taken multiple days on grade III's. :-)

I - easy excursion. From a single pitch up to a few hours. Not particularly committing.

II - Bit more serious, but less than a half day climb. You could get a few II's in in a day if you worked at it.

III - Half day climb. (or thereabouts)

IV - A full day

V - A day or two. Moonlight Buttress in Zion.

VI - A few days. The Nose is a grade VI climb.

VII - Bring a gallon of tequilla, you'll need it.

Class

From: Ed Huckle

The roman numeral is grade whereas the number is the class. Grade I-VII denotes the amount of time and commitment the route will take (this is described well in the other response, from Dave Anderson) whereas the class denotes which type of climbing.

Class 1: Walking on a trail

Class 2: Scrambling with use of hands

Class 3: Steeper climbing with handholds, some exposure, usually no need for a rope.

Class 4: Steep, exposed, but easy climbing with rope for safety.

Class 5: Technical rock climbing - specific climbing moves necessary, with a rope and intermediate protection necessary on each pitch. Originally this was split up from 5.0 - 5.9 but, as time went on people did harder climbs, hence the present state of the art, 5.14.

Class 6: This is how aid climbing was originally denoted. This has since been shed for the current aid rating systems, which are denoted by A0 - A5, based on difficulty of the aid placements, and the danger of a prospective fall.

Rating Systems:

Technical Rock Climbing Rating Systems (UK, French, US, Australian, UIAA, German, Alpine) from ABC of RockClimbing European Alpine Ratings from Ari's Base Camp Aid Ratings (Class 6) from the Big Wall Home Page Ice/Mixed Ratings from Tuan's Ice Climbing FAQ Bouldering Ratings (V ratings, YDS, Fontainbleau, Peak) from Bouldering.com Other Bouldering Ratings (V ratings, YDS, B ratings, J-Tree ratings, Phoenix, Font, Peak) from Fish Products Phoenix Bouldering Contest Point System - PBC Points to V grades, 4/23/2002

And some for fun . . .

Bushwhack (BW), Bush Aid (BA) and Water Crossing (WA) Rating Systems Epic (E) Ratings Butt Ugly (BU) Rating System for rating summit weather Mitch Allen T-rating system for using trees on-route P Ratings for rating the puke factor Route Buzz Ratings for how much you enjoyed a route Humor Ratings for rating the quality of a joke

How the routes are rated

From: John Baker

I was wondering how subjective the rating system is here in the USA.

completely, just like everywhere else.

From: D B FRAZ

Routes are typically graded by the difficulty of the hardest move. Keeping in mind that if a route is sustained then those moves will be more difficult, thus the grade will increase. For instance, a 5.11 with one 5.13 move on it would be 5.13. But a 5.9 with a 30 foot section of 5.12+ might also be 5.13. Of course if you do the first 5.13 people will say it's a one move wonder and run you down the road. So basically difficulty, endurance and sustained qaulity are all factors but in place of the latter two being nonexistent then difficulty is the least common denom. Gym ratings are always suspect, btw, and if your gym has a bunch of one move wonders then they are definitely suspect.

From: eric

In general the rating system is very rough anyway. Not only is there the issue a given route being easiler for short people or tall people, there is also the issue if you have plenty of strength but zero ballance you could have no problem on a 5.11 overhang and not be able to get off the ground on a 5.9 slab, and vise versa.

Also rating are generally determined by some group of senior climbers at you crag, so the scale at one crag doesn't always match the scale at another.

So either just climb it and don't worry about the rating (at the very worst you'll burn yourself out and bail) or go with someone who know your crag better than you and knows you ability at have that person tell you which routes you will be able to complete.

See also:

The 9th grade, the legitimacy by Björn Pohl

[edit] How can I climb better?

From: Steven Cherry

Pick a foothold, get your foot on the best part of it, then don't move it, juggle it, or adjust it in any way -- don't take your eye off the foothold until your foot is correctly on it

Get your weight on the foothold, then stand up on it keeping your weight on it (and standing up as opposed to pulling up)

On less than vertical, butt out, on greater than vertical, butt in to the rock (this is quite general, lots of exceptions)

Stand up fully whenever possible, you can reach new holds and also your legs more fully take your weight

Take small steps whenever possible, you'll be amazed at what new holds you can reach when you move up even a few inches, or how less pumpy it is to reach and use them

If you have a good foothold you don't need your other foot to be on a good one to stand up, but get that other foot on a good hold as soon as possible (and then repeat the process).

I'm one of those girly climbers who can follow some hard routes without being able to do even one pullup. Footwork is everything.

From: David Kastrup

Most holds in the gym are there for a purpose and you can figure out that purpose. That's different outside. In particular, you often encounter invigorating dead ends. Avoid straying from the route only because the holds are better when veering off.

Another thing to get used to is the situation "there are no holds or footholds". You often have to make do with `features' instead of holds for one or two hands or feet, like tiny edges, bends in a smooth surface, depressions, rifts...

Getting a bit cynical helps. If there is no useful hold around, just move your feet up. As long as the situation is desperate, you need not idle. Doing something will not render it worse. And when you are hanging at a precarious position with nary a hold and doubt whether you can hold yourself much longer, just go on. You don't increase your chances of success by clinging at a bad spot. On the other hand, at a good resting position, try planning ahead the next few moves. As opposed to the gym, the difficulty on a natural route is not uniform. Getting over the hard pieces fast will help more than it does in the gym.

From: Micah Lauer

When doing moves where you're facing straight on, remember to push your hips into the wall while you're extending to reach the next hold(s). This gives you additional reach and changes your center of balance/gravity.

Don't ignore your feet. Feet are very essential and some newer climbers ignore this, thinking that upper body strength will take them through everything. Get good feet placements and learn to trust them. Whether you're smearing a blank sport or using holds, don't ignore your feet. Climbing is more about leg/footwork than many people initially think.

Remember that lots of moves are not done facing straight on. In many cases, liebacking or shifting body positions so that either your left hip or right hip is facing into the wall is what will give you the balance or reach to gain a hold. In many cases flagging a leg against the wall helps maintain balance, even though you may not actually have a foot hold for that leg. This type of technique can sometimes help eliminate the "barn door" effect. There are a lot of techniques like being able to shift or roll your weight over a particular leg or foot that will come with practice.

Stretch and warm up before throwing yourself at hard stuff. Likewise, cool down and stretch after you're done climbing. The only climbing injuries I've ever suffered have been the result of not warming up/stretching out. Don't overdo it on the tendons, and give yourself some rest days if you're pushing it hard. I always perform much better after I've pushed myself once I've had a day or two to rest. The more you climb and progress, the better you'll get and learning how much rest your body needs between sessions.

Work on the fundamentals. Keep advancing, but don't overdo it. It's fun to try routes that are a bit out of reach, but at the same time, you should also work your way through the lower levels and build a good foundation based upon solid technique. I'm not as strong as I was 6 months ago, but I'm climbing at a higher level because what upper body strength I may have lost has been replaced with better technique.

From: Bill Folk

1. Climb a lot, particularly bouldering. Concentrate on your form and on having fun, not on the grade.

2. Rest a lot. Don't overtrain.

3. Don't waste time and energy lifting weights.

4. Don't worry about specialized training until you stop improving from just climbing.

5. Regular, easy aerobic exercise will allow you to train harder and recover faster. Just don't overdo it and give your body even more to recover from.

6. Ease up on yourself a little. For someone who's been climbing for only 2 years, you're doing fine.

From: Chris Joor

Unless you look like a wine bottle you don't need the upper body strength you get from 'working out' or similar. Just keep on climbing regularly and use your legs (in other words: work on your technique).

Relying on your arms too much is very common for people who just start to climb (and even more common for beginners of the MALE variety). You have to learn to trust your feet, even in overhangs they take a lot of your weight. If you're not comfortable with your feet more upper body strength will not really help you (you just get tired a bit later).

After your warming-up, try these games/exercises (and try them in easy routes and don't just climb up but down also):

Use the tips of your feet/toes; place them perpendicular to the wall; don't lift your heels. Agree with yourself that once you've carefully placed a foot you're not allowed to move it unless you're taking the next step with that foot. This will hurt sometimes.

Try to take VERY small steps (use as much footholds as possible. Exaggerate. If the next foothold is rather high, SMEAR in between).

Try not to lift your hands over your head. Dare to take a handhold beneath the waistline when climbing down.

Try climbing a whole route without the use of your right hand. Do the same for your left hand (to avoid overloading, better not try this while climbing down). Try to start a route not using your hands at all (just the first steps).

Try climbing a route while placing both hands at the same holds at the same time.

Try to grab a hold in a different way every now and then. Before you start a route, try to envisage how you're going to climb it; move your hands in the air as if you were (you will look stupid) and STICK TO THOSE MOVES once you're up there.

From: Tom Payne, 6/19/2002 on uk.rec.climbing

While moving from French 5 ('98) to French 6c/7a ('01) I would say that I've developed the following, in rough order of importance:

1) Footwork. I've learnt to have both feet attached to the rock _before_ moving upwards. Careful footwork allows me to get my body closer to the next hold (so I can reach it statically) and be in balance when I get there (so I can adapt if it's not the same shape as I expected). Also, by keeping the weight on my feet I reduce the demands on my arms and hands and so can climb on smaller holds and for longer periods of time.

If you find yourself leaping for holds (dynos or dead-points), or if you find routes with big holds easy but small holds hard then your footwork needs improving. Games to play include:

a) ensuring that both feet are on footholds before moving your hands.

b) make a move, reverse it, then make it again before continuing. You'll quickly get knackered if your weight isn't on your feet.

c) climb slabs, or (when at the wall) use bolt-ons for hands and only features for feet.

d) conversely, the poorer the handhold the more you have to use your feet. So, pick routes with small handholds and lots of features for feet.

e) carefully place your feet: look at the foothold, work out the exactly optimal way to use it (inside/outside edge, toe jam, heel hook, etc.) then place your foot in exactly the right position. Try not to swivel on your toes or switch edges: these work on big footholds but not when you move onto smaller ones.

f) make sure both feet are attached while placing gear/clipping bolts.

2) Sequences. It's planning ahead. It's making sure that once you reach the next hold you're in a good position to reach the one after that. A good sequence just 'flows', a poor one leaves you foot- and hand-swapping at each hold, and quickly tires you out.

Games here are:

a) plan your route _before_ you do it. Work out where your hands and feet need to be to make each move from the ground. Then do the climb. Don't worry if you end up doing something different to what you expected, but do learn by comparing what you thought would work versus what actually did.

b) mentally kick yourself every time you footswap or match -- try to work out sequences that don't need these extraenous movements. Learn cross-overs, flagging, and step-throughs.

c) plan your gear placements: spot the holds that you'll use when clipping each bolt. Locking-off at shoulder height is much harder work than hanging off a jug one move ahead.

3) Variety of techniques. Know about drop-knees, laybacks, rockovers, undercuts, dynos, deadpoints, back-stepping, smearing, figure-4s, etc. These movements can make seemingly-impossible movements easy: see Adam's post for their application to steep walls. (Drop-knees are Egyptians, by the way).

4) Balance, flexibility, finger-strength, body tension, and all the other physical attributes. We're all blessed or cursed with more or less of each of these. The top climbers have it all. But as mere mortals we have to learn to make the best use of what we have (see points 1, 2, 3 above), rather than demanding 'more strength', 'better crimping power', 'more flexibility', 'longer reach', and all the other excuses. I guarantee that you'll be able to find someone shorter/weaker/less flexible than you who can do the route that you're failing on.

Finally, the books Performance Rock Climbing and How To Climb 5.12 say a lot more than I've mentioned here: it's worth picking up a copy (especially Performance Rock Climbing).

See also:

The Archive of Rock Climbing: Moves and Tips Technique: use your feet by Charles Arthur on UKClimbing.com Effective Footwork in Rock Climbing by Reginald Braithwaite-Lee on Tradgirl How can I climb harder (experienced climbers)? on Tradgirl

[edit] How do I tie a (whatever) knot?

Recommended Books

On Rope : North American Vertical Rope Techniques by Bruce Smith, Allen Padgett, National Speleological Society Vertical Knots for Climbers by Craig Luebben Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills by the Mountaineers Society Self Rescue by David Fasulo Ashley's Book of Knots by Clifford W. Ashley The Morrow Guide to Knots by Guido Regazzoni, Mario Bigon, Kennie Lyman

General Resources

ODP's Knot Directory Caving Knots from Sherry Mayo Knot Dictionary from Irish Climbing Ropers Knot Page Getting Hitched from WVclimbing.com Slinging Chicken Heads

Specific Knots

Beer Knot

From: Brian Nystrom

A beer knot is a water knot with the ends of the webbing stuffed inside each other.

How to tie The Beer Knot from Nathan Sweet

Bowline

From: Hardman Knott

Last night one of the East Bay hardmen showed me a variation of the double-bowline. This is esentially the same knot, except instead of the double loop, a clove-hitch is formed, and the rope fed "through the hole, around the tree", ect. It is backed up with a double half hitch, as is the regular bowline.

One big advantage is that for clandestine use in the gym, it looks much more like a figure-8 than a regular bowline from a distance! (much hate untying that figger 8)

Like the bowline, it is relatively easy to untie after a fall, yet supposedly offers better security against inadvertent self-untying. (Afore-mentioned hardman related horror stories of double-bowline untying incidents, as well as his belief that this version is more secure)

From: David Kreindler

a re-threaded bowline, which is an excellent knot for anchoring to trees with static cord. It is relatively gentle on the tree, and if one half of the knot comes loose, you still have a single bowline.

Tie a normal bowline, leaving a long tail. With the tail, follow the bight around and then retrace the knot. The tail should emerge parallel to the free end. You will end up with two bights around the anchor. It is easy to equalize the bights by pulling on the only section of the knot that is not doubled (easy to see, hard to describe). Of course, you can tie a normal safety with the tail.

From: David Kastrup

the German climber's association actually only recommends the use of two knots for tie-in: one is the retraced figure eight, one is the retraced bowline. You do this retraced bowline by first doing a usual bowline, then retracing the entire thing, starting at the tie-in point, so that you have *two* loops going through your harness. The bowline is completely doubled, except for the hole the rabbit went through.

This retraced bowline functionally has a complete bowline as backup, and it does not suffer from the "open under ring load" symptom that has caused the German climbers association to stop recommending the single bowline. While the single bowline is reasonably safe for tie-in, it isn't for rescue (if rescuers clip a biner to your bowline loop, the bowline might untie under load) or for joining chest and seat harness, or a few other purposes.

Bowline (animated GIF) from the University of New England Mountaineering Club Typing a bowline one-handed from Climerware Yosemite Bowline from The Cave Page Irish Bowline by Joe McNicholas Redoubled Bowline from SIS

See also: Should I tie in with a bowline or a retraced Figure 8? / Is it safe to tie in with a bowline? on Tradgirl

Butterfly Knot

Double Butterfly Knot from Ron Kilber The Apline Butterfly (animanted GIF) from the University of New England Mountaineering Club The Butterfly or Lineman's Loop on Roper's Knot Pages

Clove Hitch

Tying a clove hitch one-handed from Climerware Clove Hitch (animated GIF) from the University of New England Mountaineering Club

Figure 8

Figure 8 with an extra pass from Climerware

Fisherman's Knot

Dogvine from Climerware Fisherman's (animated GIF) from the University of New England Mountaineering Club Double Fisherman's (animated GIF) from the University of New England Mountaineering Club

Girth Hitch (aka Larks Foot or Cow Hitch)

Climer Hitch from Climerware Girth Hitch from VirtualLinks.com Is it safe to use a girth hitch (aka lark's foot) and what are my other options? on Tradgirl

Mariner's

Mariner's with a Daughtry finish from Climerware

Mule Knot

Mule Knot from the Washington Alpine Club

From: David Henderson

I'll attempt to describe a mule with words. You have your brake strand pulling down from the plate/ATC. You take a short bight from it, immediately below the ATC, and poke it through the CENTRE of the carabiner to form a small loop. Then grab a long bight from below that and lift it around the OUTSIDE of the carabiner and poke it through the "eye" formed by the first bight. Take what's left over of the long bight and as a backup tie the half-hitches above the ATC, as you described, around the loaded strand.

From: Steve Prouty

My descriptive instruction for tying it would be as follows: While belaying from below through an ATC or similar device, with the right hand as a break hand, reach over with your left hand and grab the unloaded rope below the break hand and pull a large bight up to your chest. Feed the bight through the carabiner and away from you. Release the bight and re-grasp it with the left hand on the other side of the carabiner. Slowly release the right hand grip transferring the brake force to the left hand. Now with the right hand form two loops on the unloaded portion of the bight, just as though you were beginning to tie a clove hitch. Position them so that one loop is to the left of the rope leading to the climber and the other loop is to the right. Next take the left loop and bring it towards you, around the rope leading to the climber and then through the right loop (this is awkward at first with one hand). Be sure to pull enough rope through to be able to tie an overhand back up after. Finally work the knot carefully into position before transferring the load to it and NEVER release the brake hand until the knot is backed up and fully secure.

This differs a bit from David Henderson's post and I'm not sure its anymore clear, but then again I didn't think it could hurt.

Munter Hitch

Munter Hitch from Virtual Links Munter Hitch Mishap on Google Groups

Prusik

Prusik Knot from Geoff Kuenning Prusik Knot from The Ruckus Society Knot Kowledge - Prusik

See also:

What knot should I use to tie webbing? / What are the safety concerns when using water knots? on Tradgirl Should I use a sliding x knot to equalize two pieces? on Tradgirl Is it safe to use a girth hitch (aka lark's foot) and what are my other options? on Tradgirl What should I use to backup my rappel? on Tradgirl

[edit] How do I coil my rope? Should I use a mountaineer's coil or a butterfly coil?

From: Brian Nystrom

Since learning the butterfly coil, I no longer use the mountaineer's coil, since it's slower, more cumbersome to carry and twists the rope. The butterfly is fast (you're coiling the rope at double speed), never gets hung up on gear or trees on descents, and doesn't twist the rope at all.

1) Take both ends in one hand, then pull out two full arm's lengths of rope and drop it by your side.

2) Pull out an arm's length of rope and lay it across your hand, forming a loop.

3) Pull out another arm's length of rope and lay it across your palm in the opposite direction from the first one. You should now have a loop of rope hanging on either side of your hand.

4) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you reach the middle of the rope.

5) Take the length of rope from step 1 and start wrapping it around the loops of rope you're holding, starting near the middle of the loops and wrapping toward your hand.

6) When you have about 6' of rope left, push both ends though the hole in the top of the coil (below the hand that's holding the rope). These become your shoulder "straps".

7) Put the coil on your back with a "strap" over each shoulder. Cross them over the coil behind you and tie them around your waist. You're done.

If you don't need to carry the coil on your back, just make a few more wraps in step 5, pass a loop through the top of the coil, pass the ends through the loop and tie off.

From: Hugh Grierson

I have always used the Butterfly Coil and have been quite pleased with the results, but my new 60 meter 10.5mm rope is hard to hold in one hand as I coil it

Drape the loops behind your neck, over your shoulders. It's a slightly different coiling technique but should be easy enough for you to figure out.

From: Geraint Maddison

I was taught to 'hank' the rope, by flaking it back and forth across my shoulders. Fold the whole bundle in half and finish it off with a few wraps. This is especially effective if you double the line first. Laying the line back and forth like this, rather than coiling it, avoids the twists that you have encountered.

From: Everet Fee

I, too, prefer the butterfly coil. But it's not without a small price, viz. when you want to use the rope you have to flake it twice: the first time to undo the coil, the second to separate the two strands.

From: Greg Opland

By "butterfly", I assume you mean what is also referred to as a "backpackers coil"? If this is true, here's something I've found to help eliminate tangles over the years: After you unwrap the coil, flake out about 15-20 feet with the two lines held together, then you hold onto one end and drop the pile. Continue pulling on just one of the lines, shaking the easy tangles out as you go. This seems to work pretty well most of the time for me.

From: Peter Clitherow

did you try the single butterfly? (i.e. start on a single strand at one end) i find that it never (well...) gets tangled. of course, it's somewhat slower...

From: Paul Brooks

My favourite is to start coiling 3 - 4m from the end and then lap coil (back and forward over your hand with a double arm's length each time) singly until 3 - 4m from the other end. Take the 2 ends and wrap them tightly round the lapped coils (just below your hand), working upwards towards your hand. Leave enough to go over your shoulders and poke a bight of the two ends through the hole between the wrapping turns and the top of the coil. Flick this bight over the top of the coil and pull the ends tight.

The advantages of this are:

1. Lap coiling avoids kinks in the rope.

2. The two ends can be used as a 'rucksack' as you suggest.

3. You don't need to faff about flaking the rope before starting to climb (just undo the wrapping turns and lay the coil down - one end is on the top and the other on the bottom).

Others will suggest different methods but they're wrong.

From: Lowell Anderson

The "mountaineer's coil" is a good example -- Freedom calls it one thing, Long's book series exactly the opposite.

You are probably referring to section "Coiling The Rope" in Long's "How to Rock Climb". While I think that section could use a good dose of editing, I'll give Long the benefit of the doubt and accept that the figure references are wrong--"Standing Coil" and "Mountaineer's Coil" are reversed. Otherwise, Long is the only book, of many I have, that has renamed the butterfly to be the mountaineer's coil. Nah! It's got to be a typo. I have not found any other name used for the mountaineer's coil as described in "Freeom". I have not run across "standing coil" used by Long but it seems a reasonable synonym for the butterfly based on the meaning of "standing". Other names I've seen for the butterfly are double hank and lap.

From: Gordon Schryer

The mountaineers coil is as follows:

1) From one end, coil the rope in loops keeping care that you dont loose the starting-end in the bundle. An easy way to get the right loop size is to sit on the ground and coil the loops around a triangle created by one of your knees and both of your feet. (Keep the starting-end of the rope coil on your high, knee side (on your lap).

2) about two arm lengths from the end, stop coiling. The starting and finishing ends of the rope point in opposite directions. Create a bite in the starting-end so that it folds back along the coil, now pointing in the same direction as the finishing-end. The starting-end should be 12-24 inches long after the bite.

3)with the longer finishing-end begin wraping tight coils around one side bundle of the main coil including the starting-end. Start the tight coils about 8-12 inches from the starting end bite and wrap towards the bite.

4) When you get to the bite you pass the finishing-end through the bite. Pulling on the starting-end tightens the bite around the finishing end.

5) With the starting-end and finishing-end at opposite sides of the tight wraps, tie a square knot in the remaining end lengths.

6) The coil being complete, throw it over your head and shoulder, or over your pack, or strapped under your pack lid and off you go.

(This being said, I prefer the butterfly coil myself).

From: Steve Bateman

Say you wrap the rope around your forearm in the usual quick fashion. The rope wraps on one side of your forearm. If you then take the rope off your forearm, and then flake it out off the opposite side you wraped on from, you will have one twist per wrap around your forearm. This assumes you didn't have any twists in the rope in the first place.

So it is key that you flake the rope off the bundle from the same side it was coiled on from.

From: Roger Peppe

i've always used the standard coil, coiling using my head and one hand, which is possibly what you call the mountaineer coil. the only time i ever get twisting or tangling problems is when someone else coils my ropes (usually i guess because they're coiling it the wrong direction; butterfly coiling doesn't seem so bad, only i always find a butterfly coiled rope more difficult to lay out, but that's probably just my fabled manual incompetence...)

From: Carol Haynes

Actually the very best way to carry and store rope is in a rope sack loosely lapped in. That way you never have to coil or uncoil it and it is kept on a clean surface in use. It's also protected from UV.

See also:

A finished Mountaineer's Coil from Cascade Climbers A Butterfly Coil with a lot of finishing wraps from Harter-Climbing

[edit] Should I let a faster party pass?

From: Ken Cline, 9/1/2000

Etiquette is the right idea for trade routes. Everyone should be encouraged to use the reasonable person principle (i.e. when in doubt, ask yourself, "what would a reasonable person do", and act accordingly). I doubt we could ever agree on hard and fast rules to govern climbing etiquette.

From: Inez Drixelius, 8/31/2000

If I am part of a slow party, I have the responsibility to evaluate the consequences of what is happening below. Common courtesy should warrant that I offer climbers who are obviously faster and more efficient than I am that they may pass.

If I am fast and can foresee a fiasko in the making and there are good ledges to pass a slow party, I feel that it is okay to ask if I may pass. However, I prefer it is offered, rather than have me ask.

From: Clive Burro, 8/21/2001

I have no problem letting anyone pass as long as intentions are made, discussed and safe passage can be made.

From: Clint Cummins, 4/15/1999

Usually a pass seems OK if the party has been gaining on you steadily -- at least you can expect they won't hold you up by very much. This also gives you some time to conclude that they are going to catch you and consider the idea of a pass. If the party was about the same speed, I don't think they could expect to pass, though.

From: Ron H., 4/16/1999

there are really good reasons to let a group pass. I purposefully sat on a ledge on South Crack, Tuolumne to let a party catch and pass us. I had just gotten way off route on the previous pitch of 5.7 runout friction and the following pitch was "4th class" for a rope length with no pro on a slab. The distant anchor bolts could not be seen, and I was tired of being scared. Since the party had been right behind us the whole way, I really don't know if they were faster. But I did find out that the leader had climbed the route before, so a little stall on my part resulted in being able to see exactly where those invisible bolts were. I have never regretted that decision.

From: Lemnus, 4/16/1999

I would agree to let people pass under certain circumstances. Unfortunately, the only time I've ever done it, the guys ended up being slower on the really hard parts and triggered an epic descent in the dark for my partner and I without head lamps.

From: Dingus Milktoast, 4/21/1999

while letting the occasional fast party pass on a long route is usually cool, in general, allowing someone to pass, and putting yourself in a position to allow it to happen (ie. going too slow, starting late, large parties on popular routes, etc. etc.) is not a good idea and should be considered unsafe. Sure, rude people suck. But the sanctity of my cranium goes beyond polite/rude... good/evil. I just don't like people I don't know climbing over my head in situations where they could cause me serious harm.

Would I prevent a fast party from passing? I don't know... it depends. I must be honest, it doesn't happen too often. I make it my business to get on my routes before others arrive. I generally climb at a speed that while not lightening quick, precludes from being caught by most parties. I stay off really popular routes on the weekends, etc... I make exceptions of course. If I were climbing, um, say Free Blast on El Cap and Steve Snyder and Hans Florine came roped-soloing by, I'd let them go in a heart beat. I could be reasonably sure they would not fall on me or drop something. Most others would have to wait however.

From: Bryan Laws, 9/3/1998

I for one make a point to get on long routes extremely early just so that I don't have some bumbly shuffling his feet above me knocking off any number of widowmakers. I can think of more than one occasion when I have not allowed someone to pass me on a route. That doesn't mean that I'm a dick to them and don't mind if we share a belay or rap ropes at the end or anything. But I can tell you if you aren't a friend of mine that I know understands the importance of eliminating rockfall, then you won't be passing me. I've seem too many situations (especially lately with the "growth" of outdoor/indoor climbing) when people just don't give it the attention deserved.

I have let people pass. Generally I will always let soloists pass b/c I figure they "get it". If I don't think they do, then they WILL wait, and they WILL get pounded if they start shit at the top.

From: John Byrnes, 9/3/1998

On routes that go straight up and have a lot of loose rock, I agree with you. However, there's also a lot of routes that don't go straight up and if you find a loose rock it's a meteorite that landed on the ledge the night before.

On safe and popular climbs, it is MUCH preferred that you let other climbers pass or climb. There's a lot of climbers out there these days, and not any more rock.

From: Dingus Milktoast, 9/4/1998

In general, it is not safer to be climbing beneath another party and I don't care if it's Peter Croft and Hans Florine. I suppose it's safer for the party you let pass, but... in general... I'd say they should get their asses out of bed earlier if that's such a concern.

I have a passing rule that I deploy on the highway and on climbing routes. I will gladly let anyone pass as long as it's safe and they don't slow me down in the process. Too many times you let someone pass, they run into the party ahead of you and then you end up sitting on a belay ledge (or hanging your ass in the wind) for over an hour waiting for the traffic jam to resolve. I wouldn't be receptive to letting a marginally faster party pass either.

From: Brutus of Wyde, 9/1/2000

It depends on the route. There are some ice climbs in Canada, for example, where more than one party creates an unsafe situation due to extreme rock and icefall hazard. In those cases, if a party gets on the climb behind me, because I got up 2 hours earlier to get the jump on the climb, that's their problem. No way will I let them pass and climb above me. And if I get on a similar climb below another team, I accept the hazard that is presented. Or climb something else.

From: Tom Rogers, 9/3/1998

I usually while let someone pass if they're cool about the situation (rarely have I refused before). What I hate is when people clip your pro. This just makes the whole conversation go to hell. And not to mention that the risk to the your climbing party goes up because the guy is too damn rude to place his own gear and if he should fall... well you know the rest of the story. Actually I'm just big enough and bad tempered enough that if he clips the pro he will probably find himself un-clipped and or fisting it out mid way up the pitch. I'm not saying that I would ever put someones life at risk but people should learn to not push others buttons and climb like gentleman--the sport will be the better for it. Ass holes are un-cool and need a good 'ol ass kicking when they get back to the car. Pretty soon the whole damn sport will be like a group of ass-hole surfers trying to stick their boards in some guys head.

See also:

When, where, and how should I pass a slower party? on Tradgirl

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