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On Belay: Finding Rock Climbing Partners

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You've learned the climbing basics and are ready to get out there. The next step is finding solid partners. Question: HOW!?!

Whether you are looking for someone to "show you the ropes," meet up with while on the road at an unfamiliar destination, or develop an ongoing relationship where you test your limits and tick off routes at your local crag, there are many ways to find rock climbing partners.

I'll detail some of the ways people find others to climb with and write about the pros, cons, pitfalls and possibilities with each of the techniques.

But, don't tie in with a stranger just yet! You want to live to climb another day, so remember that climbing can be a dangerous activity; one in which you can be seriously injured and even killed.

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IMPORTANT MESSAGE!

Rock climbing is dangerous. You can be killed, seriously injured, or cause injury or death to your partner.

A fall from less than ten feet can result in a broken ankle or leg. Head or spinal injuries are life-altering if survived. Even highly experienced climbers are not exempt from this reality.

This web page is not intended as instruction or guidance in climbing and is for reference purposes only. Climb at your own risk, and seek instruction from qualified sources!

So, What Do I Do To Find Partners?

HIRE A GUIDE

For the first-time climber, or one who is looking to develop new skills, you'll pay the price one way or another. One way to be nearly guaranteed of a safe day filled with a mix of fun and the opportunity to develop skills is by hiring a professional climbing guide.

Here, you will have a person dedicated to making the kind of day YOU want. Whether you seek to simply get on some fun routes, "finding you feet" so to speak, get some input in developing good technique, learning to place gear or even going on the climbing trip of a lifetime, when you hire a guide, the experience is all about what you are looking to acheive.

Guide fees vary, depending on the location, but you can expect to pay between $200-$300 for a day on one-on-one cragging. A guide can work with a few people on an outing, and going with a friend or two will lower the cost per person a bit, but of course everyone's needs must come into consideration, so the day will not be specifically tailored to your personal needs.

Many guides are now certified with professional organizations. In the United States, the AMGA(American Mountain Guide Association) is the group that professional guides may be members of. While a non-certified guide may be just as professional and highly skilled, one should ascertain the person does in fact run a legitimate business.

One way to get an idea is to ask around. Workers in retail stores which focus on rock climbing in the area you will be in know the local guides and can steer you to a good one. If you want to start online, InfoHub Specialty Travel Guide has a fairly extensive directory for locations throughout the world.

Your climbing guide will get an idea as to what level you area at with your climbing, and what you would like to achieve on your outing. Then, they will do their best to make it happen, all the while entertaining you with stories of their own experiences and making sure you don't injure yourself.

Many guides have great insight into the local climbing history and points on style and ethics. If you are so inclined - soak it up like a sponge! They can help you develop into a climber that really "knows the ropes!" Someone who understands the subtle etiquette within the community and who cares about the lands we are using for recreation.

Though your fee for a guide may seem expensive, keep in mind that is not their take-home pay. The guide may work for an outfitter and receive less than half of that fee. If they run the company, they carry very expensive liability insurance and often must pay fees to have access to popular climbing areas.

If you had anything but a bad experience, a tip will be appreciated. If you had a great time, the best way to let them know is with a great tip!

A guide belays his client on a Joshua Tree classic route, Toe Jam(5.7)

Marty Molitoris, of New York-basedAlpine Endeavors, is one of many AMGA Certified guiding companies.

PARTICIPATE IN A CLIMBING WORKSHOP

Often good guiding services provide workshops throughout the year as a way to give people a chance to experience various aspects of climbing. As well, some gear manufacturers do the same, as do local climbing clubs.

My first time climbing in the real world(outside) was with the Appalachian Mountain Club. I wrote about the experience in quite a bit of detail on my blog. For me, it was an incredible weekend filled with exciting newness, great people and natural beauty. We even saw a bear! You can find Part 1 of 3(I take a lot of pictures....) in my story, "First Climbing Trip".

Each has something different to offer, whether it is a two-hour course teaching basic knots and rope-handling techniques, a weekend focused on subjects such as beginner climbing, introduction to lead climbing, bouldering, self rescue, etc., or a weeks long trip to a climbing location.

Prices vary. Some short workshops are free, provided as a service to the local community within larger events that have become a tradition. Day-length workshops start at about $100.

A good place to learn about these opportunities is through your local climbing shop, at the rock climbing gym, and by keeping an eye on the "Events" sections of rock climbing discussion forums, such as RockClimbing.com.

In these situations you'll be one in a group that can vary greatly in size and experience levels of the people in your group. There may be one or two participants, maybe ten or more! Contact the company or organization sponsoring the event to get an idea as to what to expect.

This is a great way to meet others interested in climbing, who may turn into friends and climbing partners in the future! The workshops are generally taught by guides and experienced climbers who are capable of handling group settings. Often there are evening social events if the workshop is a multi-day affair, and this gives you a chance to network further.

Participants at a climbing workshop

Goddesses on the Rocks, offered by Sterling Rope, is but one workshop offered in the climbing community. They host several events each year. Check out the events page at Sterling Rope to find out more. EDIT 2/28/10: Unfortunately, Sterling Ropes isn't doing the Goddesses workshops at this time. But, do keep your eyes open, especially on rock climbing websites, for workshops like Red Rock Rendezvous, which offers climbing clinics and lots of FUN during their annual event, held in March each year.

THROUGH FRIENDS WHO ALREADY CLIMB

Plenty of people learn to climb because their best friend or new paramour is a climber who wants to share the adventure. This is probably the number one way people are introduced to climbing. Chances are, if you have a friend who climbs, they have already tried to rope you in!

There are good things and not so great things about climbing with friends and romantic partners. For the beginner climber, the important thing is to learn as much as you can to be self-reliant, as quickly as possible. That way you have a better chance at recognizing situations that might not be as safe as you're comfortable with.

If your friend has only been climbing once or twice themselves, or even if this is their first season on the rocks, chances are extremely high that they don't really know as much as they think they do. Be careful! As a beginner yourself, you simply will not know how to recognize when something isn't right.

Perhaps your friend has several years experience, or at least a few, and has shown they are competent. It's still a good idea to take responsibility for yourself. Ask questions! If you don't understand something, ask for an explanation. Learn to tie your knots instead of having someone else do it(but remember to have them check your effort!) and work to understand the techniques you will be using.

Give Good Belay!

The belayer is integral to a good climbing team. To get partners, BE a great partner! Pay attention while you are belaying, learn to intuit your partners needs before they have to tell you what they want and above all - catch them if they fall!

AT THE CLIMBING GYM

The advent of rock gyms is probably the biggest reason for the gain in climbing's popularity. Relatively safe, the atmosphere gives a person a limited introduction to the art of climbing and is a great way to meet other climbers.

Some people climb only in the gym, never venturing to the outdoors at all. While this is certainly a valid form of exercise, for those who ARE looking to get out into nature, the climbing gym can be a great resource to meet like-minded people.

You can get an idea as to how attentive they are, and whether they have a compatible attitude about climbing. While gym and outdoors climbing are very different games, you can get an idea as to your potential partners ability and behaviors while teaming up in the gym.

Fellow Lensmaster Philip Werner, here at Squidoo, posts an online resource of climbing gyms at his page, Rock Gyms.

Climber on second pitch of "Begger's Buttress, a classic route in Yosemite

When climbing, our lives are literally in the hands of our partners. The climber in this photos is about 150 feet off the ground and may be out of his belayer's line of vision. Yet they must know when to pay out rope. If the climber falls, they must catch that fall! An attentive and trustworthy partner is a valuable one.

ONLINE THROUGH ROCK CLIMBING DISCUSSION FORUMS

It's best to have at least a basic understanding of climbing techniques before venturing online to find a partner. Though many climbers online are just what they say they are, the potential for someone to intentionally or accidentally misrepresent themselves is possible. You want to be at a point where you know how to tell the difference.

If you do post a request for partners on a climbing forum, be honest and detailed about your experience, and what level of experience you are looking for in a partner.

When someone responds, take a look at their profile and other information available about them on the website. See if it "matches up" with what they told you. If they have posted in the forums, you can get an idea as to their personality, which may be helpful(Are they obnoxious? Making statements that are rebutted by others as dangerous, flawed, stupid? Lewd remarks to the women, if you are a woman?).

If their website info is lacking or absent, and they haven't provided you with anything more that 'Yeah! Let's climb!," it's perfectly acceptable to ask what questions. Experienced climbers who are competent are not put off by someone asking how long they've been climbing, what level they climb at a short list of some of their recent climbs.
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ONLINE THROUGH COMMUNITY SITES

A site like Craigslist IS a resource that some people have found partners through, but use caution! Like the online climbing forum, you need to be able to suss out a person who is not as they seem.

MeetUp.com may be a safer bet, as you join one of the rock climbing groups in your area, but the people who are in the group may have any level of experience. Some of the people may have less experience than yourself, so be careful!

El Capitan of Yosemite, the tallest "Big Wall" in the United States.

Believe it or not, there are probably more than 50 people climbing that rock wall in the photo!

El Cap is so large that climbers are no larger than dots when viewed from the ground. Watching the action through binoculars and telescopes from the valley floor is a popular Yosemite pastime with climbers and non-climbers alike.

Imagine yourself teamed with a good friend, making a multi-day ascent of The Captain, as the formation is lovingly referred to! For a nice overview on Yosemite, visit fellow Squidoo lensmaster, kiwisoutback's lens.

THROUGH CLIMBING CLUBS

Here, you will find a fairly organized group who dedicates their time to climbing on a regular basis. Find them by asking at your local outdoors shop, or searching online with keywords such as "climbing club" + the name of a climbing area where you would like to climb.

They likely have requirements to participate, so you may need to take a class through their organization, or at least be vetted by one of their members, to ascertain your skill level.

Who Said It?


"THE BEST CLIMBER IN THE WORLD IS THE ONE HAVING THE MOST FUN."




Take a guess and leave a note in the "Reader's Write" section below!

MEET PEOPLE AT THE CLIFFS

This, along with joining a club, is how they did it back in the day, before the advent of the internet and climbing gyms! A person who wanted to climb found their way to the cliffs and, one way or another, met other climbers and either asked or was invited to try it!

In some popular climbing areas, it's still possible to walk the cliffs and pick up a partner on the spot, but generally the true novice won't have much luck in this regard unless they either have a charismatic personality or simply luck out and run into a kindly climber.

If you already know how to climb, and have some gear(harness and shoes at least; a helmet is a good idea as well), but no partner - why not try it!?

One thing that I did, when I was first starting out, was to bring my guidebook(a list of the routes in the area with descriptions and topographical maps, or topos), and walk the cliffs. I would start at one end, and reading the description of the first route, I'd see if I could locate it on the rock wall. Then, I'd move along to the next, and along the entire wall, familiarizing myself with the area. If I ran into people along the way, I might speak to them or watch them as they climbed. A few offered my a "ride their rope"(let me climb the route they were on), but mostly it was a way for me to become familiar with the crag, as I knew that eventually I would need to know my way around! This is a good way to get "out there" even when you don't have a partner.

Boulderers need a hand (or two or more!)

Bouldering - an unroped form of extraordinarily difficult climbing - often is done in partnership as well. The partners will not so much as "catch" the climber when they fall, but slow down their impact and guide them to a safer landing.

Souvenir Shop!

Happiegrrrl(author of this lens) runs an online shop, ClimbAddict, where you can shop for these and other climbing/outdoors-related apparel, stickers and giftware. If you enjoyed this lens and would like to show your appreciation, please consider stopping in, and if something strikes your interest, making a purchase.

"Climbing - Like! - What more can we say? If you're looking at this web page, chance are god that you REALLY like climbing! This style and many more are available at the ClimbAddict shop. Click here to go directly to this design, available on t-shirts, Sigg bottles, stickers and other items.

"Top Ten Things People Say to Climbers" - At busy cliffs, a climber gets asked a lot of questions by hikers, tourists and non-climbers. Like: How do you get the rope up there? The trick is to come up with funny answers! This style and many more are available at the ClimbAddict shop. Click here to go directly to this design, available on t-shirts, Sigg bottles, stickers and other items.

"Climber BarCoder" - Climbers, boulderers and mountaineers - we're not all cut from the same cloth; that's for sure! This style and many more are available at the ClimbAddict shop. Click here to go directly to this design, available on t-shirts, Sigg bottles, stickers and other items.

Sound off!

Personally, I have climbed with well over a hundred people who I had never met before we roped up at the cliffs. The one thing that I always keep in mind is that I am responsible for my self. It is up to me to be safe, and to do so I find out as much as I can beforehand. Then I can decide if I want to climb with the person, perhaps do a limited level for the first day, or avoid them!

Is it safe to climb with people you have never met before?

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Yes - If you know how to assess their skill and experience level, and maintain personal boundaries, you can have a great day on the cliffs!

shaun dakin says:

yes i meet new partners online all the time at my local gym and its never being a problem gyms wont let you in unless you have passed a test showing you can belay and tie in safely

Posted January 28, 2012

triathlontraining says:

Yes, but I would want to have confidence in them as a person. I've shared ropes with many people that I'd just met climbing.

However, I've also seen some very, very bad climbing instruction and setups (when I used to climb). I think it's probably more common now than in the past, with all the indoor climbers suddenly deciding that they know what they're doing.

Posted November 07, 2008

No - You are trusting another person with your life, and should try them out beforehand by including them in a group, or at least climbing together at an indoors rock gym.

 

Items of interest on Amazon

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Follow Happiegrrrl's Adventures Online

Happiegrrrl lives in New York City, with the famous Shawangunks as her local climbing area. Joshua Tree, in California, is her Crag Away from Crag.


As you might suspect, the climbing lifestyle includes a lot more than climbing alone, and in her blog, Happie writes about her experiences as a climber and all that entails.

The writings focus on trips to various destinations, the people she meets along the way, tips for camp cooking, flora and fauna, and land stewardship.

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On The Road!

Why not combine your interest in climbing with a vacation?

Cold weather is on the way for many parts of the world. What a better place to get away from it all than the wonderful winter climbing destinations of Red Rocks(near Las Vegas, NV) and Joshua Tree(in Joshua Tree, CA)?

Fly into Las Vegas(be at the cliffs in under an hour) and you can easily combine the two destinations(JTree is about a 3 hour drive from Vegas)!

Find a guide through the AMGA, as linked at the bottom of the page, and make it a trip you'll be talking about for years.

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Guide Books

Still thinking about that vacation to Red Rocks and/or Joshua Tree?

When a climber goes to the crags, they usually bring along a guidebook for the destination. Guidebooks are a great resource that will make your climbing trip run more efficiently.

They usually have all the pertinent information about the area. The first parts of a guidebook include what climate to expect, directions from nearby airports, camping and lodging information, and other general information.

Next, they list either a selection of the most popular routes or a complete listing(so far as the author is aware). Maps, or topos, are included to help you find the route on the formation, and the formation within the range of cliffs.

They are an invaluable tool to help climbers navigate their day on the rocks! I've selected a few for Jtree and red Rocks which I feel are the best. or, search the Amazon directory for guidebooks to other areas. Just enter "Rock Climbing Guidebook" + the name of the climbing area you are interested in.
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Reader's Write:

Please let me know your thoughts on my "Finding Rock Climbing Partners" page. Feedback and suggestions are always appreciated! I'll be notified when you leave a note, so if you have a question for me, I'll get back to you as soon as possible.

You can also rate this lens by clicking on the stars at the top of the page. They're just below the title. Please take just a moment or two to provide that rating if you can!

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Links To Other Sites

RockClimbing.com
A climbing discussion forum, likely the largest out there. Though there is a vast amount of useful information on the site, and it is a great place to locate partners, some regular members on the site are jerks and enjoy derailing conversations and nit-picking on the minutiae of posts.

The site also has an Events Forum, where you can learn about climbing workshops and other events related to climbing.
MountainProject.com
Another discussion forum, smaller than RockClimbing.com but with a much more hospitable atmosphere. Flaming and abusing other members doesn't go over well on this site! Also a good place to find partners.
American Mountain Guides Association
The website for the AMGA. Here you can learn about the qualifications of an AMGA guide, and find a guide to hire.
The Rock Climbing Shoes Guide
Here's a Squidoo Lens, created by professional climbing instructor Jim Brody, that will help you in choosing a pair of climbing shoes!
Rock Gyms
This is another Squidoo lens, authored by Phip_Werner of Boston, MA. According to his profile, he runs the Boston MeetUp group! His lens is an excellent resource for learning about climbing in the rock gym, and some of the equipment an newly hooked climber will be thinking about purchasing!

If you Enjoyed "On Belay: Finding Rock Climbing Partners," Check Out....

....another of my lens, "The Virgin's Guide to Joshua Tree"

The VGtoJT is a reference page with all the details that you would wish you had asked BEFORE taking your maiden voyage to JTree. It truly is a magical place, but can also be pretty intimidating for newish climbers.

Along with some climbing beta, I provide the scoop on camping, food, water, showers, weather, gear and all sorts of other stuff. Take a Look!

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Happiegrrrl

I began climbing in the spring of 2004, and have gotten out about a hundred days each year. The Shawangunks of New York is my home crag, and Joshua Tree... more »

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