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How long did it take you to transition from Gym to Outdoors?

Original Post
adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45

How long did you climb in the gym (if at all) before deciding to move to outdoor climbing? What were some things that made it difficult to make this transition?

Mathias · · Loveland, CO · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 306

I think I was bouldering in the gym for about 4 months before I got climbing outdoors. As I was primarily bouldering whilst at the gym (on mainly overhanging problems) footwork and trusting my feet was a big obstical. Also, simply the difference between gym holds and rock made the transition quite interesting. Largely because holds outside are not marked with tape and are (in many cases) more about friction than positive edges. Gym climbing gave me the ability to face climb, but did nothing to teach me about crack techniques, stemming, or climbing anything but faces with small positive ledges. It's just different outside. Falling also seemed (and still seems) much more potentially dangerous outside, which factors into the mental side of things hugely.

The gear aspect was much easier to wrap my head around in many ways than learning new techniques. And I was fortunate that a good mentor found me and made the learning curve easy.

Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

I started outside... I find it harder to climb on plastic as a result... mostly because outside, everything is on... inside, I have to look for the tape. Nature makes better routes after all.

Get outside... avoid top roping... and get out with an experienced crew. It's easy out there. Obviously, new techniques as Mathias mentioned, will be key, but the best way to learn is get out and climb. I would suggest starting on easy terrain and build up to you find your limit. It can be disheartening to get shut down on something you expect to flash when you are just getting started.

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Mathias wrote:I think I was bouldering in the gym for about 4 months before I got climbing outdoors. As I was primarily bouldering whilst at the gym (on mainly overhanging problems) footwork and trusting my feet was a big obstical. Also, simply the difference between gym holds and rock made the transition quite interesting. Largely because holds outside are not marked with tape and are (in many cases) more about friction than positive edges. Gym climbing gave me the ability to face climb, but did nothing to teach me about crack techniques, stemming, or climbing anything but faces with small positive ledges. It's just different outside. Falling also seemed (and still seems) much more potentially dangerous outside, which factors into the mental side of things hugely. The gear aspect was much easier to wrap my head around in many ways than learning new techniques. And I was fortunate that a good mentor found me and made the learning curve easy.
Im just starting in a gym this week..hoping for next season or this fall i could be outside, theres some decent climbing in my area. Also will be traveling out west (im from NJ) within the next 2 years. Hoping maybe i can eventually join some experienced people from my area to help me transition in the future
Ian G. · · PDX, OR · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 280

I did the opposite...climbed exclusively outdoors for three years on and off before setting foot in a gym. Although, I will readily admit, I got much better at climbing after becoming a gym regular.

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Craig Childre wrote:I started outside... I find it harder to climb on plastic as a result... mostly because outside, everything is on... inside, I have to look for the tape. Nature makes better routes after all. Get outside... avoid top roping... and get out with an experienced crew. It's easy out there. Obviously, new techniques as Mathias mentioned, will be key, but the best way to learn is get out and climb. I would suggest starting on easy terrain and build up to you find your limit. It can be disheartening to get shut down on something you expect to flash when you are just getting started.
Trust me, i want to be outside as much as possible and really try to be. I hike a lot, usually climbing MINOR things that happen to be along the way i really love it which pushed me to pursue it. But ive never stepped food inside a gym, so im nervous. Its so hard because i really dont know anybody who climbs in my area, i think it would be beneficial if i knew a crew of experienced people. Im trying to keep my mind open and reminding myself that theres always room for improvement!
johnnyrig · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 105

A few months in the gym. Transitioned to outdoors fairly quickly, since that was the goal.

Hard part? Learning from books, without having a mentor or anyone else experienced in any way.

It's all the little things, the subtle techniques, and a few of the basics that you simply have no concept of when first starting out that can make the difference between easy and hard, safe and dangerous. Err on the side of caution if you are unsure.

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
johnnyrig wrote:A few months in the gym. Transitioned to outdoors fairly quickly, since that was the goal. Hard part? Learning from books, without having a mentor or anyone else experienced in any way. It's all the little things, the subtle techniques, and a few of the basics that you simply have no concept of when first starting out that can make the difference between easy and hard, safe and dangerous. Err on the side of caution if you are unsure.
any books you would recommend?
Craig Childre · · Lubbock, TX · Joined Aug 2006 · Points: 4,860

I would take you out if you we're closer to Texas. Jersey? I wouldn't know where to start... I'll let someone more local make a recommendation. You have a good attitude it would seem, I believe you'll have no trouble finding an north eastern mentor. A lot of good folks in those parts.

ChrisN · · Morro Bay, CA · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 25

I started with top roping and then fairly quickly moved into trad climbing. I started going to the gym to improve my climbing strength/technique since I am still in the "I don't want to fall on trad lead" mode.

For me, the mental side of trad leading has been the hardest part. Moving into a tricky section 10ft+ above trad pro on lead can play mind games. I'm getting much better at it... part of why I love trad climbing.

It doesn't help that a lot of the easier grades have ledge fall potential.

The Luebben book on anchors was an invaluable resource.

Steven Groetken · · Durango, CO · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 390

I started climbing outside way before a gym. The fist time I walked into a gym I looked like a total asshole who didnt know how it worked, which I didn't. I was lucky that I had friends that taught me how to climb outside, who were friends before they were climbing partners. Look for meetup groups, or peruse the climbing partner forums on this site. A mentor is not necessarily a necessity, but is highly recommended. Since you're a chick, it'll be easy to find partners who will teach you the basics of setting an anchor, how to lead, etc. Not trying to be sexist, but a good looking girl who climbs is also known as a unicorn.

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Craig Childre wrote:I would take you out if you we're closer to Texas. Jersey? I wouldn't know where to start... I'll let someone more local make a recommendation. You have a good attitude it would seem, I believe you'll have no trouble finding an north eastern mentor. A lot of good folks in those parts.
Jersey is a weird place ahaha. Although i live 5 minutes from "allamuchy state park" which i see here some people do climb and about a half hour from the del water gap, but have no issues traveling elsewhere,in fact new places are enticing. SO hopefully i could one day find a mentor to take me under their wing!
johnnyrig · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2011 · Points: 105

There are many good books on the subject of climbing, and you'll get many recommendations. I second the Anchors books by Long and Leubben.

Additionally, I read Freedom of the Hills, On Rope, any decent book on knots (also Grog's Knots online), a couple basic climbing books whose titles escape me at the moment, I think a Falcon guide on crack climbing, Self-Rescue (also can't remember the title here at work), and Basic and Advanced Rock Craft by Robbins. I found them all entertaining as well as informative. There are quite a few sources of information online too, if you search.
cavediggers.com/vertical/

likeawesome.com/wp-content/…

rescuedynamics.ca/articles/…

wildcountry.com/Content/Ima…

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Steven Groetken wrote:I started climbing outside way before a gym. The fist time I walked into a gym I looked like a total asshole who didnt know how it worked, which I didn't. I was lucky that I had friends that taught me how to climb outside, who were friends before they were climbing partners. Look for meetup groups, or peruse the climbing partner forums on this site. A mentor is not necessarily a necessity, but is highly recommended. Since you're a chick, it'll be easy to find partners who will teach you the basics of setting an anchor, how to lead, etc. Not trying to be sexist, but a good looking girl who climbs is also known as a unicorn.
Im basically walking into my local gym blind..but im going to keep my mind open to everything ill learn..once i learn some basics (so i dont look like a total dumbass) and get the feel for things ill hopefully start searching for someone who has more experience willing help me out. unicorn? i wonder where that stems from ahah
adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
johnnyrig wrote:There are many good books on the subject of climbing, and you'll get many recommendations. I second the Anchors books by Long and Leubben. Additionally, I read Freedom of the Hills, On Rope, any decent book on knots (also Grog's Knots online), a couple basic climbing books whose titles escape me at the moment, I think a Falcon guide on crack climbing, Self-Rescue (also can't remember the title here at work), and Basic and Advanced Rock Craft by Robbins. I found them all entertaining as well as informative. There are quite a few sources of information online too, if you search. cavediggers.com/vertical/ likeawesome.com/wp-content/… rescuedynamics.ca/articles/… wildcountry.com/Content/Ima…
Thanks!!!
Rob Gordon · · Hollywood, CA · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 115

As a female climber you'll be one of the "unicorns." The sport is still very male-dominated so you'll have no trouble finding people that want to climb with you, teach you, take you outside. Just make sure they aren't yahoos.

For what it's worth, you can climb outside from the beginning but you'll need a mentor which you'll probably find at the gym or even on this forum.

And if you are really interested in climbing head west as soon as possible.

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Rob Gordon wrote:As a female climber you'll be one of the "unicorns." The sport is still very male-dominated so you'll have no trouble finding people that want to climb with you, teach you, take you outside. Just make sure they aren't yahoos. For what it's worth, you can climb outside from the beginning but you'll need a mentor which you'll probably find at the gym or even on this forum. And if you are really interested in climbing head west as soon as possible.
im likely visiting to utah in october/november!
Steven Groetken · · Durango, CO · Joined Sep 2012 · Points: 390

Unicorn, i.e. a mythological being, often talked about, rarely seen. Head west, it's your only chance!

adrianna melody · · Hopatcong, NJ · Joined May 2015 · Points: 45
Steven Groetken wrote:Unicorn, i.e. a mythological being, often talked about, rarely seen. Head west, it's your only chance!
gotcha ahah. Im def. planning a trip west!
Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

I think the rarest i know of is a female black climber. I have only ever met 1.

CCas · · Bend, OR · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 145

Depends what you are trying to do outdoors... if you can lead on bolts indoors and the closet crag to you is sport then it will be a pretty easy transition. If the closet area requires you to learn how to build anchors and/or lead trad in order to top rope, then it might take a little bit more time.

One of my friends passed me along to this blog which has a good article on the progression for learning how to lead trad. Not 100% percent applicable to what you were asking, but has some info you might find useful...

seekingexposure.com/climbin…

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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