There's a great discussion on rc.com on how to attract and keep a trad mentor. Interesting advice.

http://www.rockclimbing.com/topic/119578

I thought the best advice would have been:
Be 22-35, female, cute, and single...

While this may sound sexist, it isn't meant to be.
From my honest and practical observations it is statistically effective.

THe op was pretty comprehensive, but I will reiterate this one. I like when my second takes the initiative to keep busy and if he/she doesn't know what to do, they ask. I hate when people just stand around and expect you to do everything just because you are the leader.

Josh

OK, aside from the expert scientific testimony being provided, how about getting involved with your community and getting to know people that like to go out and climb???

I know, it's a theory of mine that I've been tossing around for a few years; though maybe not backed up with the latest of IBM mainframe standards using the fastest of micro-chip processors to analyze the data; but, hey, it just might work...

If not, then buy a Mac!!!

More experienced climbers are likely to take you out climbing if:
1. You are psyched and willing to take the sharp end.
2. You have a genuine interest in learning or knowledge of history in "trad" climbing.
3. If you are mildly amusing and fun to climb with.
4. Show your gratitude by buying a few pints every now and then.
5. Prove you are in it for the adventure.
6. You can keep up (or almost).
7. Experienced "trad" climber is desperate for a partner.
8. You're a young, hot piece of @$$

More experienced climbers are likely to take you out climbing if:
4. Show your gratitude by buying a few pints every now and then.
7. Experienced "trad" climber is desperate for a partner.

These are key. The Sun is typically the after climb stop and I sure am a sucker for the beers there!!

It is often helpful for the climber who is searching for a trad mentor to be willing to supply the pre and post climbing inebriants

-A high pain threshold is helpful, for early morning starts, heavy packs, and long approaches.

I recently took out a friend interested in learning to trad climb, for his first multi-pitch experience. I dragged him up a 8 pitch alpine climb in RMNP. He did very well, even after he lost his breakfast at the first belay due to the attitude and fast pace.

Yeah Jo, I'm a moron for not catching that and Tony is an illiterate freak. Sweet retro-burn

dudette.....

How to attract and keep a trad mentor? That topic is gay cubed.

Sorry but any man trying to have sex with me would certainly be ruled out as a climbing pupil of mine. Women would probably be discouraged by my wife.

Outside of that, well, I've brought roughly 20+ people into the sport, and got roughly half of them into trad, with about five of those continuing to climb after we went separate ways.

Key on my list to spend my time teaching someone is that they want to learn. Next would be that they are capable of learning. If I show then how to tie in 10 times, have them repeat it, and do the same 3 more days, I "expect" them to be able to consistently tie in after that. People that are willing to push their limits, but also ones that are willing to say "no" always impress me. If someone is feeling sketched, I would hope they tell me. If it's a reasonable fear, I'm more than happy to back off, but if they are afraid to try a highstep because they may swing 2 feet if they fall, then that's something I can't "teach".

I LOVE when people ask questions. That said, I try and lay all things out so they don't have to, but make sure that it's sunk in by asking them to repeat/demonstrate a slight variation of what we just went over.

I've threatened to make my buddy carry a small pig packed with corona and ice to the top of castleton approach, explaining it would be about 80+lbs, and he didn't even blink, just said if that's all that was required for him to get the chance to climb it, so be it. That kind of attitude is hard to turn down.

Girls are great when it comes to learning to use their body to their advantage once they understand that climbing isn't all arm strength. But I wont climb with them if they aren't willing to try something that I KNOW to be in their ability level.

That all said, I love people that treat the sport the same as I.

Okay, here is how not to attract a trad mentor. Well, I am barely qualified to mentor anyway, being better at getting lost and falling than teaching, but...
Say, I really want to learn to climb trad. Then, hang dog on top rope cause you are tired (or scared?). Then, fuck up belaying cause you are distracted. Then, panic on a nice ledge at the top of a 1 pitch climb as I set the rappel. Then, back off,just after harnessing up, the multi-pitch 5.6 in LCC that you were excited about because you are hung over (again, scared). Finally, decide in the middle of a great climb in the Valley that you are scared and want to go down when it is a beautiful day and your two partners are having fun. This person was not a total beginner either, he had been gym and sport climbing for like 5-6 years, and top roped 10a reasonably well. Patience fades.

I say, just flash em your tits.

Hey great advise everyone...fun thread Dave!

Colin...hope this hasn't actually happened to you..

Seeing that i will statistically attract a trad mentor...I have another question:

What qualities should I look for in a mentor? What kinds of questions should i ask?

i should add: WITHOUT finding guys who want to hook up:)

My first reaction would be to say to tell the guys you are a lesbian, but that would just make it worse. Instead, talk a lot about your boyfriend if yoiu have one, and make sure to climb with guys who are totally into thier wife or girlfriend. That keeps the confusion about what kind of partner you are looking for to a minimum. Most boys can handle straight talk- most like to know where they stand, so tell them.

Second of all, I'm not sure that asking them a lot will solve any issues- most know how to say what you want to hear, so be watchful for actions, which speak louder than words, and ask FOF's (freinds of friends) about potential partners.

One other thing that might work is looking for 'partner wanted on March XX' type of posts and spending days climbing with people who seem to be experineced. They are looking to get out and are probably willing to trade knowledge for a safe belay.

And if you hit it off as pals, who knows? You may end up with a climbing partner in the future.

I'll second Tony on looking for experienced climbers who needs a partner. As for specific types of mentor, I'm in the school of thoughts that if you are an eager and independent learner/climber, you'll learn trad leading in no time and almost any safe trad climber will do.

To Tony, do you think if she did what you recommended, she'd be just as statistically unattractive to a trad mentor as the rest of us?

Heather - look for the kind of guy (or lady) who has that quiet confidence, not the person who thinks they know everything and wants everyone to know it, but someone who is comfortable in any situation. All the real trad masters I've met are unassuming people, friendly and easy to talk to, sometimes with a look in their eyes that betrays a few near fatalities; they've come through stronger for the experience and are just happy to be alive and have someone to come home to at the end of the day.

Usually, the type of mentor you seek will have no shortage of partners. Observe; the type of guy you're not looking for IS looking for you. The type of guy you ARE looking for is most likely found in a small group or with his partner, minding their own business, unless you're doing something truly dangerous thereby attracting their attention. A good place to run into a potential trad mentor is by making friends with your "neighbors" around the campfire. And of course their are plenty of female trad masters to be found as well.

Ken - I don't know what happened in the dark and distant past to make you and Tony such enemies, but do you really have to counter every time he posts? I understand from this and many a previous post that you can't stand anything even approaching a stereotype concerning men and women; nothing wrong with that. But does any of this really need to be a crusade? Just an observation.