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Best climbing instruction website ever...

Chris D · · the couch · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 2,236

Hey, the kid is onto something.

Derek and I at Jumbo Rocks Campground, just a little over a year ago:



A 50-foot static rope, two alpine bod harnesses, two locking carabiners, and some webbing. Well, also a piece of carpet to "protect" the rope. That was, for both of us, our first time ever rock climbing. That's all the gear we had.

10 months later, here's our gear laid out in the El Cortez in Vegas on Christmas Eve. Derek and I retired early to be ready to climb Cat in the Hat at Red Rock Canyon the next day:



All I can say is: I too eagerly await the multi-pitch installment.

To think of the money I could have saved, not to mention the hassle of carrying all that crap up the crag!

Great find!
J.B. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 150

That's great to read, but scary if you think about someone reading that and trying climbing... although the first time I set up a toprope on my own without someone to check it I did an american death triangle sort of thing. I also thought I was totally fine but was fortunate enough to have had a seemingly experienced climber give me advice. Scares me to think about what other people do starting out.

Riddler · · Sammamish, WA · Joined Sep 2006 · Points: 195

Some of my favorite tidbits:

"Dyno grab"
"You don’t actually need any equipment to rock climb"
"Almost anything under twenty or thirty feet is climbable in tennis shoes and jeans"
"Save some money and buy a dry rope"
"If you’re climbing right, you should be too focused on climbing to care how soft leg loops are"
"Climbing your local crag in $150 climbing shoes….makes you look like a tool"
"If you can’t make it up forty feet of a medium-difficulty cliff without chalk, build muscles instead of buying chalk"
"You’ll probably be yelled at by 'experienced rock climbers'"

KHall · · Nashville, TN · Joined Jul 2009 · Points: 260

"Mr. Madison, what you have just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

Ralph Kolva · · Pine, CO · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 210

I'm all for having beginners keeping their initial expenses down until they gain enough experience to know whether they want to continue climbing or not, but this guy's advise is going to get people in trouble.

I learned to climb at Carderock, outside D.C., in the mid 80's and was glad to have 'experienced climbers' critique my climbing and anchors. Carderock being a small top rope area the only gear we needed was about 60 feet of static line (for setting a doubled anchor), 3 oval biners, 50 meter rope, shoes, and chalk bag. Mostly we tied in with a bowline on a coil and gave butt belays, not that I would advocate beginners doing the same but adding an inexpensive harness, locking biner and a belay device is pretty cheap insurance. I'm extremely grateful to the experienced climbers that helped me back then and would be happy to help a newbie learn the ropes. Too bad that Jake doesn't view experienced climbers as an asset rather than an annoyance.

Brigette Beasley · · Monroe, WA · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 275

My favorite part:

"3. Connect with the local climbing scene to find new crags and meet some awesome new people."

...who will run screaming when they scope out your lineman's belt and tree belay!

PRRose · · Boulder · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 0

"Comments are closed"

Too bad.

Sergio P · · Idaho Springs, CO · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 185

This is proof that too much crap on the internet is crap.

I think I'll go on that website and write an article about "how to fly an F16" because apperently experience and knowldege are not expected.

Pete Hickman · · Washington, DC · Joined Sep 2007 · Points: 485

Actually all of his climbing advice is perfectly sound given the context of his larger philosophy of life:

yourbestweekend.com/bad-thi…

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
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