Best way to dive in

don'tchuffonme wrote:

You're right.  It isn't for everyone, therefore I gave advice that I thought would be good for everyone, since randomly going somewhere on a whim "isn't for everyone".

I did also, citing some resources in addition to MP. IF an area/route is on here, that's a good way to research. If it isn't, this can be a place to ask, too. I am doing all of the above for a trip of my own, coming right up. 

In my short climbing career, though, I have been places with very little beta, and those were also great trips. And, they had challenges, for sure.

The back and forth on here, yields volumes of information. You people​ are the real resource!

OP, do your research, talk to people, get psyched, then just go out there and get after it! Be safe, have fun, be awesome!

Off to work! Best, Helen

John Clark wrote: Looking for advice on the best tactics for getting immersed and familiar with an area with hundreds of routes (Smith, Yosemite, RRG, Red Rocks, etc) in a short amount of time as a weekend warrior or someone visiting a new area for just a few days. 

As someone who went from being able to spend a week at a time in an area to living in the Bay Area and driving 4+ hours each way to eke out a day and half of weekend climbing I have some advice:

1. Solid climbing partner.  I have had to bail halfway through a weekend due to my partner and I having different goals when we reached an area.  It sucks, but usually you can agree to get ice cream on the way back home, which can kind of save the weekend.  I've also ended up solo'ing with a rope for a day when a partner a friend recommended couldn't figure out how to thread a belay device.
2. Study before you leave.  Guide book, magazine, MP.com, online resources.  Figure out the area you want to explore and ID the climbs you want to do and alternatives to those.
3. Be okay with the "B" routes.  Some days you get the classics, other times they are too hot, too cold, or too crowded.  Have an alternative and have the gear to climb it, otherwise you may have just spent a day hiking out to a route only to be turned away.
4. Get creative on how you pick routes.  As you start to know a place it can be fun to track down routes done by a specific first ascensionist, climb all the routes on a given wall, or start looking into link-ups that let you get more mileage.
5. Sometimes you go hiking.  Don't get bummed out just because the weather was bad, it was a high-gravity day, or you got lost.  Figure out some alternatives to climbing, have a good beer chilling in the river, check out a classic hike, etc.  If the climbing plans go to shit realize that there are a thousand other reasons to be in that area and that exploring those is well worth your time.
6. Know your logistics.  Figure out camping, food, etc. before you go.  It sucks to show up and spend all night looking for a bivy spot or to lay down to sleep and be woken up by rangers.  Being aware of the rules and regulations in the area will help you get the most out of your time.  Having food that is easy to cook, a pack that is already packed, and a plan on when/where to wake up helps you get the most out of your limited hours.  

Cheers.

I mean, you could also ask on the internet, "How do I know which type of apple is best?" -- but you could also just try apples.

Russ Keane wrote: I mean, you could also ask on the internet, "How do I know which type of apple is best?" -- but you could also just try apples.

Yessss....but what apple grows best in NC? And what do you do with 200 pounds of apples?!?

;-)

Seems this was a rather inflammatory question to ask. But yeah, the intent was to go beyond the guidebook study , making a list, and doing the tourist ridden classics that are bleached by thousands of chalked hands and drop into an area, climb a lot, learn a lot, and feel like you have a solid grasp of the area after a weekend trip or two. I have the luxury of being close enough to Yosemite to do a more gradual deep dive on weekends, but I constantly feel like my first trips to other places are half wasted just trying to figure out how to get to the climbs, learning the hard way if a place is hella sandbag, and carrying around a ridiculous amount of gear because I don't know if I'll need thin gear, sport draws, or triples up to 6.

That said, there are definitely some ideas in here I hadn't thought of and I appreciate the tips, which I can hopefully apply this weekend at a new area!

John Clark wrote: Seems this was a rather inflammatory question to ask. But yeah, the intent was to go beyond the guidebook study , making a list, and doing the tourist ridden classics that are bleached by thousands of chalked hands and drop into an area, climb a lot, learn a lot, and feel like you have a solid grasp of the area after a weekend trip or two. I have the luxury of being close enough to Yosemite to do a more gradual deep dive on weekends, but I constantly feel like my first trips to other places are half wasted just trying to figure out how to get to the climbs, learning the hard way if a place is hella sandbag, and carrying around a ridiculous amount of gear because I don't know if I'll need thin gear, sport draws, or triples up to 6.

That said, there are definitely some ideas in here I hadn't thought of and I appreciate the tips, which I can hopefully apply this weekend at a new area!

Have a grand time! I'm greatly anticipating a much needed, long awaited, climbing trip in about a week. Researching tons, on and offline both, as my specifics will have to be last minute, and I do want to be prepared. Three different possible destinations to cover ahead of time.

It is true I don't have the climbing miles racked up that some have, only threeish years in and not much money, but that doesn't mean I haven't gone off exploring in half a century plus! The farthest off route I've gotten was only the next state over. Still in the same country, at least. Oops. Not entirely my doing, someone else was driving. Try not to find those "shortcuts", eh?

Best, OLH

John Clark wrote:

Yeah, that's true for the classic areas, but for instance at Smith, if I manage to get out there with my partner/gf on monday/tuesday and try to do something at the lower gorge, finding a reference point route or two in endless basalt can take an hour unless some local happens to be around and friendly (first time in the LG the locals were less than stoked to help noobs find a reference route). But yeah, I agree with the "just start climbing" attitude once you have an idea of where you are.

The lower gorge has to be one the least crowded and best areas of smith, especially for trad. I thought finding routes there was easy, certainly didn't take an hour. Instead of asking locals for a reference point simply ask someone climbing what route they're on and there is your reference.