Finding climbing buddys

I live in Augusta maine right now and i have no clue how to find climbing buddys. I need help. I have some experience with climbing man made, and some rock. I work with the boy scouts of America during June and july and last year i got my C.o.p.e. director certification. And run a natural rock climb and i got hooked. But i have no clue how to find people to sport climb with.

Local climbing gym hahaha Maine has like two climbing gyms. Both are in Portland. There’s a good climbing scene in Acadia durning the summer. Come to Alpenglow and chat with the folks there. 

Running into people already climbing at the crag has been fun but can be hit or miss.

For me, the climbing gym has mostly proven a great way to find people who make great excuses for NOT climbing outside.
I've been asking people at the gym to go with me outside and it's been a load of BS. I still ask fellow climbers, but don't expect much.

Lmao yeah clibing gym is funny they don't like to pulling on Rock they prefer man-made for the most part. I like to be outside. I've never seen a fox in a Climbing Gym LOL. And yes i think Portland is the only one i have seen. 

I mean this in the nicest way...when seeking out climbing partners leave out your Boy Scouts (now Scouts) experience.

If you're serious about getting into climbing and don't have a group of friends with the same interest, I'd suggest taking a course or two with the local guide service. Get the basics down (belaying, rappelling, how to safely anchor yourself), and learn a bit about the area. Then figure out some of the other basics such as how to coil a rope by watching YouTube videos and practicing. Join a local climbing gym. The Partner forums here on MP are also an excellent resource, especially after you have the basics down. Just be honest with your experience or lack thereof and you may even find someone psyched to get someone new into the sport.

With all due respect, the BSA sent me to a training course that consisted of 7 days of 12 hours a day training how to train 12 to 18-year-old scouts to climb, belay with the pbus, slip-slap slide, or the chop. And how to properly execute a fireman's belay for repelling. Rappel with an ATC and Rescue 8, and tie the Figure eight on a bight, Figure eight follow-through, Water knot, Double fisherman’s knot (grapevine knot)and a Safety knot. Also how to properly take care of their ropes how to inspect for damage and signs of wear of the ropes and if it needs to be retired. Proper care of harnesses and webbing, proper care of all their metal, and how to tie a rope or webbing harness. They also had to repel from a 70-foot wall 3 times. And climb a 65-foot wall 3 times on 3 dif routes. On top of teaching the scouts how to do all of that, I was taught how to properly set up climbing and Rappel on man-made and natural stone. Now if you think i is easy to train a group of 12-year-old kids how not to die and understand the fundamental safety procedures of climbing lol you might think of joining the BSA we always need experience climber's but you would have to go through the same training course I did. I know that I am not the most knowledgeable person in the world and I do plan on getting more training, what I was trying to express is most of the people I have met at climbing gyms are just like bodybuilders they go there to work out not necessarily to have this much fun. I enjoy rock climbing the problem is finding a belay partner or somebody that can be taught. I took a 10foot fall ( and I do have trust issues with belayers so I would start out at a gym were the circumstances are more copacetic) when I was in the USMC while I was doing extra training, and for years after i couldn't even get on a tower or even think about getting harnessed up. I have PTSD because of the USMC, but I overcame my fear of climbing because of the BSA. The problem is most people have a small mind and don't understand that I was legally responsible for the welfare of 15 to 30 scouts every day for 2 months in 3 different classes a day. Like a said I was wondering if there is a way to find climbing buddies.

Grammarly.com 
Use it.

Lol thank you. I never said I wasn't illiterate lol. 

Oh, I know. But at least you can cover it up now.

Kyle Maskell wrote: Is it a good app? Normally my brother gives me crap for my grammar.

Yeah just use it as a plug-in for whatever browser you use, and it'll show you the errors and what to fix. 

thank you I think really fast and I'm slightly dyslexic

No doubt dealing teaching 12 year olds is extremely difficult, but it’s a different skill than sport climbing.

I think the suggestion not to mention the BSA stuff is that some people have had experiences where they’ve climbed with people who have far less experience, but due to their BSA training or their climbing wall training certificate or similar, aren’t very flexible about new and potentially better methods, or are unwilling to take advice. It’s like a 2nd lieutenant expecting a master sergeant to be impressed by their rank...

Ryan M Moore wrote: No doubt dealing teaching 12 year olds is extremely difficult, but it’s a different skill than sport climbing.

I think the suggestion not to mention the BSA stuff is that some people have had experiences where they’ve climbed with people who have far less experience, but due to their BSA training or their climbing wall training certificate or similar, aren’t very flexible about new and potentially better methods, or are unwilling to take advice. It’s like a 2nd lieutenant expecting a master sergeant to be impressed by their rank...

Essentially, yes. I have significant experience with the Boy Scouts, and am extremely hesitant to take anyone climbing who mentions anything at all about the Scouts. Their climbing program is so ass-backward, and their "systems" are so drilled into their participants, that climbing with anyone who has that "training" becomes extremely difficult. They mandate tethers for belayers. Four-point anchors. Fixing both ropes independently at the top for double-rope rappels.

As ultra-redundant and safe as some of the above examples are, they then utilize sliding Xs, single-carabiner masterpoints, and more that I would not recommend, especially for large groups. If you want some laughs, scroll through their 261 page instruction manual for climbing: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor%20Program/pdf/430-500_BelayOn_WB.pdf

Here are a few highlights from the manual:

ClimbingOn wrote:

Essentially, yes. I have significant experience with the Boy Scouts, and am extremely hesitant to take anyone climbing who mentions anything at all about the Scouts. Their climbing program is so ass-backward, and their "systems" are so drilled into their participants, that climbing with anyone who has that "training" becomes extremely difficult. They mandate tethers for belayers. Four-point anchors. Fixing both ropes independently at the top for double-rope rappels.

As ultra-redundant and safe as some of the above examples are, they then utilize sliding Xs, single-carabiner masterpoints, and more that I would not recommend, especially for large groups. If you want some laughs, scroll through their 261 page instruction manual for climbing: https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor%20Program/pdf/430-500_BelayOn_WB.pdf

Here are a few highlights from the manual:

Thanks for the tips!

I feel I know all I need to know now!

:)