I'm quickly finding out one of the hardest parts about climbing is lining up partners.
I'm thinking about heading out of town this weekend for some desert biking but I'd like to do a little climbing too. So far I'm striking out on finding people who are into this plan.
Would it be cool if I brought my gear along with me and stopped by a couple of crags to see if people mind if I climb with them? Is this something people do or is this not really acceptable?
Meh. Given the amount of trust inherent in climbing, I'd be sketched out by some random dude just asking me to climb with my party out of the blue. And I'm generally a pretty trusting person.
My $.02. And, yes, finding good partners can be a challenge. I've climbed with guys I didn't really know that well and regretted it. No accidents, thankfully. But got into a sketchy situation or two.
For me it would depend on the type of climbing. Lead climbing there is no way I'd let a random stranger jump in. Top rope setup I'd let you take a couple of laps. There would be a test before you could climb though.
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^^Agree. If you see people toproping, ask if you can take a lap. I've gone cragging a couple times with random dudes I met on the road and never has it been a great experience, not that it couldn't be but it's weird to place so much trust in a stranger when you're lead climbing. Both of them turned out to be people I didn't really connect with. The climbs themselves were pretty memorable though, so I guess there's that.
It's tough being on a solo climbing trip, but has its rewards if you just roll with it and be flexible. Bouldering is always an option.
ok, that all seems fair and makes sense. I'm just starting out so I'm not leading anything yet anyways. worst case scenario I guess I could have a beer and watch for a bit, I probably could learn a lot just from that.
Have you tried Partner Finder on Mountain Project? My usual partners were unavailable last weekend, so I used it and hooked up with a good partner who was more experienced than me and yet still patient for a couple moderate multipitch climbs in Yosemite. I'm sure there are horror stories as well, but I'm guessing it works out more often than not. I think the key is honesty.
yeah, actually just found that last night and sent out a few emails.
If I was in a group of 3 then for sure, I could see groups be hesitant if it makes them have an odd number of climbers
Just make sure you are comfortable with the ability of anyone you climb with. Over the years I've climbed with people once and won't climb with them again. Just because someone has lots of gear and tells you they've climbed for years doesn't mean they are safe.
As a beginner you won't have the knowledge to fully assess someone's ability but they should be able to explain what they are doing and why. If you think something is sketchy, it probably is. Tell them you've changed your mind and walk away. We just had a death at the local crag due to miscommunication between belayer and climber, the consequences are real.
Discuss the plan for the climb in detail, even if it's just a top rope. Look for redundancy in the system and double check everything. Then enjoy the climb! It's a shit ton of fun.
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It used to happen all the time, might still happen, but people would roll into Yosemite and post a "partner wanted" sign in Camp 4, and more times then not find a partner. Post a such sign at the local campground entrance. Do a couple easy routes to suss out each others abilities and competency before going big. Last thing you want to find out is your new partner has never belayed a leader as you rip off a long run out.
Exactly this. As a newbie, you are incorrectly assuming that everyone knows more than you. Even some experienced folks do not have a good grasp on rope systems and should not be automatically trusted because they managed set up a top rope. I can think back to one situation several years ago where I was in a hurry and set up a TR on a pretty sketchy anchor.Quote:
Originally Posted by Flounder
Friend of mine set up a top rope at Seneca Rocks. We couldn't see what he was doing but he assured us it was good and we believed him. My other friend climbed up about 20 feet, fell, and pulled the anchor, which turned out to be a single soft iron pin left over from when the Army used to train there. My friend wasn't hurt, but I was--the pin hit me in the forehead and I wound up with 4 stitches. I never climbed with the first guy again.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bronco