I am looking to move from just hiking into the world of climbing sometime "soon". I have been wondering, how do you transition into technical climbing? I just did my first class 3 peak (Buck Mountain in the Tetons) last week and I immediately fell in love with the more challenging terrain. I am not looking to make it into technical climbing this season (I work in Yellowstone), but I would love to maybe slowly work my way into it so that next year I could try some of it. I was thinking some class 4 climbs would be good practice but it also seems that most class 4 is risky without a rope, although having not done a class 4 yet I can't really say that with much assurance.

I will be going back home for the winter, to Kansas City, and I was thinking of joining a rock climbing club. Is that a good start into the world of climbing? I figure if nothing else a club will help me work on technique of climbing and conditioning.

I will be looking for partners next season for some more challenging climbs, so anyone in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that wants to take a young climber under their wing I would be happy to join you.

P.S. I plan to work out here every summer for quite a while, climbing peaks every summer.

Personally I think that it's better to get comfortable on 5th, then go to 4th class- that way it doesn't seem as hard. If you have a solid understanding of ropework, anchor systems, protection, etc. you can always pull out a rope on 4th, easy 5th, etc. if you want/need (& you have a partner, of course).

I got into "climbing" with someone just as clueless as I, fumbled through easier stuff where there was still enough safety to get up the climbs OK, then was able to focus on harder stuff once I started getting my systems dialed. Starting at a gym to get in shape is logical, fun, & good training (although the correlation with what lies outside is relatively small if you ask me).

Get a copy of Freedom of the Hills, if you don't already have it, & maybe Long's How to Rock Climb. Thoroughly review the material in there, practice placements, anchors, etc. outside in a low-risk environment, follow a lot (& look at someone's placements with experience), & gain experience.

Before you know it, you'll be on the Exum Ridge. Have fun- you've got some amazing stuff out in those parts.

1000Pks wrote:



It's serious business so if you are not too smart or not very athletically inclined, save your time and money.

I know folks who think one automatically qualifies for "not too smart" if you do technical climbing.

Mountain Impulse wrote:

1000Pks wrote:



It's serious business so if you are not too smart or not very athletically inclined, save your time and money.

I know folks who think one automatically qualifies for "not too smart" if you do technical climbing.

Yes. Because understanding and implementing the many different roped climbing techniques is much easier than walking up peaks....

I did pick up Freedom of the Hills a few weeks ago. I haven't gotten too far into it yet but it is awesome so far.

I was thinking about maybe doing some of the classes or training in the Tetons as well. I'm not sure I will want to shell out the cash but I may not have another option, depending on what I can find for partners next year.

I do strength training 3-4 days a week. On weeks that I hike two days I train three days, with one day off on either side of the hike. I would say I am in reasonable shape right now. I haven't had any trouble doing any of the hikes I have done this year but Buck Mountain was really the first one I would call somewhat difficult. I really came out here to Yellowstone to just get away from Kansas for a while, and now it has turned into me being addicted to mountains, not something I planned on at all, but I'm glad I found it because I can't think of anything I would rather do in my time off.

I want to go higher and more difficult each week, but unfortunately the climbing season is nearing its end. Last week we planned to do South and Middle Tetons, but the weather turned ugly, so we are planning to try it again this week. Having never been in the mountains before, I am really surprised how early it starts turning wintry here. I figured there wouldn't be any "major" snowfalls until October, but when I planned a smaller, easier hike last weekend (Silvertip Peak) instead of the Tetons I still ended up hiking through a blizzard at only about 9,000 feet, and decided to turn around about halfway there.

Anyway, I plan to go back to Kansas this winter and start putting together some gear, since I have none right now.