In This Guide
Rock Climbing Sites, Magazines, and General Information
Basics of Rock Climbing: Instruction, Gyms, and Communities
Buying Rock Climbing Equipment
Improving Your Climbing Technique
Where to Climb: Climbing Maps, Tips, and Tricks
Climbing Stories and Interviews with Rock Climbers
Rock Climbing Organizations and Governing Bodies
Rock Climbing: Hit Your Peak Online
Once relegated to the obscure bastion of an extreme sport, rock climbing has become so popular that you'll now find men, women, and children of all ages and levels of fitness at the gym or out on the rock, alongside lithe and limber experts. Advances in equipment, safety, and instruction have opened up the world of climbing to just about anyone. With the help of the Internet, you can begin to learn about, or perfect, your climbing experience right from your own home.
Expand All Guide SectionsRock Climbing Sites, Magazines, and General Information
Climbing is varied and multifaceted, and trying to get an understanding of what it is can be a bit ... read more »
Basics of Rock Climbing: Instruction, Gyms, and Communities
The first thing you'll need to figure out is where to climb. One of the best places to start is your local rock gym. If you don't have specialized climbing gyms nearby, do some research and see if any exercise gyms have climbing walls, and take a class or two. Next, you'll need to find a climbing buddy. If you didn't find a partner in class, then search online for a local or regional climbing group to join. Once you've got a place to climb and people to climb with, you'll need to choose some basic gear. Read below to learn about equipment basics, how to find local rock gyms and the best ways to find community.
Dulcinea's Insight
- The most important element to keep in mind while climbing and preparing to climb is safety. Climbing is inherently dangerous and mistakes can result in serious injury or even death. Too many climbers find themselves getting caught up in the competitive aspects of climbing, throwing caution and common sense to the wind for the sake of their egos. There are always going to be climbers better than you, so put safety first and ensure that you'll be around years from now to enjoy it.
- The gear sites below will help you learn about and evaluate the gear you'll need. For purchasing gear, check out the, "Where can I buy climbing gear?" section of this guide.
- Check out 30 "starting out" articles for beginner climbers from Planet Fear, a U.K.-based site-see the menu on the left side on the page for easy reference.
- The type of climbing you start out with will most likely be dictated by where you live. Most metropolitan areas have rock gyms. And if you're lucky enough to live in an area where you can climb outdoors, there's bound to be an existing community of climbers to befriend. Some diehards build their own climbing walls (more on this later), but don't make this kind of commitment until you're sure climbing is something you truly love to do.
- You might find a local or regional climbing group through Meetup.com or Yahoo Groups -members are often willing to teach newbies and take you under their wing. Be sure to check out the number of members the group has, and click on the group's homepage to see the level of group activity. There are more than 800 climbing-related groups on Yahoo from all over the world.
Dulcinea's Picks
To find a rock gym or programs nearby ...
Indoor Climbing
provides a convenient list of national and international links to climbing gyms around the world. The list is by no means complete, but it is surprisingly extensive.
For instruction and programs ...
The American Alpine Institute
was founded in 1975 and is one of the absolute best climbing schools in existence, according to USA Today, The New York Times, Backpacker magazine, and author Jon Krakauer. Accomplished teachers teach you how to think for yourself while internalizing the safest, most efficient techniques.
Mountain Madness North America Alpine Mountaineering School
features climbing programs for any type of climbing, at any level. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, they offer classes in Washington, Colorado, and Nevada, as well as South America. It offers expeditions to all parts of the world and some of the highest mountains.
Mtnguide.org
has consolidated climbing programs from around the world into one comprehensive list for your convenience.
For gear overviews ...
Spadout
features a handy collection of overview articles, including gear necessary for each type of climbing and a "101 to Rock Climbing" guide.
Indoor Climbing
lays out everything you need to know about gear on one page.
REI
features a variety of "How to Choose" articles for every type of climbing equipment necessary, along with helpful articles for both beginners and experienced climbers alike.
Rock Climbing
's "Climbing Ropes Explained" gives you the lowdown on dynamic and static ropes, lengths, and fall ratings.
For rock climbing communities ...
Summit Post Message Boards
is one of the most active forums available, with tens of thousands of messages on every conceivable topic.
Rock Climbing
has over 8,000 members, so the chances are good that you'll find potential climbing partners in your area. Register first before searching.
The Access Fund
has a listing of local climbing organizations arranged by state dedicated to keeping climbing areas open, conserving the climbing environment, and promoting safe climbing.
Mountain Project
lets you search for climbing partners by skill level for the best match.
Who knew?
Animated Knots by Grog
features common knots, obscure knots, and everything in between. You probably won't end up using most of these, but along with self-rescue techniques, you might end up thanking your lucky stars for this site one day.
Buying Rock Climbing Equipment
Climbing equipment sites make it easier than ever to shop for gear online by collecting different ... read more »
Improving Your Climbing Technique
After mastering the basics, you're bound to start wondering how you can better your climbing. Learn ... read more »
Where to Climb: Climbing Maps, Tips, and Tricks
Look at a geographical feature map of the United States and it will become apparent that there are ... read more »
Climbing Stories and Interviews with Rock Climbers
Sure, folks are doing things out there on the rock that only contortionists or Olympic athletes ... read more »
Rock Climbing Organizations and Governing Bodies
Regulatory and developmental bodies are a fairly recent phenomenon for the field of climbing, but ... read more »
© 2012 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
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