Q: What gear would a newbie need to get started in the wild world of aid climbing, assuming they were already free climbers. (Besides the determination part you mention!)

—Julie
Seattle, Washington

Gearing up for aid climbing isn't actually too difficult, especially if you're already a free climber. Basically, you just need to buy specific pieces of gear. I only had homemade gear when I started out, which is how I got my nickname, Scrappy, but I can't really recommend doing that. Here are the items I'd suggest you pick up at the local climbing shop:

• Daisy chains: (Sewn chains of webbing available in various lengths.) You'll need two, and you should consult about getting the right size with the climbing shop where you buy them.

• Etriers: Basically fabric ladders that you climb to get to the next placement. Get one or two sets, depending on how serious you are about this. When I'm trying to go fast and light I use one set, but on big nail-ups like El Capitan in Yosemite, you'll definitely be happier with two sets. They come in several different lengths, with four, five or six steps. Start with one four-step model and one five-step model.

• Fifi hook: Metal curved teeth which work something like passive trad protection. The name is fruity, but these are essential for aid climbing.

• Ascenders: These are mechanical devices that are used for climbing rope, i.e. your partner would use them after you've led up a pitch. We almost always follow an aid climb by ascending the rope because it is faster and less strenuous than climbing the rock, and it also gives the leader a chance to haul the bag of gear up while the second cleans the pieces.

So, here's what I'd do. Take your new gear and head to your local crag, preferably an area that has a fair selection of crack climbs (a pure sport climbing area won't really work). Choose a pitch where you can see that it's possible to get a bomber piece into the rock every few feet. The tough part will be finding a partner to sit around and belay you all day.

Start by girth-hitching the daisy chains into the belay loop on your harness, then clip an etrier into the end of each daisy chain. Reach as high up on the crack as you can and place a piece. Clip in the daisy/etrier and start jumping in it with your foot; this is how you test to see if the piece is OK. (By the way, I would suggest that you try this test while on top-rope, so if your placement doesn't hold, you're still going to live.) Now you climb the etrier like a ladder with your feet, hooking your Fifi into the loops in the daisy when you want to sit back and take a rest. When you've climbed as high on the piece as you can get, reach up and repeat the process. As you move up, you'll have to unclip your daisy from the piece below, but do so only after you've clipped into it with your rope, exactly as you would on a free climb.

The beauty of aid climbing is that it's basically nothing more than engineering pieces of protection to fit into the rock. Aiding is a mandatory skill for ascending big cliffs, but I don't see this sport as an end in itself. I aid climb when it's necessary, but I don't do it at the local crag for fun. You'll find out why soon enough. Enjoy!