Q: After your best advice on getting into rock
climbing for me and my two sons aged 8 & 11.
Ta mate.
—Mark Wilgar
Perth, Australia
Mark,
If you guys are totally new to this sport I see two
potential avenues. One would be to go straight into
climbing outdoors, in which case you'll need to hire a
guide. This can be expensive, but it wouldn't take too
long to learn enough so that you guys could start
setting up your own top-ropes. Top-roping, if you don't
already know, is a climb where you set the rope up
overhead beforehand. On smaller crags it's usually
possible to scramble up the backside and rig a rope from
a sturdy tree or perhaps some bolts which have been
placed for this purpose.
Your other option would be to learn in a climbing gym
where you can also get some instruction. A gym is often
the preferred route if you have children because it's a
controlled environment where you don't have to worry
about hazards such as falling rocks. You certainly
couldn't go wrong by spending a few weeks learning the
ropes in a gym.
I should warn you, however, that there's a fair amount
of equipment you'll need to purchase if you're serious
about getting into this. At the very least, you'll need
shoes, harnesses, helmets, and chalk bags. If you want
to set up top-ropes you will need some slings, carabiners,
and, of course, a rope. Climbing equipment is not cheap
so you should be fairly sure that you're truly
committed before heading to the local shop to slap down
the plastic. Usually, you can rent gear at a climbing
gym to get a taste before making any significant
investment.
One other thing: If you guys get serious about this, you
can pretty much forget about your other hobbies.
Climbing, more than other sports, demands a
tremendous amount of time, energy, and money. But
yes, it is totally worth it. Just be sure to remember that
this is an inherently dangerous activity. The risks can
be minimized, but never eliminated entirely. The risk is
what makes this sport so rewarding and powerful, but
the stakes can sometimes be high. Good luck, and be
safe!
