Tips to Survive Your First Rock Climbing Adventure

Climbing can be fun. Whether it is wall climbing or rock climbing, there is a certain thrill that comes with the experience. Though this thrilling activity can be really worthwhile, there are precautions or safety tips to take note of.

Are you afraid of heights? Or know anyone who might be? If so, you can get the right idea by making safety your first priority. To get started, ask for advice from trained professionals on the matter especially when it comes to getting the right gear. What you would want to do is make sure to work against two of the biggest enemies in rock climbing safety: gravity and falling. Although these may equally bring out the paranoid adventurer in you, there is good in distinguishing the two in order to work on specific precautions.

Each step you take towards your goal is affected by gravity. It’s not a one-time thing where you can be pulled down at any moment of your climb, but something that takes effect gradually.

To ensure safety, try doing the following with your gear and fellow climbers:

1. Harness

This will be what you will be wearing to keep you up during the whole process as long as locks are in place. Be sure to remove unnecessary objects from your pants, so no sharp objects may threaten the integrity of your equipment.

To keep your harnesses locked in the rock, attach them at the top of the climbing route. Don’t be scarce when planting these as more is definitely merrier when it comes to safety devices. Always bring enough. This will also apply to bolts and other small items that come with your climbing set.

This will be your lifeline connecting the harness to the anchors. Make sure to use the appropriate length (the longer the better). However, if it happens to be too short, tie a stopper knot at the end of the rope to avoid falling off the rope and to the ground. When climbing, always make sure the rope is over your leg, so you don’t flip upside down when you lose your form or let go of the rope. The positioning matters so that you can keep your head from knocking into solid rock.

Ensure that the buckles are finger tight as tightening these too much may risk messing up the locking mechanism. Also, lock the buckles to more than one part of your harness. More than just your equipment, be sure to listen to what the person ahead of you says as he is the one leading the route and in need of belaying. Never lose focus until all safety precautions are in place for the leader of the route– safety anchors are all in place, and it’s time for the next climber to follow.

Once your rope is on, gravity does not only take you downwards. Aside from the falls, you very well try to avoid unexpected swings because these can cause you injuries as well. This is where your helmet comes in handy.

After taking these safety measures, remember to have fun! Rock climbing is still an adventure to be experienced rather than a struggle to survive.

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