Rock Climbing: Getting Started Leading

If you are a beginning lead, or interested in taking on the challenge, here are a few tips to gaining good understanding of climbing anchors, rope protection systems, and the basics of risk management.

· Take a course on leading and anchor placements from a certified rock guide.

· Follow several dozen pitches.

· Study Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills, and other texts until you have a thorough understanding of the rope protection system.

· Practice setting gear on the ground.

· Learn to discern between good and marginal protection.

· Pay attention to the rock quality near protection and handholds and footholds.

· Do the first few “leads” with a top-rope so you have a backup.

· Consider climbing the pitch on a top-rope before leading it to make sure it’s a good route choice.

· Place lots of protection on your practice leads.

· Once you’re solid on anchors, lead several climbs far below your limit so you can relax and focus on the gear without worrying about the climbing.

· Ask a guide or very experienced climber to follow your leads to judge your placements and anchor extension.

· Top-rope a pitch and aid climb up it to learn more about setting protection. Set a piece, clip it to a sling, or better, an etrier (a ladderlike sling), and then climb up on the etrier to set another piece higher. Continue this process to the top of the wall.

Adapted from Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills by Craig Luebben (The Mountaineers Books, $22.95 paperback)

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