Learning to belay is the single most important thing about beginning to climb. Belaying is what keeps climbing safe. The techniques used are incredibly simple and very important. The first rule of belaying is never take your hand off … Read More
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Rock Climbing and Health
The average person in the Western world lives a fairly sedentary lifestyle. Rock climbing offers a fun and exciting way to get your daily exercise. It provides a multitude of physical and mental benefits in a unique and exhilarating … Read More
Rock Climbing Belay Devices
There are three main styles of belay device: tube style, autoblocking, and figure 8. Each have their own unique advantages and disadvantages. The most basic and widespread are the tube style belay devices such as the Black Diamond ATC … Read More
Rock Climbing History
The Beginning Rock climbing was born out of the long tradition of mountaineering. It began with mountaineers needing to climb technical areas of rock in order to reach the summit. This led to mountaineers practicing technical climbing in more … Read More
Building a Trad Rack
The equipment needed to begin trad climbing builds on the items from your sport rack. You will still need your harness, belay device, etc. But in addition to the basics of climbing gear, you will need to start acquiring … Read More
Best Climbing Areas Near Denver
There is a lifetime of climbing in the areas surrounding Denver, CO. But two nearby cities especially stand out. Boulder, a city 30 miles northwest, sits at the base of the Flatirons—a series of beautiful and well known rock … Read More
Training for Climbing
There are many ways to train for rock climbing–but a combination of cross training and discipline specific training will show the most results. You will want to train your endurance and develop lean muscle. The most important aspect of … Read More
Climbing Safety Checks
Rock climbing is dangerous. The single most important aspect of climbing is safety. If you are not being completely safety conscious you are risking both your life and the life of your partner. There are many ways to lower … Read More
Getting Started
In order to get started in rock climbing, you first need to decide which of the three main disciplines you would like to try. The easiest to get into is bouldering. These are very short routes you climb without … Read More
Rock Climbing Gear
The gear needed for rock climbing varies greatly depending on the style of climbing you intend to do, but the necessities begin with four basic items. At minimum, you will need a pair of climbing shoes, a harness, a … Read More