So you think you want to be a climber. First, see a psychiatrist. Just kidding! If you're in Memphis, you've come to the right place to get started. The Memphis Mountaineers is a club that exists to promote and support climbing in our region, which includes providing a starting place for beginners. Club trips are routine, and beginners are always welcome. There are a host of experienced climbers in the club who possess a wealth of knowledge and enjoy passing it on to others. Without a doubt, the Memphis Mountaineers are who you want to learn from in this area.

If you just want to go out and have someone set you up to scamper up a cliff, you don't need any of this, only a knowledgeable partner who doesn't mind. But for those of you who want to learn the skills needed to be a competent and safe climber, either as a partner or as someday as a leader, then this is how to start.

While all these are things that are best learned by spending time with an experienced climber, a little homework is sure to shorten the learning curve. There are some resources at the end of the article that you can use to get going.

The Basics

So you may be coming from a background that has provided knowledge of these basics. If not, the steps are simple. They can be learned at a climbing gym, at a local crag or in the backyard. With these, you can safely go out with an experienced partner and have a great day or week climbing at all the local areas. They are:

• Fundamentals of equipment (that is, the helmet, harness, belay device & rope)
• Tie-in knot (follow-through figure eight)
• Climbing commands (the basics of how to communicate safety information)

Climbing on a Top-Rope set-up.


Getting these down will involve discussing and demonstrating the ways to select adequate equipment and get it on correctly, get tied into the rope and working With a partner so that either of you may safely ascend a route while being anchored from the top (a top-rope setup). During the rests, which you'll need between climbs, this is a good time to discuss other topics that can advance you beyond the basics. These would include:

• How to move efficiently on the rock
• Trusting your feet
• Proper gripping technique
• Traditional climbing techniques versus Sport climbing
• Ratings of route difficulty
• Belaying a leader
• More knots and more equipment
• Natural hazards, such as rockfall, lightning, etc.

As you get familiar with these topics, practice them on your climbs.

Equipment for The Basics

Although you will likely use loaners or rentals in this stage, if you want to purchase your own, this will get you started Harnesss, Locking Biner, Belay Device, Shoes & Helmet

Beyond the Basics

Once you have the basics mastered, you'll be able to go out with an experienced partner on a variety of climbs. The next step is to develop the skills to go out on your own. Again, you'd start with top-roping and the key skill is the ability to build a solid anchor. Being able to build a top-rope anchor requires skills that are different depending on the location and route, each route can be very different. For example, some routes may have bolt anchors that are easily set-up for top-roping. Another neighboring route may have a solid tree or two to use as anchors, while others may require using some other form of gear to create a temporary anchor. While all these require different set-ups and gear to make them safe and sound, there are some common concepts. A few related skills that could be needed for setting up a top-rope climb are belaying from the top, cleaning anchors and rappelling.


A bomber anchor set-up.

Equipment for moving Beyond the Basics

First thing you'll need is a Rope.That with a handful of Locking Carabiners and a selection of Slings & Runners will get you started on most of the routes in the Mid-South. A selection of nuts, hexes and/or cams will be needed for the few routes where bolts or trees are not readily available for top-rope anchors, and you may want to delay purchasing these items until you have a thorough understanding of their use and the types of options available.

Moving On

Once these skills are mastered, you may be ready to move on to climbing independency. This base of fundamentals that you have developed can be expanded into the types of climbing that we all drool over in the climbing mags.

• Lead Climbing - Leading a climb ground up placing intermediate protection
• Multi-pitch - Climbing routes that are more than a rope length long
• Alpine - Climbing committing routes far from the road, can be semi-technical or very-technical
• Ice - Similar technical skills applied to climbing an ice wall rather than a rock face

References

See the "Guides and Gear" sections of our Links page.
Here is a list of high quality references available on Amazon.

Now get started!

Check our Forum and Calendar. Another great option is to contact a professional guide, or feel free to Contact MMI to get in on the next club trip and start doing what you came here for!

Climb On!
The Memphis Mountaineers