Looking for a Mentor

I've been climbing for a little while now and just want to get outside a lot more than I do.I live in Connecticut and I'm a pretty average climber and have become way more interested in the learning aspect of climbing instead of the gym mentality of progressing through the grades. Is there any one out there who would be willing to take me under there wing and teach me some techniques and skills? I know this is a long shot but hey, whats wrong with taking a shot in the dark!

What type of climbing are you looking to do? Im no mentor by any means but i know some stuff.

This is how we maximize the potential of mountain project. Awesome for stepping up Travis!

I live in CT (Hartford) and try to get out a few times a week. I'm always up for climbing with new people. shoot me a PM if you like.

I climb at Stone Age in Manchester and there is a good group there of climbers. Check out the Meetup.com group Climbing Together and Other Adventures I think it's called. That's how I met my climbing partners and we progressed from gym climbing this time last year to top rope, sport and then in the fall progressed to trad out in the Gunks etc. Great place to meet people looking to learn and get outdoors. The regular meetup is every Monday. Talk to the owner and he can introduce you to the regulars. Hope to see you out there!
Simon

Awesome! thanks for the responses! I mostly climb in the gym, or top rope outside and recently getting into sport. I have basic gear placement knowledge and anchor building knowledge. So i guess the answer to your question would be that I'm trying to get into the trad realm.

Your best bet is to head to the Gunks this Spring (although I know local CT trad options exist, the Gunks aren't that far from you). Should be no problem finding leaders that need someone to follow them, and that's ultimately how most of us learned trad. Some people follow for a very long time before getting on the sharp end, fwiw. You can lead at the gym/sport to get your lead head, learn trad basics following for a season in the Gunks, then make a transition to trad leading with some degree of ease.

I second Simons suggestion, its a nice little climbing community thats really expanding. We have sponsers and gear give aways, plus partners from all aspects of the vertical world. Also, I am personally going to start running strength and technique sessions for anyone who wants to try and improve.

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I'm personally nowhere near you, so I have no offer otehr than some advice.
Check out your local crag work days/trail days/clean-ups, etc..> Go volunteer at one. You'll meet experienced outdoor-climbers of the mindset that like to help out with things like that. Work hard, start some relationships, and see what happens. Around here I see it work out well for people all the time.

Tony B wrote:I'm personally nowhere near you, so I have no offer otehr than some advice. Check out your local crag work days/trail days/clean-ups, etc..> Go volunteer at one. You'll meet experienced outdoor-climbers of the mindset that like to help out with things like that. Work hard, start some relationships, and see what happens. Around here I see it work out well for people all the time.

+1

Tony B wrote: Check out your local crag work days/trail days/clean-ups, etc..> Go volunteer at one. You'll meet experienced outdoor-climbers of the mindset that like to help out with things like that.

thats a good suggestion for sure. gyms are rarely good places to find what you are looking for, they are better for finding a partner or getting to know local(plastic) climbers. The people you are looking for probably dont go to the gyms or they go but they go with a partner/group. One problem might be that our local crag workdays here in CT consist of maybe 2 days a year.

what part of the state are you in anyways?

I know there may be a crag cleanup day sometime at the end of the winter/early spring in the New Haven area.

I never thought about the crag workday idea. I totally agree about the type of people who are always in the gym and those are the people I always climb with, which has been good for improving my technique but not for all the other stuff. I actually live in sw Connecticut maybe 20 minutes south of new haven on 95.

I hear what you guys are saying about typical gym climbers but there are quite a few of us at Stone Age that climb outdoors a lot. I just got back from 2 weeks climbing trad in Argentina with a climbing partner I met through Stone Age (trip report and photos to follow at some point!). We both learnt trad together, having never climbed outdoors until last year.

PM sent...

I'm no mentor but come out to the Gunks late Spring and we'll see how it goes.