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Learning Trad away from home crag

Original Post
Chris Borg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0

Me and my girlfriend have learned to top rope this year and have fallen in love with climbing. We live in nyc and have been climbing in peter skill. We plan to learn how to trad climb next spring. We will be taking a class with a guide. We are also planning a trip to california in April to visit some family and we thinking of trying to do some rock climbing. Since we only have so much time off and so much money we were considering doing are learn to lead class in california. I noticed both the American Alpine Institute and Vertical Adventures off multi day leading classes in Joshua Tree. I assume learning to lead to the gunks would at least be a little smarter since we could probably pick up some tricks specific to the area but would it put us at a big disadvantage if we learned to lead in Joshua Tree and then came back to the gunks on our own? Thanks

divnamite · · New York, NY · Joined Aug 2007 · Points: 90
Chris Borg wrote:Me and my girlfriend have learned to top rope this year and have fallen in love with climbing. We live in nyc and have been climbing in peter skill. We plan to learn how to trad climb next spring. We will be taking a class with a guide. We are also planning a trip to california in April to visit some family and we thinking of trying to do some rock climbing. Since we only have so much time off and so much money we were considering doing are learn to lead class in california. I noticed both the American Alpine Institute and Vertical Adventures off multi day leading classes in Joshua Tree. I assume learning to lead to the gunks would at least be a little smarter since we could probably pick up some tricks specific to the area but would it put us at a big disadvantage if we learned to lead in Joshua Tree and then came back to the gunks on our own? Thanks
Why not learn in the Gunks? April might be a little bit cold and wet, but in general, it's very doable.
Chris Borg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 0
divnamite wrote: Why not learn in the Gunks? April might be a little bit cold and wet, but in general, it's very doable.
Cause we will probably be going to california in april no matter what. We would have a couple of days to kill on our own so it was just an idea to give us something interesting to do on those days and combine a trip we are planning with the learning to lead which we are planning on doing anyway If the consensus is it is better to learn at home we will probably just do that.
will ar · · Vermont · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 290

The more lead experience you get the better and if you can get it on a variety of a different types of rock you will have a more diverse set of climbing skills that will come in handy on future road trips. Also, the earlier you get into lead climbing the better, it will open up many more options climbing wise.

That being said the Gunks and JTree are very different climbing styles. I'm not too sure about your depth of climbing experience, but if you've never jammed a crack before (or on the other hand don't have experience on the steeper routes of the gunks) hoping to learn how to jam and place gear at the same time might be a little overwhelming. I'm sure you'll have a good time regardless and learn a lot, just be aware that going to another crag vs your home crag could affect how much of your learning is focused on placing gear vs actual climbing techniques.

Tom Nyce · · Flagstaff, AZ · Joined Nov 2010 · Points: 45

I think that your plan has some great benefits. Learning to lead somewhere else, on different rock, first is fine. You'll have plenty of time at your local crags to hack out some slow leads and get used to that rock. In the end, you'll have climbed on two different types of rock. Long term, that will be of good benefit.
In the future, you'll probably go on climbing trips to some granite areas (in New Hampshire, or NC for instance). At least you will have a bit of previous experience on granite, if you've been to Joshua Tree.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Beginning Climbers
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