How long did it take you to transition from Gym to Outdoors?

Silas Rossi: alpine-logic.com/

I started climbing two months ago at my local gym. In two weeks I'll be heading to Tahoe to climb for reals. I hired a guide. Gonna learn how to tie anchors, maybe a little trad, then do some following up sport routes and maybe try leading a climb by the end of the trip.

In the gym, I'm climbing 5.10a no problem, 10b with some difficulty, and struggling up a 10c here or there. I'm anticipating the bump in difficulty on real rock though. I'll probably start out on 5.6/5.7? I don't know. I hear it's a lot harder...

I don't think there's anything wrong with starting in the gym. You can rent shoes, a harness and a belay device. It's a controlled environment and I suspect you'll find it easy to find someone to climb with just by asking the staff. You can get a feel for climbing there with a much milder learning curve than you may find going outside with strangers (it's like a box of chocolates).

Just don't *stay* in the gym.

Whoa!
Thanks everyone for the responses! I wish i could afford to get a guide! Right now i could pay in pizza and beer! Im pretty ambitious. Im going to the gym tomorrow and will see what happens from there. for the future does anyone regular the gunks? googling it im only about an hour and a half or so from there.. Pizza and beer offer still stands for future help ahaha

OP- I learned to climb in NJ. Right in Allamuchy state park in fact. The climbing isn't half bad actually, especially for beginners. The cake wall, if i remember correctly, is easily top roped and offers beginner level climbing. The water gap is really low quality rock, and I would steer clear till you have some experience outside. There's a small crag called Ricks Rocks up north of Blairstown, kinda the Millbrook area if my memory serves me right. Its also a decent place for beginners, easily top roped and low grades. Ricks Rocks also has an amazing view from the top.

Just hang out at the local gyms and you'll meet people who will take you outside, if you want to meet them at least. Climbers are notoriously friendly people and its especially easy for female climbers to meet friends.

Also, buy a copy of Freedom of the Hills and read it cover to cover and then again. You can probably skip some of the glacier skill stuff, but it should be every climbers first book. Covers everything from knots and self rescue to reading the weather and wilderness first aid. Its basically how to climb outside without getting yourself into trouble.

Andy Shoemaker wrote:OP- I learned to climb in NJ. Right in Allamuchy state park in fact. The climbing isn't half bad actually, especially for beginners. The cake wall, if i remember correctly, is easily top roped and offers beginner level climbing. The water gap is really low quality rock, and I would steer clear till you have some experience outside. There's a small crag called Ricks Rocks up north of Blairstown, kinda the Millbrook area if my memory serves me right. Its also a decent place for beginners, easily top roped and low grades. Ricks Rocks also has an amazing view from the top. Just hang out at the local gyms and you'll meet people who will take you outside, if you want to meet them at least. Climbers are notoriously friendly people and its especially easy for female climbers to meet friends. Also, buy a copy of Freedom of the Hills and read it cover to cover and then again. You can probably skip some of the glacier skill stuff, but it should be every climbers first book. Covers everything from knots and self rescue to reading the weather and wilderness first aid. Its basically how to climb outside without getting yourself into trouble.

hey thanks! Allamuchy state park is SO close that once i get a hang i have no reasonable excuse not to climb there! ive never heard of ricks rocks but ill check it out..im still pretty close to blairstown..ill order a copy of it off amazon tonight and give it a read!

Adrianna - Use the gym to find out if you enjoy the sport - Outdoors is a very different beast though - since it's not all setup for you things move alot slower outdoors.

At your first gym trip you'll learn to top rope belay. Rent gear for your first few times. If you keep at it, you'll end up buying a harness (~$50), Shoes (~$75), and a belay device (~20). Then you'll be ready to head outdoors with someone who has the rest of the equipment.

Allamuchy is a pretty small crag which is mostly top-roped, though there are a few traditional lines there.

The Delaware Water Gap is a multipitch traditional climbing area, it is not traveled very much. You'll need a very willing and capable mentor to take you there, as it is much more involved.

Northeast Mountain Guiding runs trips to both places.

Head over to Ramsey Outdoor, they should have the Falcon Guide for New Jersey on the bookshelf by the climbing stuff. Take a look at that, and look for Craig Luben's "How to Rock Climb" book. That's a good all around introduction to everything. If Ramsey doesn't have that one, Barnes and Noble usually does.

The above mentioned Freedom of the Hills - That's a great book too, but more broad in scope (Covers EVERYTHING outdoors / mountaineering). B&N definitely has that one. The Craig Lueben book is a little more in-depth for climbing.

This might be of some interest if the gyms aren't too far away.

gravityvault.com/womens_fit…

rgold wrote:This might be of some interest if the gyms aren't too far away. gravityvault.com/womens_fit…

All gyms in Northern NJ are within a 45 minute radius from me..yay!

I started outside. The transition is mental one way or the other: Before I got into a gym, I couldn't do overhanging face - it turned out I did have the strength, just not the technique. I've run into a lot of people who started in gyms who still have a hard time finding the line up a rock. I still climb at a way lower grade than most people who started in gyms, mostly because I came from a "no falls ever" culture. The funny thing about outdoor is that most trad is way less steep than most gyms; gym climbing may well be the best springboard to outdoor sport climbing.

45 minutes is a long drive to a gym, to me, so I'd find some stone or brick faced buildings where you can do some buildering. Outdoors, hard landings, maybe even some objective danger in the right area.

Finding a knowlegable sane mentor is probably the fastest way to learn how to tie knots, build anchors, rappel etc. I was mostly taught by a former Sierra Club instructor; other organizations like student outdoor programs, The AMC, Outward Bound teach climbing classes. Books are great, I learned a ton from them, in conjunction with having my errors in understanding immediately ironed out by my mentor.

Someone mentioned falls outdoors seeming more dangerous - yes and no: I have been dropped by belayers twice while gym climbing, all the way to the (chipped rubber covered) floor. I have never been dropped by a belayer outdoors, but I have been caught short of seriously broken bones. My take? I'm more likely to fall indoors, and more likely to get hurt if I fall outdoors. There's just a lot more crap to hit on the way down if the angle is less than vertical.

The old method I was taught to find climbing partners? Look at their shoelaces - If they can't keep their shoelaces tied, think twice.

adrianna melody wrote: All gyms in Northern NJ are within a 45 minute radius from me..yay!

If you go that route, say hello to Anyssa for me!

Started outdoors and never went inside. Started climbing as a teen in 1977. Stoppers, Hexs and swami belts without leg loops. Never could get the gym thing down.

adrianna melody wrote:How long did you climb in the gym (if at all) before deciding to move to outdoor climbing? What were some things that made it difficult to make this transition?

Bhwaaaa-ha-ha-ha-haaaaaa...

How the times have changed. Ms. Melody, I've been rock climbing over 20 years now. I've climbed plastic twice.

I HATE to say that it's and old school attitude because it makes me feel like I'm graying existentially. But? Gravity is gravity. Aside from weather and proximity, I think the only thing that holds a climber back from actually climbing rock is the climber. If rock is your goal, get bold and get out. And get thee closer to some good crags.

Luck with that.

In FL I climbed in a gym as a kid. In Texas, I started outdoors a few months ago and just joined a gym last week to practice/get my strength and endurance up. Heading outdoors tomorrow.

If i had a group of friends that climbed outside regularly i would have no problem tagging along and learning from the bunch. But unfortunately i dont.. i literally know nobody in my area who climbes. So with my little to no experience i think starting in a gym for me where im surrounded by people with more knowledge then me is a smart thing rather then going in clueless..no?

meetup.com/jerseyrockclimbers/

I've only flown through NJ, so I have no clue how far the commute is for these meetups, but meetup groups are a great way to get out. Usually the people who go on these trips aren't super climbers, since those people tend to have their cliques already, but there's always an emphasis on safety and developing good techniques and practices.

adrianna melody wrote:If i had a group of friends that climbed outside regularly i would have no problem tagging along and learning from the bunch. But unfortunately i dont.. i literally know nobody in my area who climbes. So with my little to no experience i think starting in a gym for me where im surrounded by people with more knowledge then me is a smart thing rather then going in clueless..no?

I started in a gym, took the lead class and a gym to crag top rope class within 6 months. I made friends with some strong climbers and went out sport climbing the next season 5 times (weekend trips), the following season 10 times, and now I go out almost every weekend. I would recommend taking the intro to leading class at your local gym so you have good instruction on the most important part of climbing.

As long as you let everyone know you are eager to learn and climb outside, in no time you should have a long list of friends to go climbing with outside. Every trip to a crag I make friends and get numbers/emails so that I always have a partner available (unfortunately due to jobs, most people can't climb 3 days weekends all the time). I would recommend before going outside with someone, to observe their technique belaying. They should be attentive, soley focused on the climber, and it should look effortless. Like a previous poster stated, if something feels wrong, or they don't meet the criteria above, find someone else.

You can find partners online, but I would suggest meeting up with them at the gym first if possible, so you don't end up at the crag with someone that is not experienced. I am not far from your area, but I usually go to the New River Gorge, much further away for you than the Gunks. If you wanted to make the trek, pm me and we can set it up.
-Joe Certified Sport Weanie

Joe Coover wrote: I started in a gym, took the lead class and a gym to crag top rope class within 6 months. I made friends with some strong climbers and went out sport climbing the next season 5 times (weekend trips), the following season 10 times, and now I go out almost every weekend. I would recommend taking the intro to leading class at your local gym so you have good instruction on the most important part of climbing. As long as you let everyone know you are eager to learn and climb outside, in no time you should have a long list of friends to go climbing with outside. Every trip to a crag I make friends and get numbers/emails so that I always have a partner available (unfortunately due to jobs, most people can't climb 3 days weekends all the time). I would recommend before going outside with someone, to observe their technique belaying. They should be attentive, soley focused on the climber, and it should look effortless. Like a previous poster stated, if something feels wrong, or they don't meet the criteria above, find someone else. You can find partners online, but I would suggest meeting up with them at the gym first if possible, so you don't end up at the crag with someone that is not experienced. I am not far from your area, but I usually go to the New River Gorge, much further away for you than the Gunks. If you wanted to make the trek, pm me and we can set it up. -Joe Certified Sport Weanie

Thanks joe!Im actually heading to the gym in a half hour and will likely see what sort of classes they offer for the future. Ill def. be talking to my instructor and letting them know i am looking to learn and move to being outside! Ill def. be going with my gut feeling (which has a 99% success rate!) when i eventually look for a partner. Im glad that everyone i speak to says the climbing community is super friendly and helpful. the Gunks are about an hour and 15 from me..but im always willing to travel around. So if im ever itching to make the trip ill let you know!!

I rainbow climbed in the gym over my younger years, unaware that the tape was there for a reason. I was always attracted to indoor walls, and pictures and videos of rock climbing. I even walked into my hometown's local climbing gym, interested in a job. They turned me away because I didn't have any experience (belaying, tying in). I felt comfortable walking up to the edge of a cliff, climbing to the tippy top of a tree while the wind was blowing me around. Finally, at the age of 22, I met a guy whom took me to a gym to show me belaying and tying in, and to the crag the next day. I knew I was in love right away, and knew I wouldn't put my gear away for a LONG time! I spent weekends at the gym or the crag near my last duty station. Now, at 27, I'm in a place where there are only a few indoor bouldering gyms, which I never visit. I'm primarily an outdoor sport climber now, sending 5.12. Love it more every year!