To Wall or Not to Wall

This is a topic for you wallers out west. I'd be my first time 'on a wall'

Im booked to fly and stay out in Zion in March. My wife is running a half marathon out there. So im thinking, Im not running no half marathon, but I'll go climb a day or two, sure. Im looking over Zion on this great website and Im like "shit man Im gonna need a lot of gear out here, and a solid partner who knows his shit."... I do not have triple any piece of gear.

Im happy if I can get a day free climbing, even sport. Anything is a bonus. But do any of you wallers out there think I have a chance of hooking up with someone who would do a wall, no matter how short, with a first timer? I've got a lot of multipitch experience, I have lot of climbing know how, I have a good understanding of hauling and leading and jugging. Just haven't gotten to aid climbing out east here.

I don't know if it means anything to anyone but im also a rope access technician and I make my living rigging suspended scaffolding. I guess im trying to say "I swear I know about stuff"

Do I have a chance or should I beg my wife to hold the rope on a tope rope somewhere? Looks so great out there I figured what the hells the harm in asking the community out there.

Thanks for reading.
Matt.

Well Matt,
I assume you mean the aid walls in Zion. Starting walls is always a tricky endeavor. Wall veterans don't want to sit there while you inevitably take 3 hours to do your first C1 pitch. The flip side is you don't always want to undertake such a huge and new type of endeavor with a person that has no experience either.

Best case is to find someone else like yourself that is aware of what they are getting into. Unfortunately Zion is does not have a centralized climber culture. The good thing is that most of the beginner walls there can even be done by a beginner if you are willing to free climb some.

Good luck

I sent you a PM.

Karsten,

Thanks for the reply and solid advice! Pretty much what my gut was telling me to begin with!