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Climbing advice needed!

Original Post
Wyatt Stevens · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Dec 2014 · Points: 5

So my girlfriend and I are lucky enough to be spending the majority of this upcoming summer on a road/climbing trip. As a large portion of my time is being spent planning this trip I've come across a few questions and concerns that I don't really know how to address. This is one of the first big climbing trips I've ever done and I don't have enough experience to plan accordingly.

One of my biggest concerns for such an extended climbing trip is injury, how to avoid it, what to do if it happens, etc... So I guess my initial questions are:

How do you manage climbing/rest days on an extended trip?

Any tips for injury prevention methods?

Any and all advice is wanted! I'm just looking for some extra help from a knowledgable group of people!

Cheers,

A very stoked climber

Luc Ried · · Batesville, AR · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 440

As far as injury prevention goes, I always carry resistance bands to really limber up on trips. Also, listen to your body, if its weak and needs rest, let it.

Michael Brady · · Wenatchee, WA · Joined Jul 2014 · Points: 1,316

Don't over-think it. Stay hydrated, stretch, rest and do other things besides climbing. Have fun!

James Schroeder · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined May 2002 · Points: 3,166

Rest on the weekends, and occasionally midweek if you need it. You're a full-time climber while you are on your trip, so you can afford to avoid the crowds.

Andrew P · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 21

when climbing full-time the rest days will call to you much like the cliffs... listen! try to consciously take it easy the first day at a new area ... easy to let the excitement quicken your pace and burn you out early that day or cause an injury ... you've got all summer! have fun be safe

keithconn · · LI, NY · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 35

I can just say I'm jealous. Rest will come easy. Avoid injury by treating like a professional. Stretch, don't rush, eat good, drink, communicate, and take everything in.

I agree to use the weekends as more rest and the empty weekdays to climb.

Be sure to bring a journal as corny as it sounds. I can tell you from multiple trips, now that I'm 42 and have kids I can't remember half of what I did years ago.

Enjoy and be conscious and safe!

All the best.

Michael Catlett · · Middleburg, VA · Joined Oct 2014 · Points: 175

Dude, you are 18. Go climb and when you feel tired, or you are not having fun, stop climbing and mac on your girl till you are ready to go again.

eli poss · · Durango, CO · Joined May 2014 · Points: 525
Michael S. Catlett wrote:Dude, you are 18. Go climb and when you feel tired, or you are not having fun, stop climbing and mac on your girl till you are ready to go again.
+1. lucky...
Em Cos · · Boulder, CO · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 5

Rest day brewery tour, once a week. Just remember to alternate beer and water.

ClimbHunter · · Reno, NV · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 15

Some guidelines (not rules) I learned from my road trip last summer.
-Buy a state map from Benchmark Maps for every state that you will be exploring (not driving through). They have campsites, trailheads, some trails, even river rapids marked. A national atlas will not cut it, and google will not work if you don't have good service. Well worth $25.
-About 2 weeks ahead of your leave-date, pack your car. Unpack it. repack it. Remove some items. Do that a few more times. This is your house now. Make sure it is organized. If you have to unpack half of your car to get to the snacks or your jacket your sanity will decrease rapidly. Try to find specific places to put your stuff (like my headlamps ALWAYS goes in the waist-pack hanging on my seat). 'The trunk' is NOT a specific place. I can't stress this enough.
-Know the weather: Let the weather dictate your itinerary and your rest days. There's no need to rest up just to be shut down by Mother Nature. If extended bad weather is coming, go somewhere else. Rest or drive when the weather isn't prime. The day of the week will likely have little relevance (other than crowds) to you after a while.
-Have an itinerary in mind, but keep your schedule flexible. If you find a place that has nice weather, good (cheap) camping, activities and a good vibe, don't think twice about staying for a week (or three). It's fun to really get a feel for an area, and it's nice to have some familiarity. Don't feel rushed to hit someplace new every 3 days. You won't see it all, so just enjoy what you see.
-Take it easy: Since you won't be a weekend warrior, you don't have to cram 20 routes into two days. Take your time, and rest when you're tired. Off days don't have to be boring. Do a hike then go get grocery's, read a book, get advice from the local gear store or...
-Spend time planning: On your rest/drive days, spend some time with a map and some wifi researching your next adventure or location. It'll payoff later.The golden arches, lead you to wifi they will.
-Show up at camp before dark: This is especially true if you're driving to a new camp/area. It's so much easier to find a good camp with daylight, and driving is a lot more enjoyable when the sun is up. I definitely didn't do this 100% of the time, but it's a good goal for 70% of the time. Starting to cook dinner at 9pm when you're dead tired leads to a groggy morning.
-Make sure you and your partner get some time apart. I'm sure you two are great together, but everybody needs some space sometimes.
-Organize your pictures and videos after you get back (or on the trip if you bring the laptop). Put them into a slideshow or a movie. A log or journal will be worthwhile to look back on later. Even a date and two sentences will help you remember. The days will definitely run together after a while.
-get AAA coverage with a 200 miles free tow radius. (this is actually a rule)

As far as injury prevention...
-Don't push it too hard. Back off before you injure your finger (shoulder, ankle, etc) in week 2 going for that crux move on that awesome route. Seriously, that send isn't worth the rest of your trip.
-Warm-up every day (or even half of the days). Even if it's just 15 minutes while you're cooking breakfast. Resistance bands are an efficient way to get the shoulders warmed-up. Stretching in the evening will pay off in the morning. Take it easy for a bit if you notice an injury creeping in.

Enjoy the change of pace. Good luck!

David Gibbs · · Ottawa, ON · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 2

Rest days? When needed... 3 on 1 off is probably a good idea for an extended trip, but balance that for what works. On an extended trip you're going to get some natural rest days just maintaining life -- shopping, laundry, driving to the next crag, etc.

Avoiding injury: don't climb at your limit. On a long trip like this, your aim should be to be able to climb for the whole trip, not send your hardest red-point. Also, focus on safety: stick-clip when appropriate, communicate about lower-off vs rappel, knot the end of the rope, etc. Avoid both the over-use/in-use injuries and the accident injuries.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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