Looking for a mentor

I’m a fairly new climber with experience in setting up top rope anchors along with two other buddies. We have been wanting to learn how to lead climb (just quick draws into bolts) so clipping, falling, belaying, cleaning and building anchors while leading is all new to us. We have been unsuccessful in finding a mentor. Just wondering if someone is willing to mentor us here in the central Utah area. Thanks

I'm curious - have you tried to go out and learn these things on your own?

Eli Vallejo wrote: I’m a fairly new climber with experience in setting up top rope anchors along with two other buddies. We have been wanting to learn how to lead climb (just quick draws into bolts) so clipping, falling, belaying, cleaning and building anchors while leading is all new to us. We have been unsuccessful in finding a mentor. Just wondering if someone is willing to mentor us here in the central Utah area. Thanks

You might try the Utah climbers Facebook group, too. Also, while not a substitute for hands on learning, the American Alpine Club has a number of well done videos and articles that describe belaying, anchor cleaning, etc. Worth checking out if you haven't already seen them.

Thanks! I have actually done quite a bit of research on lead climbing but thought that it would be a good idea to get some instruction from a more experienced climber before I did it on my own.

Sport climbing is pretty simple. Use YouTube, trust the AAC videos, and take it slow. Practice skills on the ground extensively before you try them on a route.

It will be a lot easier to find "mentors" if you have the fundamentals dialed in a bit.

A lot of local gyms will have some kind of learing to lead class as well.

Thanks for the further advice. I have considered taking a lead class from a gym but my gyms recommend a climbing level of about 5.11b which I am not at yet. They are also pretty expensive.

Well momentum says climb 5.10 and $80/person. The biggest thing is you should take a fall and I'd recommend that first fall be in a gym. Especially, since falls on easy climbs outside can be rather dangerous. There is a lot to learn about leading. If you already know the basic gym skills it will make your time much more productive.

https://dev.momentumclimbing.com/sandy/learn/sandy-instruction/
Class Requirements:

• 14+ years old
• Momentum Top Rope Belay Certification already on file.
• Minimum 5.10 top rope climbing ability
• While you are encouraged to sign up with a partner, we do allow for individual sign ups!
• Small class size, minimum 2 maximum 6 
• Must register at least 24 hours in advance. 
• Class does not guarantee lead climbing cert.

also, there is the climber festival route.

Get a guide for a day with your 2 friends. Jonathon is rad and local.

 https://www.jonathonspitzer.com/

Hello Eli,

If I may, please check out http://climbingtechtips.com

Specific to your needs, these respective CTT series would further your knowledge:

https://climbingtechtips.com/instructional-climbing-videos-2/gym-lead-climbing/

https://climbingtechtips.com/instructional-climbing-videos-2/sport-climbing/

https://climbingtechtips.com/instructional-climbing-videos-2/basic-intermediate-outdoor-climbing/

I would also check out these two CTT series, especially if setting natural anchors and/or you begin swinging leads:

https://climbingtechtips.com/instructional-climbing-videos-2/traditional-climbing/

https://climbingtechtips.com/instructional-climbing-videos-2/multi-pitch-trad-climbing/

Look forward to your feedback!

Alexander Blum wrote: Sport climbing is pretty simple. Use YouTube, trust the AAC videos, and take it slow. Practice skills on the ground extensively before you try them on a route.

It will be a lot easier to find "mentors" if you have the fundamentals dialed in a bit.

FWIW, I have not been overly impressed with the AAC videos and have expressed my thoughts to them (I am a member). 

For the OP, hiring a guide is not such a bad idea if you and a few others to go into together. The Wasatch Mtn. Club does outings that are worth looking at.

Allen Sanderson wrote:

FWIW, I have not been overly impressed with the AAC videos and have expressed my thoughts to them (I am a member). 

@Allen I'd like to hear your feedback on ClimbingTechTips.com... I am the founder.

Mentoring was how I learned years ago. We didn’t call it that, back then. We just called it “climbing with friends” and figured that passing on traditions and knowledge was part of the deal. It was the traditional way to learn before all the crass commercialism took hold.
 I will take you out. You will need to put up with a grumpy old man, with decaying skills. Send me your contact info.
Peter Lenz
Cottonwood Heights, UT

Get a hold of Carl Dec, owner of Red River Adventures. he's based out of Salt Lake and his company also guides out of Moab (but he isn't always there). Have all your friends pitch in to hire him for a day out in big cottonwood canyon. He can show you a few fundamentals to get started and can also give you some helpful rigging advice for top rope anchors. It's nice to have a local community to teach you. But if that's not available then I'd always recommend hiring a guide over watching some YouTube videos. 

I also can't say enough good things about Moab Desert Adventures. I know all of their guides personally and you definitely can't miss with any of them, they are top notch.

Five frigging eleven Bee!!!!

I was swinging leads on walls for a couple years before I ever actually was doing 5.11b!!!   (in RR's and EBs).    Yeah, the gyms dont try and keep you indoors and signed up for memberships... sure they dont.

• Guy, you been hornswaggled by other guys that are just going to keep taking your money and eating your lunch.  Most of the guys I knew learned to lead by the time they were doing 5.6 and could tell me so.   I do understand that gym tech sucks outdoors, but that is deliberate.   The gym owners would go broke if they actually made going outside look as simple as it is.   All you got to do is learn to run with Fear.   Which of COURSE the indoor gyms train you NOT for.

Go meet outdoor people, then you will be an outdoor climber... feel like a room with no roof!

Gym owners are worthless to you, they WANT that money.   Climbers only want beer and weed and you can afford a lot of that for $80.   Hell, I'll "certify" your ass off a 12 pack and a doobie.  In about 10 minutes.   Then I'll lead the first couple pitches so you can see how its done, no toptope cert needed, either...

   I am a  GD growed ass man.   Gyms are for kids.

Thanks for everyone’s  advice and many offers to go climbing. It means a lot to us. Huge shout out to Peter Lenz who took us climbing and educated us about lead climbing. The skills we learned will definetly be used throughout all of our climbing adventures.

Gym owners are worthless to you, they WANT that money.   Climbers only want beer and weed and you can afford a lot of that for $80.   Hell, I'll "certify" your ass off a 12 pack and a doobie.  In about 10 minutes.   Then I'll lead the first couple pitches so you can see how its done, no toptope cert needed, either...

Looks like you found your mentor...

Eli and Keith were already competent and smart climbers. It was my pleasure and privilege to climb with them.