Advice: Starting to draw Topos?

Hi all,
I’d like to improve my route reading/memory skills by drawing topos of the climbs that I do.
I think I’ll start with simple single-pitch things.
How do people approach this?
Some stupid questions follow:
Do you do it from below?
How much detail is necessary?
Can you point me to a page listing the “standard” symbols/conventions used for rock features?
Other thoughts?

Thanks!

The answer to all of your questions is, it depends.

It is art, look at a lot of it. Take your favorite pieces and make it your own.

Standard symbols are easily googled.

Short answer is it depends.  Below is probably the bookends of the spectrum to answer your various questions.

Check out the good ol' SuperTaco (actually SuperTopo) and their section of free topos.  The free topo usually includes the first section of the guidebook which may include a topo symbol guide, and then will give you the topo of the route which gives one example of level of detail.  This is very high level topos, more for finding the route on the cliff and then route finding once on the route.

For route reading/projecting though you'll want to include wayyyyy more detail though.  I've seen a few that include every last hand and foot hold with notes on which fingers to use and which direction to pull.  I can't find any examples easily but they essentially describe every last move on the entire route to help the climber wire and rehearse for a really hard red point.  No universal symbols here because it's usually just made by the climber as notes for themselves so its whatever works for them.

Mike Slavens wrote: Short answer is it depends.  Below is probably the bookends of the spectrum to answer your various questions.

Check out the good ol' SuperTaco (actually SuperTopo) and their section of free topos.  The free topo usually includes the first section of the guidebook which may include a topo symbol guide, and then will give you the topo of the route which gives one example of level of detail.  This is very high level topos, more for finding the route on the cliff and then route finding once on the route.

For route reading/projecting though you'll want to include wayyyyy more detail though.  I've seen a few that include every last hand and foot hold with notes on which fingers to use and which direction to pull.  I can't find any examples easily but they essentially describe every last move on the entire route to help the climber wire and rehearse for a really hard red point.  No universal symbols here because it's usually just made by the climber as notes for themselves so its whatever works for them.

Thanks,

Hey, Niccolo. You might take a look at what some people do here in Spain. The topos for some multi-pitch routes are almost works of art and bear the obvious style of the artist who made them (often the first ascensionist him/herself). I think they are pretty cool and I print them out, write notes on them after climbing the route, then put them in my climbing journal binder (which gets thick quickly that way). These topos don't always follow the rules found in the Yosemite Dictionary of Standard Topo Symbology, but I like them nonetheless. I'll see if I can attach a few links...

Try this: joanjover.cat/ressenyes/?ca…

Or this link: algunesviesbones.files.word…

Here is a link to Armand Ballart's website. He has been climbing around Catalunya for maybe 50 years or so and has a bit of fame for the very finely-honed artistry of his topos. If you scroll around, you'll see where he shows you the process of how he makes a topo drawing:  http://armand-ballart.blogspot.com/2011/08/el-mundo-de-los-croquis.html 

Topos in Spanish/Castellano: "croquis" or "reseñas"

Topos in Catalan: "ressenyes"

The word "topo" in Spanish/Castellano means "mole" (like the animal)... so don't get that confused when you start Googling around.

Good luck and maybe consider how to make your topos special using your personal artistic vision (of course, accuracy is important as well!).

Daniel Joder wrote: Hey, Niccolo. You might take a look at what some people do here in Spain. The topos for some multi-pitch routes are almost works of art and bear the obvious style of the artist who made them (often the first ascensionist him/herself). I think they are pretty cool and I print them out, write notes on them after climbing the route, then put them in my climbing journal binder (which gets thick quickly that way). These topos don't always follow the rules found in the Yosemite Dictionary of Standard Topo Symbology, but I like them nonetheless. I'll see if I can attach a few links...

Try this: joanjover.cat/ressenyes/?ca…

Or this link: algunesviesbones.files.word…

Here is a link to Armand Ballart's website. He has been climbing around Catalunya for maybe 50 years or so and has a bit of fame for the very finely-honed artistry of his topos. If you scroll around, you'll see where he shows you the process of how he makes a topo drawing:  http://armand-ballart.blogspot.com/2011/08/el-mundo-de-los-croquis.html 

Topos in Spanish/Castellano: "croquis" or "reseñas"

Topos in Catalan: "ressenyes"

The word "topo" in Spanish/Castellano means "mole" (like the animal)... so don't get that confused when you start Googling around.

Good luck and maybe consider how to make your topos special using your personal artistic vision (of course, accuracy is important as well!).

Thank you very much for your kind and detailed answer!

Check this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoVcRxza8nI wefbee it has a step by step guide in drawing a map. Hope this helps! 

fin shelby wrote: Check this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoVcRxza8nI wefbee it has a step by step guide in drawing a map. Hope this helps! 

Wrong type of topo.