How to Get Into Rock Climbing - 5 Essential Elements

A first-time climbing client wrote us for advice recently:

You were the guide for Leah, Mark, and I on Saturday June 19. We had a fantastic time – I’m afraid I may have caught a climbing bug! Wondering how I would get into this sport.

Doing a lot of research in our area but doesn’t seem to be much for climbing gyms, groups or routes in this area. Maybe the best course is to continue to hire out a guide, but it seems that can get pricy. Wondering if there are classes or advice you would be able to provide a rock climbing novice interested in learning?

Beginning rock climbers often wonder how to get started rock climbing… there are many topics and directions to consider! We wanted to share our answer, as we know many new climbers have similar questions.

It can be tough not to have access to a climbing gym. Climbing gyms are great places to develop fundamental climbing skills and get involved with the community. That said, they’re not really an imperative when it comes to getting into the sport. I’d say some important things to start with are:

1. Technical Education

Consider joining us for some anchors courses. Anchors I, II, and III build upon each other to teach climbers to set up top-rope routes independently. These courses will also help you decide what gear to buy. If you take an open course, you get the added bonus of meeting some other climbers also trying to break into setting things up on their own. If you have other friends/family interested, or just prefer a private course, we could certainly set that up.

Some people choose to spread out their anchors training over years, while others complete all three courses in a single weekend. I recommend prioritizing retention over speed, and the best way to retain the information is to practice often. You can get creative and practice in your home or yard, or come out to the crag. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll be. You might be interested to look over our Anchors Course FAQ.

2. Community

Ideally, as a newly independent climber, you’ll have some other folks with you to check your set up and continue to learn with. If you take an open course, you’ll meet some people there, or maybe you have friends or family willing to dive in with you.

You might also consider joining any of the climbing community Facebook groups - one popular online climbing group in Wisconsin is Wisco Climbers. I’d be surprised if there aren’t any other folks in your area looking for climbing partners.

Be mindful that just because someone climbs independently regularly, doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing. Make sure you’re checking each other’s work in every critical system (the anchor, belay/tie in, etc).

3. Equipment

We recommend just starting with a personal kit (helmet, harness, and rock climbing shoes). After you take some anchors courses, you’ll have a much better idea of what you want to purchase in terms of other equipment. Some recommended items for starting out are the Black Diamond Half Dome helmet, Black Diamond Momentum Harness, and La Sportiva Tarantulace or Finale shoes, but options abound.

4. Terrain Knowledge

Devil’s Lake is arguably Wisconsin’s best rock climbing area in terms of route quantity and quality, but there is also good climbing in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, at Necedah (aka Petenwell Bluff), and other areas as well. If you choose to spend a lot of time climbing at Devil’s Lake, I recommend Jay Knower’s Devil’s Lake guidebook (it also has some info about other area crags).

Mountain Project is an app that catalogues climbs and connects climbers and is also a great resource. You can also check out the desktop version. You’ll be able to see what climbing areas are near you, how to get to them, and other important info.

5. Culture

Understanding the culture, terminology, and history of climbing can be helpful to people starting out. It will give helpful context to things like difficulty ratings, ethics, and traditions that might otherwise not make sense. A movie called Valley Uprising and a podcast called Climbing Gold both provide some helpful context to how climbing became what it is today in a fun, digestible way. You might also check out this glossary of climbing terms.