5 Best Safety Tips For Rock Climbing

Rock climbing is inherently dangerous. Gravity rarely ever forgives mistakes. However, rock climbing is also a beautiful and exhilarating sport. Most rock climbers are physically fit and develop good balance and posture. In order to enjoy the beauty of the sport, it is important that rock climbers, especially beginners, familiarize themselves with the different safety rules associated with the sport. Knowing the correct gear to pack (as well as what to avoid) goes a long way in ensuring safety.

It is imperative to know that the more fit you are, the safer your climb will be. Wrists, hands, shoulders and elbows are the areas that are most vulnerable to injuries due to carelessness and over-exertion of the body. Work on balance and overall strength and not on building large muscle groups. Build your heart rate and work on finger strength.    

Always Wear a Climbing Helmet

A Rock climbing helmet is essential if you want to live long and prosper. Always wear one when climbing or belaying. Helmets protect your head from falling rocks climbing  and from the impact of falling. Remember that your head is soft and the rock is hard. Head injuries from falls and rockfall are serious life-changing events. A helmet keeps your head safe.

Build Muscle Fitness

Rock climbing is an intense physical sport that requires strong leg, stomach, and arm muscles. Most rock climbers spend a lot of time improving their fitness before attempting challenging climbs.

Breathe

Control your breathing. This is super essential. It will again help to keep you on the wall for longer as well as keep you relaxed and focused on the next move. When working through a tough sequence of moves, take deep breathes and try to stay relaxe

Always Check Knots

Before you start climbing, always double check to make sure that the lead climber’s tie-in knot (usually a Figure-8 Follow-Through) is tied correctly and finished with a backup knot. Also check that the rope is threaded through both the waist loop and the leg loops on the harness.

Crash Pad

The crash pad is a mat which sits below the climbing wall or structure and is designed to brake the climbers fall. When bouldering, a climber is not roped up and thus has to directly consider the direction of the body when falling.

Top Five Favorite Ice Climbing Spots in The World

The most famous ice climbing and mountaineering terrain in the world. Mt. Washington draws climbers from all over the world and serves as both a training ground and proving ground for winter ice climbing enthusiasts. Variety of terrain, easy access to challenging ice climbing areas, and beautiful landscapes are but a few reasons why many well known climbers now call the White Mountains their home.

The big ice formations, that occur around waterfalls, cliffs, and rock slabs are some of the most incredible sights to be seen in the wintertime. But, these ice formations are more than just pretty spectacles to appreciate from afar. To some, when winter hits, and water freezes over, a playground is made. Ice climbers find the best places in the world to climb those epic ice formations. It can be dangerous, and alpine ice is somewhat unpredictable. But, to reach the top of an ice fall is an incredibly rewarding experience.                               

Drakensberg

Among the best spots for ice climbing is the southern Drakensberg, which has several routes ranging in difficulty from a fairly simple but slippery walk to advanced climbs that will challenge even the most experienced ice climbers.Three of the most popular routes in the Drakensberg offer a range of conditions and technical demands. The Sani Pass is the most accessible of the routes and the one most suitable for beginners, with short easy climbs on trails that are semi-protected from the elements.

Chamonix, France

If you fancy something challenging and really different, test yourself vertically with a short course in ice-climbing on spectacular icefalls (frozen waterfalls) between December and March. For many courses you don’t need previous knowledge of rock ice climbing (although it helps!).Beginners’ courses are available in most places where ice conditions allow.Ice-climbing can be dangerous and does require expert instruction and a certain degree of fitness, as scaling a frozen waterfall is a tiring, if exhilarating, experience.

Ontario, Canada

Ice climbing is similar to rock ice climbing, except that you climb frozen waterfalls. These sheets of blue ice are up to 12 feet thick, with heights of between 60 and 400 feet. Ontario boasts hundreds of climbs, but many are so remote that they can only be reached on foot or by snowmobile. It is worth the effort, however, to experience this thrilling adventure travel.

Ouray, Colorado

There you are at the November PCS meeting and the up coming ice climbing season is being discussed.† Suddenly you notice anew member attending the meeting and at first glance it is he/she/it/non-gender. specific attractive person/barnyard animal/whatever of your dreams.† You decideto take the opportunity to impress /she/it/non-gender specific attractive person/barnyard animal/whatever (got to keep this politically correctÖ) with a discussion of ice climbing and a possible invitation to the first ice trip of the season in December.

Valdez, Alaska

Valdez has a long history of sought out ice climbing. Since the 1970s, world-class climbers have come to visit the multi-pitch blue ice in Keystone Canyon. Other climbs include the Mineral Creek, Solomon Gulch, Hole in the Wall, Sheep Creek, and more. Climbers are always setting new routes or exploring the famed classic climbs.