Want to climb something made of fire and ice? Mount Rainier in Washington state is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and yet it is also covered in a considerable amount of glacial ice. As one of the tallest and iciest climbs in the lower 48 states, this one isn’t for beginners.

I was sitting in a bunk in a small shack up at 10,000 ft on Mount Rainier. My climbing guide was telling a story about how his climbing partner had written a book about the two of them climbing Everest together and finding the body of a climber friend of theirs. To my left was an FBI agent who looked and acted exactly like the main character from Alias. Next to her was a Boston marathoner who also happened to speak five languages. To my right was another guide who had climbed the Seven Summits (most of them multiple times) and had just returned from climbing Vinson Massif in Antarctica. I was completely out of my element.

I always have at least one life list item planned out (event ticket, hostel and travel) before completing my next list item. This way, I keep myself in a productivity loop. For Mount Rainier, this required planning six months in advance. Even still, I ended up getting the very last spot available for the climbing season from any of the three major climbing companies on the mountain. I emailed the required forms (“you may die and it is not our fault”) and moved it to the back of my mind. “I’ll let future Danny worry about it, that guy is a sucker”.

It was for all intents and purposes the first day of summer weather in Seattle (It was also mid-August). I drove out of the city and could see the mountain from 60 miles away. It loomed in the distance smirking at me, “I am lot bigger than you remember, aren’t I?” I arrived at Base Camp two hours later and listened to the owner of the climbing company explain again that we might die.

We woke up early the next morning and started our ascent up to Camp Muir, the launching base for the summit attempt. “If you feel tired after this climb, that is normal.” It was only about 4 miles but was both entirely snow and ice, and had an elevation gain of 4,500 ft. For those unfamiliar with mountaineering, this isn’t super difficult but it is a slow process. We put on our gear (a bit over 50 pounds) and started the climb. It took us about 4.5 hours. We arrived at the top with slightly less air and cooked up our dehydrated noodles. The next day would be spent doing more training so we could get used to the 10,000 elevation. We went to sleep at 6:00 PM in small tents and half slept as we listened to sounds of the mountain around us.

At midnight we all got up and prepped ourselves for the day of climbing. Our guides had checked the weather forecast and asked us to prepare for a storm. We got out of the bunkhouse/shack and saw the storm brewing below us.

The climb was broken down into approximately hour long stints of climbing separated by 15 minute breaks. After the first break the sun started to show itself a little bit and the wind started to pick up. The mountain was starting to wake up and wasn’t happy to see a group of too-cool-for-school chumps trying to reach it’s summit. The temperature was about the 10 degrees F but the wind chill felt like negative 50. It was for this reason that the breaks were limited to 15 minutes.

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Northern California

Rock climbers in Northern California will be hard pressed to find a better climbing area than Lassen National Park near Redding. This park features a 10,000-foot volcanic dome, hot springs and a variety of crags that are excellent for climbing. The largest crag in the park is known as Bellybutton, and it has cracks for good footing up to 165 feet. Eagle Peak is a great cold weather climbing area because it is often sun drenched, which makes climbing in cooler weather quite comfortable.

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Joshua Tree National Park is a wonderland of rocks and high desert scenery. This is one of the most famous rock climbing areas in the United States with over 4500 climbing routes to choose from.  Our time will be focused on learning and practicing the sport of rock climbing while enjoying the pleasures of desert camping.  This Joshua Tree Rock Climbing trip is specifically geared towards the first time outdoor climber.  We will start off with the basics and by the end of the weekend you will be amazed at what you have learned and accomplished.

Joshua Tree National Park is a classic winter retreat for climbers of all levels. The colors, the plant-life, the animals and the rock in the high Mohave Desert culminate to create an absolutely breathtaking experience. The timeless desert beauty of Joshua Tree is unparalleled. This 4000 foot-high desert plateau is a rock climber’s playground. The combination of the Southern Californian weather, pleasant camping and the countless boulders, cliff-faces and rock outcroppings come together to create one of the most sought-after climbing destinations in America.

Climbers are deeply engaged by the somewhat unique rock that the area offers. The crystalline quartz monzonite that makes up most of the features in the area provides some of the highest quality of rock for climbing, with sharp edges, abundant cracks, and a very high friction factor. Whether your interest is low-to-the-ground bouldering or multi-pitch lead climbing, the abundance of rock throughout the park is overwhelming, and not surprisingly, many lines remain unclimbed.

Yet for all the attraction of its rock, the big draw of Joshua Tree is the pleasant climate. From October through May, Joshua Tree is a rock climber’s paradise, with convenient and pleasant car camping located right next to many of the climbing areas. Located less than a three hour drive from Los Angeles and less than an hour from Palm Springs, a few days of instruction and climbing in Joshua Tree is a great mid-winter break from the snow and frigid winds found in most of the rest of the country.

Joshua Tree National Park at a Glance

• Courses and guided ascents available from October through May
• Easy access from many major metropolitan areas throughout the Southwest
• Sign-up for a course or for private instruction/guiding
• Absolutely beautiful camping available
• Easy access from hotels and motels in Twentynine Palms and the town of Joshua Tree
• Courses and private instruction available at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels

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Overview

Climbers are not known for eagerly conforming to rules or standards. Quite the opposite, in fact. One result of this approach to life is a wide variance in, and rabid defense of, personal climbing styles. Some mountaineers prefer a light-and-fast approach, carrying as little as possible, while others bring the kitchen sink along. Just in case. But no matter what your climbing style, there are some mountaineering tools you just can’t do without.

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If you’ve never climbed before or have only climbed outdoors, the equipment used for tackling real rock can seem mysterious, exciting and expensive. You don’t need to melt your credit card just yet, though.

It’s always best to start climbing outdoors in the company of an experienced climber. You could join a club, book a course, hire an instructor/guide or go with a suitable friend.

This means your first climb will likely be on a top rope or seconding an experienced leader and you’ll need the same basic equipment as you would to climb indoors: a climbing harness, a belay device and suitable climbing shoes.

In addition, you’ll need the following:

• A well-fitting climbing helmet. Some climbers make a personal choice not to wear a helmet, but when starting out it’s better to play it safe until you become better at judging risk.

• Outdoors clothing and walking shoes or boots. Getting to an outdoors crag can involve muddy paths and rocky terrain, and once you’re there it can be windy or even wet, so take shoes and clothing to keep you warm and dry.

If going on a course, some of the above items may be provided for you. Other things which may be useful include:

• A nut tool. Useful for removing protective gear placed by your lead climber

• A guidebook. Real crags don’t have coloured holds to show you the route, so a good guidebook helps keep you on track.

• Water, food and a thermos of tea. Time passes very quickly outside and elevenses will be upon you before you know it!

There will be many more things you will need as you progress in your climbing career. Once you take up lead climbing, you’ll want your own rope and a rack of protective gear.

If climbing on bolted routes (known as sport climbing) this will mean lots of quickdraws, one or two slings and a few screwgate carabiners.

For traditional climbing (where there is no fixed protection and the leader places protective gear as they go) you’ll need to add some nuts and hexes, more slings, and possibly some camming devices as well.

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Rock climbing is an activity in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a previously defined route without falling. Rock climbing competitions have objectives of completing the route in the quickest possible time or the farthest along an increasingly difficult route.

• A wide range of equipment is used during rock climbing.
• The article on protecting a climb describes equipment commonly used to protect a climber against the consequences of a fall.

Ropes used for climbing can be divided into two classes: dynamic ropes and low elongation ropes. Dynamic ropes are designed to absorb the energy of a falling climber and are usually used as belaying ropes. Low elongation ropes stretch much less and are usually used in anchoring systems. Some tips for safe climbing:

• Always check harnesses – After you’ve geared up, always check that the climber’s harness buckles are doubled back.
• Always check knots – before you start climbing, always double check that leader’s tie- in knot is tied right and finished with a back up knot.
• Always wear a helmet – Always wear one when climbing or belaying. Helmets protect your head from falling rocks and from the impact of falling.
• Always check the rope and the belay device – Before you lead a route, always double check that the rope is properly threaded through the belay device.
• Always use a long rope – Make sure your climbing rope is long enough to reach the anchors.
• Always pay attention – Never take the leader off belay unless you are absolutely certain he is tied in and safe and he communicates that to you.
• Always bring enough gear – Before you climb a route, always eyeball it from the ground and determine what you need to bring. Don’t rely strictly on a guidebook to tell you what to bring.
• Always climb with the rope over your leg – always make sure the rope is over your leg rather than between them or behind one.
• Always properly clip the rope – Make sure you always clip your rope through carabineers on quick draws correctly.
• Always use safe anchors – At the top of a pitch or route, always use at least two anchors. Three is better.

Safety is and should be one of the important concerns in Rock Climbing. It is usually done in areas where medical assistance is not readily available. The sport presents a physical and mental challenge with minimal danger. Because of the potential for serious injury, much specialized safety equipment has been devised, making it a very safe sport in most cases. Finding a place to climb is easily done with one of the many available guidebooks. Some safety equipment techniques:

• Top-roping, a rope from the top of the climb always holds the climber, making most slips harmless.
• Lead climbing; the climber attaches the rope to the rock at points along the climb. This is not as safe, it allows more routes to be climbed.

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I recommend that anyone interested in learning how to rock climb sign-up for a beginner class at a local climbing gym or outdoor gear shop or guide school. There are some techniques and skills that are needed in order to rock climb safely.

Shoes

For the entry level climber, comfort and function are primary. Shoes can be a bit spendy and the rubber starts to wear out. In the days when I was a poor college youth I often found myself climbing in my Adidas Gazelles just to help make my real climbing shoes go the distance.

In general you want your shoes to fit snug; room around your toes leads to sliding inside the shoe and prevents you from being able to use your feet to the best of their ability. Let’s say in your street shoes you’re a size 6 – it’s best to get your climbing shoes in a 5. There are several companies that specialize in climbing shoes. La Sportiva has a great entry level shoe called the Nago, while FiveTen has an equally good shoe called the Spire.

Climbing Rope

Every route climber needs a rope. There is an array of lengths and diameters made by several companies. Some of the top rope manufacturers are Mammut, Blue Water, Sterling, and Monster. As with the rest of the gear, what type of climbing you’ll be doing largely determines what rope you need.

For the beginner, a good 70 meter, 10mm rope dynamic rope is ideal. Some come with middle marks and some are bi-color. I’m a big fan of the bi-color as it allows for easy recognition of where the middle of the rope is.
A great entry level rope is the Mammut Galaxy.

Belay device

Every route climber not only needs a rope and a partner; they also need a belay device. Belaying is one of the most essential climbing skills because you have your partner’s safety — and possibly even his or her life — in your hands.

In belaying, you control the rope’s movement to protect the climber at the other end. Your belay device applies friction to the rope, thus acting as a brake on the climbing rope. When used correctly, it stops the climber’s fall.

There are two styles of belay devices: manual and mechanical. I recommend the mechanical, auto-locking belay device called the GriGri for the beginner climber. This device feeds rope out smoothly and breaks automatically when the climber falls.

Another option for a belay device is the ATC. The benefit of this one is that it is lightweight and can also be used as a rappel device.

Hardware

There are an array of other hardware items that the to-be rock climber may need and want – it depends on what type of climbing is to be done.

Quick draws are carabiners with short pieces of webbing attached two together. One carabiner clips into the bolt, one clips into the rope. Many companies offer quick packs in groups of five or more for fairly reasonable prices, such as Mammut and Black Diamond Equipment.

Bouldering

If you want to keep it real simple and forget about all the gadgets, ropes and harnesses, then you could opt to start bouldering. In this form of climbing all you need are climbing shoes, chalk, and a crash pad.

A figure walking carrying one of these things on their back can look quite funny to the unknowing passerby, and often times people will ask if it’s a portable bed. But never mind the odd comments and jeers – a crash pad is most important for the boulderer because when a boulderer falls, it is always a ground fall.

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The health and wellness choices you make today will impact your future. Your body is meant to move, and if you don’t exercise your muscles will become weak. Your heart and lungs won’t function efficiently. Your joints will become stiff, making it easier for you to get injured.

Exercise helps you stay fit by decreasing your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. It helps improve stamina, muscle strength, enhances flexibility, helps control weight, and improves your overall quality of life.

Thanks again to the great guys from Southern California Edison, for giving us the honor to be part of another great event.

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