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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

New to rockclimbing - where do i start? 19-Feb-2017 At 10:22:15 PM simey

Message

On 19/02/2017 patto wrote:
>Given your age I would recommend one of the university outdoors clubs.
> A vibrant atmosphere full of people of similar age and enthusiasm.
>
>Even if you aren't studying they are generally open to all. Melbourne
>Uni, RMIT, Monash all have vibrant clubs with many climbers.
>
>Like others have say paying for a guide is a fast way to progress. But
>it costs money and is less social than joining others in the community.

All pretty valid points. At the end of the day you need climbing partners and equipment, which clubs do offer. University clubs have gone from being notoriously sketchy (albeit fun and social), to nowadays where they offer much safer and more considered tuition (although the process can be long and drawn out).

My early days involved some sketchy self-tuition, joining the Victorian Climbing Club, wangling onto Melb Uni club trips (even though I was never a student there) and hanging out at Araps and hassling whatever dodgy characters I could find to climb with. They were some of the best climbing experiences of my life (particularly as I survived).