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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Proficiency of beginners 24-Sep-2003 At 12:25:01 PM Megan

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It would be great if every beginner could have someone experienced to climb with before they started leading, and then to mentor them as they learnt how to lead - but unfortunately there isn't always a convenient experienced climber to be found (I guess I didn't know about VCC and things like that until well after I started climbing).

I started leading after joining the uni club (Latrobe), but all of the experienced climbers had disappeared that year, so a handful of us ended of doing a weekend learn-to-lead course at Araps, and went off on our own from there (having arguments over things we'd read in Rock, or in How-to-Climb books, or things we'd been told over what was the best way to do things). I've still only had the chance to climb with someone more experienced than me a handful of times, and really enjoyed it - especially for the extra confidence (hoorah, I have actually been doing the right thing), as well as the extra hints you pick up (that tend to come from climbing with anyone new).