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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Gibbon seeking escape - warning - idotic questions 7-Sep-2007 At 10:05:04 AM WM

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On 6/09/2007 zumojugo wrote:
>Some advice was helpful like join a club -- which realistically I can't do right now

I'm interested to know why not?

I can't see how it's a financial obstacle: the VCC's annual fees are $62 ($45 students). This entitles you to a couple of bucks discount at every climbing gym., so if you go to the gym once a week you'll save ~$100 bucks on gym fees every year - already you are ahead! Plus if you want to start climbing outdoors you will probably buy some climbing guides...and buying through the VCC usually saves you $10-$15 on each guide. You will probably start buying some gear too - and several gear shops give VCC members a discount. You can also get discounts on shoe resoles once you start wearing through some rubber. Its pretty clear you will be worse off financially if you DON'T join.

And then you get all the other club benefits for nothing - club trips, finding climbing mates/mentors, sharing petrol to the crag etc etc

Being in the club also means that you're "part of the solution" by financially supporting (at no net expense to yourself!) an organisation that stands up for climbers. Eg take a look at the massive amounts of work the VCC (and SRC) Access Officers put in fighting for our rights to climb at some pretty important crags, and engaging with land managers to keep our reputation clean (ish) - the upcoming spurt/taipan trackworks being just one example. The alternative is to be "part of the problem" by contributing to the wear and tear on tracks and crags etc and just generally being a consumer.

To answer your main question, I'd agree with other's suggestions to at least get yourself a mentor - find someone who knows their stuff and is willing to show you the ropes. I had a good mentor but even so memories of my early climbing days are the stuff of nightmares and cold sweats. Rumsfeld must have been a climber because he had it dead right when he said there are unknown unknowns.