Surfing by yourself, mountain biking on your own, solo hiking, solitary ocean kayaking, and many more activities can be more exhilarating and dangerous – if not life-threatening – if done unaccompanied.
Rock climbing is no different.
“It’s quite dangerous, as you could imagine, especially if something goes wrong,” said Ed Viesturs, a member of the Global Rescue Mountain Advisory Council and the only American to have climbed all 14 of the world’s 8,000+ meter peaks. “A simple accident resulting in an injury could be devastating if you are alone.”
Adventure sports such as rock climbing is surging. According to the Climbing Business Journal, the commercial climbing industry has grown an average of nine percent each year since 2016. More people are rock climbing, and many of them are new to the sport.
If you’re considering a new climbing challenge, then seek professional instruction from certified guides or guide services which can be found through the nonprofit American Mountain Guides Association. Climbing with experienced climbers will also safely challenge your abilities and enhance learning.
Here are five essential tips for you from Mountain Advisory Council experts.
First, know and practice your skills. “Be sure your skill level is equal to — or better than — your objective,” said Jed Williamson, a well-known outdoor adventure safety expert, a longtime mountaineering author, and a member of the Global Rescue Mountain Advisory Council.
“Climb at a level or class that you are comfortable with,” Viesturs said. “Train for the climb and practice the route, belayed by a partner, prior to attempting any new climbing challenge.”
Next, understand the risks.
“A fall could result in death,” Viesturs said. Alex Honnold, the star climber of the award-winning film “Free Solo” fell 10 feet during a climb unrelated to the movie. He suffered compression fractures in two vertebrae. He was lucky.
About half of all rock climbing falls lead to traumatic injuries, usually to the head, neck and face. There are about 30 climbing deaths per year but not all are during a rock climb, according to Williamson. “Most accidents happen during the ascent, not the descent.”
Third, climb with someone. Rock climbing alone invites tremendous, unnecessary risk. Climbing with others reduces avoidable dangers, especially if something goes wrong. Be certain you are familiar with and trust your climbing companion.
“Make sure you have matching skill sets for climbing, belaying, anchoring and rope management. Ideally, you and your partner have climbed together often enough that you know each other’s limits — when to push and when to call it quits,” Viesturs said.
Fourth, be able to communicate in an emergency. It is the number one rule of travel, particularly if you’re going to a remote destination. Whether you’re a novice climber heading to Boulder Canyon, Colorado or a cragsman journeying to Kalymnos, Greece, it is essential to have reliable two-way communication ability.
“Consider some sort of communication device to check in periodically,” Viesturs said. “If you are out of cell range, a satellite device is a great way to stay in touch.”
Fifth, be prepared with the right gear and preparation including “adequate clothing and equipment for the climb and to survive in the event you encounter weather or unexpected challenges that result in not being able to return in the amount of time you had set for the project,” Williamson said.
The technical equipment for rock climbing – the ropes, carbineers, chocks, stoppers and cams – won’t make you a better climber the way a new pair of skis may make you a better skier. Rock climbing equipment is life support equipment. It’s there to enhance safety and prevent a deadly impact with the ground.
On a final note, Williamson recommends you file a ‘flight plan’ with someone – or more than one – who will know what to do if you are not back within a reasonable amount of time.”
He’s right. You will protect your experience, and your safety, by sharing your plans with someone you know well. Let them know where you’ll be and what you’ll be climbing, and when you plan to return.
Harding Bush, associate manager Global Rescue Security Operations, is a former Navy SEAL with extensive mountain and cold weather operations expertise. He has developed multiple training programs for ski mountaineering and cold weather survival. He is a graduate of several U.S. and NATO Mountaineering courses including the Slovenian Mountain Warfare School. Prior to entering the military Harding served on a mountain rescue team in Vermont.
By Harding Bush
