Alta Climbing is the only sport where a beginner can stand alongside a rock-star and experience the same physical challenges. While elitism does exist, it’s not as prevalent as in other sports.

Climbers are welcomed into a tight-knit subculture that spans cultures and languages. Its enduring appeal is tied to its many physical and psychological benefits.

Climbing is a full-contact sport with the potential for serious injury. It is also an activity that requires a lot of equipment and can be dangerous without proper training. Fortunately, the vast majority of climbing injuries are minor cuts/scrapes and strained muscles. The more serious injuries include a pulled finger tendon, sprained ankle or rotator cuff and a broken leg.

While the majority of climbers are able to overcome these challenges, some people simply can’t. The fear of falling is a common psychological barrier to climbing that can prevent new climbers from participating, especially at higher elevations. The good news is that many of these fears can be addressed with the use of systematic desensitization techniques.

For the most part, climbing is a relatively safe sport as long as all participants follow the rules of safety. This includes wearing a helmet, not overexerting or taking unnecessary risks and always being aware of the environment and the climbers around you.

A helmet may not seem necessary for young adults who have been climbing since they were tiny, but it is a critical piece of safety equipment. Helmets help to protect the brain from a variety of accidents, including decking (falling onto the wall), slamming the head, flipping upside down or encountering loose rock. It may be tempting to take a fashion-based approach and forgo a helmet in the name of becoming a better climber, but this is not a wise choice.

Climbers should also always make sure to have adequate padding under them at all times to avoid injury. The pads and mats are a last line of defense in case of a fall, so it is crucial that they cover an area large enough to keep the climber safe.

Belay safety is a big concern as well. It is essential for belayers to clearly communicate with the climber and not distract them. This means not visiting with other climbers at the base, talking on a phone or disciplining kids or pets. Belayers should also always be prepared to lower or rappel the climber at all times, and never assume that the climber knows this in advance.

Equipment

Climbers use a variety of equipment to assist them on their route. This includes ropes, which connect a climber and belayer to the rock and help to stop a fall, as well as other protection devices like nuts and hexs. Other important pieces of gear are belay devices (to assist a belayer with a fall), slings and quickdraws, which can be used to extend placements or create anchors, and a climbing harness.

A climbing helmet is essential for any climber, as it will protect the head in case of a fall. Some models also have adjustable leg loops to provide comfort and support for the legs, particularly if climbing outdoors in cold temperatures.

If you are planning on going on multi-pitch routes, then it is best to have two separate ropes, so that one can be used to lead the other, or if the climber falls, they can use their second rope to self-rescue. Nylon slings are lightweight and versatile, they can be used to tie in, extend other gear, build or create an anchor, or as a belay loop. They are available in a wide range of lengths, from 2′ to 48″.

Locking carabiners, which attach to the belay device and can hold more weight, are essential for safety. They are more secure than oval-shaped biners, which can open if they are loaded with a lot of weight. On longer aid climbs, climbers traditionally used chrome-moly steel pitons and carabiners. Today’s climbers use bent-gate aluminum D-shaped and wire gate carabiners on their racks, which can be clipped into pitons with ease.

Depending on the type of climbing you are doing, you may need more or less equipment than described above. For example, if you are doing trad climbing and there aren’t metal bolts already in place to clip quickdraws into, then you will need to bring a set of cams (spring-loaded camming devices which fit into parallel-sided cracks) in a range of sizes, as these are the only suitable protection for these types of cracks. You will also need a set of hexs, which are alternative protection for irregular cracks.

Training

Climbing requires a combination of physical strength, technique and endurance. Accomplished climbers move their bodies and limbs with fluidity, creating and conserving momentum precisely, and using strategic hand grips and foot placements to navigate rock. The climbing community is close-knit and welcoming, with a subculture ready to welcome travellers from around the world. The sport elicits heady highs and constant challenges, building a roller-coaster of emotional and physical gratification for newcomers and regular users alike.

The path to mastery of the sport is long and arduous, with advancements in both physical strength and technique taking time to be fully realised. The physical strength of tendons takes longer to develop than muscles, and technique must be refined over hundreds or thousands of repetitions. A climber’s psychological strength must also be developed slowly to allow them to cope with the frequent failures that are inevitable on a steep wall.

Training methods vary depending on the style of climbing, with different moves being aimed at by climbers of differing abilities. For beginners, basic bodywork and fitness exercises like pull-ups, push-ups and squats will be the most beneficial. Developing the body’s coordination and movement will help with stability on the rocks, while a focus on core and arm strength will improve endurance.

Once a climber’s confidence and ability have developed, they can progress to the second phase of their overall strength program. This consists of bouldering with a smaller amount of support hangboard work. Those with limited access to bouldering facilities can substitute a session on the wall with an extended home hangboard workout.

When it comes to endurance, climbers should aim for an intensity that will burn their muscles but not be so exhausting that they cannot recover before the end of their session. Those who are going on a climbing trip should take rest days before and after the trip, tapering down their training intensity over a week rather than jumping straight back in to full-on hard training.

Achieving a ‘flow’ state of complete immersion and intense enjoyment is a goal that can only be achieved with a balanced approach to physical and mental strength. Spending some time exercising the antagonist muscle groups, such as the chest and triceps, will ensure that climbing is evenly utilised throughout the body and keep climbers healthy and less prone to injury.

Environment

The breathtaking natural environment that climbers frequent is one of the main draws of the sport, but it can also be a fragile ecosystem that requires respect. Climbers can help minimize their impact on the landscape by taking a number of steps, including choosing routes that avoid sensitive habitats and using climbing equipment colors that blend in with the environment. Additionally, reducing their vehicle emissions and camping in designated areas can further reduce their environmental footprint.

It is essential for climbers to know the Leave No Trace (LNT) etiquette for the area they are exploring. For example, urinating in the open is not only a bad habit that wastes water and can lead to the spread of disease, but it can also cause erosion and affect the nutrient balance of the soil. In addition, avoiding removing anything from the landscape—including vegetation, rocks, and trees—is crucial for the longevity of the ecosystem.

Keeping groups small when climbing outdoors is another important way to minimize environmental impact. Large groups can create a physical footprint, cause noise pollution, and hog sections of the cliff. Climbing in groups of two or three is a good way to ensure the safety of both climbers and belayers.

Another way to minimize environmental impact is to take a backpack when climbing in the backcountry. This will reduce the amount of gear being transported, and it will help prevent erosion and abrasions on the ground. Additionally, storing food properly to prevent wildlife attraction can help protect climbers as well as the local ecosystem.

Many local climber rep bodies and NGOs work to promote sustainable climbing, which involves maintaining the integrity of the environment as much as possible while allowing recreational activities to occur. This often includes collaborating with natural parks and conservation organisations to reach agreements that limit the impact of climbing while still allowing it to happen. In addition, many climbers volunteer their time to clean up litter and maintain popular crags.