Partners
Hey Steph!!
So I’m sure that you get a million emails a day and have very little time for things like this. Anyways…Long story short, today was my first day attempting to lead certify at my local climbing gym in Utah and needless to say it did not go very well. I’ve been a member there for going on four years and have always been terrified to even try. And now I know why. I guess the reason I’m writing is because i was wondering if you had any suggestions on practicing lead belaying solo style?? i don’t really have a consistent partner and its extremely hard to practice. i usually spend my time bouldering or top roping with the random person at the gym. Again i know that this email is probably one in a hundred thousand you get, but I guess i just needed to get some sort of “encouragement” because I’m having a hard time staying motivated. I love climbing, its the only thing i’ve been good at but my first partner was someone very special to me and now we no longer have any contact. Since then, its kind of been down hill. I’ve followed your blog for a while and i wish that i could find the same peace and freedom you seem to have in your life. anyway, thanks for being awesome!
Brittany
Hi Brittany,
Sorry to hear you’re having trouble with partners: I wish all the people who write to me and have the same problem could all go climbing together!! I don’t think they will let you use solo methods in the gym. When I first wanted to learn how to rope solo, I went out aid climbing in Boulder Canyon. If you are aid climbing, you are always standing on gear so you have plenty of time to deal with the self belay system. At that time, I was using a clove hitch, which was really not very convenient. Now if I need to belay myself on lead, I use a grigri: I anchor the rope at the base (very well) and set it up through my harness with the grigri. Again, this is more practical when you are aid climbing, because you always have to mess with the slack of the grigri. I would say also: hang in there with the gym visits. Eventually you are going to connect with someone who may become a regular partner for you. It is really hard to climb with people you don’t know well, as the dynamic and relationship can really have an effect on your confidence climbing. If I don’t know someone well, I just toprope so I don’t have to worry about the belay. But if you keep going to the gym, I’m sure you are going to find someone else who is also looking for a more regular person to climb with.
🙂 Steph
Brittany, I know you didn’t address this to me but maybe I can be of some help:
I’m not sure if I am interpreting your email correctly but it sounds like you are trying to get used to both lead climbing and belaying?  My partner moved away when I was just getting into lead climbing so much of my early lead climbing/belaying was with random friends I had made 20 minutes prior who assured me they could lead climb and belay 🙂
Some of the safer things I have done are pairing up with two other people: one climbs, one top-rope belays, and you are belaying the climber on lead. It’s basically like a two person lead climbing partnership with a third person protecting the climber on top rope. Also, I would get on the auto-belay in the gym and tie a rope to my harness and act as if I am lead climbing so I could get used to clipping while climbing.Â
-I hope this helps you. Â I went several months without a regular partner and still haven’t quite found a partner like mine who moved away. Instead I have three or four people who I somewhat partner with. I was frustrated for a long time with wanting to lead climb and not having a consistent partner.
Additionally, there is actually a lot that goes into a good/safe lead belay. Â I watched people at the gym a lot and, although I didn’t take it, my gym offers a lead climbing class that ends in your lead climb/belay certification.
Happy (and safe) climbing 🙂Â
This is great advice Erin, thank you!
No, thank you for all of your advice! I wish I could express how much you have made an impact on me- I just hope I can give back a little based on my experiences. 🙂
🙂 🙂
Hi Steph,
I do encounter such an issue as my wife stopped climbing with me for a moment (personal project) and has to get in shape again until we are able to climb outdoor together again. I practice indoor so my “technical level” increase but my “practical level outdoor”,  particulary leading must be decreasing dramatically. So, I imagined practising lead solo on lower levels outdoor to keep practising leading. I have seen that a grigri can be used soloing (especially if you don’t let drag the free part of the rope but carry it in a small bag). But I have seen also that it has a big drawback: if you fall head first, it does not do the job. So, I didn’t try for the moment. Have you heard of his?
Thank you again for sharing your experienc with us (and excuse my english, I am french actually).
I have not used a grigri much for lead soloing: it is tricky to feed the slack with one hand while trying to hang on with the other. I don’t know about falling headfirst on it: I would recommend trying not to do that! 😉