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Trying to find a trad lead climbing class

zensurfer

23-May-2013
12:55:08 PM

I am trying to find a trad lead climbing class, I have heard that the VCC one is good, however I tried emailing and calling and no response on when the next one is.

Does anyone have any recommendations for how to learn how to lead trad? I am in Melbourne and have all of my own gear.

Superstu

23-May-2013
1:00:53 PM

If the VCC course isn't running when you want it, hire a guide out of Natimuk. They are the best guides in the country to learn trad from.

zensurfer

23-May-2013
1:20:36 PM

Any particular companies or individual guides anyone can recommend?

shortman

23-May-2013
1:45:39 PM

On 23/05/2013 zensurfer wrote:

>Does anyone have any recommendations for how to learn how to lead trad?
>I am in Melbourne and have all of my own gear.
>
Slowly. Do heaps of easy stuff @ Araps or the Gramps until you start reaching for the right piece by at least the third one you grab. Then plug in about 10 pieces of gear and take a whipper and realise you won't die. Apparently after about 10 years you will be competent.

martym

23-May-2013
2:34:13 PM

Join a club (seems like you've tried the VCC already..)
I've heard good things about RMIT Outdoors Club

Other options
MUMC & LUMC
Monash University Outdoors Club
Uni clubs don't tend to keep out non-students...

bones

23-May-2013
2:37:03 PM

One option is the climbing company in Natimuk (Arapiles)
http://www.climbco.com.au/

pedro.c

23-May-2013
3:40:58 PM

While your looking for a coach/mentor/climbing partner you could try reading "Climbing Anchors" by John Long. There's plenty of advice on what you should be doing with that rack.

Superstu

23-May-2013
4:08:13 PM

The book "Rockclimbing - Getting Started" by Glen Tempest is relevant for Australian climbing.

+1 for the Climbing Company
+1 for http://www.louiseshepherd.com.au
If $$ is a problem, get some friends together and share the cost.

Uni clubs are good for herpes and stealing gear.

Miguel75

23-May-2013
4:11:42 PM

I believe the VCC is in the midst of locking down dates for the next learn to lead course. In the meantime you can always look to catch up with other climbers who climb trad and head out with them. Hang back and watch them climb, ask lots of questions and if you're comfortable with what they do then climb with them; if not then call it a day...

EDIT: Nothing wrong with hiring a guide either...

Miguel75

23-May-2013
4:23:24 PM

On 23/05/2013 Superstu wrote:
>Uni clubs are good for herpes and stealing gear.

Herpes eh??? Not sure I want to know how the transmission of Herpes is accomplished while climbing. Unless, of course, you're climbing nude:)

martym

23-May-2013
5:12:55 PM

or of course you could just move to Arapiles.

No guarantee you'll get herpes though.

Duang Daunk

23-May-2013
8:59:30 PM

On 23/05/2013 martym wrote:
>or of course you could just move to Arapiles.
>
>No guarantee you'll get herpes though.

Depends who you end up climbing with. I heard there is a bloke out there who wrote a guidebook on the subject.

Ashfall tuff

25-May-2013
2:56:10 PM

If you got someone like minded try placing gear on toprope, have 2 belayers - one on toprope one on lead until all are competant

Duang Daunk

25-May-2013
6:39:11 PM

On 25/05/2013 Ashfall tuff wrote:
>If you got someone like minded try placing gear on toprope, have 2 belayers
>- one on toprope one on lead until all are competant
>
Yeah? How does that work? How do they know their gear placements aren't shit? How do they know their toprope anchor isn't shit? How do they know their belaying isn't shit?
Sounds like shared ignorance to me.
Maybe read some books and internet sites for starters, or better still find a mentor, one who knows something about leading trad rather than retrobolting routes like recently done at Buffalo, Kaputar, and elsewhere, because competent trad leading is much more than clipping bolts added to established climbs.

On 23/05/2013 zensurfer wrote:
>I am trying to find a trad lead climbing class, I have heard that the VCC
>one is good, however I tried emailing and calling and no response on when
>the next one is.

Keep trying.
>
>Does anyone have any recommendations for how to learn how to lead trad?
>I am in Melbourne and have all of my own gear.
>
If the VCC and Uni's don't come good, then do as others said and get a Nati local guide. Maybe share the cost with another newbie. Advertise on this site for another newbie if you don't know one.
Failing all of the above, maybe Ashy tuff will take you out. If you survive it, then you can give feedback to others on this site.

ejayt

25-May-2013
7:10:25 PM

>If the VCC and Uni's don't come good, then do as others said and get a
>Nati local guide. Maybe share the cost with another newbie. Advertise on
>this site for another newbie if you don't know one.
>Failing all of the above, maybe Ashy tuff will take you out. If you survive
>it, then you can give feedback to others on this site.

I can be that other newbie :) I've sent you a PM zen. Have been looking at the VCC course. Not sure when I'll be doing it as I've just booked into the next lead course at hardrock in a couple of weeks so I can practice indoors for a while before getting into trad

Miguel75

25-May-2013
7:16:20 PM

While you wait both of you could also go out climbing with people and second them up trad climbs...

Next Saturday the VCC is running a trip to Werribee Gorge, flick me an email if you're interested in coming. There's sure to be some trad action going down.

phillipivan

25-May-2013
9:10:27 PM

And Mikey knows all the WG mega-classics to get you totally stoked about your new sport. Don't you Mikey?

Mega-Classics.

Mikey?

Miguel75

25-May-2013
10:13:01 PM

On 25/05/2013 phillipivan wrote:
>And Mikey knows all the WG mega-classics to get you totally stoked about
>your new sport. Don't you Mikey?
>
>Mega-Classics.
>
>Mikey?

Haha.... It's not climbing unless someone (apart from me) cries! Not just tears but whimpering too:)

bigchris

25-May-2013
11:00:28 PM

On 25/05/2013 Miguel75 wrote:
>On 25/05/2013 phillipivan wrote:
>>And Mikey knows all the WG mega-classics to get you totally stoked about
>>your new sport. Don't you Mikey?
>>
>>Mega-Classics.
>>
>>Mikey?
>
>Haha.... It's not climbing unless someone (apart from me) cries! Not just
>tears but whimpering too:)

I can vouch for that ;)

There are 19 messages in this topic.