Bouldering
Bouldering is climbing in its purest and simplest form. Free of any gear other than shoes (and perhaps some chalk and tape for the hands), it is simply body and mind working with the rock.
Some of the most difficult sequences of climbing moves are encountered (or even made up) on bouldering "problems." Climbers may be working a 10-foot-long traverse that's only two or three feet off the ground, but the moves can be as demanding as those on any competitive sport climb 50 feet up.
Bouldering is both simple in form and readily accessible. It can be done outdoors or inside. You can often find rock faces or boulders in local parks or along roadsides. Sport climbing crags usually offer great opportunities for bouldering in addition to roped climbs. And just about every rock gym has a bouldering practice area.
Big Fun on a Small Scale
Bouldering's attraction is often the camaraderie and friendly competition that results when several climbers are attempting many tries at the same problem. Holds that are "too easy" can be made off limits for the sake of a particular problem. A game of sorts can result among people working the same area, and having others to watch can prove educational. Bouldering can also be a fun, creative process, in which possibilities for challenging problems are endless. And there's the added benefit of reaching a "summit" again and again in a single day.
Spotting
Since bouldering involves no ropes, it's inevitable that you will come off and hit the ground. Probably repeatedly. Other than being great company, you and your bouldering friends can act as spotters to break each others' fall's.
The point of spotting is not to catch the climber, but to break the fall and protect the head and shoulders from hitting the ground. Good spotters stay ready with knees and elbows slightly bent, fingers pointed up and palms out. They should be watching the climber's body rather than the moves.
Spotting is especially important for any overhanging moves where the climber is upside down or in an awkward position. For such situations, spotters may even place their hands lightly on the climber's back or rear end to be ready for a serious "peel off."
Many climbers like to go solo to enjoy the contemplative nature of bouldering. If you are one of these, you'll need to make sure to clear away any debris that might be in your landing area. And for any "summits" you might make, be sure you can get back down without causing yourself serious injury! A crash pad (sometimes referred to as a "sketch pad") is an especially good idea for solo bouldering.
Things to Practice
Bouldering is an excellent way to practice technique and get creative with problem solving. Plus, it helps build power, endurance, flexibility and confidence. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Practice the kinds of climbing or moves that you want to attempt on longer climbs. For example, find cracks to practice your crack technique or overhangs or faces for short power moves.
- Traversing a wall close to the ground is a great way to build endurance. Try going in one direction without coming off the wall, then retrace your steps, doing each move in the opposite direction.
- Down climbing, too, is a valuable practice for building strength and technique. Lower yourself down off overhangs or mantel moves that you just came up. Retrace your holds as much as possible. On very difficult problems you may find that going down is not even an option, but it's a good challenge to try!
- Be sure to rest your arms between problems to avoid tweaking tendons and muscles.
- As you get more serious about bouldering, you may want to bring a toothbrush for cleaning moss, dirt or other debris from potential holds.
Top-Roping
Like bouldering, top-roped climbing can be done outdoors or indoors. As long as you can find a suitable place for a solid anchor, you can top-rope at roadside cliffs, climbing crags or on artificial walls at the gym.
Top-roping allows beginners to learn without distractions. Without the task of clipping bolts or placing protection, they are free to concentrate on movement and on hand and foot placement. Top-roped climbing is also a great way for advanced climbers to push their climbing limits or practice a set of moves for a particular climb in advance.
Top Rope Anchors
Before you go top-roping, you or a climbing partner will need to know how to set up secure anchors. Take a class through your local gym, climbing club or school and be sure you know what you're doing. Top-roped climbs are only as secure as the anchor and the belayer controlling the rope!
When looking for outdoor top-roped climbs, it's best to find a cliff with walk-off access and good anchoring possibilities.
Before you resort to using pieces of pro, choose solid, natural anchors: a large, live, firmly rooted tree or large, immovable boulder.
Some rock climbing areas have fixed top-rope anchor bolts with hangers or chains where you can suspend your runners and rope. Some areas have other configurations of iron drilled into the rock for use as top-rope anchors.
Belaying
Falls are shorter and less severe when top-roping than they are with lead climbing—as long as you have an attentive belayer.
The belayer is positioned at the bottom of a top-roped climb. Once the climber reaches the top, the belayer can lower him or her back down (as in gym climbing). Or the climber goes over the edge, moves away from it, unties from the rope and walks off via a trail or scramble route.
In gym climbing, the belayer frequently uses a Petzl Grigri mechanical belay device that is designed to let the rope slide smoothly for lowering the climber. Crag climbers sometimes use this same device or any of the non mechanical devices such as the Black Diamond ATC. Whatever type of device is used, the belayer's job is to pay constant attention to the climber and resist being distracted by other activity at the base of the rock.
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