Long time since I’ve touched this front….blahhhgoging.  PPAS shut down for a bit after a crazy busy summer guiding.  Personally I guided nearly non-stop for what worked into a great summer of courses, trips and climbs, thank you all as usual.  I will reopen after December 1.

What came of this craziness this summer was a huge learning curve as a guide and leader, more specifically how I handled what I called the simple corrections of skills often times overlooked by beginners.    Guiding non-stop gave me this edge and drive I crave in giving my guest and with that I was overly tuned into many things.   One was how much social norms have changed; duh right…more specifically with new climbers and how, where and why they choose to learn what they learned and accepted as tolerable to begin leading climbs.   And as a side note wrote this more to shed light on what I feel doesn’t get talked about, and most of you that have climbed with myself or with one of my guides already knows and have heard this bit but I’ve tried to articulate it a tad more in this entry.

I’ve noticed many things over the years as a guide, techniques both mine and others, teaching styles, attitudes, and so on to name a few.  For me the ability to adapt, correct, learn and stay consistently on top of whatever I’m doing has always been a very important tool I have needed as a guide.  One thing that has never changed is my safety, and why I see this as a vastly important skill needed to be a good guide I’ve witnessed a dilution in many new climbers at the local crags, not all but many in what they call safe or appropriate skills.  While it seems obvious to most that this would be a no brainier, your going to leave the ground, expose oneself and others in the pursuit of moving into vertical ground and many believing they’re doing the right thing.  The classic new backpack from the gear store loaded with shiny new carabiners, new shoes and a rope that hasn’t hit the dirt is one example.  Not to mention the piss poor techniques learned from inside a gym, ah ha…  As exciting as it is to experience these first experiences and challenges it is equally important to know when to ask for help.  While I believe gyms are a useful and fantastic opportunity to spend the winter training indoors with mates and good times, it is not a place I would suggest learning how to climb, climb and stay in shape sure, but learn to climb…really?  Wow, that is a big statement I know many would call me out on it, and I hope you do.  My argument is simple…Would you learn how to go fishing inside Cabelas in Denver (oh yeah huge store) and then go deep sea fishing, probably not?  I say this mainly because on more than one occasion I have witnessed either accidents, or near fatal accidents with so called hard climbers transferring skills from the indoor arena into the outdoor world.  If it were truly just that simple….I mean clipping bolts is clipping bolts, but what about setting anchors at the top, gear selection, or the skills of the belayer at the bottom for starters, how about communication?

I’m older now, and when I learned the art of belaying as a guide under the likes of Mike Donahue, Steve Young and Mike Caldwell (father or Tommy) and many more legends of the time in Estes Park.  What was so important was the prudence and mindful manner in which we belayed, yes he (they) would correct us in a stern tones if we made errors.  While his tactics at times were a drag, (I saw Mike once fire someone on the spot because they soloed in front of guest).  For me personally it evolved into so much more as a guide and skills I believe that shouldn’t be diluted in the name of hurriedly going outdoors, I’m simply saying be pragmatic.

How hard is it really to learn things the correct way?  Or from someone that knows how to properly do it, or how do we know when or where to find that person?  In an age where guides, instructors and so called leaders are popping out everywhere (and cheaply, cost of guides per day are decreasing in order to remain competitive).  Ask if he or she is certified as  “Rock guide” and if not why, and if they believe he/she have the skills already, great at least 5 years minimum in my opinion climbing outdoors at all levels is necessary.

I caution guest to remain prudent and take the proper paths to learning solid skills early in your climbing career, not take short cuts or waiver in the believe that because you have a “certified belay card” from some gym does NOT make you an expert…oh and yeah I heard that one many times this summer.   Instead tune into the real and present realities of improper belaying and or lowering and rappelling skills because even at the most basic levels these are highly technical and can have very negative outcomes if done wrong.   I know, I’ve rescued  given first aid and helped more than once in situations where the so called expert was in fact nothing more than an accident waiting to happen.

So in short, get outside, just do it slowly at first and grow into that good judgment.

Jamie