We have all found our ways into climbing and mountaineering. Some through clubs or organized groups, some through friends and some through formal training. However, I think what most of us would recognize is that this spectrum of sports offers a lifetime of experience, learning and development. That is a part of appeal.
As we progress through our years of climbing though there are likely to be occasions where you are asked, formally or informally, to take responsibility for others. This could range from taking children and relationship partners climbing through to simply being the most experienced person among a group of friends. The scenario could encompass being on some sketchy winter horror show, through to top-roping at the local gym. I will be forever grateful to the people who took me on Grade V ice climbs and extreme rock climbs in my first season, but with hindsight there was an extent to which everyone was young and wanted to get stuff done, which I am not sure was either safe or responsible. That said, I do have some lasting memories from that stage of my life.
It wasn’t until I went on an introductory alpine climbing course several years later with the late Martin Moran that I really got a basic feel for safety and decision making in the mountains. Again, I am forever grateful for the individual that pushed me towards doing this, with the subtle coaching of ‘you are going to die’. I think I learnt more in one week than I did in the prior three years.
Nearly 40 years later, I have climbed with literally hundreds of people. Some good, some bad and some downright ugly. The best partnerships have been the ones developed over time, but there have been others where things clicked early. Amid all of this I have introduced a lot of folks to climbing. I am not a guide and have no qualifications. But, below are some thoughts on what it means to lead a group
Is The Adventure Appropriate to the Group
This is the critical point in the risk assessment. Do you know enough about the person or group to understand their skills, capabilities and aspirations. The modern phenomenon of meeting climbing partners online is terrifying to me, especially in a sport that lends itself for embellishment. There are no safe words to make the pain stop in the mountains and it is all to easy to convince yourself that everyone will be ok, especially if it coincides with your dream day, or route. It is also critically important that the more experienced member of the party doesn’t under-estimate just how difficult it is to move on broken or exposed ground, for people not used to it. Stress will add time to your day, but more importantly it will add to the fatigue of your less experienced partners.
The Honest Conversation
There is considerable hazard around taking less-experienced climbers climbing. One person could be assuming they are getting free instruction, while the other is simply looking for a rope slave for their latest project, or to be opportunistic around conditions. The risks are clearly compounded on difficult and complex terrain, or bad weather. Therefore, the day should always start with the honest conversation. This could be as simple as ’I need someone to hold my rope, but otherwise you are on your own’. Hopefully this isn’t the conversation, but what is important is that everyone knows what they are buying into. As part of this process, it is also critical to understand and be honest about your own motivations for taking people out climbing. There is nothing wrong with either starting with or developing romantic intentions, as long as everyone is bought in before stepping onto that 7C or WI6 pitch as part of the process.
Group Management
Good and bad vibes have a compounding effect, especially in larger groups. To lead a party in the outdoors is to recognize your responsibility in owning the vibe. The last thing you want is for situations to go full Lord of the Flies half way up a mountain. It is obviously best to minimize a group size, but also be conscious of different personalities and that your party may have to work as a team if the day does not go to plan. They may even have to look after you, if you have an accident.
Personal Skills
Climbing is a sport where it is all too easy to build bad habits, especially if you have been doing it for a long time. However, watch your average mountain guide and you will mostly observe obsession about details and safety. People who go into high-risk environments everyday on a professional basis, typically do not want to get away with things. It is worth considering doing refresher courses or hiring a guide to look at how you do things. Small issues can become big issues very quickly in the mountains. It is also worth pointing your inexperienced friends to formal instruction and guiding. Honestly, if he or she runs off with the guide, they were never yours to start with.
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