Things You'll Need:
- Climbing Buddy
- Helmet
- Good Gear
- Nice Weather
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Step 1
Wear a helmet. They are ugly, tacky, and sweaty, but they will save you from some mighty big headaches. The face of a cliff in the middle of nowhere is not the ideal place to sustain a head injury.
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Step 2
If you're going within six feet of the edge of a cliff, clip into something. For example, make a sling with webbing and a water knot and wrap it around a sturdy looking tree, then clip yourself in by connecting your harness (which you are wearing) to the sling with a locking carabiner. Do this at all times, including when you're setting up a top rope climb. It'd be a real shame to fall to your death before you even get to climb.
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Step 3
Take someone with you. Solo climbing is another word for suicide.
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Step 4
Double-back on all three points.Always double-back and double-check. When putting your harness on, cinch it as tight as you can, comfortably, and double back at all three points (one at the waist and two at the legs). Most harnesses come with a danger warning on the buckles that you should not see if you've looped the webbing of your harness back through the buckles. Now double-check. Have someone check your harness (and vice versa), as well as all knots and rigging you've set up. If you're taking a gumby, teach them what you're doing as you do it, then have them check.
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Step 5
Don't climb in the rain or the dark. The rain makes the rock dangerously slick, and there's the added risk of lightning when you're so high up. The dark can also be dangerous because things just look different and you can miss a lot, taking unnecessary risks.
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Step 6
Stay hydrated while climbing.Take plenty of water. It's easy to get dehydrated on a cliff at midday with the sun beating down on you. Dehydration equals delirium, and delirium equals dangerous climbing.
