I’ve got my new waterproof Bluetooth speaker in my pack and I’m ready to send to my favorite jam. A new track just dropped by Avicii and it is amazeballs. Climbers around me are going to lovvvvve itttttt. Birds and waves and wind all that nature stuff is not as fresh as this sound. Other climbers will just let me know if they don’t like EDM.

What? Huh?
I can’t hear you.
Take? OK? No, no. no. Rock?

Music is great. Nature noises are better. Communication between climber and belayer is better still.

Photo credit: Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23155665

I’ve got my new waterproof Bluetooth speaker in my pack and I’m ready to send to my favorite jam. A new track just dropped by Avicii and it is amazeballs. Climbers around me are going to lovvvvve itttttt. Birds and waves and wind all that nature stuff is not as fresh as this sound. Other climbers will just let me know if they don’t like EDM.

What? Huh?
I can’t hear you.
Take? OK? No, no. no. Rock?

Music is great. Nature noises are better. Communication between climber and belayer is better still.

Photo credit: Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23155665

You know what makes a cliff great on an awesome day? Climbing with a big group of friends. More than four makes the pack complete. Yeah, nature’s quiet and solitude are cool, but we only get out here together once a year so we really don’t feel like climbing in pairs. It’s just easier to take over a whole bunch of routes in one area so that other climbers can’t intrude on The Wolfpack! I know, breaking large groups up into small groups is better for access, but since we all climb together at the gym, I can’t really imagine us climbing apart. Sorry, other climbers, you will just need to deal with the Wolfpack – “Wolfpack for Life”.

Climbing in large groups causes issues ranging from excessive noise to greater impact on unique terrain like ledges and steep scree. Climb with a partner, break larger groups up across the crag, and get a ninja badge.

Photo by Doug Smith – http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/photogallery%2Ehtm?eid=379961&root_aId=547#e_379961, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6888427

You know what makes a cliff great on an awesome day? Climbing with a big group of friends. More than four makes the pack complete. Yeah, nature’s quiet and solitude are cool, but we only get out here together once a year so we really don’t feel like climbing in pairs. It’s just easier to take over a whole bunch of routes in one area so that other climbers can’t intrude on The Wolfpack! I know, breaking large groups up into small groups is better for access, but since we all climb together at the gym, I can’t really imagine us climbing apart. Sorry, other climbers, you will just need to deal with the Wolfpack – “Wolfpack for Life”.

Climbing in large groups causes issues ranging from excessive noise to greater impact on unique terrain like ledges and steep scree. Climb with a partner, break larger groups up across the crag, and get a ninja badge.

Photo by Doug Smith – http://www.nps.gov/yell/photosmultimedia/photogallery%2Ehtm?eid=379961&root_aId=547#e_379961, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6888427

Only one of you has been here before? That person was so thoughtful to bring everyone along on this cool outing.

Oh, this is a few folks’ first time to the area? Well, Tony and Randy have rappelled before and I’m sure all of you can lead… Wait, do you all know how to ascend a fixed line? What about self rescue? Ok… I’m sure the most experienced climber will take time out from their proj to teach everyone how to safely ascend a fixed line when the weather changes, build anchors for everyone, and haul Suzie up the side of a cliff when she realizes she’s forgotten her epipen after climbing too close to that beehive. That guy knows how to do it all right? He went on a few road trips and climbs 5.12 so he must know what’s up. It is a really great idea to go the bottom of a big cliff with them. What could possibly go wrong?

If you don’t have the experience to go, get it before you go. Lion’s Head is not the place to learn. Can’t lead climb, set anchors, clean, rap, ascend a fixed line, self-rescue and communicate without talking (no really, for real, the wind can get super loud)? You need to learn this BEFORE you head to Lion’s Head.

Photo credit: Garry Knight @ Flickr, CC-BY-2.0.

Only one of you has been here before? That person was so thoughtful to bring everyone along on this cool outing.

Oh, this is a few folks’ first time to the area? Well, Tony and Randy have rappelled before and I’m sure all of you can lead… Wait, do you all know how to ascend a fixed line? What about self rescue? Ok… I’m sure the most experienced climber will take time out from their proj to teach everyone how to safely ascend a fixed line when the weather changes, build anchors for everyone, and haul Suzie up the side of a cliff when she realizes she’s forgotten her epipen after climbing too close to that beehive. That guy knows how to do it all right? He went on a few road trips and climbs 5.12 so he must know what’s up. It is a really great idea to go the bottom of a big cliff with them. What could possibly go wrong?

If you don’t have the experience to go, get it before you go. Lion’s Head is not the place to learn. Can’t lead climb, set anchors, clean, rap, ascend a fixed line, self-rescue and communicate without talking (no really, for real, the wind can get super loud)? You need to learn this BEFORE you head to Lion’s Head.

Photo credit: Garry Knight @ Flickr, CC-BY-2.0.