Rockerhopper's Climbing Page, Is climbing Dangerous?

Is Climbing Dangerous?

Well, is it?

Yeah. Of course it is. You're doing difficult maneuvers high off the ground protected only by a rope ten and half millimeters thick. A lot of people get killed or seriously injured climbing.

Maybe this isn't such a good idea?
Before you decide, think about this: climbing is adventurous, and you can't have adventure without danger. But that said, by far most of the deaths and injuries are people who do not know what they are doing, and are being stupid.

But if I'm must starting out, I won't know what I'm doing and I'll be stupid.
Yes and no. If you are first starting out, you won't know what to do, but that won't make you stupid. Think through the physics of what you are doing. For example, if you tie one end of a rope to yourself and the other end to your partner, and then you start up the face, what happens when one of you fall? Right, the other dies, too. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but it can hardly be called a smart thing. Find someone more experienced to help you out, and if what they are doing doesn't seem safe, ask them, and if they're answer doesn't make sense, climb with someone else. They may be right and you may be wrong, but when you're starting out, you don't have anyway of knowing.

So climbing with someone experienced will eliminate all dangers?
No. But again, you don't want to eliminate all dangers, just the most likely ones. When you are on top rope, the only truly dangerous part of the climb is the beginning, where the stretch of the rope will still let you deck, and you could hit with enough force to break an ankle or suffer similar injury.

Keep things in perspective. Climbing is dangerous, but not as dangerous as the drive to the crag.

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