Lead Climbing

For awhile now I’ve been wanting to do my lead belay test so that I can lead climb in the gym (need to practice for those sport climbing days in Squamish!) The problem is that to do a lead test you need to have someone who is either also doing their lead test or already has their lead card with you. Finally this past week I was able to connect with a friend who was up for coming out and doing the test with me (thank you Reza!)

I was soooo nervous. I’ve done outdoor lead climbing and I was confident that I could do it but the thought of having watching my every move made me nervous. Luckily the girl observing the test was really great and super friendly. I top-roped the route first just to be familiar with it, then it was time. I climbed first, clipping in all the way up. The worst part was I had to take a fall part way up to test the belayers ability to catch. I knew which hold I had to fall off and as I got closer to it I climbed more and more slowly. I’ve taken lots of falls in the gym when climbing hard but to let go on purpose is way worse. I let go, the fall was caught and all was well. I finished out the route and lowered.

Then it was my turn to belay. I spotted the climber up to the first clip and then it was on belay and a matter of letting out the rope or taking it in. The climber took her fall and I caught it…then took a couple more that weren’t planned! I got some good catch practice.

In the end I got my card and now I can lead in the gym! Great for practice and opens up some new climbs when I’m in the gym which is great. I still can’t wait to get back outdoors for some more climbing but at least my indoor climbing has a new dimension now.