Going rock climbing without a partner is never recommended. There are too many things that can happen when you’re by yourself and nobody would even know about it for days in some cases. But if you must have some rock climbing Southern California experiences by yourself, it’s important to be safe and take extra precautions. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Give Someone Your Itinerary
Your itinerary is basically your plan of where you are going to be, when you are going to be there and when you are going to come back. You should write this plan out and give it to someone close to you. It’s also important to stick to that plan. If something happens to you, the itinerary will give your friends and rescue personnel a good starting point for finding you.
Bring a Phone
Having a phone with you when you are enjoying your rock climbing Southern California experience alone is essential. You never know what’s going to happen when you’re out in the wilderness by yourself. You could get lost or injured and not know how to find your way back. With today’s cell phones, there is a GPS technology that can help pinpoint your location quickly so you can be found by rescuers in a matter of minutes in some cases. Don’t try to go rock climbing without a phone. It’s simply unnecessary and irresponsible.
Choose a Good Spot
If you insist on going rock climbing by yourself, at least pick a safe spot that attracts other rock climbers. Don’t try to do too much by picking a secluded spot and a rock that seems like too much of a challenge for you. Save those instances for when you go rock climbing with some friends.
Never Climb Higher than Your Height
One of the main safety tips to remember when you are rock climbing by yourself is to never climb higher than your body height. When you do this, you increase your risk of falling off of the rock because it’s more difficult to keep your balance. Depending on where you are on the rock, you could fall and seriously injury yourself or the fall could even be fatal.
Learn to Belay Yourself
Learning how to belay yourself is essential if you are going to be rock climbing alone. Belaying is one of the basic safety skills when rock climbing, but it’s usually done by a partner. Learning to do this to yourself will help you increase your safety when you’re out on the rocks.
Rock Climbing Southern California – If you want to practice your skills before you go rock climbing alone, the ideal place to do that in Riverside is at Threshold Climbing and Fitness. With an expert staff trained in climbing rocks, you can hone your current skills and even learn new techniques.
