For many people, climbing is a gym sport done inside, on an artificial wall, and with set rules to follow. Outdoor climbing is innately more dangerous. Learning proper climbing etiquette in the outdoors is paramount to creating a space for everyone to enjoy climbing as safely as possible. Most climbing etiquette is centered around minimizing risk for you, your partner, and others in the climbing area.
Climbers refer to the hike to a route or climbing area as “the approach”. For popular routes, this can mean that multiple groups can be headed to the same climb on any given day. The basic rule of thumb is the first party to the route gets to climb first.
Of course, there are a few exceptions to this. Multiple parties can climb longer, multi-pitch routes at the same time. A slower party may offer another group to climb ahead of them even if they got to the route first. Another exception is if the first party to a route needs a rest and food before climbing, then good etiquette is to let other parties go ahead if they’re ready.
If you are at the base of a climb and another party is on the wall, never walk under someone else's rope while they’re climbing. Not only could you distract the belayer, but you could get in the way of a fall or the climber could knock a rock loose on top of you.
It is important for you and your partner to be on the same page when you’re on the wall. It is also important to understand what other climbers around you are doing so you can react accordingly. Knowing the ins and outs of climbing etiquette puts you in the best position to climb fast and get off the mountain safely.
There are several commands that climbing partners yell back and forth to each other while on a route. It is good form to yell your partner’s name before yelling the command. With background noise from wind and other parties on the wall, it’s easy to mistake commands from different parties as those from your own. Saying the person’s name takes away any misunderstanding about who the command was meant for.
If you or your partner accidentally knocks a rock off, then you should yell, “ROCK,” as loud as you can. Repeat this a few times to make sure everyone down below heard you and understands that something might be coming their way. Also yell, “rock,” if you accidentally drop a piece of equipment, like a carabiner or cam, to warn those below you. Consistently using the same word for all falling objects will keep everything clear and reduce confusion.
Some routes require climbers to rappel down their ropes to descend. Parties should check for other climbers below before throwing their ropes from a rappel anchor. Before throwing the rope, you must yell, “ROPE,”’ a few times as a warning—even if you think nobody is there. Make sure that you are loud and enunciate so you’re heard over the wind and other noises.
As climbers, we are often stewards of the land we recreate on. Many climbing areas have seasonal closures to protect nesting bird species. Some climbing areas are located on private property or tribal lands and have restricted or controlled access. It is important to do your research before traveling to climb somewhere. Mountain Project is a good resource to make sure you understand an area’s rules and regulations.
The choices that you make can oftentimes have a rippling effect within the entire climbing community. Popular climbing areas can show signs of overuse, and a negative impact can lead to area closure. By parking in designated areas off of sensitive vegetation and staying on established paths, climbers can reduce their impact on an area. Make sure you are always acting in a way that ensures that future generations will have access to these areas.
Anytime you recreate outdoors you should have a contingency plan in case things go wrong or bad weather is headed your way. When you put yourself in dangerous situations and have to be rescued, you put other people's lives on the line. Because climbing is an inherently dangerous sport, it is important to know what you will do if the worst should happen.
If you have an emergency device, then you should research exactly how it works, who you would call, and how to properly use it. Pushing the rescue button should be a final option after exhausting all resources to self rescue, and the decision should not be made lightly. If you can get out on your own without putting rescuers' lives in danger, that is always the best option.
If you are someone who is climbing in the backcountry regularly and puts themselves in dangerous situations, then you should consider taking a backcountry wilderness medicine course. These courses go over backcountry and emergency medicine and could save your climbing partner's life should something go wrong. Let's face it, things go wrong all the time, and the proper training could put you in a better position to help.
As climbers, we must always understand our impact on the lands we recreate on. By adopting the Leave No Trace principles, you are agreeing to meet the standards of climbing etiquette. That means you take what you bring and leave no trace of ever being there.
Avoid bringing food or other items with excessive packaging or wrappers that could blow away or get lost. Be aware of your surroundings at all times so that you don’t accidentally allow critters to get into your food, and always be responsible for the items you bring with you. Go one step further and bring a spare trash bag to pack out any rubbish you find so you can leave the area even better than you found it.