Rock climbing would not be where it is today without the influence of the modern gym, but as one of my mentors put it best, "the gym is a padded cell." He was remarking that gyms are great places for kids to bounce around with minimal risk. And bounce around we do: off the wall, onto the floor, and sometimes even into each other. Don't get me wrong, climbing in a gym has risk and potentially disastrous consequences, but overall, avoiding accidents and mishaps is pretty simple.

For those of us who spend more time in the gym during the winter months (safe to say it's most of the climbing population in the U.S.), it's really critical to address the risk and potential consequence that we take on when we venture outdoors to the rock. And, to check in with the decision making process we need to keep at the forefront of our adventure (assuming we want to come home intact and inspired for more).

Here's a list of ideas to keep in mind or to refresh yourself with, when making the usually springtime transition to MORE ROCK CLIMBING (capitalization added cause it's been a LONG winter up here in Montana):

1) The great outdoors is not a padded cell. Nature is ruthless. It doesn't discriminate. It is continually attempting to weed out the weak in an ongoing survival of the fittest. Insects bite, plants sting, rocks fall, the sun burns, and animals are defensive/hungry. Gravity plays for keeps. When we are in Mother Nature's house, we must respect her house rules.

2) Gear check before your gear wrecks. What has your outdoor kit been doing all winter? Hopefully not sitting in your trunk in a spilled pool of motor oil. Lots can happen to our safety system when it is hiding from our view. Here are some things to consider with your equipment:

Are there any signs of rodent or critter activity where you store your gear? Check for poop and any chew marks. Evidence of this should be immediate concern for the integrity of your kit.
Was sunlight able to cook your gear over time? UV rays will break down the nylon fibers.
Any motor fluids able to get to your stuff? We often store climbing gear in the same places where we store car parts and service fluids (or nearby, anyway). These chemicals will break down the fibers and cause them to fail prematurely. Here is a fairly comprehensive list of ways that your climbing rope can be damaged.
Clean and check your rope. Go inch-by-inch through the entire length of your cord. Feel for flat spots, abrasions, gouges, or any other damage that could risk its integrity. Clean your rope first to remove dirt and hardware grime. Keeping your rope clean keeps it safer, and it prevents wear on your hardware and the permanent gear affixed to your crag. DO IT every 15-30 days of climbing. If your hand gets black when you run it up the rope, it needs to be cleaned. Yes, you can put it in a washer. The awesome gals at CruxCrush.com have already made an awesome blog post on how to do it, so there's no need for me to reinvent the process. CHECK IT OUT HERE.
Helmets can degrade, fall apart, and get cracks. Check it it for any damage. A cracked helmet should be replaced. Stickers on your helmet (even really cool Alpha stickers) get in the way of these observations. For this reason, stickers are discouraged (sad face).
Check your quickdraws to make sure they are all put together correctly. Have you kept your rope clipping biner exclusive? Since your rope slides across this with lots of speed and friction, even a small burr can slice open your cord. If the importance of consistency doesn't seem imperative, watch this video by DMM of Wales and you will be convinced.

3) What's in your pack? Climbing outside requires readiness not generally needed inside. A few suggestions on what to remember:

First aid kit appropriate of the terrain and duration of the outing. Remember to top off items that might have been depleted in previous season.
Headlamp with fresh batteries or charge.
Don't forget your stick clip! A broken ankle or heel from a ground fall will wreck your summer faster than a bad sunburn. Check out my video on how to make a travel stick clip from a SuperClip and an avalanche probe.
Gloves & belay glasses: protect your hands and neck.
Leaver biner or quick link for potential bail/retreat.
Fully charged cell phone for emergencies. It's also always worth having some sort of identification on your person, in case the worst happens.

Quinn and Jackson review technique and communication before ATTEMPTING a multi-pitch climb in Red Rocks, NV

4) Got the ill communication? Remembering that good communication with our partners is the best way to reduce risk often fades over winter while climbing in the gym. Too many preventable accidents happen due to a lapse in communication. Check your system, check your partner, and talk about what is going on. Don't take for granted your experience, comfort, and/or lack of previous mishaps. Everyone is capable of making a mistake or exercising poor judgement. Review belay procedure and cleaning/lowering methods to be used. Don't shy away from discussing objective hazards of the climb: fall potential, loose rock, runouts, or anywhere else where risk might result in unfortunate consequence.

5) Don't skip the warmup. Why is it that we warm up religiously in the gym, but tend to skip our routine when we go outside? Maybe we're in a hurry, it's not as convenient, or most likely, we just haven't made it part of our routine. Develop an outdoor warmup routine, and do it every time. Might this involve range-of-motion openers, resistance-band routine, movement/body positioning awareness? If you're self-conscious that your partner will get impatient with you, forgo your turn to climb or find a new partner. Taking care of your body is the best risk management tool you have. Learn what you need to do to perform your best and prevent injury. Listen to your body.

This worn carabiner was removed from the first bolt of a popular sport route in Bozeman. Its worn edge could easily sever a rope, putting the climber on the ground.

6) Hardware does wear. Permanent hardware on a route is anything but permanent. Metal wears out and corrodes. The sun, wind, and freeze/thaw cycles do change the security of these seemingly indestructible safety pieces. It is crucial to develop an awareness and consistency in checking fixed gear and hardware. Pay attention to the following:

Bolt hangers can spin over time, especially in areas where there is thermal expansion due to large hot/cold variances. If you come across a "spinner," the safest thing to do is to attempt to tighten it as much as possible with your fingers, then to alert a route developing veteran or the local climbing coalition or authority. This issue is much too complex to simply say, "keep a wrench in your pack and crank away." See this forum thread for an indication of what I am referring to.
Be very wary of fixed, or "perma", quickdraws. They may have been put up or left with good intentions, or from laziness, but they will wear out eventually. Aluminum carabiners can wear very quickly, especially with constant abuse from a dirty rope (another reason to keep your rope clean), creating a knife-sharp edge. Climber injuries, and even deaths, have resulted from a rope getting severed from a worn carabiner. See here for one example. Alpha Climbing does not encourage the leaving of fixed draws in most situations. The risk far outweighs the convenience.
Finally, it should go without saying, to check the lower-off or rappel anchor. Most sport climbs are equipped/engineered with hardware designed to have the last climber lower off. Over time, this will wear out the steel. Your local climbing access authority is the best place to alert of said wear. If there are fixed carabiners, ensure that the gates close. And finally, please do not top rope through fixed anchors. Use your own quickdraws! The last climber on route should clean and lower off, removing any gear that your party has installed. This will prolong the relatively costly fixed steel hardware (which can be up to $50 for a set).

ALPHA CLIMBING WISHES YOU ALL A SAFE AND REWARDING SPRING/SUMMER/FALL CLIMBING SEASON!

Spring Safety Check