How Dangerous is Rock Climbing?

As a beginner, you may be wondering how dangerous rock climbing is. This is the number one fear that most people have with climbing. In fact, those who do enjoy climbing are partly enthralled with it because of the dangers involved.

What Are the Dangers?

Knowing what the dangers are will help you better prepare yourself for your adventure so you have a safer more enjoyable climb.

• Falling- The danger of falling is very real and it could result in serious injury or even death. However, when proper safety procedures are used, the risk of falling are minimal and the chances of being seriously injured are reduced dramatically.
• Having a Panic Attack- Sometimes a new climber will panic in the middle of a climb, especially when they look down and see how far up they are. When a climber panics, it becomes dangerous because they could lose their footing, hyperventilate or refuse to move from their current position.
• Strained Muscles- Rock climbing requires you to use the same muscles in your shoulders, legs, arms and wrists repeatedly so there is a real danger of straining your muscles. The reason this is such a problem is because strained muscles are weaker than normal and this could result in you slipping and falling when climbing. When you're in pain, you may not pay as much attention to what you're doing or what's going on around you, which could also prove to be dangerous.
• Falling Rocks- When climbing in a natural environment, there is always a chance of rocks and debris falling down on you as you climb, which can cause injuries.
• Equipment Malfunction- This is always a possibility but double-checking your gear and keeping it properly maintained will reduce the risk of injuries due to equipment malfunction.

You are responsible for your own safety so it's up to you to take proper precautions when climbing. Rock climbing on the side of a mountain will often pose more dangers than climbing at an indoor facility because there are different elements involved.

Avoiding Beginner Dangers

When you first begin climbing, stay within your comfort zone until you have time to gain some experience. Always follow safety rules no matter where you climb, double check your equipment and climb with someone you trust. One of the biggest dangers for beginners is taking routes you're not trained to handle. This can cause you to panic, give out of energy too soon, or you could find yourself stuck and not able to continue, all of which creates a dangerous situation and increases the risk of being injured. As you gain experience, you can advance in the sport to climbs that are more difficult.

Fear of Falling

Most new climbers have a fear of falling, which is understandable. This is a real danger that all climbers should be aware of so they can take the proper steps to stay safe. To overcome this fear, you will need to trust the system put in place to protect you and learn personal confidence. Once you learn how to trust yourself as you move along the rocks, you will begin to overcome your fears and build self-confidence. Even though there is strength in having confidence in yourself, never get so comfortable with climbing that you get overconfident and begin getting careless.