By Kate Keith-Simms
Hey Alpine,
I’ve done everything to be a strong budding mountaineer- I’ve joined summit climbs, built some bomber anchors on the 10 day- now I want to get out there on my own. But where are all the climbing partners? I’ve been holding up “Will provide a capella tunes for a belay” signs at the crag but have yet to find any takers. Help!
Sincerely, Seeking a Bivy Buddy
Hi Bivy Buddy Seeker, don’t fret! Finding a good climbing partner can take more work than meets the eye- it’s important to find partners that match your goals (FKT Champion or Summit Day Sunbather alike), and work well with your communication, technical climbing, and general human skills! Here are some ideas on where to start your search for your ride-or-die climber buds:
Groups
Looking for a community to join? Non-profit groups can be a great way to find connections to the mountaineering world and a whole group of similarly interested people. They offer events designed to help meet new friends and community in moderate settings- climbing days, ski trips, day hikes- what better place to make new friends than climbing for the day and going out for food and drinks after? There are organizations made for everyone- it’s just a matter of finding the group that speaks to your idea of community and puts on events that interest you. Some notable groups that operate in the PNW are SheJumps, Trail Mixed, Outdoor Afro, OutVentures, The Mountaineers, and many more! Some organizations may require membership to join their events- look into their individual websites for more info.
Events
Groups mentioned above or local outdoor companies may offer events to the public- from movie screenings to AIARE course refreshers, there’s an event for everyone! Great thing about these events is that they are less of a time commitment (usually only a couple hours). Find events that target friends you’re interested in making, put on your coolest flannel, and show up! Some notable PNW organizations that offer events to the public are The Mountaineers, Ascent Outdoors, and the Gear House.
Social Media
We all remember hearing “don’t meet up with strangers you meet online” but climbing strangers are different. It might sound weird, but Facebook and other social media platforms can be a great place to meet like minded individuals! By joining Facebook groups created for your sport of choice, you can easily connect with other climbers looking for partners (or groups will put on partner finder events). It is always recommended to meet with any potential partners before going out into the mountains together. This could look like meeting at a local climbing gym to get to know each other’s climbing styles, or over coffee to discuss potential routes and ability levels. It’s a good idea to start easy when it comes to a new partnership. It can be enticing to get out there and send your dream climb now that you have someone to join you, but without getting to know that person first you could run into communication, skill, and safety problems that turn your dream into a disaster.
Course Members
It might seem obvious but one easy way to make mountaineering friends is to contact your fellow climb and course-mates! Alpine tailors some of our programs to certain demographics- an all ladies climb or 55+ climb for example. The opportunity to join an Alpine Ascents trip with strangers is the opportunity to make 7-8 new friends! Especially on our courses, it’s worthwhile to get to know your classmates and possibly exchange contact information. In this case you already know one piece of their skillset (how long did Joe take to haul you out of the crack? Time’s-a tickin’ pal.)
However you choose to find new climbing partners, remember the importance of communication and genuine friendship in the mountains. If Lauren starts singing The Climb by Miley Cyrus a cappella on your 14 hour summit day, hopefully you’ll decide join in.
Happy friend finding!
