Any rock climbing parents around?
Hi BPN,
My wife and I have rock climbed a lot before our son (one year now) was born, but we haven't have the opportunity to climb much since then. We trying to find a convenient way to start again. We think that the best plan would be to join force with another family/couple to organize outings in the mountains somewhere between the Bay Area and the Sierra.
Anybody here has experience with this or would like to join?
Thanks for reading:)
May 19, 2018
Parent Replies
If you're open to indoor climbing, Berkeley Ironworks offers babysitting a few days each week. It's definitely safer than keeping your little one at the bottom of the crag and possibly defenseless against falling rocks. Alternately, bring a third adult outdoors, either a babysitter or another climber who's up for alternating climbing, belaying, and baby watching/protecting.
Honestly, we didn't take our kid outdoors until he was 7 or 8, and at first only with a 3rd adult present. He's just too spacy and oblivious to his surroundings, any younger than that he would have walked off the cliff without noticing!
My husband and I have a two year old, with another due in July, and are indoor & outdoor rock climbers. We've done a few outdoor trips with the toddler already with no problems (Lover's Leap, Yosemite Valley), but since we're about to fall down into the newborn abyss, I doubt we'll get out to anything significant this summer. We'd be glad to meet up locally at Ironworks, though to see if we mesh! Also thinking about a mellow trip to the Valley in September or October if the weather holds. Hoping to get at it more starting next spring, too!