If you Lead, I will Follow

8 weeks into the Aspire climbing class and we've finally fallen.  They've been building us up to lead climbing - we are now all certified to belay for top-roping.  This is when you tie yourself to a rope, the rope up to the top of the wall over a beam/through a chain and then back down to the belayer.  Lead climbing is when you take the rope with you up the wall and clip it in as you go.  Why is this different?  Because, for the first little bit, you aren't attached to anything (ie. if you fall you hit the ground).  Obviously the first clip can't be THAT far off the ground - maybe 8-10 feet.  But it also means that if you clip to the wall and then make it to the next clip but miss it and fall you fall below your last clip - sometimes 5-10 feet before the rope/belayer catches you.  You gotta trust that person holding on to the rope.

They take it pretty slow with us but this week was the big fall.  And you know what?  I had no problem letting go.  And it was fun!  Kind of a rush and over before you know it.  Honestly - the part I don't like is the first 10 feet where you aren't clipped to anything!

Difference between top rope and lead falling

Lead Climbing - Learning to Fall