Get YO Climb On

Welcome to Get Your Climb On! We are super stoked to climb with you and be a part of your climbing journey!! :)

Get Your Climb On (GYCO) was first created by Michael Dorame in November 2011 as he felt climbing meeups were too exclusive or cliquey & was missing a diverse, community feel that connects all climbers so Get Your Climb On was born as an inclusive, diverse, collaborative, adventurous, supportive & memorable climbing group for people from all walks of life including women, men, persons with disabilities, LGBT+, all genders, mature and families of all ages (a child under 18 must be accompanied by an adult)

GYCO will focus on the following climbing genres: Top roping, sport climbing, trad climbing, bouldering and occasional free solo climbing under 30 feet. Additional: Canyoneering, alpine and & mountaineering.

We are not professional guides thus each member and participants to our events are responsible for their personal safety and well-being. However, it is our objective to provide a safe environment for our members by following proper safe climbing/belaying procedures, insight to appropriate use of climbing gears from anchors to pros. Rock climbing is a dangerous sport nonetheless and accidents do occur. Personal responsibility is essential. By participating in our events, YOU AGREE NOT TO HOLD ORGANIZERS AND MEMBERS RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY

Who are we?

• We are a community of climbers that come from all walks of life.

• We are human

• We are people of color

• We are LGBT+

• We are all genders and gender expressions

• We are newcomers or experienced climbers

• We are extroverted, introverted or a hybrid

• We are persons with disabilities including mental health

• We are all ages (Young, Middle, Older)

• We are veterans

• We are family
  We are underprivileged

• We are at risk youth

• We are military

• We are extroverts and introverts

• We are misfits

• We are also:

• Inclusive

• Open-minded

• Welcoming

• Accepting

• Compassionate

• Loving

• Kind

• Support

• Helpful

• Validating

• Acknowledging

What is our goal??
To create a safe, fun, adventurous and life enhancing climbing community that encourages and energizes climbing as a tool for safe fun and transformation, who can use climbing as a way to change your life---even save your life. Climbing saved my life! it can save yours!!!

How will we Get Our Climb On?
SAFETY FIRST - PART 1
CLIMBING DISCLAIMER
Climbing is inherently a dangerous sport. so when you join this group at your own risk you are responsible for your climbing activities and engagement. by joining this group, you agree not to hold GYCO and it's organizer or event organizers responsible for any injuries you incur during any meetup. If an injury occurs outside of the meetup timeframe GYCO is also not responsible for non meetup injury.

SAFETY - PART 2
What are the fundamentals of indoor/outdoor climbing?

CLIMBING FUNDAMENTALS

• ENSURING CLIMBING SHOES ARE SNUG BUT NOT SO SNUG IT HURTS
• GETTING A HARNESS THAT IS SECURE SLIGHTLY ABOVE WAIST WITH HARNESS FLAPS SECURED AT WAIST AND LEGS
• ENSURING YOU KNOW BOTH ROLES OF BEING (1) CLIMBER & BELAYER! (You can take an intro class at closet gym near you or have a experienced climber show you the ropes)
• ENSURING YOU HAVE A BELAY DEVICE (ATC, GRIGRI ETC) FREE FROM MECHANICAL FAILURE
• GETTING COMFORTABLE ON YOUR FEET.
• LEARNING HOLDS AND USING YOUR HANDS.
• COMBINING THE HANDS AND FEET.
• PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
• STARTING, FINISHING, AND CLIMBING GRADING SYSTEMS.
• TAKE IT TO THE FLOOR.

Climbing Tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IowJjrs2X-c

Belay test:
Align with meetup organizer or member in group to go over climber/belay basics before you take belay test. When you are ready to take belay test go to front desk at gym and let them know. They will come over and prompt you to walk them through both roles. If you pass they will give you a temporary card which states you are certified to belay others for the day. You will need to repeat this step every time you come and climb at gym until they know your face and/or determine your ready for a permanent card.

SAFETY - OUTDOORS - PART 3
REVIEW CLIMBING FINDAMENTALS ABOVE
Outdoors is not very different then climbing indoors but because the outdoor space has no artificial walls with fixed ropes and bolts we get to build our own anchoring systems so we can climb safely!

Anchors:
Build anchors learning the SERENE Method:

1. Strong
2. Equalized
3. Redundant
4. Equalized
5. No extension
6. Extension

SAANO Adventures eloquently illustrates these principles here: https://www.saanoadventures.com/saanoadventures-blog/2019/4/29/rock-climbing-anchors-basics-serene-anchors

Outdoor Gear:

• Rope (60m-80m)
• Anchor building gear:
• Carabiners (locking, non locking)
• Webbing (runners, quads, webbing you need to tie together with a water knot, etc)
• Trad
• Nut Tool (to retrieve hard to pull camelots and nuts used for anchors)
• Camelots
• Nuts
• Sport Climbing
• Quickdraws
• Webbing
• Carabiners

Gear Sharing
Organizers and members share gear freely and volunteer what we can bring out loud on meetup wall. If you do not have a rope or anchor building gear that is okay, and maybe you can help carry to load with climbers who could use the help transporting gear or offer to be a carpool driver or help coil ropes and clean routes, these tasks go a long way to support climbing meetup community. If we see a piece of gear or rope frayed, tarnished, or impacted let the owner of rope or gear know or organizer know for safety is KEY!
Gear rentals:
If you have no gear for climbing or camping you can rent it here at Last Minute Gear: https://www.lastminutegear.com/

Gear link: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/sport-climbing-checklist.html
Knots: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/climbing-knots.html

Choosing Routes and Rating Systems
As you get more comfortable climbing, you’ll also get a feel for which climbs are a good challenge for you. With so many routes to choose from, it’s possible for total beginners and professional climbers to have fun in the same gym or outdoor climbing area. 
In the U.S., the Yosemite Decimal Rating System is predominantly used to rate climbing difficulty. The technical climbing portion of the scale runs from 5.0 through 5.15, with the difficulty increasing as the decimal portion of the rating goes up.
Very broadly, easier climbing routes are rated in the 5.1 through 5.5 range. Those are the types of routes your instructor will put you on initially.
When you progress to intermediate through hard routes, ratings are in the 5.6 through 5.10 range. The most difficult to seemingly impossible routes are rated 5.11 through 5.15. Ratings of 5.10 and above can also have an “a,” “b,” “c” or “d” attached to further delineate their level of challenge.
Bouldering ratings are a little more varied, with the V Scale being one of the more common, and ranking routes as V0 (easiest) through V16 (hardest). To learn more: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/climbing-bouldering-rating.html

Carpools (Outdoor Climbs)
We encourage one another to set up our own carpools in relation to where one lives or works or the nearest park n ride. It cuts down on gas, helps environment, creates community and avoids not getting a parking slot at the climbing crag parking lot or pull out

MEETUP ETTIQUETTE
Cancellations - of you cancel last minute 3 x we will send you a written reminder that if you need to cancel try to cancel 5 to 7 days or more before event. Unless you have an emergency and you let us know you are fine but it takes 30 seconds to change RSVP so please be mindful of that.
No Shows - If you are a no show 3 x you will receive a warning and if it occurs on 4th time we have the right to remove you without personal impact. In short, we get up early, create an experience for you to climb indoors or outdoors and your not showing up or cancelling last minute effects planning efforts, carpools, camping or climbing fees, equal partner coordination and we worry looking for you. If we don't get to drink or drug we get to worry, we eat, we laugh, and we climb. :)

Community Standards (All members are expected to observe the following Community Standards)
1. Do not litter or vandalize the parks and crags and all other outdoor and indoor recreational areas we visit and use. "Leave No Trace Behind"
2. Do not steal or intentionally damage other people's belongings.
3. DO NOT HARASS OR ABUSE ANY PERSON AT ANYTIME (which includes discrimination based the following protected classes: GLBTQQI, persons of colors, persons with physical or mental disabilities, persons who are of a mature age, gender, climbing level, Covid-19 or other health related condition or status, religion or political affiliation.
VIOLATION TO ANY OF THESE IS SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL FROM GYCO.
If at any point a member felt they are being treated unethically, please contact me or Denise Danielson (Co-Organizer) and we will happily address the situation accordingly.

SPECIAL NEEDS:
Please let me know what I can do to ensure you feel safe and secure, comfortable and ensure you have FUN! If you have any triggers, challenges or issues with other members who makes you uncomfortable or you see an unsafe practice during climbing please let me or my organizers know so we can take action and investigate as needed. Together we can hopefully resolve concerns.

Climbing Classes
GYCO has partnered with SAANO Adventures who can readily provide professional guidance and training relating to different styles of climbing disciplines from anchor building, trusting your trad gear, self rescue, lead climbing to alpine climbing. Contact Max Stewart - Email: info@saanoadventures.com / Phone: 415-890-5209 for further information. https://www.saanoadventures.com/

WARNING!!!!
Rock climbing is addictive! Enter at your own rick! :)

Michael Dorame, Founder and Denise Danielson, Co-Organizer

Check out our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/679952195443620

*This About section is subject to change around quality assurance, best practices, climbing compliance and culture fit.