After our students take a program, we’re often asked how to find climbing partners.
There is one really obvious response: the climbing gym.
It can be intimidating to find a partner at the gym. But the reality is that climbing gyms tend to be incredibly friendly places. It’s common for people to support one another in the setting. And, indeed, it doesn’t take much to create a short term partner in a roped climbing gym…everybody needs a belay.
There are a number of other ways to find partners as well:
Bulletin Boards
In the old days, the easiest way to find a partner was to leave your name and number on a bulletin board at the gym. Often we’d just write what we were interested in doing and others would reach out.
If your gym doesn’t have a bulletin board, ask them if you can put one up. And don’t be afraid to call or email someone looking for a partner.
That said, if someone says that they’re looking for a certain quality in a partner, like that they want to do a certain type of climbing, honor that. Don’t call someone and try to coerce them to boulder if they said they’re looking for a trad partner.
Social Media
There are now facebook groups for most major — and many minor — climbing areas. These are full of people looking for partners.
As always, be nice on social media. If you reach out to someone and they see that you weren’t friendly in previous posts, they’ll definitely ghost you.
Climbing Forums
In the early 2000s, forums like MountainProject and CascadeClimbers were excellent places to find partners. And though social media has taken over, these forums still have active “partner finder” elements within them.
Climbing Meet-Up Groups
Many communities have meet-up groups for a variety of things. If your community doesn’t have a climbing meet-up group, make one. Put up a climbing event and see who shows up.
Climbing Clubs
There are climbing clubs all over the country. Many of these exist to provide climbing mentorship and community. The most famous ones are the Mountaineers and the Mazamas in the Pacific Northwest. But they exist everywhere.
In addition to these clubs, it’s not uncommon for community colleges, universities and military bases to have clubs.
In sum, if you poke around, if you put your hat in the ring, you’ll find climbing partners…