Interested in climbing? The club is interested in YOU! Whether you are a complete novice or an E5 nutter, come along to the pub on Wednesday evenings and meet other, similarly afflicted souls! There is a very strong interest in both rock and ice climbing within the club. We can go climbing on any of the weekend meets and sometimes arrange trips in our own time.

Of course, most of the time will be devoted to practice and physical training, but you shouldn't forget about theoretical knowledge, for this you should read and buy book reports to understand the main trends and points in climbing.

Indoor Climbing

Tayside's newest and largest indoor climbing wall - Avertical World - is conveniently located right next to the University, and offers over 300 routes as well as a generous bouldering space. If you've never climbed before this provides an ideal place to take your first steps, grabs, fumbles and falls, all in the security of a well maintained heated arena designed for the purpose. Club members meet up regularly at the wall and enjoy a couple of hours climbing in the evening, often on Wednesday evenings before our regular pub gathering. Student prices and offers are available there.

Each year the club organises "introduction to climbing" sessions at Avertical World for those who've never climbed before so that you can quickly gain independence and progress through the grades at your own speed. There are climbers of all abilities within the club so you're bound to find someone to climb with. If you're stuck or just can't work out how to do the move, there are usually some more experienced members around who may be able to give you a few handy pointers.

For those who've climbed before we have people climbing at all levels so you'll be able to find a partner to climb with really easily and if the weather permits get outside and enjoy some of the real stuff.

The club also makes occasional trips to other climbing walls such as Scotland's enormous Edinburgh International Climbing Arena (EICA Ratho) pictured opposite, TransitionExtreme in Aberdeen, and Alien Rock/Alien Rock 2 in Edinburgh amongst others.

Rock Climbing

In the summer term we start to head outdoors to the local bolted quarry crags of Ley, Legaston, and Kirriemuir or slightly further a field to the traditional crags of Dunkeld, Aberdour and Glen Clova. The club runs dedicated climbing meets which go to local crags when conditions allow, or sometimes to other Scottish climbing walls as mentioned above. On the regular meets climbing is usually fairly easy to come by whether it be fear induced by the steep rock of Creag Dhu, some more relaxed climbing at Kingussie or the deceptive Glen Etive Slabs.
 

Ice Climbing

Winter conditions are upon us quickly in the autumn semester and the mixed ice climbers take out their toys and start letting the sparks fly. The easier grades come into condition slightly later and we run the winter experience at the beginning of the spring semester to practice some of the basic emergency procedures for snow and ice work. The club meets go to areas of outstanding beauty, many with snow dressed ridges stretching off into the distance. If there are ridges there are also corries and it is here you will find the truly addicted ice climbers ascending everything from easy snow gullies to the vertical ice and mixed rock and ice routes. No matter what your addiction you'll find someone in the club who's doing it too. Now we just have to hope for the weather!

For those who want to try ice climbing for the first time in a more controlled environment, the club occasionally visits the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven - an indoor climbing centre that is world famous for its huge indoor ice wall - a giant freezer with a real ice wall inside. The Kinlochleven ice wall is more than 5 times the size of any other in the world and is an excellent facility to have here in Scotland.

Competitions

Climbers in the Rucksack club regularly take part in climbing and bouldering competitions, from those run locally at Dundee's Avertical World and at other walls around Scotland, to the SUS and BUCS (formerly BUSA) competitions. There are competitions ranging from bouldering to top rope or lead climbing and often there are prizes! Keep an eye on the announcements for details.

If you're interested, come along and get involved!