Me and a couple of mates are hoping to go to Chamonix for a couple of days of sport climbing (we know too little about Lead, and have none of the requireed equipment). However my dad is very concerned about us going unsupervised (l am 16 turning 17 before the trip) if we are climbing a style we are not used too. Only top roping experience. We are all around 5c to 6a in grades (british - l think you make that 6c -7a in european grades...) at the mo which is pretty good l would say. So anyone got any info on sport climbing and any convincing argument l can use to persuade him!?!? l have gone through the obvious ones, and l respect his concern, but it is a little annoying!
i am thinking of sport climbing, not lead climbing... l can easily get a bit of practise in where l live at local outcrops etc... l am aware that lead climbing would be very stupid considering l know so little about it!

l am sorry to say but l agree with ur dad. My husband & l climbed for years & if u have never led a route then going an this trip is not a good idea. You really need some experience in doing this before heading off on ur own. Is there a gym near u that u can have someone work with u a few times before ur trip. You r not an experienced climber if u cannot lead a route & an inexperienced climber is putting himself in danger. l for one would never allow my child to go climbing alone until he/she is more experienced than you. It would not take that long to find someone to show u how to do this properly & instruct u on the proper equipment.

The poster below is correct any route u sport climb has to be led first in order for anyone else to climb it unless u top rope. You only have 3 choices top-rope, learn to lead, or take a more experenced climber with you.... l suggest u learn to lead it will give u more freedom in the areas u climb & who u go with. Plus if u take a minute to learn to lead from a more experenced climber that person will have no problem talking with ur dad about ur abilites thus helping him to let u go on ur trip.

That sounds like a wonderful trip to me. l just started sport climbing, but you should know that most of the sport routes are pretty difficult and that someone has to climb up to the first bolt, and the next one, and so on. So the first climb on any route is a lead climb. l learned the hard way which was on the rock and l did some things the hard way--find someone who can tell you how to set up the ropes to make it easier for you when you start.

To clarify, sport leading is still considered leading.

Definately learn leading locally before going on a trip.
If the climbs r under 30m, then thats one thing. Learn how to lead safely & go on the trip. Someone should teach u about : why u do not back-clip, gates facing away from direction leader is moving, belayer is stance/ distance from the wall, belaying technique with different devices, clipping techniques, assessing & rigging fixed belay stations/rappel stations, & belaying from above. And u can not learn how to do all that in a gym!

If they r over that height, then u will need additional knowledge. For example, do u know what to do if the leader falls & is injured when he is almost at the end of a full rope length pitch? l did not think so.Do not get in over ur head, which is easy to do when you're young & lacking knowledge. Knowing when to back off is one of the hardest things, & in ur case u need to make a judgement call before even taking the trip, let alone climbing. Accidents tend to start with a bad decision, & go south from there

You should hire a guide, & u would still be able to lead (and ur dad would like it better). Or maybe consider a top-roping trip, & to scope out bigger climbs you'd like to do next year. That should give u enough time to read, understand & practice the climbing sections in ''The Freedom of the Hills''. RESPONSIBLE CLIMBERS READ LOTS!!!

Cheers!