Hmm, I just googled this the other day. I told myself THIS would be the year that I would finally prune my roses, and that THIS would be the year that I would not let pruning intimidate me. I read a few sites on pruning, tried less successfully to find tips for climbing roses, grabbed my shears, marched out the to garden.... and proceeded to snip of the dead ends of the branches. Yes, ends, as in one or two inches. Sigh. I am such a wimp. I did cut out the dead branches, and there is one bush that is really weak and so I pruned that back fairly hard (not that there was much left to prune). I'm hoping it comes back with a vengeance if for no other reason than to help me get over my pruning fears. I was at a loss with my climbing rose, though. I'm going to go take a look at the links Molie provided, and maybe go back out there with the shears.... :) Dee

You only cut the laterals. I cut them down to the second leaf set, For a climber, less is more. you want to get the most flowers.

My fence is about 8 or 9 feet tall by the way.

I just deadhead the blooms but do not cut the pegged cane unless is it is dying back. There will be Rebloom on those laterals. Also if the laterals are really long I will take off more of the lateral when I dead head. Over the years you may need to take that pegged cane out if it is not producing blooms any more.