Basically, you want to leave the main (basal) canes untouched, and just shorten the lateral canes (the ones that sprout from the main canes).

It may take a year or two or three for a climbing rose to produce a number of big strong basal canes--that's the reasoning behind not pruning much for the first few years. You are waiting and hoping for that big strong established growth. Those main canes are good for several years of blooming if well cared for.

The initial growth after planting is often much smaller and twiggier than what will be produced by an established plant.

Still, that initial growth supports the plant while it is establishing, so it is good to leave as much as you can until the big strong growth appears.

If anything is dead, feel free to remove it, because it's not going to do the plant any good.

This is a good example picture because it's fairly clear on the difference between "juvenile" growth and "established" growth. This is not a climber, but it gives you the idea. Compare the relative size of the canes.

"I" = juvenile growth produced just after planting.
"II" = intermediate growth, the plant is starting to develop
"III" = mature or established growth. Note the difference in size between "I", "II", and "III". At this point, for a climber, those "III" canes would start to produce numerous lateral canes with a bloom or cluster of blooms on each.

Hope that helps!!!
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hoovb ~ Wow, thank you very much for taking the time to do all this for me. This is certainly going to help me a great deal. And of course it will help anyone else that might have the same question. Your explanation about why you shouldn't prune for three years really helps me. I have already printed out this page and am going to use it as my guide to growing my roses. This is a wonderful diagram. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Here is a video that may help

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Climbing Roses

pfzimmerman ~ Thank you kindly for the link to the video. I've seen one of his video's before but not this one. He's very good at explaining about pruning. I love his sense of humor too. I thought the part about how you can make a lateral cane become a main cane was pretty interesting. Of course, I don't think I'd be ready to try something like this yet. I'm really happy now that I've learned the difference between a basal cane and a lateral cane.

You'll see too where hoovb gave me a diagram. I've printed it out. I took it with me into the backyard today and compared it with the canes on my climbing rose. It really helped me to identify the parts of my rose canes. The diagram and video are very helpful to a beginner like me. Thanks again.

A Big Thank you to hoovb and pfzimmerman. I needed this, too. xoxo Lesley

(FYI, "pfzimmerman" is that "he". ;) )

And yes, I completely agree with you about the value of both Zimmerman's videos and also of hoovb's image. I have already seen Zimmerman's relevant videos and I will "bookmark" hoovb's image for future reference! Even here in Massachusetts (ten miles north of Boston) that's what happens with a climbing rose.

I'm a he and glad to help. The diagram is excellent and I always tell people the main thing to take away from the videos is not to imitate what I do but learn why I do it and they apply it to your garden.

Happy to be helpful.