Mazamas — For the Love of Mountains
Get ready to boost your alpine skills with inexpensive, bite-sized classes based on specific topics. Topics will include practical self rescue, mechanical advantage hauling systems, belay/ rappel transition tricks, descending and rappelling tactics to increase efficiency, especially with larger groups, building and cleaning sport climbing anchors, map and compass navigation, smart phone GPS navigation.
Activity Notes
- Class is CANCELLED. We will reschedule soon.
- Sunday Skill Builders: Sport Climbing Anchors 101
- Class date: Sunday, Jan 14
- Registration opens: Dec 14
- 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
- Mazamas Mountaineering Center (SE 43rd and Stark, Portland)
- Mazamas members $35, non-members $45
- Recommended experience level: beginner/intermediate. Please be familiar with basic climbing knots and top rope belay commands
The Sunday Skill Builders happen on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, usually from 6 to 9 PM. The second Sunday is usually for more beginner/intermediate topics, and the fourth Sunday usually covers more intermediate/advanced techniques. Registration opens one month before the class. Most topics are taught twice a year.
Students are generally accepted first-come first-served. Please apply ASAP after the opening of registration to have the best chance of getting in the class.
If you need to cancel, please be courteous and do so early to give those on the waitlist a chance to get into the class. Don't be a no-show.
Have you been climbing indoors for a while and are ready to transition outside? A key skill is how to properly build and clean bolted anchors.
What you’ll learn:
- Get familiar with common types of anchor hardware
- Learn how to build an anchor on bolts with a sling, 2 quickdraws and a quad
- How to clean and lower from sport anchors
- Uses of a locker draw
- Rigging an anchor so the second can easily clean and lower
Gear needed: harness, a few locking and snapgate carabiners, rappel device, and a 120 cm sewn sling. A cordelette and a locking quickdraw will be handy as well.
You don't need to have all of this gear, we can share. This will be "ground school", so no helmet or rock shoes are needed.
The links above go to articles (mostly) from my website Alpinesavvy that cover these topics. I highly recommend you read these before class, as it will make your learning much more effective, hint hint.
Look forward to seeing you, hope you can make it!
John Godino and Andy Nuttbrock, Sunday Skill Builders coordinators
