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

Recommended experience level: intermediate. Participants must have a top rope belay card from a climbing gym, be familiar with tying in with a figure-8 follow-through, and know your basic top rope commands. Prior experience cleaning a bolted anchor is helpful but not required.

The Sunday Skill Builders happen one Sunday per month, usually from 6 to 9 PM. Registration opens approximately one month before the class. Topics will rotate and repeat, so if you miss one and want to take it, keep an eye out for it again.

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.

Comfortable on top rope and ready to get on the sharp end? Lead climbing lets you chart your own way up the wall, but it adds real consequences: falls are longer, the belay is different, and clipping while pumped takes practice. This clinic is a ground-school introduction to the systems and skills you need before you lead outside.

What you'll learn:

  • What lead climbing is and how it differs from top rope, including why a leader fall is at least twice the distance above your last piece
  • How to assess your readiness and progress safely, including the value of a mock lead and starting on easy routes
  • Clipping quickdraws quickly with either hand, and how to spot and avoid back-clipping and Z-clipping
  • Reading direction of travel, keeping the rope to the side of your legs, and reducing rope drag
  • Lead belay technique: paying out slack, proper stance, soft vs. hard catches, when to use a ground anchor, and lowering
  • Clean falling technique and how to manage the fear of falling
  • How to bail or retreat safely when a route is over your head

Look forward to seeing you, hope you can make it!

Jeremy Luedtke, Sunday Skills Clinic coordinator

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