Cracks, cams and jams! Do you want to develop your skills and confidence for leading cracks?

Are you interested in new adventures in climbing? This course will focus on developing your skills for leading traditional rock climbs. Leading trad will open up doors for new challenges on single pitch climbs and for adventures such as multi-pitch, mountain and big wall climbing.

    Whether you have a specific goal/project in mind or you want to generally develop your skills for traditional climbing, this course will help you take the next step. This course includes instruction/practice on the ground and skills demonstration/practice on the rock. We will practice on single-pitch crack/traditionally protected climbs. Activities include: top-roping to focus on crack technique, “mock” leading to practice placing gear while climbing (with the opportunity to lead for those who are interested AND placing consistently solid protection), practice falls in a controlled setting and work on your mental game.  

This course will cover the following skills:

•  Understanding trad (traditional) gear
• Assessing rock quality
• Gear selection and racking
• Preparing for a challenging lead (including just “getting the rope up there” to practice a climb on top rope)
• Safe and efficient gear placement
• Trad anchors
• Crack climbing technique
• Leading and “mock” leading (lead climbing with an additional top-rope) on trad gear
• Tips for your mental game
• How to trust your gear and fall

 

Prerequisites: Experience leading and lead belaying (sport, trad or gym). Preferred: Flash Foxy Intro to Outdoors course (or equivalent experience) and some experience placing traditional gear.

 

Includes:

• 2 full days of climbing instruction - expect to be out from 8:00am-5:00pm
• Climbing equipment - personal climbing gear (harness, helmet, shoes and belay device) and group gear (ropes and hardware)

Does NOT include:

• Meals/beverages
• Transport to and from the climbing area