Purpose: The clinic will focus on scenarios in which climbers may find themselves in single-pitch or multi-pitch settings, especially on trad climbs, where self-rescue may be needed. The clinic will be structured around scenarios that the clinic instructors will explain before demoing an approach to self-rescue. Following the demo, the clinic participants will breakout into small groups and practice the skills discussed in the demo. The instructors will monitor and provide feedback and answers to questions during the practical breakout sessions. The clinic will focus on general principles and transferrable skills that can be applied in a range of self-rescue situations. It will focus on concepts and finding solutions to problems by understanding fundamental principles and ways of implementing those principles in self-rescue scenarios. In this regard, the clinic is designed to build a foundation and to work from that with more detailed skills and applications of those skills. It will begin with a discussion of basic principles of risk assessment.

Curriculum: The self-rescue demos and practice will be divided into scenarios in which climbers may find themselves. The first set of scenarios will be ones where a climber is belaying from the top and needs to assist the follower. The second set of scenarios will be ones where a climber is belaying from the bottom and needs to assist the leader. Within these two sets of scenarios, the first set will focus on (i) bailing from a climb while already committed above the ground but at a belay without knowledge of distance to the ground; (ii) assisting a follower through a crux; (iii) resorting to alternative rappel or lowering options when a rappel device is dropped, one of the climbers is injured and unable to rappel on his/her own power, or you encounter a knot in the rope while on rappel. The second set of scenarios will focus on (i) escaping a belay to get assistance or additional equipment and, if time permits, (ii) reaching an injured leader when lowering the leader is not an option.

Outline:

I. Leader-initiated rescue

1. Bailing from a climb when above the ground but at a belay without knowing how far to the ground
2. Assisting a follower through a crux
3. Using alternative means of rappelling when a belay device is dropped, one climber is unable to belay himself/herself/themselves, or you notice a knot in the rope while already on rappel.

II. Belaying a leader

1. Escaping a belay to get help or add equipment
2. Reaching an injured leader (advanced group / time permitting)

Useful/important gear to have/bring:

• 3 HMS locking carabiners (e.g., petzl attache)
• 18-20′ rescue cord (6-7mm)
• Friction hitch material (e.g. autoblock)
• 1-2 alpine draws

To join the clinic, please fill out a questionnaire (link). It will be capped at eight participants to enable a 2:1 student-instructor ratio.

The clinic instructors will be Alex Ovodenko, Patrick Le, Brian Florence, and Matthew Manopoli. They will send participants an email with a gear list and other things to bring for the clinic ahead of time. They will also provide a list of skills to practice ahead of the clinic to make the day more efficient and productive.