Climbing Training Class

The annual training program is for novice rock climbers and is given over two weekends in late April or early May. You must be an AMC member to participate.  No prior experience is necessary for the course, but it is expected that members will climb with the Club regularly upon successfully completing the course.  The application process generally begins in mid-December.  

The 2010 class on-line application is closed.  Please check back next December 2010 when the application process will open for the 2011 class. 

Skills Taught in the Training Class

You should:

• Be able to build a solid top rope anchor using webbing and/or static rope.  This is important. You'll be rappeling and climbing on this anchor.  Trees or gear anchor points may be used.
• Have solid knowledge of basic knots: harness tie-in and backup, figure eight-on-a-bite (or equivalent) leash, girth hitch, and can join two rappel ropes
• Use common climbing commands appropriately.
• Properly belay a rope leader.
• Know how to choose and attach yourself to a belay anchor on the ground.
• Properly clean gear from the rock.
• Know when, why, and how to flake rope both at bottom of a climb and at the beginning of each successive pitch.
• Know how to rappel.
• Wear your harness properly.
• Coil the rope properly.
• Know when, why, and how to safely ascend rope using friction knots, e.g. prussic.
• Know when, why, and how to safely escape a loaded belay. 

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