Intro to Self Rescue

Intro to Self Rescue

Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711

Become the partner you wish you had.

This course will teach you the fundamental tools of improvised rescue and how to use them to perform a variety of important tasks relevant to single and multipitch environments. You will also be introduced to some more complex concepts that you will expand on in future training! 

This course is HANDS-ON. You will be performing every skill and scenario in a realistic context.

You can perform all these tasks with what is already on your harness. You don’t need new gear, you need new knowledge!

It’s time to get serious about self-rescue.

Itinerary

We’ll start the day discussing some principles surrounding technical self-rescue and some concepts to avoid us getting into trouble in the first place. We will then go over some knots and hitches relevant to improvised rescue before moving into utilizing these tools in rescue scenarios. The scenarios are designed to be practical to your climbing experiences and will allow you to get hands on with your new tools and see them in action. We’ll wrap up the day discussing what comes next in your training journey.

Go deeper into more complex rescue scenarios and a multipitch context by continuing your training with Self Rescue | Beyond the Basics, often offered the next day at the same location.

Learning the below tools is the easy part. This course will focus on real application!

All skills will be improvised which is to say we will not be using specific rescue gear such as pulleys, rope clamps, etc.

  • Friction Hitches
    • Klemheist
    • Autoblock
    • Classic Prusik
  • Knots/Hitches
    • Munter Mule Overhand
    • Butterfly Knot
  • Some Common Rappel Situations (Prevention and Solutions)
  • Hauling
    • Assists
    • 3:1
    • 5:1
  • Lowers
    • ATC in guide mode
    • Short + Long
    • Load Strand Direct Defeat
    • Gri-Gri
    • Munter
  • Ascending a Rope
  • Pick-Offs
  • Belay Escapes
  • Baseline
  • Ropes
  • 8 hours of intense, practical instruction.
  • All photos taken during the trip! Including top-down photos from a fixed line!

Not Included:

    • Airfare
    • Lodging
    • Local travel/car rental
    • Food or Snacks
    • Travel/Trip Cancellation Insurance (recommended)
    • Anything on the What to Bring list below

I basically want you to bring what you would usually bring climbing so you can learn how to use the things you actually carry to do these rescues. You may find what you usually carry is not enough, so it’s good to have some extra slings, carabiners, and prusiks.

Climbing Gear:

  • Helmet
  • Harness
  • Handful of lockers
  • Belay Devices (GriGri style and ATC style)
  • Anchor/rescue material (ie cordalette or quad length sling)
  • Prussik cord
  • A few alpine draws.
  • Gloves
  • 30+ liter backpack

Clothes:

  • Sun Glasses
  • Sun Shirt
  • Sun Hat
  • Thin Pants for climbing
  • Solid Shoes for the approach
  • Warm Puffy Jacket
  • Rain Coat

Food:

  • Please bring your own lunch food.

In order to make the most of our time together, please observe these prerequisites:

  • A solid understanding of basic climbing knots and skills
  • Anchor building skills
  • Fitness for some long days at the crag.

Possible Course Locations

Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711

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Kevin Heinrich

I grew up mostly in the North Eastern US but began traveling and climbing after high school and never looked back. I’ve been lucky to climb in over 10 countries and have done many first ascents on 3 continents. Now I mostly travel in my janky van in the Great American West with occasional trips abroad. I’m surprised to say I’ve been guiding for nearly a decade on rock, ice, mountains, and skis but now mostly focus on delivering highly personalized and precise rock climbing instruction.

It would be fun to list more accomplishments but I truly don’t think that’s what climbing is about. My goal is to be a damn good teacher of the skills people need to prepare for and take on some of the biggest challenges of their lives; not so they can brag about it on Instagram or in a website About page :), but so they learn about themselves, the people around them, and the world we live in.

I’m an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and have some expensive other bits of paper too. I pride myself in thinking hard about the skills I teach and how best to present them to you in a way that’s clear, concise, actionable, and appropriate for your skill level. Above all else I care. I care about you as a human being and hope we can get outside and learn from each other soon!

Professional Certifications
Personal Climbing Resume