Self Rescue | Beyond the Basics

Self Rescue | Beyond the Basics

  • May 11th @ Auburn Quarry
  • $249 per Person
  • 4 Students per Instructor
Inquire/
Request private

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

Be the partner that can prevent problems and solve the rest.

How would you rescue your partner if they were unresponsive after a leader fall and past the halfway mark on the rope? A rock fall damages your only rope and incapacitates your follower, how do you descend multiple rope lengths? Can you talk yourself through these self-rescue scenarios? Think you could do it for real with whatever happens to be on your harness? Would you bet your life on it?

This course expands on skills learned on Intro to Self Rescue and takes them to the next level by focusing on application in the complex scenarios found in multipitch climbing. Skills will be performed fully loaded with mock-unconscious victims to simulate real-world worst-case scenarios

We recommend refreshing this knowledge every year, whether with another course or by practicing with your partners.

Note: Previous rescue training is required before taking this program. See Prerequisites below for more details.

Passing a knot on rappel.
Oops! Passed the rappel anchor.
Transferring injured leader to next anchor.
A bit of ground school mayhem.
Rescue Course!
Itinerary

We’ll jump right into the deep end with fully weighted multipitch unconscious leader rescue. There are no new skills required for this, but the applications will be complex and layered. We will take turns being mock-victims and rescuers. Everyone will get a turn in each role.

From there, we will continue with more rescue scenarios encountered in a multipitch environment, expanding on skills and applications from the Intro Course. This will include passing knots in various situations, descending a taught line, follower rescue, and all their component parts.

We will finish the day with a thorough discussion about rappelling incidents, their prevention and solutions. These are the most common causes of epics and rescues in climbing!

Learning the below tools is the easy part. The focus of this clinic is to learn to apply them in hands-on scenarios to effectively rescue unconscious leaders or followers and to get them to the ground from multipitch heights.

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

  • Load Transfers
  • Common Rappel Situations (Prevention and Solutions)
    • Stuck Rope
    • Wrong Way
    • Dropped Device
    • Passed the Anchor
    • Hair Stuck in Device
  • Ascending a Rope
    • After passing a rappel station
    • To reach an injured leader
  • Passing Knots
    • On rappel
    • While lowering
  • Tandem Rappel
  • Counterbalance Lower
  • Descending a Taut Line
  • Load Releasable Systems
  • Block and Tackle

Skills from the Intro Course will not be formally reviewed but will be practiced and utilized through the scenarios, they include:

  • Friction Hitches
    • Klemheist
    • Autoblock
    • Classic Prusik
  • Knots/Hitches
    • Munter Mule Overhand
    • Butterfly Knot
  • 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!
  • Any videos of instruction.

Not Included:

    • 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 multipitch 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 and quick 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:

  • Completion of our Intro to Self Rescue Course or similar program.
  • Multi-pitch climbing experience
  • Anchor building skills
  • Fitness for some steep approaches and long days at the crag.

Possible Course Locations

  • May 11th @ Auburn Quarry
  • $249 per Person
  • 4 Students per Instructor
Inquire

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

stoked

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