Climbing Crash Course Session 4: All About Anchors

OVERVIEW

Welcome to the climbing crash course series, a sequence of 2-hour workshops designed to equip you with the information and skills you need to start practicing that next set of climbing techniques you’ve been dying to learn. As we all know, the smartest place to practice any new life-bearing technique is on the ground, so let this serve as the catalyst to start your ground practice. (See below for the list of topics in the series. Specific workshops/topics available upon request.)

Session 0: Useful Knots (and How to Tie Them)
Session 1: Climbing Basics and Top Roping
Session 2: Sport Climbing Part 1 – Leading
Session 3: Sport Climbing Part 2 – Seconding
Session 4: All About Anchors
Session 5: Rigging Rappels
Session 6: Baby’s First Multi-Pitch
Session 7: Trad Gear Placements
Session 8: Self-Rescue Techniques
Session 9: Aid Climbing
Session 10: A Brief Introduction to Advanced Climbing Techniques

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There are no pre-requisites for this course, and anyone may sign up. However, participants will benefit most from this information if they are already familiar with outdoor climbing, the role of the anchor, and sport (lead) climbing.

In this session (All About Anchors), we will learn the underlying principles behind what makes a good anchor. We will also practice building several different types of anchors. Topics include:
– New gear and knots
– Anchor anatomy
– SERENE-A/EARNEST
– Master point anchors (quickdraws, overhand, sliding x, equalette, quad, etc.)
– Natural anchors (wrap 3 pull 2, tensionless hitch, etc.)
– Risks

The session will be workshop style with intermixed talking and doing. About half of the time will be a presentation over zoom/facetime with the other half of the time dedicated to questions and hands-on practice interspersed throughout the lecture segments.

I will be joined by the ever-wonderful, fireside tune-crooning Bryson Taylor who will be facilitating the in-person components and doing the heavy lifting while I laze about online.

Things you should bring:
– Anchor materials (cordelette, slings, etc. if you have any)
– Spare locking biners (if you have any)
– Spare rope/practice rope (even an old shoelace would be good; OPTIONAL)
– An electronic device (larger screen preferred) that you can use to view the slide presentation

We will bring anchor materials to practice with.

Location: Lower Garden X (first garden on the right/east side if you are facing the Rotunda; on the alley side, not the pavilion side; call/text me if you need help finding it)