Intro to Lead Climbing

Session Details

• Duration: 3 hours once a week, for 2 weeks
• Cost: $100 Members, $130 Guests
• Age Requirements: 14+
• Prerequisites: Ability to climb an overhanging 5.9 route a minimum of 6 times in a 3 hour period; Shaker Rocks belay certification. Please note: While this is an introduction to lead climbing, this is an advanced course. We recommend climbers enroll in this class only once they have gained significant experience and comfort with top rope climbing and belaying.
  

What's Included

• Day pass and rental gear

Important Notes

• This class requires a minimum of 2 people to run. We will cancel the class at 3PM the day before if we do not receive enough sign-ups.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this class, participants will be able to:

• Understand the fundamentals of lead climbing, including how it differs from top rope climbing and the additional risks involved.
• Demonstrate proper clipping technique, including correct rope orientation and how to avoid common errors like back-clipping and Z-clipping.
• Identify when and were to clip, based on body position, route features, and movement flow.
• Apply efficient movement strategies while lead climbing, including positioning to clip comfortably.
• Lead belay effectively, including managing slack, maintaining proper brake hand control, and using appropriate belay stance and positioning.
• Assess and manage fall potential, including understanding fall zones, rope dynamics, and climber/belayer positioning.
• Demonstrate appropriate falling technique as a lead climber, including body positioning and awareness of surroundings.
• Catch lead falls appropriately, including understanding the difference between hard and soft catches.
• Perform partner checks and communicate clearly throughout the climb and belay process.

This class is designed to cover the material required for the Lead Climbing and Belay Check at Shaker Rocks; however, successful completion of the class does not guarantee a passing result on the check.

This class requires the advanced scheduling of instructors and booking of participants. Please take this into consideration when scheduling your class and ensure you will be able to attend. Should you need to cancel or reschedule, our policy states:

Full refunds are only given when cancellations are made at least two weeks prior to class. Any cancellation made within two weeks of the scheduled session will result in a 50% refund. No shows, or cancellations made within 7 days will result in a forfeit of the amount paid. We may be able to reschedule you for a different time slot, but there are no guarantees.