1. Overview  Introduction  Types of Climbing  Gear, Procedures, & Knots Overview  The Outdoor Class  Practice with Instructors

2. Who Are the Texas Mountaineers?  Formed 1978 as part of Sierra Club  Separate Organization in 1988  Nonprofit Organization Conduct 2 Beginners and 1-2 Intermediate Classes each year Emphasize standardized instruction and consensus Best-Safety-Practices Instructors are a mix of highly experienced (20+ years) climbers and more recent class graduates

3. Types of Climbing  Hiking and Trekking- trails, scrambling on non-technical rock and snow  Classic Mountaineering - rock climbing to 5.6, snow to 40°  Bouldering - difficult rock climbing close to ground no rope protection  Gym Climbing - climbing on artificial walls  Crag Climbing - routes 1 to 3 pitches on difficult rock Top roping - fixed rope (beginner climb) Sport - fixed anchors and protection Traditional “Trad” - placing protection cams, stoppers …  Bigwall - climbing bigwalls Yosemite Half Dome Free climbing - No aid using traditional methods Aid climbing - climbing on fixed pieces, Clean aid uses only cams, stoppers …

4. Texas Mountaineers Climbing  Scheduled (monthly Sep – May) trips to local crags for top-roping, trad and sport climbing (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas)  Individual members organize longer trips  New Classes for Sport Anchor Cleaning and Sport Leading  Trad Intermediate (how to second a leader)  Clinics for Anchor Building, Self-Rescue

5. Rock Climb Ratings Multiple days Two days All day Half day Two to three hours Quick climb Overhanging surface with increasingly smaller features 5.13 – 5.15 Extremely Difficult Unfeatured vertical surface or overhanging features 5.12 Minute hand or foot5.11 VI Very Difficult No obvious hand or foot5.10 VOnly one hand and one foot5.9 IV Serious unprotected subgrade Ex: 5.11 S9 runout 5.9 move on 5.11 protected crux S Missing two, or missing one but strenuous 5.8 IIIRun out falls seriousX Intermediate One hand or foot missing5.7 IIRun out falls not seriousR Two hands & feet for every move, not obvious to beginner 5.5 - 5.6 IFalls not dangerousPG Easy Two hands & feet for every move.5.0 – 5.4 Multi-pitch GradesDanger FactorsDescriptionYDS

6. Climb Ratings Around the World

7. Required Gear  Bouldering Rock Shoes Chalk Bag Crash Pad ( optional bouldering only)  Top Roping Climbing Harness Belay Device / Locking Carabiner Climbing Rope Anchor webbing / static rope / 3 oval Biners / 2 locker Biners

8. Climbing Shoes Lace ups Velcro Hard Sole Aggressive Sole Tight for regular shoe size Toes should lie flat Toes extend to very tip Should be comfortable Advanced 1 to 1/2 size less

9. Climbing Harnesses Belt extend 3” past buckle double back buckle auto locking buckle Gear Loops (always keep belay device, biners, autoblock on the harness) Belay Loop Leg Loops Adjustable – metal buckle Child Full Body

10. Ropes  Static Ropes – 3 to 4% stretch Top rope, anchors, hauling Typically 3/8” or 7/16” diameter  Dynamic Ropes 6 to 10% stretch; 50, 60 & 70m long Single Ropes 8.9 to 11 mm dia.  top rope, sport, trad, bigwall Double/Half Ropes - 8.1 to 9 mm dia.  two ropes alternately clipped  tied together for long rappels Twin Ropes 8.9 to 11 mm dia.  must be clipped together  tied together for long rappels

11. Webbing, Accessory Cord, Slings, Quick Draws Sewn Sling Slings Trad Runners Tubular Webbing Slings TR Anchors Rappel Anchors Accessory Cord 5 or 6 mm Prusik or Autoblock

12. Belay / Rappel Devices ATC Reverso Guide Auto-Locking GriGri Large Locking Mini Screw Gate Screw Gate

13. Anchors  SRENE Solid: Tree, Bolder, Bolt, Trad Protection Redundant: more than one component Equalized: each component shares the load No Extension: a failure does not shock load the rest 120° 1000 lbs each 80° 700 lbs each 40° 540 lbs each 20° 500 lbs each 1000 lbs

14. Other Anchor Pneumonics  SERENE Safe Equalized REdundant No Extension New AMGA acronym  ERNEST Equalized, Redundant, No Extension, Strong, Timely

15. Belay Procedure  Before Climbing Belayer checks climber is tied in through harness with figure 8 follow through Climber checks belayers rope is through belay device and locking biner and locking biner is locked Climber: On Belay (Are you ready to belay?) Belayer: Belay On (The system is setup properly and I’m ready) Climber: Climbing (The climber is actually stepping on the rock) Belayer: Climb (Final confirmation the Belayer is ready)

16. Belay Procedure Continued  During the climb Belayer Never has hand off the belay brake side of the rope Climber: Up Rope (Belayer has let a loop of rope hang below the climber, climber would like less slack, belayer takes up the rope (removes the slack)) Climber: Take (climber is going to weight the rope, belayer tightens rope) Climber: Slack Loosen the rope slightly. Climber: Lower (Used only when top roping) Means lower me to the ground. Both hands on the brake side

17.  Other Commands Climber: Off Belay On the ground or anchored at the top of the climb Belayer: Belay Off Rock (Used to warn anyone below of falling objects) Climber: Watch Me Extra belayer attention required due to hard move – Belayer make sure belay is locked off Climber: Falling (climber is falling)

18. .. has attached the rope, belay device and carabiner clip in the correct place. Check the belayer Harness straps doubled back Check the ‘live’ end of the rope is above the ‘dead’ end. and always check the screw gate on the carabiner has been locked tight. Always Perform a Safety Check

19. Check the climber Harness doubled back.. has threaded the rope through the correct holes on their harness and always check the knot has been tied correctly. Always Perform a Safety Check

20. THE BELAY SEQUENCE Make a “ V ” OneTwoThree Hand down to the knee Start

21. Knots  Figure 8 follow through Tying rope to your harness  Double fisherman’s (grapevine) Tying ends of rope or cord  Water Knot Tying ends of webbing

22. Knots  Prusik Friction knot tying into rope  Ascending/Descending rope  Auto block (Shown) Backing up Rappel  Clove Hitch (intermediate) Tying into Anchor

23. References Mountaineering : The Freedom of the Hills (8 th Edition) How to Rock Climb!, 5 th Edition (How To Climb Series) by John Long Climbing Anchors Field Guide (How To Climb Series) by John Long and Bob Gaines

24. The Outdoor Class  Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge Speed Limits Strictly Enforced 45/35 night NO ALCOHOL (vehicles subject to search) Wild Animals have Right-Of-Way Do not bring your pets on this outing. The Refuge is for the animals. Human recreation must not interfere. Climbing permitted only as long as climbers act responsibly.

25. The Outdoor Class  Tent Camping at Camp Doris Can arrive anytime Friday PM Directions on Web Site (texasmountaineers.org) Can stay in Lawton Breakfast in Camp Assemble at Group Parking Lot at 8:00 AM Identify groups Leave Group Parking Lot at 8:30 AM

26. The Outdoor Class – Day One  Hike into Charon’s Gardens approx. 1 mile  Bring everything you need for the day Rain gear/cold weather gear Food and water (3 Liters min/person, more if hot) Climbing Shoes, Harness, Carabiners, Cord Help Carry Club Gear (ropes & webbing)  Leave No Trace Take out everything you bring in (ALL trash) Disturb as little as possible

27. Outdoor Class – Day One  Anchor Set-up Demonstration by Instructors in Small Groups  Top-Roping Climbing and Belay Practice Slab, Crack, and Face Climbing  High-Angle Rappel  Group Rotates through 5-6 climbing stations  Break down climbs and hike out with your Group  Dinner – Restaurant in Lawton

28. Outdoor Class – Day Two  Break Down Camp  Breakfast Options Cook at Camp Doris Drive to Ann’s Café near Mount Scott (leave camp about 7 AM)  Drive to the Top of Mount Scott about 8:30 AM Hike down to the climbs Parking lot is easily accessed from crag Do as many climbs as you like, leave at your discretion

29. Practical Instruction  Questions?  Break into Small Groups