Wednesday Evening Self-Rescue Clinic Series

Throughout the summer we'll be hosting self-rescue clinics at Chickies Rock. With a 3:1 instructor to climber ratio we can cover each topic in detail and tailor the lessons to the ability levels of all climbers involved. 

All techniques taught utilize standard rock climbing equipment carried by the typical climber.

(1) As you get to the top of the first pitch you realize that you forgot your belay device. (2) As you set up to rappel you watch as your rappel device tumbles 200 feet to the ground. (3) You're following a friend up a 3-pitch climb and can't do the moves on the final pitch. 

This clinic focuses on backup systems to the three primary functions of rock climbing: belaying, rappelling, and climbing. Using the gear carried by the average climber, you'll learn to improvise solutions when your primary options are not available.

(1) You're top roping with a group of friends and a new climber is too afraid to lower from the ledge at the top of the top rope. (2) A climber in a nearby party is leading the first pitch, falls onto a ledge, and is injured too severely to lower to the ground. 

In this clinic you'll learn the skills to take over the belay from a less skilled climber and ascend to a climber to assist them to the ground in these, or similar, scenarios.

Your partner is injured high on the cliff, is unable to rappel on their own, and you need to perform one or more rappels to get you both back to the ground. 

Our rescue rappel clinic will address multiple techniques to rappel with an injured partner in a variety of situations.

(1) Your partner dislodges a large rock from 75 feet up while you belay them on top rope, and the falling rock has damaged your rope just below your belay device. (2) You need to retreat from the cliff quickly in a dangerous thunderstorm by tying two ropes together and rappelling on a single line...but you're not sure how to rappel past the knot as you dangle in mid-air. 

During this clinic we will address situations in which you must pass a knot while lowering or rappelling.

(1) You've just led the second pitch but your partner can't make the crux moves when a key hold breaks as they follow your lead. (2) Your partner is injured by falling rock just a few feet below the top of the pitch and can't complete the climb. 

This clinic focuses on techniques that will allow you to haul your partner up the cliff in rescue situations using mechanical advantage systems.

Your partner just left the belay at the beginning of pitch two but was unable to place any protection before taking a fall directly onto your belay. They now hang below you, injured, with all of their weight hanging from the belay device connected to your harness as you hang from the anchor. 

Throughout this clinic we will discuss methods of avoiding this scenario, as well as practicing methods of transitioning to rescue rappels from this situation.