|
8flood8
Aug 26, 2006, 5:15 PM
Post #1 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 1436
|
Ok,
soooo i just got back from getting my ass handed to me in Index, WA.
My wife and i happened upon a discussion of taking some intermediate/advanced courses in rockclimbing -- something tailored to our personal skill levels.
I have done a little web research and it looks like the best thing to do is go with an AMGA certified rock climbing guide/instructor.
We are interested in planning a trip for an intense rockclimbing experience.
Does anyone have any suggestions on where/who to go with?
I am interested in self-rescue, leader/second rescue, anchoring, multi-pitch - trad and sport and refinement of my technique. I also would like some intermediate/advanced lessons in trad placements. If there is an organisation that you have experience with, could you post up some suggestions?
(a big plus if this org give wilderness/first responder courses as well.)
|
|
|
|
|
mattyp
Aug 26, 2006, 5:47 PM
Post #2 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 5, 2003
Posts: 162
|
I'm not sure where you are in the US, but Fox Mountain Guides based out of Hendersonville, NC are great. Adam set me up with one of his guides Ron. Ron did a great job custom tailoring a course to meet my needs. We even managed to get quite a bit done on the second day even though it was pouring down rain.
|
|
|
|
|
beesty511
Aug 26, 2006, 6:52 PM
Post #3 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 4, 2004
Posts: 336
|
In reply to: I am interested in self-rescue, leader/second rescue, anchoring, multi-pitch - trad and sport and refinement of my technique.
also since you mentioned multi-pitch climbing ask your guide how belay technique changes and how the danger significantly increases when you are belaying a leader on top of a pitch, i.e. the leader can fall below the belayer.
|
|
|
|
|
holdeddie
Aug 26, 2006, 8:41 PM
Post #4 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 20, 2005
Posts: 92
|
I would check out NOLS (National outdoor leadership school www.nols.edu ) and outward bound. I know they offer some courses, and I have some friends who took them, and they loved them. Also, look at AAI (I think there website is www.aai.cc ) I believe they offer some great rockclimbing instruction.
Good Luck
|
|
|
|
|
c4c
Aug 26, 2006, 8:48 PM
Post #5 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 18, 2006
Posts: 1279
|
I'm not so sure that I would want to ask most guides that I know what they are thinking as they belay my wife. I would most likely have to kill them. In reply to: In reply to: I am interested in self-rescue, leader/second rescue, anchoring, multi-pitch - trad and sport and refinement of my technique. also consider learning to be a better belayer. most climbers are terrible belayers. and i'm not talking about climbers with less than 1 year experience. i'm talking about climbers with 3+ years of experience. tell your guide you want him/her to critically examine every movement you make while belaying as well as your body position and then suggest at least 3 improvements. also ask him/her to discuss what you should be thinking about as the climb proceeds and how to react to what the climber is doing. in that regard it might be helpful if say he belays your wife and as he's belaying he verbalizes everything he is thinking to you. also since you mentioned multi-pitch climbing ask your guide how belay technique changes and how the danger significantly increases when you are belaying a leader on top of a pitch, i.e. the leader can fall below the belayer. |
|
|
|
|
rjtrials
Aug 26, 2006, 9:34 PM
Post #6 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 7, 2002
Posts: 342
|
Come hang out with me, I'll have you climbing 5.12 in say, six months.
All you gotta do is climb six or seven days a week, eat shitloads of food and kill your TV.
For payment, all I require is help on the food and gas bills...
RJ
|
|
|
|
|
bouldrinsoill
Aug 26, 2006, 9:57 PM
Post #7 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 12, 2003
Posts: 109
|
Check out Vertical Heartland Climbing School. It's a bit out of your way, but Eric Ulner has an immense amount of knowledge and could teach you anything you could ever want. He is AMGA trained and a licensed EMT.
http://www.verticalheartland.com
|
|
|
|
|
rck_iceclimber9
Aug 27, 2006, 1:25 AM
Post #8 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 16, 2004
Posts: 26
|
Colorado Mountain School (CMS) has been around for 100 years and is highly credited. They have hostels you can stay in during your stay. Beautiful country and definitely worth going there for you course certifications (although summer is ending but they do stuff down in Boulder instead of Estes Park). If you do end up going to CMS i recommend asking for Andrew C.
|
|
|
|
|
8flood8
Aug 27, 2006, 4:20 AM
Post #9 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 1436
|
thanks for the replies.
|
|
|
|
|
8flood8
Aug 30, 2006, 8:08 PM
Post #10 of 10
(1450 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2004
Posts: 1436
|
just to be more specific, we were thinking of this as a vacation time.
i was thinking we would do, a wilderness first responder course a 4-5 day intense workshop and a self-rescue/ high angle rescue course.
I can redpoint a few 11a's, and i have led 2 .8 trad routes. I am interested in climbing in the .12's eventually. Trad... i'll just let the cracks tell me how hard i could ever climb.
does anyone else have an reccommendations?
we don't care what area of the world, or US where this trip would take place and we are looking to be on the road for a few weeks.
anyway, i have a lot of time to plan this trip and i'm looking for info from all angles.
(thanks again for all the previous responses)
|
|
|
|
|
|
