Anchors II - SAC rock curriculum

See Requirements for All Instructional Trips
TL = Trip Leader
Rev. 10/28/05

 Anchors II: Gear Anchors and Trad Following
1 (or 2) evenings,  weekend (2day) trip

Goals: Understand Gear placement concepts and analysis
Understanding Gear anchors for top ropes
Understand gear cleaning and rope management for multi-pitch
Students practice lead belay
Students get as much hands on practice  placing protection and building anchors as possible
Students follow a trad protected climb
Discussion of Risks, Retreat, and Safety issues of multi-pitch climbing
Practice rappel with auto-block backup (check-off if student is ready)
Discussion of Approaches and Descents
Working knowledge of Ratings, Topos, and Guidebooks
Students are prepared to second a more experienced leader on traditional climbs

Prerequisites: Checked off for Basic & Anchors I skills
Competence with Belaying
Previous rappelling experience
Competence with setting-up top rope anchors using trees rocks and bolts
Familiarity with anchor theory (angles, SERENE, etc)
Suggested: significant experience setting anchors using trees rocks and bolts

Knots:
- review previous knots
- Auto-block
Gear introduction (Strengths, things to watch out for)
- General Good Anchors: Rock quality, Surface Area, Direction of Pull, ease of cleaning
- Hexes
- Nuts
- Tricams
- Cams
- Mention others
Practice placing all types of gear
Review of webbing, cordelletes, & natural anchors
Practice equalizing gear placements into anchors

Intro to multi-pitch climb concept.
- Safety on approaches and descents
- Multi-pitch sequence
- What it takes to bail
Lead belay (position)
Leader-Follower Communication (names, verbal and non-verbal)
Bottom Anchors (when required, other thoughts)
Clipping in to multi-pitch anchors
Discussion of ratings, topos, guidebooks
Basic non-climbing gear to bring on a multi-pitch
- headlamp
- Small pack (optional)
- water
- food
- shell
- warm layers (wool or synthetic)
- knife (Safety of knifes around taut rope)
Time and rope management 
Cleaning and Re-racking

Discuss Rappelling 
- Device types
- Tying ropes together
- Retrieving ropes
- Knots in end
- Backups
Students demonstrate comfort with managing themselves on rappels with attention to:
- tethers, anchors, clipping-in
- rigging rappel device
- proper use of auto-block third-hand
- practice leg-wraps

Where to go (and not to go) from here

Teaching Expectations:
Typical class size: 8-10
Instructor:Student Ratio = 1:5max (1:4 preferred)