Basic Climbing 101

Trip Details

You’ve always wanted to try rock climbing and now you’re ready, so let’s get started. Our intro course gives students a solid foundation in the fundamental knowledge and critical skills needed for outdoor climbing. We combine the highest quality instruction with the spectacular beauty of Seneca Rocks resulting in the experience of a lifetime.

This three-day course is geared toward people with little or no climbing experience. It is also available in an abbreviated two-day version, but if you can swing three, we highly recommend it. All necessary equipment is provided. If you have your own equipment and wish to use it, by all means bring it! Prior to use on a course, an instructor will evaluate all equipment to ensure its safety and suitability.

The following is a general description of our Basic climbing course. We routinely customize courses based on our students’ needs and wishes. If you don’t see a technique or skill that you would like to learn, contact us. We will do our best to make it happen.

Day 01

The first day focuses on fundamentals. Students are introduced to basic climbing equipment and their properties, basic knots, simple anchors, voice commands, belay techniques, top rope climbing, movement skills and rappel techniques. After a full day of practicing these new skills, students will participate in a flat land demonstration of multi-pitch concepts to prepare them for day two. When time allows, students often end the day by seconding the instructor up a traditionally protected climb and rappelling down.

Day 02

Students get to try their hand at multi-pitch climbing and seconding skills. This includes removing artificial “chocks” and “cams”, personal anchoring techniques, additional safety concerns and evaluation. The amount of multi-pitch climbing depends on the ability and interest of the students but many groups climb to the South Peak of Seneca to experience a true technical summit.

Day 03

The third day is dedicated to cementing skills through further practice. Students also have time to experience different positions on the rope team which can be quite informative. If time allows and the group is up for it, we can also begin adding a few additional tools to the tool box. One of the most often requested skills is to begin learning the basics of top-rope anchor construction. Though this course is also offered in an abbreviated two-day version, please note the enormous amount of information to be learned is best suited to a three day course. This course is taught with a maximum of a 3 to 1 Ratio.