Advanced Rock

Advanced Rock Application

Course Goals and changes for 2008

It is the goal of AR in 2008 that all students will competently place gear, build anchors, and be able to swing leads on a 5th class alpine rock climb. To help reach this goal, more practice time for placing gear and building anchors has been added, a competency test for placing gear and building anchors is the focal point of the Horsethief weekend, and less time spent in the crags and more time in an alpine setting for the summer field trips.

All students will be encouraged to plan and execute their own small party alpine climb. These alpine climbs will be in groups of 4 with other classmates and under the guidance of a Mazama Climb Leader who has rock climbing experience. These climbs can range from the North Ridge of Mt Washington in Oregon, to the North Ridge of Mt Stuart depending upon your ambition and abilities.

Also, many students enter AR with various levels of experience. To help students with less experience develop their skills, without increasing the time burden of students with more experience, optional practice sessions in April will be held at the vertical wall at Rocky Butte. We will hold skill development sessions on placing gear, building anchors and multi pitch techniques to get everyone ready for the competency test at Horsethief.

Important Dates for Advanced Rock 2008

• December 1, 2007 Application and schedule available
• February 15, 2008 Application deadline - The application is an online application
• February 24, 2008 Skills Test at Club Sport, 4:00-7:00 pm after your application has been reviewed you will be contacted about scheduling the skills test.  Please note that not all applicants will be asked to take the skills test.
• March 2, 2008 Acceptance emails sent
• March 12, 2008 Student potluck
• March 19, 2008 First lecture, Mazama Mountaineering Center

General Information

The Mazama Advanced Rock Climbing program began and continues with a single major purpose: to teach students how to lead 5th class rock, using the traditional form of climbing - placing protection.  In addition, in 2008, all students will learn how to swing leads on 5th class rock with an emphasis on alpine rock climbing. (One does not usually find bolts at the crux of an alpine climb.) In the Basic and Intermediate climbing schools, the emphasis is on basic climbing skills and creating competent party members.  The goal of the Advanced Rock program is to encourage mountaineers to lead technical pitches as a way of exposing them to all aspects of mountain travel.  This, it is hoped, will create well-rounded mountaineers able to take full responsibility for themselves and others while in the mountains.

More than a series of lectures and field sessions, the Advanced Rock course is about people. The benefits to be gained are not limited to the development of safe climbing and communications skills. It also is the opportunity to establish long term climbing connections and friendships with people who share similar goals and interests. The program consists of lectures and coordinated field sessions, many of which take place at Smith Rock in central Oregon.  In 2008, we will have trips to areas such as Washington Pass area for an alpine weekend, alpine climbing Tuolomne Meadows in Yosemite Park, and multipitch climbing in Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas.  Students will also be encouraged to plan and complete an alpine Rock climb of their choice.  Participants are also encouraged to apply for summer alpine rock climbs at the “D” and “E” level, offered as part of the regular Mazama Summer climb schedule.

The class lectures begin in late March with outdoor field sessions scheduled for April, May, and June. This class demands a substantial time commitment if you wish to get the most out of the course. Please check the schedule at the bottom of this page to get an idea of the class material and time required. 

The Advanced Rock course is not for everyone. In terms of numbers each year, there are over 200 people in the Basic Climbing Education Program, about 40 in Intermediate Climbing School, and 20 or fewer in the Advanced Rock and the Advanced Snow and Ice courses. However, Advanced Rock is not necessarily a continuation of our other schools.  There are many fine climbers and Mazamas leaders who have not been through the Advanced Rock course.  Our emphasis is on how to lead safely, rather than on improvement of athletic climbing ability. There will be students in the program tackling difficult multi-pitch leads while others are making gains on lower rated single pitch routes. Students should have climbing experience at an equivalent to Mazamas Intermediate Climbing School (ICS), but another important admission requirement is self-confidence and the desire to face the increasing challenges that technical leading involves.  The Mazamas encourage climb leaders and those in the Leadership Development program to take this and other advanced classes to enhance their leadership skills.

The 2008 class will be headed by Bob Murphy with Ryan Christie as his assistant.

Photos

Want to see some Advanced Rock action photos?  Check out the new Advanced Rock photo gallery under Resources.

Course requirements

If you want to apply for the Advanced Rock class, keep the following in mind:

• The class is very time intensive.  Please be aware of the many weekends you’ll be participating in fields sessions, and apply only if you feel you can make a substantial commitment to the program.
• You do not need to be a Mazama member to take the class.
• You need to be proficient in the basic skills of belaying, rappelling, knot tying and rock climbing technique.
• The Mazama Intermediate Climbing School (ICS) or its demonstrated equivalent is a prerequisite for the course.
• Applicants should be self-confident and have a desire to lead 5th class rock.
• Students must be 18 years old or older by the date of the first field session.
• Students will need their own basic climbing gear including a harness, rock shoes, helmet, and personal safety gear to begin the course. It is generally expected that students will begin to buy additional gear after they have learned about the equipment by sharing with the coordinators.
• Students are required to attend a lead clinic at Club Sport (as part of the class), Rock Rescue, Horsethief weekend, Smith I weekend and Smith 2 in order to continue in the course.
• At the Horsethief weekend there will be a competency test for placing gear and building anchors.  If students can not demonstrate competency in placing gear and building anchors at Horsethief, they will do more gear placement and anchor building work prior to leading at Smith Rock.
• To complete the course, students must attend all lectures and field sessions marked below with asterisks.

For the course fee you receive:

• A series of 10 (or more) lectures covering all aspects of rock climbing
• Lead class at Club Sport with admission included.
• 8-10 weekend (or longer) field sessions coordinated by skilled, experienced climbers, often teaching one-on-one with the students
• Use of a new rope for the class

Entrance Skills Test

After your application has been reviewed, selected applicants will be asked to complete a basic climbing competency test at Club Sport.  (Note: Current Mazamas Climb Leaders are exempt from the skills test.  Mazamas in the Climb Leader Development Program, including Provisional Leaders are required to take the skills test.)

Please bring the following gear to the skills test: harness, belay biner, belay device, 4 extra biners, 1 locking biner, 2 slings/runners, personal pro with locking biner, 1 piece tubular webbing, 5 to 7 mm nylon cord.  No rock pro (cams, stoppers, etc.) are needed.  The test will take place at Club Sport Rock Gym in Tualatin.

You’ll be tested on these skills:

• Climbing:  You need to be able to top out on a 5.7 or harder top-roped gym route. Given you should learn to lead trad at 3-4 grades below your gym top rope ability, if you are unable to top rope 5.7 at a gym, unfortunately Smith Rock does not give you many learning opportunities.
• Belaying: tying into the belay anchor correctly, climbing commands (belay on, climb, climbing, take, up rope, slack, etc.), and belay with left AND right hands using belay device (correct rope feeding, don’t let go with brake hand.)
• Rappelling: Climb a short wall, convert a top rope anchor into a rappel while safely anchored, feeding rope correctly into rappel device, testing anchor and system before committing to rappel, rappelling with brake hand in proper position.
• Knots: figure-8 on a bight, rewoven figure-8, water knot, clove hitch, Munter hitch, bowline, double fisherman’s knot, girth hitch, and prusik knot.

Registration

Cost for the course is $310 for Mazama members and $390 for non-members. A $100 refundable rope deposit is also required.
Class size is limited to around 20.

We will request payment after you are accepted. Payment will be due on the first night of class.

If you have questions, contact Bob Murphy .  For the class application, click on the link at the top or side of this page.

NOTE: As is the case with all Mazamas classes, all lectures are free and open to anyone who wants to attend, whether or not you are enrolled in the class.  Only paid participants will be allowed to participate in the field sessions. If you do drop in on a lecture, please do not take any handouts and refrain from questions.  Auditing this course, or parts of it, can be a great way to increase your knowledge of rock climbing if you are unable to commit to the entire class.

Heading to Smith Rock?  Check out the Smith Rock Gear Checklist

2008 Advanced Rock Schedule (subject to change)

Starting Times:
Lectures - Are held at the Mazama Mountaineering Center (MMC), beginning at 7:00 pm
Field Sessions - Saturday sessions begin at 9:00 am. Sunday sessions begin at 8:00 am

• March 12, 2008 Student potluck
• March 19, 2008 Intro Lecture (MMC)
• March 26, 2008 Gear Placement Lecture (MMC)
• March 29, 2008 Gear Placement field session (Rocke Butte) optional
• April 2008 exact evenings to be determined Club Sport Lead Class
• April 2, 2008 Anchor Lecture (MMC)
• April 5, 2008 Anchor field session (Rocke Butte) optional
• April 8, 2008 Anchors/rappelling lecture (MMC)
• April 10, 2008 Multi pitch techniques (MMC)
• April 12, 2008 Anchors/multi pitch field session (Rocke Butte) optional
• April 19, 2008 Gear, anchors, multi pitch techniques (Rocke Butte) optional
• April 26-27, 2008 Smith Rock Field session, required
• May 7, 2008 Rock Rescue (MMC)
• May 8, 2008 Rock Rescue (MMC)
• May 10-11, 2008 Rock Rescue field (Rocky Butte) **
• May 14, 2008 Aid Lecture (MMC)
• May 17, 2008 Aid field session (Rocke Butte)
• May 21, 2008 Lead Climbing Lecture (MMC)
• May 24-26, 2008 Sport Weekend (Location tba) optional
• May 28, 2008 Mental Aspects of Leading Lecture (MMC)
• May 31 – June 1, 2008 Lead weekend 1 Smith (required) **
• June 4, 2008 Discussion of leading, Planning an Alpine Climb (MMC)
• June 7-8, 2008 Lead weekend 2 Smith (required) **
• June 11, 2008 Discussion of leading, Alpine Gear (MMC)
• June 21-22, 2008 Lead weekend 3 Smith (required) **
• June 25, 2008 Discussion of leading, Planning your Alpine Climb (MMC)

The following Field Sessions are optional but Highly Recommended.  All AR grads are invited to come and climb!

• June 28-29, 2008 Lead weekend 4, location determined by class goals
• July 2008 Lead weekend, Menagerie, dates tba
• August 8-11, 2008 Lead weekend, Washington Pass area
• August 2008 Toulomne Meadows, dates tba
• October 1, 2008 AR wrap up potluck
• October 11-19 2008 Red Rock Canyon, NV, Moderate, Multipitch Mecca!

Please contact Bob Murphy at if you have questions.

NOTE:
** Attendance is required at all lectures. The required field sessions are noted above.

A few recommended books . . .

• Traditional Lead Climbing: Surviving the Learning Years by Heidi Pesterfield, Wilderness Press, 2007
• The Rock Warrior’s Way: Mental Training for Climbers by Arno Ilgner, Desiderata Institute, 2006
• Rock Climbing Anchors: A Comprehensive Guide by Craig Luebben, The Mountaineers Books, 2006
• Advanced Rock Climbing by John Long and Craig Luebben, Falcon Books, 1997
• Climbing Anchors, 2nd Edition by John Long and Bob Gaines, Falcon Books, 2006
• Climbing Self-Rescue: Improvising Solutions for Serious Situations by Andy Tyson and Molly Loomis, The Mountaineers Books, 2006
• Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 7th Edition, published by The Mountaineers Books. This is a required text for the course (available at a discount to all Mazama students at the Mazama Mountaineering Center)