ROCK CLIMBING POLICY OF THE RENSSELAER OUTING CLUB -------------------------------------------------- Revision 4/19/2005: Jeff Moss, Ken Nowak 4/28/2005: Jeremy Morgan 8/30/2005: Jeff Moss TRIP CATAGORIES: Bouldering: 1. Bouldering Day trips 2. Climbers are not to climb higher than 15 feet. 3. Participants are taught intermediate climbing techniques. Examples: Peter?s Kill, McKenzie Pond, Little Falls, Trapps/Near Trapps Top Roping 1. Day trips that involve top-rope climbing. 2. Anchors are to be set up by Class C (and above) leaders. 3. Anchors may consist of trad gear only if placed by a Class B or Class A leader 4. Participants are taught basic climbing skills (rope management, belaying, knot tying, and climbing techniques) Examples: Peter?s Kill, Rose Ledge, Little Falls, Beer Walls Lead Climbing: 1. Day trips that involve multi or single pitch lead climbing and seconding. 2. Trip must be led by a Class A leader. (Leader will provide trad gear if needed) 3. Participants may lead climbs at leaders discretion. 4. Participants must have knowledge of intermediate climbing techniques taught during top-rope climbing trips and must have a working knowledge of cleaning lead gear. Examples: Gunks, Rumney, Chapel Pond Slab *Climbing Wall: 1. Bouldering and top-rope climbing in the climbing wall. 2. Only Climbing wall leaders may host wall hours. This leadership is not cumulative like the others. (e.g. Even a class A leader that hasn?t gone through an ECOM for Climbing Wall leadership can not open the wall) LEADER CLASSIFICATION: Class D (Bouldering): 1. May lead bouldering trips 2. Must have knowledge of: a. Crashpad use/placement. b. Landing area assessment. c. Intermediate climbing techniques (flagging, drop knee, heel hook, mantling, grunting, etc.) d. Bouldering etiquette (properly adhering to access rules and regulations) e. First Aid 3. May not open the campus climbing wall. 4. May not conduct roped climbing without a class A, B, or C leader present. Class C (Top Roping without trad gear): 1. May lead Top-Roping trips and lead bouldering trips 2. Must have knowledge of: a. All requirements of Class E and D. b. Knot tying c. Top-Rope rigging (anchor equalizing) d. S.E.RE.N.E. (Solid, Equalized, Redundant, No Extensions) e. Rappelling f. Rope management g. Intermediate climbing techniques h. First Aid 3. Must be an experienced climber. 4. May not place trad gear. 5. May put up ropes in the campus climbing wall (stand on ladder and thread rope through quick-links). Class B (Top Roping with trad gear): 1. May lead Top-Roping trips and lead bouldering trips. 2. Must have knowledge of: a. All requirements for Class C b. Trad anchor placements. 3. Must provide trad gear that is used. 4. Must be an experienced climber. 5. May put up ropes in the campus climbing wall (stand on ladder and thread rope through quick-links). Class A (Lead Climbing): 1. May lead Lead Climbing trips, Top-Roping trips, and bouldering trips. 2. Must have knowledge of: a. All Class B requirements. b. Leading techniques (gear placement/use, bolt use, hanging belays, commands) c. Common leading mistakes (z-clipping, back-clipping, excessive rope drag, excessive run-out) d. Advanced climbing techniques. e. Self Rescue f. First Aid 3. Must provide trad gear and draws that are used 4. Must be an experienced lead climber. May put up ropes in the campus climbing wall (stand on ladder and thread rope through quick-links). *Wall Leadership: 1. May lead climbing wall sessions. 2. Must have knowledge of: a. Intermediate climbing techniques. b. How to quickly obtain help in the ?87 Gym in the case of an emergency. c. How to instruct beginners in belaying, spotting, and climbing basics. d. How to conduct a proper belay test and assess whether or not a given person is ready to be a belayer. e. How to handle a situation where someone isn?t adhering to the rules. f. How many people can be climbing at once. 3. Must also be able to demonstrate strong leadership skills and be comfortable being in charge of a group of people. 4. Must have participated in a short course offered by Andy Gilpin at the Electric City Rock Gym where he will go over the basics of running a climbing wall. 5. May not set up top-ropes. If any adjustments need to be made to a rope, it?s to be done by a class A, B, or C leader. RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: Bouldering: 1. Crashpads 2. Chalk/Toothbrush 3. Climbing Shoes 4. First Aid Kit Top Roping: 1. Climbing shoes and helmets for each participant 2. Locking and non-locking carabiners 3. 1 inch tubular webbing in various lengths 4. Static rope of various lengths 5. Cordellette/slings 6. Dynamic rope (for top roping use only) 7. Belay devices 8. First Aid Kit 9. Trad gear (to be used by Class B or A leader. Not provided by club) Lead Climbing: 1. Gear for Top Roping 2. Trad/Sport gear and rope must be supplied by trip leader CLIMBING WALL USAGE POLICY OF THE RENSSELAER OUTING CLUB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Access to the climbing wall is open to the members of the ROC. There will be an arranged amount of hours every so often when the wall will be open to the entirety of the school. 2. A climbing wall leader must be supervising while anyone is using the wall. 3. Proper crash pad use is required while bouldering, along with a sufficient amount of spotters. 4. Proper rope use is required while climbing on top-rope. Only climbers who have passed the belay test may belay other climbers. 5. When the wall is closed, the door and overlook gate must be locked (ropes may be left in place). 6. The Climbing Wall Leader present has the responsibility of making sure the wall is being used properly. The leader who opened the wall and has the key makes the decisions about whether or not things are being done properly. 7. The Climbing Wall Leader also has the responsibility of conducting a thorough belay test for those who want to become belayers. This will also entail recording who passes the test. 8. Vertical Caving training sessions may be conducted in the climbing wall by a class B or above caving leader. Belay Test: The person must demonstrate how to take up slack on the rope as a climber climbs (NEVER removing his/her brake hand from the rope or grabbing above and below the device at once with the same hand). The person must also catch an unexpected fall while being backed up by a qualified leader. Comfort and control must be shown while belaying.