TRAD CLIMBING - PLACING PROTECTION AND BUILDING ANCHORS

This engaging two day unit takes you through a series of well designed workshops which will give you a thorough grounding in the serious, but exciting, world of trad climbing. Beginning with a series of practical exercises giving you hands on experience of placing gear, you will learn all the essentials about runner placement and building safe and simple anchors. During the morning of the first day you will become familiar with a full range of possible gear placements, using a wide range and variety of equipment. In addition, the important skill of self-assessing placements will be developed. In the afternoon you can put all this into practice as you face the challenge of anchor building exercises. On day two we will explore the practical considerations of placing runners on lead. You will apply all you have learnt so far in several exercises providing you with an extensive experience of the issues relating to trad leading. Here the emphasis falls on the psychology, control and the techniques necessary for a good trad climbing style. This will help consolidate the systematic training which the unit has been developed to ensure.

Course contents include:

Philosophy and Psychology of Trad Climbing

• The trad climbing ethos 
• A higher risk game

Placing protection

• Understanding the gear on your rack and how to use it
• Assessing placement integrity and strength 
• Organising your rack

Building anchors 

• Understanding the importance of good anchors 
• Connecting the pieces
• Methods of anchor construction
• Key concepts 
• Attachment to the anchors and methods of belaying the second

Placing runners on lead

• Choosing a rack for particular routes 
• Trad climbing strategies 
• Getting off the ground 
• Special techniques for placing protection on lead 
• Clipping, extending and managing rope drag 
• Protecting the second