Student Manual

Preparation for seminar:

- get out there and climb, both indoors and out.
- exercise; being in good aerobic and climbing shape will make this seminar more enjoyable and you will get more out of it.
- read Big Wall Climbing: Elite Technique by the Mountaineers, the course textbook provided with your course tuition.
- optional, but recommended; purchase or borrow (from the director or anyone else) any of the various video guides to aid climbing.

April 1, 2009 (Wednesday) - lecture and practice session #1, American Mountaineering Center, 6:30 p.m.

- Required student gear (please mark your gear):
- helmet.
- harness.
- locking biners, 4.
- non-locking biners, 6.
- belay/rappel device.
- daisy chain (pre sewn).
- slings, 24", 4.
- prussiks, 2.

- Optional student gear (if you own it, please bring it. Otherwise, not necessary to purchase this stuff):
- leather climbing gloves.
- gri-gri.
- second daisy chain.
- climbing shoes.
- quickdraws, 12 (a combination of short and tripled 24" slings would be good).
- rope.
- jumars.
- etriers.
- knee pads.
- wall hauler or traxion pulley (or similar type device).
- pig (haul bag).

- Agenda:
- 6:30 p.m. - introductions.
- 6:45 p.m. - director comments.
- 7:00 p.m. - an introduction to gear.
- 7:10 p.m. - harnesses on.
- 7:15 p.m. - A leads, B belays.
- 7:35 p.m. - B jumars, A belays.
- 7:50 p.m. - both climbers rappel.
- 7:55 p.m. - B leads, A belays.
- 8:15 p.m. - A jumars, B belays.
- 8:30 p.m. - both climbers rappel.
- 8:35 p.m. - harnesses off.
- 8:45 p.m. - El Cap slide show.
- 9:15 p.m. - closing comments.
- 9:30 p.m. - Woody's for pizza and a beverage or two, optional, but recommended.

April 4, 2009 (Saturday) - field trip at North Table Mountain (Golden Cliffs), meet at the American Mountaineering Center at 7:00 a.m.

- Required student gear - same as first session, and the following:
- ten essential stuff.
- lots of water.
- largest backpack or pig that you own.

- Optional student gear - same as first session, and the following:
- traditional climbing rack.
- portaledge with rain fly (only if you own one, certainly don't purchase for the seminar).
- barbells/weights/etc. or other small heavy items if you want practice carrying heavy loads.

- Agenda:
- 7:00 a.m. - meet, determine car pool arrangements.
- drive to North Table.
- hike to climbing area.
- A leads, B belays.
- B jumars, A hauls.
- A and B rappel.
- B leads, A belays.
- A jumars, B hauls.
- A and B rappel.
- A leads a pendulum, B belays.
- B follows a pendulum, A hauls.
- A and B rappel.
- B leads a pendulum, A belays.
- A follows a pendulum, B hauls.
- A and B rappel.

April 9, 2009 (Thursday) - lecture and practice session #2, American Mountaineering Center, 6:30 p.m.

- Required student gear - same as first lecture.

- Optional student gear - same as first lecture. Again, if you have it, bring it. If not, don't sweat it.

- Agenda:
- 6:30 p.m. - questions/comments.
- 6:45 p.m. - harnesses on.
- 6:50 p.m. - A leads a traverse, B belays.
- 7:10 p.m. - B jumars the traverse, A hauls the pig.
- 7:35 p.m. - both climbers rappel.
- 7:40 p.m. - B leads a traverse, A belays.
- 8:00 p.m. - A jumars the traverse, B hauls the pig.
- 8:25 p.m. - both climbers rappel.
- 8:30 p.m. - harnesses off.
- 8:40 p.m. - video.
- 9:15 p.m. - closing comments.
- 9:30 p.m. - Woody's for pizza and a beverage or two, optional, but recommended.

April 18, 2009 (Saturday) - field trip to at Turkey Rocks (Turkey Tail), meet at the American Mountaineering Center at 6:30 a.m.

- Required student gear - same as first field trip.

- Optional student gear - same as first field trip.

- Agenda:
- 6:30 a.m. - meet, determine car pool arrangements.
- drive to Turkey Rocks.
- hike to climbing area.
- do multi pitch clean aid climb with a pig.