The main thrust of the class is to give students a safety awareness and technical framework needed to begin the long process of learning a complex and difficult sport. The most dangerous period for a climber is often the first year of participation in the sport, when many attempt to learn from friends with barely more experience than they have. By learning from experienced instructors using a tested and refined course syllabus, your learning period will be far shorter, and your experience much safer. The class will start with the basics of knots and ropes, and go into what is needed to know to climb and belay safely. From here, we will cover a broad range of topics through indoor lectures and outdoor experience. These topics include setting topropes, how to properly use rock climbing gear, safety issues, ascending and descending fixed ropes, and climbing multi-pitch routes. The outdoor classes will start with heavily
supervised top-roped climbing. Further outdoor sessions will include
experience with rappelling and ascending, and belaying the leader. The
final class, the "graduation climb", will take place at the climbing
area named El Rito. At the graduation climb, experienced
free-climbers will lead the students up the multi-pitch routes there.
Schedule and Information Lectures: 6:30 to 9:00 pm, Tuesday evenings March 25, April 1, 8, and 15, Wednesday evening April 23. Classroom is Graves Hall, United Church, 2525 Canyon Road, Los Alamos (click for map) Indoor Practice Session: Wednesday, 7:00 to 10:00 pm, Los Alamos YMCA, April 2. Outdoor Practice Sessions: Saturdays, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, various locations around White Rock and the Jemez, April 5, 12, 19, 26. Graduation Climb: El Rito on May 3, Saturday (and/or May 4, Sunday, depending on weather and numbers), All day! Note that this is 4 consecutive Tuesday evenings, 2 Wednesday evenings, plus 4 Saturday mornings and 1 full Saturday (or Sunday). PLEASE CONSIDER whether your schedule will allow such an intensive itinerary BEFORE you register for the course! We ask that students make a commitment to attend every session; there is little duplication of material from one session to the next, and the techniques taught should be considered the absolute minimum foundation for climbing safely. To graduate and participate in the graduation climb, students must attend at least four of the five practice sessions, and at least four of the five lectures. A much more detailed schedule is available by clicking here. Students are responsible for verifying that they are
in adequate physical condition for the course and will be required to
sign a liability
waiver. Students must be at least 16 years old. Those under 18
must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Signup, Membership, and Fees Applicants should submit an application form and waiver with a tuition check any time up until Monday, March 24. Registration for this course will be accepted by mail, or in-person. However, there will be a 25 student enrollment cap. Applicants will be considered on a first come, first serve basis using the receipt date of your check. Applicants who are denied admission because of the 25 student cap will receive a full refund. Applicants may withdraw their application, with a full refund, prior to the beginning of the course. Once the course begins, no further tuition refunds will be made. Questions about the school should be directed to Kei Davis, our Climbing School Director, at (505) 661-0118 or keidavis.lam@gmail.com.
Cost includes textbook and classroom materials. An application form with mailing information is available by clicking here for Acrobat, or here for Word. Required Gear Besides instruction, classroom, and textbook, LAM provides all needed gear except:
There is one free weekend
scheduled between the start of class and the first indoor and outdoor
sessions to give students time to purchase these items from e.g.
Sangre de Cristo Mountainworks (Santa Fe, 10% Discount for LAM club
members) or REI (Albuquerque). These items are also readily
available from Web retailers. An advantage of purchasing locally
is that the shopkeepers will know what you need if you don't!
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At
the end of the class, the students should have a broad overview of
important aspects of rock climbing. There will also be some discussion
of the extension of rock climbing skills into mountaineering. Students
will be able to identify safe and unsafe climbing practices and
understand the principles of technical climbing. The overall goal is to
orient students to climbing and techniques, so they can gain further
experience as they like. It is also expected that we will all have fun!
Photos of a typical climbing school (by LAM member and volunteer
instructor Danny Gallant) can be viewed by clicking,