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2009 Los Alamos Mountaineers Climbing School
Latest Schedule    |    Is Rock Climbing Really for You?


Please contact Bill Geist our Climbing School Director, at lamclimbingschool@gmail.com

for more information or to sign-up for the 2009 LAM Climbing School.

Read Bill's Bio here

Note: Our director and his many instructors are all unpaid volunteers; however, their experience level and enthusiasm for the sport is very high.

The following information is from our 2008 Climbing School, and will be updated when information about the 2009 Climbing School is available.

The Los Alamos Mountaineers Climbing School is a great way to learn about technical rock climbing and mountaineering. The school should offer a good experience to:

  • beginning climbers with no climbing experience

  • new climbers who want to gain experience

  • climbers who need outdoor experience and instruction

  • anyone wanting a chance to tap into the expertise of some of the area's most experienced climbers

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, here, here, and here.

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: $185, plus membership for non-members.

  • Nonmembers must become members.  Click to BECOME A MEMBER now!

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:

  • climbing harness

  • belay device

  • belay carabiner

  • climbing shoes (LAM has a selection of shoes available to loan but cannot guarantee sufficient numbers or availability of particular sizes).

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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