Climbing Self Rescue
Learn to Avoid & Solve Common Problems Via Skills Like Lowering, Hauling, Belay Escape and Takeover & Assisted RappelLearn skills to solve the most common problems every climber eventually runs into. Self-rescue skills allow you to avoid more serious issues and avoid needing help from other climbers or EMS.
Climbing is inherently dangerous. No matter how much you try to mitigate risk, you may need to perform a rescue to save your own life, or that of a partner or community member. Knowing how to efficiently perform fundamental self rescue techniques can make the difference between a logistics hiccup and a tragedy.
Climbing self-rescue Overview
“Self-rescue” is a very specific phrase in the outdoor industry. It basically means the skills you need to help you get out of sticky situations that could get a lot worse of you can’t solve them early. You could easily substitute “self-rescue” for “problem solving.”
Climbing Self-Rescue provides hands-on instruction for building a “toolbox” of basic self rescue skills using equipment you already carry as a climber. You will learn:
how to create an essential “rescue kit” of climbing hardware and software
simple solutions for lowering and raising a climber when belaying from above
rappelling with an injured climber
ascending to a climber on route from the ground
We practice each technique under an instructor’s guidance. Mastering these simple concepts will empower you to solve myriad common rock climbing scenarios. These skills empower climbers to solve many problems on their own, and also provide a foundation for more advanced technical or rescue skills.
Course Formats
We offer two Self Rescue course formats:
Open Enrollment - One-day course open to public enrollment. Students should feel comfortable leading self-guided climbing days in one or more of the following contexts: sport climbing, trad climbing, or top-rope context in single or multipitch terrain.
Private Course - Private instruction for your group only. Custom dates, curriculum and locations available, per client request. Best for larger groups, students with specific requests, and those who can’t accommodate our open course schedule.
Enroll Now
Learn to identify ways to mitigate risk and a variety of techniques to solve common problems that arise in a bottom-managed (belaying from below) top rope setting.
Learn skills to solve common problems many climbers encounter when belaying from above, as well as efficient rappel tactics.
Custom-tailored self-rescue curriculum based on your goals and experience. Available all season long, any day of the week (subject to availability).
LOGISTICS
Placing gear while lead climbing at Devil’s Lake State Park.
WHEN: March through November, weather permitting. Open courses run 3x per season, private courses scheduled by request.
COST: $185/person for open courses, private courses priced by group size.
PREREQUISITES: Any climber comfortable leading a self-guided climbing day. Whether you’re a sport climber, top-roper, single-pitch trad climber, or multipitch climber, these skills are for you.
BRING YOUR OWN: Food, water, clothing and footwear appropriate for weather, camera, sunscreen. Climbers with their own equipment may bring as much as they would like to use. We can supply all climbing equipment if you do not have your own. Students who wish to purchase gear in advance of class may do so in our Client Gear Store.
GROUP SIZE: 1 to 4. Larger groups possible for private courses by custom request.
COURSE EXPERIENCE
We’ll learn how to manage the following scenarios and more:
Lost/dropped belay or rappel device
Belaying a novice or injured rappeller
Lowering a tired or injured climber from above
Raising and hauling systems to assist a stuck or injured climber from above
Rappelling with an injured or disabled climber
Ascending a rope to help a stuck or injured top-rope climber
Escape the belay or transfer the belay to another person or object while the climber is weighting the rope
WE PROVIde
Experienced, certified climbing instructor
Harness, shoes, helmet, if you don’t already have them (but you probably do)
“Rescue Kit” of hard and soft goods needed to perform rescue skills (carabiners, belay device, double-length sling, prussik loop/Hollowblock), if you don’t already have them
Climbing and static lines to facilitate live, hands-on practice
