Crack Movement Clinic

July 6 & 7

730-330

Squamish Smoke Bluffs

4:1 participant to guide ratio to a maximum of 8.

Crack Climbing is akin to speaking a language. Knowing only a little and learning can feel awkward and difficult, while having some fluency allows greater expression and fun!

You will learn and practice a variety of foundational and advanced crack climbing techniques and skills. While this clinic focuses on movement, topics such as gear placement, lead strategies and headspace will be thoroughly discussed.

This clinic is for folks who want a better understanding of crack climbing movement, lead strategies and increased confidence and enjoyment while crack climbing.

Learning new skills is optimal in low stress environments, therefore, much of the climbing during this clinic is done on top rope. There will be opportunities for supervised leads, crag and group dependant.

Grade 7 Hand Jams will be available for participant use throughout the clinic.

Learning Outcomes:

Lessons and coached practise on the following topics:

-Jamming Techniques: Finger, hand and fist sized cracks, stemming, smearing, diagonal and layback cracks.

-Reading the rock, resting mid route & movement on cracks.

-Equipment selection and racking.

-Headspace & lead strategies.

-Gear placement strategies for runouts, protecting above the ground and ledges, ‘tricky’ gear, protecting continuous sized cracks and how to french free or back off a route.

*This clinic will not teach ‘how to place gear’. Check out my TRAD CLINIC for learning about how to place to gear.

Prerequisites

Minimum two years of top rope and lead belaying. Minimum one year of outdoor climbing on sport or trad.

Participants are encouraged to have their own ‘somewhat comfortable’ climbing shoes, harness, hemet and belay device.