Alpine Belay

NOT A COURSE
For active alpine climbers. Assuming one has already received solid formal alpine training elsewhere, the goal is only to review (and not to learn) fundamental mountaineering skills.

Location: Mt. Seymour

Agenda 

• Warm up : knots (12), fall factor, SRENE, ultimate backup.
• Belay fundamentals: taking in/paying out rope - alpine style.
• Belay systems: off-harness/redirect/off-anchor.
• Hip belay.
• Boot-ax belay.
• Running belay.
• Belaying the leader: single rope / twin rope / double rope.
• Lowering.
• When things go wrong: locking belay device, belay escape, belay re-enter.
• Belaying the second, handling the rope.
• Independent and simultaneous belaying of two seconds in Reverso mode.
• End of the pitch protocol.
• Swapping the lead.
• Keeping the lead.
• Drill - alpine multipitch stint.

 Skills Required

• Solid Top Ten Technical Skills of The Modern Alpine Climber
• Proven basic formal mountaineering course.
• Must have completed at least one PD route from Alpine Select List

Personal Gear

• 30-70m 8mm half rope (or else)
• helmet
• harness + belay device (Reverso type)
• regular straight ice axe + hammer (ice tool)
• carabiners: 2 non-lockers + 4 lockers + 1 large pear shape
• anchor material: cords and slings (Nylon, Dyneema, Spectra)
• 2 5-mm prusiks + 1 spare
• rescue pulley
• Tibloc
• alpine rock protection (cams, nuts, pitons)
• personal emergency kit incl. medical, space blanket, flares (if you have)
• headlamp with spare fresh batteries
• PLB/SPOT/GPS (if you have)

B.N.

• if you have previously "bailed" less than a day before the start of, or been a "no show" for, one of the trip organizer's previous trips, you need not apply to join this one - you will not get a response.
• trip without Approved Participants is subject to change.
• if minimum safety levels are not met (because of weather, conditions, etc.) the trip will be canceled, last minute cancellations do occur.
• if you want to receive a response you must clearly answer  ALL "Trip Planning Questions"
• if you haven't received response, check your email in Spam folder (some eager service providers mark club's messages as such ).