Flash Foxy’s Multi-pitch 101 course equips climbers with the know-how to climb and descend from routes longer than one rope-length. This course covers essentials like building multi-pitch anchors, taking the roles of leader and follower, rappelling from a multi-pitch route, staying safe and organized during transitions at anchors, and solving basic problems on routes. Our instructors will provide low-risk environments for practice and review the skills you need to continue your practice after the course. We’ll also discuss navigation, what to bring, and how to plan for your adventures. This is a skills-intensive course, and we’ll focus on learning fundamentals on the ground, then practicing those skills in a low-risk vertical setting with review and feedback from our instructors. Most of our course time will be spent working on skills with very little rock climbing, so come prepared with comfortable but capable shoes!

This course will be a mix of ground-school skill building and time to climb outdoors!

Must know how to belay someone lead climbing. Participants have top roped a minimum of ten climbs on at least three separate occasions (indoors or outdoors). Must be able to comfortably top rope 5.9 indoors or 5.6 at the course venue. Some experience lead climbing or mock leading, like in Flash Foxy's Sport Climbing 101-102 or Trad Climbing 101-102, is required.

• Have a working knowledge of key equipment, including climbing shoes, harnesses, helmets, chalk, climbing rope, slings/cordelette, carabiners, quickdraws and alpine draws, assisted and non-assisted belay/rappel devices, and friction cords.

• Practice building common multi-pitch anchors on bolts and with natural features.

• Understand techniques to add safety for both a leader and a follower in multi-pitch terrain.

• Be proficient in belaying a follower from an anchor at the top of a pitch using a variety of belay devices.

• Practice (mock) leading and following a multi-pitch route, including clipping gear, managing the rope, building anchors, securing oneself to anchors, belaying a follower, cleaning gear from a pitch, and communicating as a team.

• Practice multi-pitch transitions when alternating leaders and when leading in blocks (same leader on consecutive pitches).

• Practice transitions from climbing to rappelling, as well as transitions for multiple rappels in a row.

• Be proficient in rappelling using an extended belay device and third hand.

• Be knowledgeable about route planning, navigation, and what to bring on multi-pitch outings.

• Connect with other climbers interested in multi-pitch climbing.

Jess Worley and Nate Schumacher