Mountaingirl

Learn to Love Trad

Our next LTLT course is:
9,10,11 July 2010. €795
3 spaces remaining.

*We can also arrange small one-off groups if you can't wait until then, or the date doen't suit. Please call for more info.

Learn to place gear - at the right time, and in the right way, all whilst keeping your head together. You’ll learn to assess what is good protection and what’s not. Importantly, you’ll become better able to really trust and feel confident in your gear placements and know when it will it is definitely capable of holding a leader fall. This course suits total beginner trad leaders, as well as those who have done a little leading but want to improve their speed, efficiency and confidence.

We’ll also focus on leading tactics like efficiency, knowing when and where to find rests, where it’s safe to fall and where it isn’t, dynamic belaying, rope management and properly protecting your second. We’ll also teach you everything you ever wanted to know about anchors but were afraid to ask.

Ultimately, this course will give you a very sound basis from which you’ll be able to choose appropriate leads for yourself, and to be able to go out with your friends and continue to progress trad leading on your own (well... with a partner to belay you, of course!).

Day one: Gear placement and anchors (nuts, cams, tricams, hexes, slings and different ways to set up belays) – strictly the technical nitty-gritty, nuts-and-bolts. You be taught different ways to place then gear and then be able to practice placements and assess them with the help of a guide. And we'll climb some fun things, too.

Day 2: Anchor and gear placement critiques, dynamic belaying, rope management, protecting yourself and your second, ground anchors and pieces to protect against upwards pull and zippering.

Day 3: Putting it all together – turning what you’ve learned into practise: Leading (at whatever level you feel comfortable) and discussion of leading tactics and your gear placements, etc., as well as an all-round cheering-on from all the other climbers on the course!

Kit-list

Skill Level: 1 Fitness Level: 0-1