OXFORD UNIVERSITY MOUNTAINEERING CLUB
6-WEEK ROPE WORK COURSE
As a club, we are sometimes able to arrange exclusive rope work skills courses. Each course covers a range of potentially vital techniques for anyone who climbs with ropes outdoors. It is suitable for those who have just started climbing as well as experienced climbers. This course provides a fantastic opportunity to not only learn, but also practice these potentially life-saving rope skills.
SYLLABUS
- Week 1
- Building anchors: with rope only, with slings, with mix of slings and rope, in reach/out of reach
- Anchor considerations: angles, direction of pull, equalizing, sharing loads, independence, etc
- Plus: fall factors, impact forces, etc
- Week 2
- Introduction to prusiks: autoblock (French), original and klemheist
- Simple hoists: assisted hoist and the unassisted hoist
- Week 3
- Escaping the system
- Lowering past a knot
- Week 4
- Prusiking up a rope
- Protecting an abseil
- Week 5
- Abseiling past a knot
- Assisted abseil
- Counter-balance abseils
- Week 6
- Advanced rescue: a lead climber fall on a traverse (one of the most complex improvised rescue scenarios)
- Concluding summary: going over the tool box
The next course is yet to be organized. If demand is high enough, there will also be an advanced workshop-style course for those familiar with most of the topics on the above list. There is usually a significant level of flux among those on the sign-up list, so if you are interested, it is worth contacting the organizer to be put on the reserve list. To sign up or if you have any questions, comments or corrections, e-mail the Meets Sec. Being a club event, priority will be given to OUMC members.
SUMMARY:
| Places: | up to 8 people |
|---|---|
| Cost: | £25 (OUMC member price) |
| Time: | Tuesdays or Thursday, 5–7pm |
| Dates: | To be arranged |
| Place: | Brookes |
Notes:
- Entrance to the Brookes climbing wall is not included.
- Attendees are required to bring: shoes*, harness*, belay device*, 3 screw-gate karabiners**, 1 short sling**, 1 long sling**, rope***
**at least one should be an HMS (large) screwgate—can probably be borrowed from other attendees
***not essential, but if you have one, you may as well bring it (you will at least be able to do some climbing afterwards!)
Neil Champion will be running the course and will meet you at the climbing wall. For the first session, converge in the front bouldering area. It will start at 5pm. If it is possible for everyone to arrive earlier then it might be a good idea to arrange to do so, because the wall will be quieter then. There will initially be no need to get your shoes on, unless you fancy a spot of climbing beforehand.
Current interest:
Please e-mail the Meets Sec with any changes of preference.
| Nrm | Adv | Name | Priority | Notes | Membership |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | ... | — | OUMC |
Nrm = Normal course (full syllabus)
Adv = Advanced workshop-style course
