Learn to Trad Climb for Women

Day 1: After meeting at the SMC office, we will carpool to the days location. For this day, our main focus will be building on the
basic climber/belayer foundation, ensuring everyone is adept at lead climbing and belaying (both with plate style and assisted
braking devices). Then we will focus on different types of active and passive gear: how to place and remove them, and leading
and following considerations. In a ground school, all will learn the various ways to construct an anchor on bolts and gear as well
as the different cleaning methods depending on the anchor set-up. Discussion topics will include crag etiquette, interpreting guidebooks and on-line info, and variability with rock type and gear.

Day 2: After meeting we will head out to build upon and reinforce skills. Each participant will also build a trad anchor, clean a route at a bolted station, and then descend via rappel.

We have a wide range of locations in a close area, and where we go will depend upon weather at the time. Some of our locations include:
Pine Creek: A wide range of both sport and trad routes at all grades, just a short drive from Bishop.
Benton Crags: Our favorite high elevation crags, a scant two minutes walk from the vehicles. Here we have numerous trad climbs and top ropes as well as routes we can split into short pitches to focus on the techniques of setting up anchors and belay change
overs.
The Buttermilks: Although known as a bouldering area, there are also routes here and it is also an in deal place for “ground school”. Here we can work on placing and removing protection and building anchors at ground level.