Need Help creating policies for College climbing program

So I've been put in charge of my school's outdoor climbing program, and I'm really interested in expanding what we can teach.

So far we can really only do guided top-rope trips and intro to sport climbing stuff (mock leading on TR).

Anyway in the past we haven't been allowed to let participants lead no matter what their skill. However, I've been given permission to start actually letting participants lead once we have "reasonable and prudent" policies in place.

So the point of this is to try to find some sort of industry standard or policy for actually letting participants lead climb on a trip. I've looked on AMGA's site and a couple of others and I can't seem to find anything regarding actually policy.

So if anyone could point in me the right direction I'd really appreciate it.

Is there any place to do training such as mock leading and anchor placement, and anchor building around your school like a small cliff band or a climbing gym? This would allow a pre-trip meeting where you can evaluate students.

As far as safety: Safe climbing stance, clipping, movement, communication, risk-taking, anchor evaluation, awareness, etc....

you need to review the accreditation standards of the Association of Experiential Education. That is the gold standard for policies on this subject. Check out aee.org for the beta.

I can send you an email of college outdoor field manual if you need more help. Let me know. Cheers.

You are incredibly lucky as there is a concurrent thread about the single most important factor, which is defining what a send is.

I am a faculty advisor for a rock climbing club at the University that I work at. We are just getting started and haven't even gotten actual approval yet, but I would also love to know about any online resources, books, etc. that would be helpful in this regard.

Skyeler, would you mind sending me that field manual if it isn't too much of a hassle?

Thanks,

Adam

You have to make a Lead Certification Test in which the participants must pass before being able to lead climb. You could make the test a checklist of principles pertaining to leading.

Such as: Harness properly fit, know what a correct clip, back clip, z-clip is, know how to tie the figure 8 properly or bowline. Know how to lead belay properly. How to catch a fall, how to take a fall. Giving a taking the correct amount of slack.

Make them take the test on a mock lead setup on whatever grade you think is fit. I believe 5.9 tops. We as outdoor educators should test for knowledge and safety, not skill level. If they can safely lead a 5.8 then that is a great place to start learning. They would have to lead a climb and belay a lead climb all while you are belaying on TR making sure they do everything correct.

You can even charge $10-20 for a class that teaches everything you need to know to pass the test.

If you are teaching them to lead outdoors, you should probably also teach them how to rappel and safely clean a route.

This awesome you are going to get this running at your university!

With WCU's school outdoor programs we have a lead climbing clinic at the gym twice a semester. It is designed to teach participants what they need to know to lead safely in the gym and to start learning more about climbing in general. A well defined test is very important and it should be pass/fail. Also, call other universities. I'm sure they would be willing to share policies that have worked for them. There's no need to invent the wheel twice.