Mark Smiley's Online Anchor Course

Dana Bartlett wrote:

Do you trust someone who reads?

More so than the average illiterate most of the time. 

my trust in spammers is even lower.

Tough crowd.

I cut my rope and jump at each belay.

Tommy Backer wrote: I just watched Mark Smiley's  video on rappelling off stupid anchors, and he says if you send a picture of your bail anchor to him, he will give you a discount on his product. Along with giving you the second cam or nut too, the one you would not have placed without seeing his video for free. He will also instruct you on how to make your anchors safer. Now this would ask the question is he using your photo that you would send to him whom which he is asking for, as part of his anchor course?  

https://vimeo.com/287120341/recommended

This sounds utterly ludicrous and looks to be a scam! Many things awry...

I wonder why it only "applies to anyone 30 years or younger"? 

Valerie A.B. wrote:

I wonder why it only "applies to anyone 30 years or younger"? 

The reasoning is that by 30 you should be responsible enough to not let economics factor into your life and death decision matrix.

The real annoying thing about this thread is that the OP said he was going to review the climbing course for us and he failed by merely linking to a trumped up advertisement... But there has been no response [regarding this] by this Northeast guy...

Seconded 

Andy W wrote:

Seconded 

Well I'm back from a family trip where I tried to stay unplugged...

I'll try to address a few concerns that have been brought up.

1) I bought the course with my own money.

2) I shared my opinions on the course after sitting through it. Obviously after climbing for 25 years a lot of it was "ya I know that", and I tried to call out what seemed new or most influential to me.

3) Regarding the quick-draw anchor issues I'm not commenting more on that until I've finished some more widespread research on the "best practices" type stuff... that will be coming to the blog soon...

I know there's a fair amount of "anti-formal" i.e. guiding out there. To each their own. This course could help accelerate a newer trad climber's learning curve... or they can just slowly pick up tips like I did for 25 years... Have fun out there.

Tommy Backer wrote: I just watched Mark Smiley's  video on rappelling off stupid anchors, and he says if you send a picture of your bail anchor to him, he will give you a discount on his product. Along with giving you the second cam or nut too, the one you would not have placed without seeing his video for free. He will also instruct you on how to make your anchors safer. Now this would ask the question is he using your photo that you would send to him whom which he is asking for, as part of his anchor course?  

https://vimeo.com/287120341/recommended

This sounds utterly ludicrous and looks to be a scam! Many things awry...

Also a stranger is offering to replace your $70 cam if you're willing to share the photo/story and accept maybe a wee bit of advice... sounds pretty noble to me but I guess we can raise the stink eye at anything that remotely looks like marketing. Guy simply doesn't want people bailing of crap if they aren't sure it will hold.

Northeast Alpine Start wrote:

Well I'm back from a family trip where I tried to stay unplugged...

I'll try to address a few concerns that have been brought up.

1) I bought the course with my own money.

2) I shared my opinions on the course after sitting through it. Obviously after climbing for 25 years a lot of it was "ya I know that", and I tried to call out what seemed new or most influential to me.

3) Regarding the quick-draw anchor issues I'm not commenting more on that until I've finished some more widespread research on the "best practices" type stuff... that will be coming to the blog soon...

I know there's a fair amount of "anti-formal" i.e. guiding out there. To each their own. This course could help accelerate a newer trad climber's learning curve... or they can just slowly pick up tips like I did for 25 years... Have fun out there.

You seem to have it backwards.  The concern is not rooted in “anti-formal” sentiment, but in substituting online learning for real, in-person experience.  Books, online videos, etc can serve as great supplements, but they do not teach you how to trad climb or build anchors.

There is an anti-guide contingent on this website. Not necessarily in this thread , but it exists.

I’d agree with that, but I was more referring to the comments in this thread.  Mpech’s post was in that vein, but most of the rest of the posts were either expressing skepticism at the online platform or questioning the OP’s motives.

FrankPS wrote: There is an anti-guide contingent on this website. Not necessarily in this thread , but it exists.

And? Why wouldn't there be? There's a anti-anti in every thread on MP,  why should guides be exempt?

The only "anti-guide" sentiment around here is a well placed one that regular climbers should not be climbing and rigging like guides and instead should learn to be efficient climbers.

The two are not the same.

I think Harumpfster has it. Also IMGA can have particular and perhaps unpopular methods in their courses, which are often changed. Various IMGA certified guides will dispute what they have been taught b/c of different times they have been certified, which gets hella meta after awhile.

Ted Pinson wrote:

... can serve as great supplements..

Agreed! Nothing beats quality in person instruction and critique from those with the training or experience to give good feedback! I refer to this in my review as this being one part of a multi-faceted approach to learning. Online learning is indisputably effective in many walks of life. Climbing is not excluded from the list of skills that can be improved from some form online study. I’m sure many on MP have learned quite a bit just in these forums. 

It's interesting how quickly this jumped to "we can't trust guides because two quickdraws are fine".  I don't think you could sell an anchor class if the only thing you addressed was how to build an anchor on a sport climb with fixed anchors.  

Guides aren't out there making absurd overkill anchors in the alpine and multi-pitch environments. They are making safe and efficient anchors. The sentiment that learning anchors from a guide isn't applicable to recreational climbers is silly.

Harumpfster Boondoggle wrote: The only "anti-guide" sentiment around here is a well placed one that regular climbers should not be climbing and rigging like guides and instead should learn to be efficient climbers.

The two are not the same.

thanks--this was exactly the point I was trying to make before.  I was not being anti-guide-- I was simply pointing out that there priorities are different than the average non-guided party. 

Northeast Alpine Start wrote: Last week Mark Smiley released his online anchor course. I decided to buy it and review it. If you're curious about what you might learn take a look:

https://northeastalpinestart.com/2018/08/31/review-50-non-textbook-anchors-i-trusted-my-life-to-by-mark-smiley-imfga-guide/

You should really be upfront with the fact you get paid if someone buys this using your affiliate link or affiliate code. Shouldn't this be posted in the for sale section as you're selling a product?

How in the world is there even a market for this?  It's fascinating and a little bit sad that people are actually willing to pay this exorbitant price for something they could figure out with a rack, a chunk of rock to practice in, and a few Google searches.

Brandon.Phillips wrote: It's interesting how quickly this jumped to "we can't trust guides because two quickdraws are fine".  I don't think you could sell an anchor class if the only thing you addressed was how to build an anchor on a sport climb with fixed anchors.  

Guides aren't out there making absurd overkill anchors in the alpine and multi-pitch environments. They are making safe and efficient anchors. The sentiment that learning anchors from a guide isn't applicable to recreational climbers is silly.

Anyone with experience can teach others to be safe and get up their first adventures.

That is not the same as helping someone learn how to competently do fast and light missions (that are very, very rarely the guide's mission).