A Mountaineer approaches the top of her climb in the 2023 Mountaineers Climbing School. Courtesy photo

By BILL PRIEDHORSKY
Los Alamos Mountaineers

The Los Alamos Mountaineers are again offering a climbing school following last year’s successful revival of the school, in conjunction with Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Adventures of Taos. Details can be found on the climbing school page at https://lamountaineers.org/drupal7/node/1169.

Mountain Skills, supported by Mountaineers volunteers, will teach rock climbing with a safety first attitude, including movement on rock, belaying, rappelling, cleaning protective gear, and removing anchors, with extensive on-rock practice. The course objective is such that successful students should develop the skills needed to participate in top roping, follow a leader in a multi-pitch trad climb, and be able to climb or descend moderate technical obstacles in unplanned backcountry situations using improvised gear (e.g. rope and carabiners). No previous rock climbing experience is required.

Outdoor sessions will be held at Northern New Mexico climbing areas, principally Tres Piedras. The outdoor sessions will encompass a full day (6 hours) on the Saturdays of April 6, 13, 20, and May 4, with a backup date to make up any weather cancellation on May 11. Participants will sign a Los Alamos Mountaineers waiver at the first session, and additional waivers as requested by Mountain Skills. Mountain Skills will provide equipment (helmets, harnesses, climbing shoes) based on the information provided by participants in their registration form.

The cost for the school is $650; a slot in the school will be secured when:

• (1) participants sign up online;
• (2) payment is received by the Mountaineers; and
• (3) participants sign up for Mountaineer membership, if needed.

Payment may be made by check, made out to “Los Alamos Mountaineers”, mailed to LAM c/o Cecile Hemez at 1060-B 49th Street, Los Alamos, NM, 87544.

The school will take place if we register at least 7 participants, and will fill at 25 participants. Payment will be refunded only if the slot can be filled by a suitable replacement. Participants will be responsible for obtaining their own copy of the course book, “How To Rock Climb” by John Long and Bob Gaines.  Registration will close on March 15.

Participants should be at least 18 years old, except that 16- or 17-year olds can take part if a parent or guardian is present at all outdoor activities, either as a fellow student or an observer. All participants should be members of the Los Alamos Mountaineers; joining the Mountaineers is easy, and can be done at https://www.lamountaineers.org/drupal7/Member_Benefits.html. If the cost of the course poses an impediment, some accommodation may be possible. For questions, potential students can contact Toni Taylor, the Mountaineers climbing school lead, at taylortrugman@gmail.com.

The climbing school was a highlight of the Mountaineers year for decades, and the Club is excited to have it back. Friendships made at the climbing school lasted for years, and participants went on to become Mountaineers participants and leaders. We trust that the renewed climbing school will open the door to adventures for decades to come.