Belay Certification Information

Lead Certification Information

SRC Climbing Wall Policies

Answers to most questions about the climbing wall

· Can I just walk in and climb? No, first you need to check-in at the OP Base Camp and take a look at our policies, sign some paperwork and get entered into our registration database. The OC staff will then issue you a climbing wall pass.

· No gear? No problem, we have you covered. No charge for harness, shoes, chalk, Gri Gri’s and helmets.

· First time climbing? We have you covered there too. Let one of our friendly Supervisors in the orange shirts know its your first time and they will be happy to give you some tips and tricks.

· Wondering what all that tape means? Its how we mark the different routes and problems on the wall. Those looking to challenge themselves will follow a specific color, others will use whatever holds easiest to reach.

· What is a route? It is a certain path that leads to the top of the wall and is identified by a single color of tape. You will find a route label at the base of the climb that tells you the approximate difficulty.

· What is a Problem? A short and usually difficult route climbed low to the ground and without a rope. These can take some time to master, hence the name problem. Keep working and you will figure them out.

· How can I tell the difficulty of a route or problem? Checkout the bulletin board that hangs over the water fountains at the wall. You will find details about the Yosemite Decimal System used to rate routes and the stars we use to grade our boulder problems.

· What is a “Natural”? You may have noticed that our wall looks like real rock and you can use those real looking features as part of a climb. We call them naturals.

· How tall is the wall, you ask? 50 feet tall! The climbing wall opened in April of 2006 and was built by industry leader, Entre Prises.

· What is a “Hold”? A hold is the sometimes funny and brightly colored shapes that are bolted to the wall that allow climbers to grip, step and pull.

· How can I learn to Belay? We offer belay clinics every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm to 6pm. The workshop cost $5 and takes about an hour. If you feel comfortable with the skills after your workshop, you can take the test. If you need more time to practice, you can come back (at no extra cost) during other belay workshops to hone your skills.

· What if I already know how to belay? No worries, we offer Challenges to the belay certification test every Thursday and Friday at noon. Again we charge a $5 fee. You should be familiar with basic climbing equipment and comfortable belaying with a Gri Gri to challenge the test.

· What is lead climbing? Its when you start with your climbing rope in a pile on the floor and trail it up the wall as you climb clipping it into draws for protection. We certify people to lead climb in our facility, but we currently do not teach those skills, so you need to come in with experience. We schedule lead assessments on request. Chat with the Outing Center staff for more details.

· How often do you change routes and problems? We do are best to make updates and tweaks weekly. We have to wait for breaks and other times when the facility is closed to make major changes to the wall. Over longer breaks we try to make major overhauls.

· How can I work at the wall either as a Supervisor or Route Setter? We are always looking for good people to join the OP family. Start by asking for an application from the kind folks in the Outing Center. Even if we are not currently hiring, we will keep your application on file.

· What is that big wooden structure across from the climbing wall? That’s a campus board and is a training tool used by some climbers to develop strength and stamina. Ask one of Our Supervisors in the Orange shirts if you want to learn more.

· What if my question wasn’t answered above? Ask a Climbing wall Supervisor wearing an orange shirt or check in with OP’s Base Camp. We are always eager to answer questions and we are here to help you get the most out of your adventure!