Preparing for Advanced Top Rope Anchor Setting Course and Rappelling | Toronto | Ontario | Squamish | Vancouver, BC
Advanced Top Rope Anchor Setting and Rappelling
Course Itinerary:
9:00am:
Ontario clients will meet the instructor at the Upper Parking Lot, Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area. ( You may ask the park attendant for directions when you pay the $9.50 entrance fee at the gate.)
BC clients will meet the instructyor at the parking lot of Squamish Adventure Centre (38551 Loggers Lane.)
• Formal introductions, sign waivers, safety discussion and equipment check.
• Lesson 1 Environment: Leave no trace; climbing access (code of ethics).
• Lesson 2 Safety: Objective and subjective hazards.
• Lesson 3 Review top rope anchor setting.
• Lesson 4 Setting up a rope for solo climbing.
• Lesson 5 Setting up redundant system for self-belaying.
• Lesson 6 Solo climbing up.
• Lesson 7 Rappelling down.
• Lesson 8 Problem solving.
• Lesson 9 Life lesson discussion (optional).
4:30pm: Meeting at the parking lot to return equipment and say goodbye to each other.
Rattlesnake Point Facility Information:
Address: 7200 Appleby Line, Milton, ON L9T 2Y1. GPS Coordinates: 43.471 -79.913
43.471 -79.913
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From Hwy 401, take Hwy 25 south to Steeles Avenue, head west on Steeles to Appleby Line, drive south on Appleby Line for 3 km
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From Q.E.W, take Appleby Line north; 1 km north of Derry Road on top of the escarpment
There is a water tap and an outhouse near the Upper Parking Lot. The hike from the parking lot to the cliff is about 10 minutes. The cliff is 70 to 90 feet high.
Smoke Bluffs Park Facility Information:
Address: 38551 Loggers Ln, Squamish, British Columbia.
The park is about 200m from the above address, which is where the Squamish Adventure Centre located. There is washroom facilities in the centre which hosts Tourism Squamish. The hike from the parking lot to the nearest cliff is about 15 minutes. The cliff is 70 to 90 feet high.
Equipment:
We assume that you are an experienced climber and you have acquired some basic climbing equipment such as your harness, helmet, rope, etc. Please bring whatever you have to the course, so you can practice with them and become comfortable and confident to use them on your own effectively.
Personal Preparation:Weather Kit - Sun lotion, mosquito repellent, sun glasses, rain jacket in case it rains.
Clothing - loose fitting clothing made of synthetic materials for easy movement and quick dry; old hiking/walking shoes or boots for tough wearing on rock. Put your jewelry and artificial finger/toe nails away. Pull your long hair back to avoid potential interference with rappelling and climbing.
Food & Water - Pack your lunch and water in your daypack.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions):
Q: Is your company insured?
A: Yes.
Q: Is the instructor certified?
A: Yes. Your lead instructor is certified by American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), or Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG) or, by Zen Climb through its vigorous certification process that includes practice teaching with real clients in addition to a series of training courses based on the standard practice of AMGA or ACMG.
Q: What is the instructor to students ratio?
A: One instructor teaches upto 6 clients attending this course first time.
Q: What are the benefits for me to bring my own gear to this course?
A: The instructor can help you to best use equipment. For example, if your rope has a mid-point mark, you can do things slightly differently than with a rope with no such mark. In one instance, the instructor helped a client to set up a top rope anchor with a single webbing, as that was the only thing the client had and intended to use to set up top rope climbs the next day!
Q: Will I get a list of equipment that I need to purchase to be self-sufficient in setting up top rope anchors?
A: Yes, the instructor will help each student to generate such a list that meets their needs.