Taking your single-pitch trad-climbing skills on longer, multi-pitch routes can seem like an even scarier prospect than trad climbing was in the previous course, but again once you have covered the techniques you will find it not nearly as scary and will discover an even more amazing aspect of the vertical world you already love.

This course is also ideal for folks who have been trad climbing before, but find themselves a bit "rusty" and in need of volume - lots of multi-pitch trad climbing under supervision - to get their skills sharpened up.

What will we learn?

Among the skills covered in this course are:

Planning your day before you start, preparing for any eventuality
The importance of clear, concise communication on multi-pitch routes
Additional types of anchor systems
Additional belay techniques
Smooth transitioning from top-belay to lead-belay while on the wall
The importance of staying vigilant even after arriving at the top
Preparing equipment for a walking descent, or –
Using two ropes for very-long abseils

Prerequisites

See Duration below as this differs depending on the current skill level.

Location

This course is held on an outdoor location on real trad climbing routes. The area we climb at and the grade of the routes will be tailored to the group participant’s skill levels.

Duration

2 days for participants who have Single-Pitch (or "rusty") trad skills already, or 4-days for those with lead-or sport-climbing skills only, or 6 days for top-rope climbers or those who have never climbed before. Expect 6 hours of teaching time per day.

What do we need to own/bring?

The only piece of equipment you need to own before this course is a standard climbing harness suitable for lead-climbing indoors. All other climbing safety equipment is provided by Melbourne Climbing School, however if you own any of the following equipment please bring it along with you – learning with your own equipment is far better and will provide a great start to your outdoor climbing experience!

Helmet *
One locking biner suitable for belaying
One belay device
If you own a chalk bag, rope, quickdraws, slings and any other sport- or trad-climbing equipment please let us know prior to the course, and we can plan to teach you using your own gear instead.

* Helmets are worn on all outdoor Melbourne Climbing School courses – but as with all of the other climbing safety equipment, we have these if you don’t own one, and we will not charge any extra for their use on the course.

Closed footwear such as tennis shoes are fine for learning on if you do not own climbing shoes.

Non-climbing gear: You will need to bring suitable clothing and footwear for light hiking, and your own lunch and water for the day (and a camera!).

Multi Pitch Trad Climbing