NEWSLETTER

Project Overview

My project began as a journey to become certified by the American Mountain Guide Association as a Single Pitch Instructor. The SPI certification ensures that rock climbers are trained and well equipped to guide clients on rock terrain up to one pitch (or one rope length) long. In order to get the certification, one must complete a three-day course. After practicing the skills learned from the course, a two-day exam must be passed in order to be certified. To be allowed to take the course, candidates must have knowledge of sport climbing, top-rope climbing, and trad climbing.

Due to time constraints, monetary difficulties, and a lack of intimate trad climbing experience, I decided to not take the SPI course. Instead, I focused on building my trad climbing experience, and to work on different skills taught at the SPI course. I have access to the skills taught through a book called Rock Climbing: The AMGA Single Pitch Manual that is used by all course and exam participants. In this way, I was able to better prepare myself for qualifying for the course and to give myself more practice beforehand.​

Inspiration

I began rock climbing in 2012, my senior year of high school, at a local climbing gym. I really wanted to get outside and climb on rock, but I didn’t know anyone who could teach me. So, I decided I would teach myself. I read books, watched videos, and talked to the few people I knew to educate myself. I even built a climbing wall in my back yard, complete with bolts and an anchor in order to be able to practice climbing and rope techniques in a controlled environment. I learned how to climb. I want others to know how to climb, but want more professional experience and teaching under my belt.

Challenges

The first, big challenge I faced was attempting to take the AMGA course. I fought long and hard in my mind about whether I was ready, and how to gather resources to make it possible. It was a hard decision to tell myself to wait. I am glad I did wait though. I have been practicing my basic skills, and feel way more ready to take on the challenge than I did a couple of years ago.

The biggest challenge, though, was giving myself time to practice, and getting myself to practice the skills I needed. Luckily, though, I had a bunch of friends who were willing to climb with me and were my guinea pigs for some of the skills. Also, in November 2017, I fell between 20 and 30 feet while trad climbing and landed on my back. Nothing was broken or damaged internally, thankfully! However, my zeal for trad climbing came to a halt. I even was terrified of sport climbing. It has been very hard to get myself out to climb since then.

Benefits to Another

In Fall 2017, I made a good friend named David. Growing up in Ohio, he had no real access to the mountains, and thereby rock climbing. He had done a little bit of bouldering with his friends, but that was the extent of his knowledge. He always wanted to get out climbing with me, so we went together. I had the knowledge and the gear; he had the enthusiasm and the drive. I taught him almost everything I knew. He was such an amazing climbing partner, and I owe most of the credit to him for being willing to come along with me on climbing adventures (and climbing misadventures, of which there were plenty.) He was very grateful for the opportunity to learn how to climb, and although he lives in Ohio again, he has all the gear and is itching to get out and climb again.

Benefits to Me

I learned many lessons during the course of this project. One, you have to be willing to take a step back, reevaluate, and settle for less. Saying no to the certification, and revisiting the more basic skills has built a better foundation that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Two, safety is of the utmost importance. I learned to not just jump on any piece of rock at any time with any partner. It has taken a lot (falling 25 feet and landing on my back) to realize that I am not invincible. I take much more precaution now than I did two years ago. Lastly, I am more grateful. All of my friends who were willing to climb with me probably got way more than they bargained for. There were a lot of late nights and long hikes in the dark, but it was so worth it! And I think they would say the same.​