Rappel Extensions

Rappel extensions started becoming in vogue around 2006 after a climbing accident in Wyoming where a friction hitch backup was likely tended or pushed down by the device causing the climber to lose control and eventually rappel off the end of the rope. The rappel extension helps eliminate this issue and sets us up for success in many other situations.

The rappel extension has morphed over the years as technology has improved. We now can consider using a dynamic extension like the Petzl Connect Adjust to extend our rappels and prevent high force shock loading when clipped to an anchor.

Petzl’s Connect Adjust

The double shoulder length sling is still a great option for extending a rappel and using nylon can allow for a larger margin of error. Most climbers now only carry UHMWPE (Ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene) so basketing the sling is a good option and we should stay away from girth hitches with this material. Here are a few configurations with the sling.

double shoulder length sling rappel extension

I do still use a locker draw for extensions at times. Here is a video that I made about the locker draw and some of its uses in 2012.

Mentoring in Guiding

Mentoring has always been needed in the mountains whether recreational climbing or guiding; however the latter requires way more to really perfect the craft. Many times young instructors do not fully understand how mentoring works or how it is accessible to them. The American Mountain Guides Association has made great strides to offer the best mentoring resources in the country. The AMGA members mentoring Facebook page has now given a forum to folks looking for mentoring as well as a place mentors can inform members about opportunities. However many opportunities are gained more by the individuals drive to seek them out.

Many Accredited companies offer personalized training in house to their instructors. At Fox Mountain Guides we regularly have trainings whether is be on an individual basis or a full team training. We also have teamed up with other local constituents in the industry to provide mentoring days to AMGA members as a way to share information.

Fox Mountain Guides allows individuals to shadow days so that they can benefit from seeing professionals work in the field. Here is a little excerpt from a student about this mentoring particular days:

When asked, “How did you get into climbing?” most of us probably think of a person or a group of people rather than a book or a class. Not all recreational climbing mentors are good ones, but they’re still the ones that got us outside and gave us our first real climbing experiences. Mentor-ship is key when you are transitioning into any new activity or field, and that is definitely the case when it comes to transitioning from a recreational climber to a professional instructor or guide.

Last year, I took my first step into the realm of professional guiding by signing up for an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor course with Fox Mountain Guides. Having years of rock climbing experience on more than just single pitch terrain, I didn’t know how much more there could be to learn in that setting. Apparently a lot, and the learning certainly didn’t stop at the end of that course. Armed with a brand new SPI manual and a lot of new tricks to work on, I left the course planning to practice until I mastered all of it. It became clear very quickly that learning and growing at these skills on my own was going to be much harder than just memorizing a book, and I struggled to find people to work with on my areas of weakness. If you only climb with people at your level of knowledge of lower, you’re not getting the feedback you need and you can’t reach for a higher standard if you don’t even know what that looks like.

This May, Fox Mountain Guides provided me with a key mentor-ship opportunity and I was able to shadow Karsten (FMG owner and guide) and Doug (FMG Rock Instructor) while they guided a group at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky for a few days. This experience was pivotal for me, and I was finally able to see what a professionally guided day looked like and what my role could look like as an instructor. Interacting with real clients and seeing them progress over the course of a short trip was rewarding and really brought everything I’d been learning together in a meaningful way. Observing and participating in the high standard that Fox Mountain Guides practices gave me valuable insight into my own strengths and weaknesses, and the experience motivated me to continue my education and transition from recreational climber to professional climbing guide. Mentor-ship can spark positive growth in a way that no amount of reading or practicing can, and I’m excited to continue down this path after having such positive learning experiences with FMG.

–Peggy

Ways to find mentor-ship:

-Take internships with AMGA accredited companies

-Get on the AMGA professional members forum and mentor-ship forum on Facebook

-Go to the AMGA conference

-hire a guide or instructor and create a mutually beneficial relationship

Remember when searching for mentor-ship be thinking about what you can do for your mentor. Can you provide them with a service like photos or some volunteer time. Help them with some office duties where you might even learn more about that side of the business. When the relationship becomes mutually beneficial both parties win and our profession grows stronger!

Lowering with a Plaquette

It is easy to reverse the direction of the plaquette by using the LSD or Load Strand Direct lower. Here is a quick video:

Fox Mountain Guides Summer Camp

I have been working with the Fox Mountain Guides Rock Climbing Summer Camp in some capacity for the last 9 years. It has been ever evolving into a very high end teen climbing camp where teenagers come to experience climbing for the first time and after a few years leave having lead multi-pitch climbs and learned technical rescue skills that most adults would be envious of. Some of these campers have gone on into the world to pursue guiding, as well as a couple students are even professional climbing athletes and now pushing the leading edge of climbing today.

Here is a little preview of what we do: