USFS R6 Climbing Instructor Workshop--pics!

[Burnham]

I mentioned in a post from last night that this week I've again had the pleasure of serving as an evaluating facilitator at our flagship climbing training facility outside of Cottage Grove, OR.

More fun that a barrel of monkeys. Plenty of work, and long hours...but one of my very favorite things in the world.

We had a total of 36 personnel on site, between new climber candidates, instructor candidates, and facilitators. Perfect size group...not too big, nor too small.

Let me share some pictures...mostly of the smaller group I oversaw personally.

This first batch is spur climbing and AR off of a spar, then a little 4 inch tie in (FS self belay system) work.

 

[Burnham]

Another bunch. More spur excercises, and some DRT and limbwalking.

 

[squisher]

Cool. You've got a great job B!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Looks like a lot of fun
Ditto what the Squishy said

 

[sotc]

Fun stuff

 

[Bodean]

You're bringing these smiles out of these folks.

To further Echo, What a great gig, Burn, though I know you've earned it if not carved it out for yourself.

 

[Burnham]

Thanks, friends.

Here's some more. SRT stuff.

 

[Burnham]

We were able to squeeze in an aerial chainsaw endorsement for a couple of the guys...not a primary focus for this workshop, but since there were a couple of qualified instructor/facilitators there and we had a window of time, made it happen.

 

[Old Monkey]

Is tying the last branch, in a chain, off with a clove hitch acceptable practice in the FS? I used to do that but then after seeing a clove hitch with a half hitch added fail, I terminate with a running boline.

 

[Burnham]

Two half hitches, actually. Acceptable for light loads like this, but not my personal choice. I too prefer the running bowline.

 

[Old Monkey]

Got ya.

Fun stuff Burnham. Those folks were lucky to have you training them.

 

[Burnham]

Hell, I'm lucky to have the opportunity.

 

[MasterBlaster]

That's a sweet gig you've got there, B! Outstanding!

 

[SkwerI]

Fantastic!

 

[Bounce]

Is tying the last branch, in a chain, off with a clove hitch acceptable practice in the FS? I used to do that but then after seeing a clove hitch with a half hitch added fail, I terminate with a running boline.

I've also had a clove hitch with a single backup half hitch come undone on me. The clove just isn't a trustworthy knot IMO.

 

[Tommy_B]

Very cool Burn.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

Got ya.

Fun stuff Burnham. Those folks were lucky to have you training them.

word

 

[Fiddler]

which word? they all look spelled right.....

 

[ValleyArborist]

Does the FS outfit climbers with the gear for this or are the students able to buy their own and use it? Some of those guys look like they have some pretty advanced kit on their saddles. Nice pictures.

 

[stehansen]

Thanks Burnham.

 

[woodworkingboy]

It appears that the students are all using mechanical rope grabs on their lanyards, is that a keeping up with the times approach, or a safety factor consideration? How is that emphasized? Just wondering about that, Burnham.

 

[Burnham]

Does the FS outfit climbers with the gear for this or are the students able to buy their own and use it? Some of those guys look like they have some pretty advanced kit on their saddles. Nice pictures.

For the most part, equipment used by student climbers is supplied by the FS, some coming with gear from their own duty stations and some provided from the cache at Dorena for the workshop, or from extras brought along by a few well outfitted instructors such as myself.

On occasion a FS climber may augment their FS gear with a particular item of their own purchase, if they want to use it and perhaps available funding is insufficient to provide it, or a program manager feels it's a low priority need.

A FS climber who wishes to take side jobs would be risking their employment by using taxpayer provided kit, so folks in that boat might well have a geegaw or two from their own kit when on their gov't job. So long as the personal gear meets agency standards, it's OK to do that, just not the other way around.

My personal preference is to keep the two completely seperate...but I'm usually in a pretty desireable position so far as on-going funding for gear purchases go, due to my regional and national level technical advisor role. Got to keep on the cutting edge, ya know .

That may well be one reason the kit you see from this workshop is on the better end of the scale...I push to keep the flagship training facility and R6 instructors/climbers well informed of developments in gear and techniques.

 

[Burnham]

It appears that the students are all using mechanical rope grabs on their lanyards, is that a keeping up with the times approach, or a safety factor consideration? How is that emphasized? Just wondering about that, Burnham.

Most are because most, though certainly not all, are west coast and intermountain west climbers, and have to deal with conifer pitch to greater degree than climbers in other regions, Jay. There will be a smattering of friction hitch adjustable lanyards in the mix, and I always make sure to have a couple on hand so people can compare with the range of mechanicals that are about.

No safety reason, no keeping up with the times reason, and emphasized only because of the better performance overall in the local conditions.

 

[woodworkingboy]

Thanks, Burnham. I was just thinking that having some knowledge in your head of the comparison between mechanical and the more traditional, is good stuff to be aware of. A little more data to have to affect future decision making.

 

[Burnham]

Here's my basic lanyard data .

My favorite lanyard is locking snaphook single headed, distel hitch w/micropulley adjusted, 15-18 foot long rope with handling characteristics similar to KMIII (stiff, hard hand). Exposure to pitch is the only fly in that ointment.

Mechanicals handle pitch better...my fav is the ART Positioner, again on KMIII...I probably use this one the most.

For spur climbing my first choice is 5/8" polyester, cable cored of course, with the Petzl macrograb (the bolted cam model).

I've got many lanyards in my kit, most of the mechanical adjusters on the market are represented. If you have questions about a specific one, just holler.