Sunday Skill builders: Climbing Accidents and Remedies

Most climbing accidents aren't freak events - they're ordinary mistakes we can all recognize and avoid. In this three-hour session we'll work through real, documented accidents from sport and beginning-to-intermediate trad climbing, many from right here in Oregon and Washington, and for each one we'll trace exactly what happened, the specific decision or habit that set it up, and then the remedy: the correct technique or safer alternative, demonstrated so you can see how it should be done. We'll focus on the moments where things most often go wrong for climbers moving from the gym to the crag - lowering and cleaning anchors, belaying, clipping, placing and trusting gear (including why cams blow out), rappelling, and the human-factors traps that nudge good climbers into bad outcomes. You'll leave with a sharper eye for risk and a concrete set of habits that keep small errors from becoming serious ones. This clinic is built for gym climbers heading outside, outdoor sport climbers, and newer trad leaders who want to climb for a long, healthy lifetime. Registration opens one month before class, and spots are first-come, first-served - apply early.