Rock Climbing & Safety
Climbing is Inherently Dangerous
Climbing risk cannot be eliminated. To climb is to accept that risk and assume personal responsibility. This is, in part, why we ask every visitor to our gym to sign a Visitor Agreement. It evidences your acceptance and understanding that climbing risk will always exist, regardless of our policies and procedures, whether bouldering, climbing with auto-belays, top-rope climbing, or lead climbing. Climbers must take personal responsibility for their own safety. Without this understanding, climbing gyms could not exist.
All climbers, belayers, and spectators must accept and assume a level of personal responsibility and sign our Visitor Agreement, which includes assumption of risk and waiver of liability. Anyone under age 18 must have the agreement completed by their parent or court-appointed guardian.
UpTown Climbing helps to mitigate this risk by putting every climber and/or responsible adult supervisor through a detailed orientation. We also teach rope skills according to the industry standard and we are a Climbing Wall Instructor certified facility. We teach regular sessions of several climbing classes. If you have questions regarding the below safety rules and minimum requirements, please ask.
THE TYPES OF CLIMBING WE OFFER, ALONG WITH OUR RESPECTIVE RULES AND BASIC DEFINITIONS ARE DESCRIBED BELOW.
“Belaying is the act of providing security to (a climber) by paying out or drawing in rope, often through a braking device, in readiness to break a potential fall.”
A climbing system is only as safe as the weakest point. Equipment can fail. Anchors can fail. Knots can fail. Humans can fail. Climbing equipment manufacturers put their gear through rigorous safety testing and at load limits much greater than the forces typically encountered while climbing. The figure 8 follow-though knot has been adopted as the industry standard because it is easy to inspect, does not fail when tied properly, and is relatively easy to untie after being loaded.
Evidence suggests human error and inattentiveness are the primary causes of injury in rock climbing.
Auto-Belay Climbing
Auto Belays are mechanical devices that lower a properly clipped-in climber to the ground in a controlled descent. As the climber ascends, the device takes out slack. When the climber falls or lets go, the device “catches” the climber. The most common cause of injury using auto belays is forgetting to clip in entirely, then climbing, then falling to the ground.
Our Auto Belay climbing Requirements:
Climbers (or their adult supervisor) must go through an orientation
Climbers must wear a properly secured, industry-manufactured climbing harness
Climber 13 years old and younger must be clipped in by an adult
Climbers must be at least 14 years old to climb unsupervised on auto belays
Climber must be within the mechanical weight limits of the auto belay (25-310 lbs)
Roped Climbing
All top rope belayers must pass a skills check before using the ropes. All lead climbers must pass both climbing and belaying skills checks before leading. We also do lead-belay-only skills checks. We issue “permanent” belay tags after successfully passing three skills checks, at least a day apart. Our skills checks are considered neither certifications nor training. They do not eliminate human error.
Top Rope Climbing
Top Rope climbing is where the rope is already secured to an anchor (or anchors) at the top of the climb. The rope extends upwards from the climbers harness. As the climber ascends, slack is taken out by the belayer. If the climber lets go of the wall, they only fall as far as slack plus rope stretch allows.
Our top rope climbing requirements:
CLIMBERS…
Must go through an orientation (or their adult supervisor)
Must be at least 3 years old
Age 13 & below must be belayed by an adult
Must use a correctly fitted and secured industry manufactured climbing harness with a dedicated belay loop
Our top rope belaying requirements:
BELAYERS…
Must be at least 16 years of age (few exceptions)
Must use a correctly fitted and secured industry manufactured climbing harness with a dedicated belay loop
Must know how to properly tie in a climber and inspect the figure 8 follow through knot
Must know how to complete a proper buddy check
Must demonstrate proper climbing communication
Must demonstrate proper PBUS (Pull Break Under Slide) belay technique
Must be attentive and stand while belaying
Must never let go of the brake hand
Must demonstrate proper lowering technique
Lead Climbing
Lead climbing is a more advanced form of climbing where the rope is not anchored at the top of the climb. As the climber ascends, they must clip the rope into clipping points along the climb. The rope extends downward from the climbers harness to their last clipping point. As the climber ascends, the belayer primarily pays out slack. If the climber lets go of the wall, they fall as far as their last anchor clip times two, plus slack, plus rope stretch. Lead climbing is much more dangerous than top rope.
Our Lead climbing requirements:
Must be at least 16 years old (climbing team exception)
Must use a correctly fitted and secured industry manufactured climbing harness with a dedicated belay loop
Must be a strong 5.9 top rope climber. That means you can climb any 5.9 in the gym and are working 5.10s)
Must have been climbing on top rope, consistently for at least 3 months
Must demonstrate effective and confident movement on the wall
Must demonstrate proper clipping technique and explain improper clips and why they are dangerous.
Must clip between hips and head level
Must demonstrate proper falling technique
Our lead belaying requirements:
Must satisfy all top rope belaying requirements
Must have at least 3 months of top rope belay experience, and demonstrate excellent top rope belay technique
Must be at least 16 years old
Must wear closed-toe shoes
Must understand proper clipping technique and explain improper clips and why they are dangerous.
Must belay actively, paying attention to the climber at all times, including clips and foot position
Must demonstrate proper rope management for both providing slack and taking up rope
Must demonstrate a proper, controlled catch and a surprise catch
Must demonstrate proper body position relative to the wall and the climber
Bouldering
Bouldering is rock climbing without roped protection. Every fall is a ground fall. Padded flooring does NOT eliminate injury. The likelihood of injury in uncontrolled falls is high, especially to the ankles and arms. If you have back or leg issues, bouldering is not recommended without consultation with your doctor. You must take personal responsibility for your own safety while bouldering. Climbing within your range, downclimbing, and proper falling technique are very important.
You must be 12 or older to climb unsupervised in the bouldering area
Climbers age 11 and younger must have direct, active adult supervision
Do not boulder if you do not know how to fall. Don’t break falls with hands and arms.
Only climb within your range
Be aware and courteous of other climbers and fall zones
Downclimbing is strongly recommend
The boulder is for climbing only - no gymnastics, running, flipping, or falling for fun.
