AMI Advanced Rock Course
This course is for those who have been following leaders up routes, cleaning gear, belaying a leader and are ready for the next step. A good leader designs a protection system to reduce hazards from lead falls, but also protects the second. This course will answer several questions about leading. How do you arrange protection to catch the fall and not be dislodged by the run of the rope system? When should I place gear? What should I look out for when protecting the second? The goal of this course is to set the foundation for a lifetime of fun leading routes by developing your skills and knowledge at protecting single pitch climbs for both the lead and the second.

This two-day course builds on the topics of the AMI Intermediate Rock Course, and follows the instructional progression of: fundamental skills, belay management, protection systems, ascending, descending, and rescue skills. If you have taken the AMI Intermediate Rock Course you will see how the prior skills become building blocks for the leading traditional climbs. This course expands on prior knowledge, but builds new skills for challenges facing leaders.

The AMI Advanced Rock Course focuses on teaching you the skills of rope management and protection systems for leading a pitch, protecting both the leader and the second. The course examines equipment, anchors, belaying a leader and creating a protection system that safeguards both the leader and the second. You will understand the concepts of the fall factor, what variables affect fall forces, and how to choose the most appropriate style of belay for the situation. Most of all, you will develop the skills needed to analyze the situation and determine the safest possible solution. During the course, you will get to practice leading with feedback.

The benefits from this course include:
• Understanding lead belaying and belaying the second
• How to select the proper protection configuration given the situation
• How to construct a protection system rather than points of protection
• Protecting the second from hazards
• Methods for belaying seconds
• Rope management and efficient transitions
• Rescue situations for seconds
• Rappelling methods and backups
• How to read topo of routes
• Hazard assessment and avoidance
• Fall forces

This two-day course builds through the topics of protection, anchors, and rope systems, and ends with leading pitches with feedback from the instructor. Participants must have prior climbing experience following climbs, building anchors with protection, and comfortably top rope 5.6 climbs. You should have some experience placing protection such as cams, stoppers and tricams. The anchors course is a recommended prerequisite if you have not had much experience with placing protection.

Cost: $250
Duration: 2 day
Course size: 4 participants

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