“The best rock in the Universe.”
Jutting out of the flat Wimmera Plains of North Western Victoria is Mt Arapiles. A sun soaked cliff line offering some of the best rock climbing in Australia. Known for its classic traditional routes, ‘Araps’ is the best place in Australia to learn trad climbing, as it has an abundance of routes of all grades with excellent gear placements.
ASM is running a five day climbing trip to Arapiles, suitable for those with minimal outdoor climbing experience to those wishing to learn to lead climb. Imagine experiencing your first lead climbs under the professional guidance of an ASM instructor at this internationally recognised climbing destination. If you are not yet up to leading, you will be seconding (following the guide) on some of the best climbs Araps has to offer.
At what ever level you climb, this trip will teach you more climbing and technical skills than you can probably imagine! And what better way to learn than in a great location on the most classic climbs in Australia.
And at the end of the day, relax with fellow climbers at the (in)famous campground below the Mount.
With no more than three to four participants with each guide, you are ensured of getting plenty of personal instruction with the highly experienced guides at ASM. This will allow you to learn at your own pace, and for us to cater for participants of varying levels of experience. This trip will be a truly enjoyable and memorable experience.
This course will give you the necessary skills to:
- Manage yourself and partners in cliff environments
- perform safety checks
- Select appropriate climbs using climbing guidebooks
- Second a leader on single- and multi-pitch Traditional climbs
- Descend from the top of climbing areas using various methods
- Select and prepare anchors for abseiling & climbing
- Use removable “Trad” protection
- Improvise rope rescue techniques
- Belay for both Top Roping and Lead Climbing
- Consider & implement environmental awareness
For those participants who are experienced & ready to cover Lead Climbing, this course will also prepare you to:
- Undertake Traditional Climbing as a recreational activity
- Select & assess appropriate trad climbs
- Understand fall factors involved with lead climbing
- Identify & manage risks involved within Trad climbing
- Position your rope and self for lead belaying
- Utilise correct belay technique for lead climbing
- Select and ‘rack’ your Trad equipment
- Place traditional climbing protection including cams & nuts
- Efficiently handle and manage roping systems
- Build belay anchors with Trad gear, climbing rope & cordelette
- Operate belay devices in “guide mode”
- Perform rescues for your seconding climber
- Operate basic hauling & lowering systems
- Conserve energy and utilise efficient stances for clipping & placing gear
Course participants will learn while they climb and they can look forward to leading a number of selected classic climbs under the close supervision of their instructors.
Course prerequisites:
- Good fitness is necessary for this course
- Some previous climbing & Abseiling experience
- Reasonable understanding of basic climbing knots
- Experience lead climbing indoors or outdoors advantageous but not necessary!
What’s included:
- Tasty meals each day with breakfasts on all but the first day, lunch every day, and dinner on all but the last day
- Qualified and professional instructors, with extremely low ratios of 1:3 or 1:4 guide to participant (depending on the topic) to provide you with the best possible experience and to cater for a range of experience levels
- Camping fees
- Australia’s most experienced Adventure Guiding & Outdoor Training Specialists
- Nationally Qualified & Highly Experienced Guides
- All Technical Equipment
