The death of Stephanie Prezant is one of the saddest things I can imagine. It is one of a number of tragic events that have occurred in and around the climbing community this spring. I find myself wanting to contribute something positive, something useful to honor Stephanie and others that have died this spring and might somehow help to prevent maybe one accident, even just one life altering or ending incident.

Over the years various guides have offered free clinics during the course of the season and in conjunction with the Mohonk Preserve. There is also a tradition of free clinics on a variety of topics during the Film Fest. Unfortunately, the litigious nature of our society makes it problematic for the Preserve to directly offer clinics, but there is no reason why individual guides can't offer some free advice.

The idea is to provide an opportunity for climbers to get together with a certified guide on Saturday evenings to "learn what you don't know" for free. Spend an hour or two talking about some of the things critical to climbing more safely and debunking wrong headed ideas about what works or doesn't. Topics covered can range from the basics like knots and hitches to more advanced skills.

The goal here is not to take the place of full on professional instruction or other mentoring, rather to help a climber look at their skill set in a critical and objective manner and see the forest despite the trees, to get some reinforcement that they are on track, some tips that fill in some blanks or perhaps a wake up call to the fact that their skills need work.

It is my feeling that it is not just beginner climbers that are time bombs, but that a lot of intermediate climbers who have been at it awhile have significant gaps in their knowledge and are under the false impression that time equals competence, that because they've "always done it that way" and have not had problems means that they've got it down pat. This is just anecdotal but it appears that the preponderance of accidents happen with folks who are more than just beginners, who are starting to lead things, are pushing their limits and yet have not quite filled in gaps in their technique (apparently the climbers that Stephanie was with had some experience and had been at it for at least several years). Climbing is incredibly dangerous and to humbly appraise one's own skills critical.

I have talked with Hank and several other guides and we will have a flier up at Rock and Snow, EMS and The Preserve offering clinics on Saturday at 5pm in the Uberfall. Please contact joe@alpineendeavors.com, Rock and Snow, or EMS to get further details or to let us know that you will be coming out for a clinic. I'll be out on Saturday the 12th, hope to see you then for clinic or just to gab.

Cheers, Joe.

Thanks RG. I will be at the Uberfall by Ken's Crack at 5 to talk about sound anchoring principles and whatever else folks want to discuss (like; The Knicks, future contenders or terminal pretenders?)

I only fear that you'll be swamped, though.

Some climbers who knot their ropes don't have enough stuff with them to extricate themselves if they end up dangling in space with the knots jammed in their rappel device. In a place like the Trapps, this would just be an amusing epic, since there will be plenty of parties around to help out. But in a remote setting, it can be a serious problem.

So if we're going to recommend knotting the ends of ropes on rappel, there should also be a codicil: know what to do if the system is actually invoked.