Climbing the Walls in Schuylerville

Welcome to Schuylerville Central School District's climbing wall! While fun, physical fitness and teamwork are the priorities for climbers, safety comes first. Here are a few tips and things to remember:

• Indoor wall climbing is not training for technical rock climbing. The knowledge gained indoors is not sufficient to climb safely outside.

• Know the basic climbing knots and equipment (see accompanying diagrams).

• Practice and memorize climbing commands (see information below).

• Check the ropes and harnesses for signs of damage before beginning any climbing activity.

• Always tie ropes directly to the harness. Do not tie into a carabiner and clip the carabiner to the harness.

• Always double check your knots and also have someone else check them for you.

• Check the back-up belayer to ensure they're ready.

• Check for loose hand holds on the wall or holds that rotate. Tighten any loose holds.

• Never step on the ropes; this wears ropes quicker and may make them unsafe.  [top]

Climbing Commands
Like other sports and hobbies, climbing has its own set of terms. The standard climbing commands (or "belaying signals") are as follows:

"On Belay?" Climber is asking if belayer (person holding the ropes) is ready.

"Belay On." Belayer's response to climber when belayer is secure and ready to catch a fall.

"Climbing." Climber's signal that he/she is ready to begin climbing.

"Climb On." Belayer's signal to the climber. It means the climber has the undivided attention of the belayer and the belayer is actively handling the process of a roped belay.

"Rope!" Climber is telling the belayer that there is slack in the rope; also means belayer is not doing his/her job properly. The rope should never be slack when someone is climbing.

"Slack." Climber's response when the rope is too tight. Belayer should respond by allowing the climber a slightly looser rope; it does not mean to give the climber slack rope.

 "Tension." Climber is telling belayer that he/she is insecure. Belayer responds by tightening rope to allow climber to rest.

"Falling!" Before climber falls, he/she should alert the belayer.

"Watch Me." Climber is worried about falling and wants the belayer's attention.

"Down." Climber is telling belayer he/she wants to be lowered down the wall.

"Off Belay." Climber tells belayer he/she is safely on the ground and no longer going to climb.

"Belay Off." Belayer responds by telling climber he/she is no longer responsible for climber's actions. [top]
 

Tips on Technique

• Use leg power rather than arm power to climb.

• Balance is key. The angle is low enough that you can keep the weight of your body over your feet—just like climbing a ladder.

• Look ahead to see the next hand hold you'll use; plan out your move in your mind before you actually begin to move.

• Learn to climb down. It's harder than you might think, but it saves wear and tear on ropes and promotes good technique.

• When climbing, don't move more than a little to the left or right from where the rope hangs. This will prevent you from swinging like a pendulum if you fall.

Information Please
For more information on Schuylerville Central School District's climbing wall, please call (518) 695-3255, ext. 1226.

Special thanks to Parents as Education Partners (PEP), the district's volunteer parent organization, for funding the climbing wall.  [top]