With the ever increasing trend of “special skills or hardware required” type caches, we have decided to offer our fellow geocachers a “skill building event” or clinic in the proper use of climbing gear and ropes. This clinic is designed to allow geocachers an opportunity to learn the basic skills required to SAFELY go after that cache that’s placed 20 feet up the side of a cliff, or in the wall of a rock quarry.
Participants will be given the opportunity to use our personal climbing gear to learn not only what the equipment is, but how to properly perform basic rope skills such as Belaying and Rappelling. If you have your own equipment, feel free to bring it along and join in the fun! There will never be a fee charged for this clinic – just geocachers helping geocachers to learn a few extra skills in order to promote safety while enjoying this wonderful sport we all love!
All training locations have been used several times and tested for safety. Skill levels are available in several stages, from beginnner to advanced, and is a "no pressure" environment - you work at your own pace and comfort level. This is meant to be fun and educational and will be conducted as such. Age is not a consideration – we have had folks from 5 to 60+ successfully learn to perform these skills unassisted!
Anyone wishing to check out the action, can see the logs for Cliffsides and Grapevines, or Cliffside #6 which has some photo's and comments from folks that have already been to a couple of our "meets."
The Details: We will be providing the basic equipment necessary for you to perform all levels of this clinic. We can safely manage three people at a time on the ropes. As such, we will be limiting the number of people that attend, per clinic, to 30 maximum. This will be an on-going event, and the new dates for each will be posted upon the closing of the current event. The first 30 to RSVP their intent to come, will be given priority. Any others that arrive are free to attend the session and watch, ask questions, or just offer moral support. Should time allow, we can probably work in some extras.
You should bring insect repellant, cold drinks, and a lunch. A folding chair or a blanket to sit on would be nice, but not required. Protective headgear if you have it, this can be in the fashion of a bicycling helmet.
Children are welcome, but parents will be responsible for keeping an eye on them! Time allowing, we will let the kids try it out as well, on a controlled line.
Please wear clothing appropriate for rock climbing. Tennis shoes or boots should have proper soles for traction. NO SANDALS or OPEN-TOED footwear will be permitted to participate. Sweat pants offer better mobility and can be slipped on over shorts quickly 
In order to log the event, you must successfully complete any of the skill levels we have assembled. Cachers that return for successive meets may post “bragging rights” as a “note” to the event page.
Each clinic will consist of the following:
1. Basic Introduction to Equipment and how to use it, with a demonstration.
2. Rappelling Skills: Beginner - learn on a 12' face.
3. Intermediate - test your new skills out on a 25' face.
4. Advanced - See how strong your heart is on this 40' face!
All of the above will have safety people assisting you as you learn.
Belaying Skills: This will probably be the most popular of the various rope skills. Here you will learn how to use ropes and other equipment to safely assist another person in climbing.