Notes from our climbing groupMy notes,
My notes,
while I learn to climb.
What I have learned so far — short, clear, for looking up. Constantly expanded and improved.
Found a mistake? Please say so.
Topics
Look up
Four sections, matching the menu — so each topic keeps its place as the list grows.
Technique
At the stance and on the rope.
- Rope commandsThe four stance commands — keyword, sequence, and extra calls.
- Belay anchorsAnchors on one or two fixed points — personal tether, point equalization, and rope management.
- BelayingBrake-hand principle, the three take-in methods, and typical mistakes — after DAV and Petzl.
- Rappelling & loweringThrowing the rope, knot position, rope line, two half ropes, and a tube in guide mode.
- Knot overviewFrom figure-eight to a rope coil — with preview and a link to the Knots 3D animation.
Knowledge
Terms, rock, grades, tours — before and after the route.
- Terms & stylesSport, free, redpoint, multi-pitch — four axes, not one family tree. Redpoint is a tick, not a technique.
- Grading systemsUIAA, French, YDS, trad & boulder — plus protection and seriousness on multi-pitch.
- Trad protectionNuts, hexes, cams, tricams and slings — with photos of when each piece fits.
- Rock typesGranite, limestone, sandstone & more — minerals, atomic structure, and what that means at the crag.
- Solo climbingTop-rope solo and lead solo — setup, risks, and example gear: LOV3 & neck lanyard, or GRIGRI+ & chest harness.
- Tour planningTiming, maps, a personal crag log and areas — plus next steps after the course.
- TopoClimbing areas with crags on the map — hull around the pins, guidebook IDs, routes to follow.
Learn
Videos and how-tos to watch back.
- TutorialsShort videos on single techniques — e.g. clipping a quickdraw with Jim Pope.
- SicherAmBerg — learning videosThe Austrian Alpine Club’s full alpine-climbing video series — seven episodes from planning to rappelling.
- Lead Rope SoloHow-to by Brent Barghahn (bergundsteigen) — HUUD, cache loops, backfeeding. Archive with link to the original.
Gear
What comes along.
More notes to come — topic requests welcome in the group.