Intro to Self Rescue
Intro to Self Rescue
- May 11th @ Auburn Quarry
- $249 per Person
- 4 Students per Instructor
Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711
Become the partner you wish you had.
This course will teach you the fundamental tools of improvised rescue and how to use them to perform a variety of important tasks relevant to single and multipitch environments. You will also be introduced to some more complex concepts that you will expand on in future training!
This course is HANDS-ON. You will be performing every skill and scenario in a realistic context.
You can perform all these tasks with what is already on your harness. You don’t need new gear, you need new knowledge!
It’s time to get serious about self-rescue.
Itinerary
We’ll start the day discussing some principles surrounding technical self-rescue and some concepts to avoid us getting into trouble in the first place. We will then go over some knots and hitches relevant to improvised rescue before moving into utilizing these tools in rescue scenarios. The scenarios are designed to be practical to your climbing experiences and will allow you to get hands on with your new tools and see them in action. We’ll wrap up the day discussing what comes next in your training journey.
Go deeper into more complex rescue scenarios and a multipitch context by continuing your training with Self Rescue | Beyond the Basics, often offered the next day at the same location.
Curriculum
Learning the below tools is the easy part. This course will focus on real application!
All skills will be improvised which is to say we will not be using specific rescue gear such as pulleys, rope clamps, etc.
- Friction Hitches
- Klemheist
- Autoblock
- Classic Prusik
- Knots/Hitches
- Munter Mule Overhand
- Butterfly Knot
- Some Common Rappel Situations (Prevention and Solutions)
- Hauling
- Assists
- 3:1
- 5:1
- Lowers
- ATC in guide mode
- Short + Long
- Load Strand Direct Defeat
- Gri-Gri
- Munter
- Ascending a Rope
- Pick-Offs
- Belay Escapes
- Baseline
What's Included?
- Ropes
- 8 hours of intense, practical instruction.
- All photos taken during the trip! Including top-down photos from a fixed line!
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Lodging
- Local travel/car rental
- Food or Snacks
- Travel/Trip Cancellation Insurance (recommended)
- Anything on the What to Bring list below
What to Bring
I basically want you to bring what you would usually bring climbing so you can learn how to use the things you actually carry to do these rescues. You may find what you usually carry is not enough, so it’s good to have some extra slings, carabiners, and prusiks.
Climbing Gear:
- Helmet
- Harness
- Handful of lockers
- Belay Devices (GriGri style and ATC style)
- Anchor/rescue material (ie cordalette or quad length sling)
- Prussik cord
- A few alpine draws.
- Gloves
- 30+ liter backpack
Clothes:
- Sun Glasses
- Sun Shirt
- Sun Hat
- Thin Pants for climbing
- Solid Shoes for the approach
- Warm Puffy Jacket
- Rain Coat
Food:
- Please bring your own lunch food.
Prerequisites
In order to make the most of our time together, please observe these prerequisites:
- A solid understanding of basic climbing knots and skills
- Anchor building skills
- Fitness for some long days at the crag.
Possible Course Locations
Next Course Details
- May 11th @ Auburn Quarry
- $249 per Person
- 4 Students per Instructor
Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711
stoked
Climbers!
EXCELLENT Based on 32 reviews Sarah Harvey22 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I did a private multi pitch day and a 2 day crack climbing clinic with Kevin in Moab. I had an awesome experience and felt super safe. I got so much out of the whole weekend. Kevin is super knowledgeable and went over and beyond to make sure that we got as much out of the weekend as we could! The crack climbing clinic gave me a lot of solid techniques to work with and try outside. Kevin really tailored the experience to what we wanted to get out of the whole weekend. I would highly recommend any courses or private guiding with Vertical Pursuits. It really is a game changer on building your confidence and leveling up your Climbing. nicholo plaza17 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had an absolute blast with Vertical Pursuits. We had Erik and Haley as our guides for a trad climbing progression course in ORG. Not only were they super knowledgeable, but just had good vibes all around. They were happy to answer questions, provide a thorough explanation, and demonstrate things in action. 10/10 would recommend! Jeff Pang16 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had a great time on the wall with Erik and Haley in the Owens River Gorge. They are great teachers and awesome people. I hadn't been outdoor climbing in years, but with their guidance I got to project my first 5.11 and took a whipper or two. 🙂 Aaron31 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I initially signed up for the Trad Beyond the Basics class with Kevin but decided to switch to a private 1-on-1 session instead. Kevin really focused on my specific challenges in trad climbing, helping me build my confidence with placements and falling. His teaching comes from real-world experience, and it was amazing to have the chance to practice and fall on actual routes. I had an excellent experience, and the instruction was super helpful in boosting both my skills and confidence, making me feel ready to tackle harder routes. Big thanks to Kevin! Nick DeRosa17 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A private day out climbing w/ Kevin @ Vertical Pursuits is exactly what you need. He's detailed, personable, funny, & one hell of a climber/teacher If you're looking for a "guide service", then you're in good hands - but, in reality, Vertical Pursuits is more than just a guide service—they are mentors and teachers who give you the knowledge and skills to climb independently and be successful (& safe)! Isaiah Poritz15 February 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had a fantastic private instructional day with Kevin in El Potrero Chico! He did a wonderful job explaining the multipitch climbing process and identifying the reasons why it all works and is safe. We spent the first half of the day going over the ropes on the ground, and we spent the second half climbing. He was very thoughtful in trying to craft a day that would help me achieve my climbing goals! Louie Chen19 January 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I took a self-rescue clinic with Kevin as I was wanting to feel more confident with multi-pitch trips, and it definitely delivered. The clinic was originally a 2-day class, but since I was the only one that signed up, it turned into more of a 1-day private lesson, which I didn't mind at all. Kevin was very knowledgeable and encouraging on all the skills, and always had answers to all my questions. I got to practice everything to make sure I really understood it and though I don't expect to use most of the skills I learned anytime soon, I definitely got tons out of the experience and had a great time! Felipe Heidrich4 December 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My daughter and I had a fantastic time learning Trad Climbing with Vertical Pursuits! Our instructor, Kevin, was incredible – knowledgeable and clearly passionate about climbing. He went above and beyond, climbing alongside us and providing hands-on guidance to ensure we placed our protection correctly. He patiently taught us how to evaluate our placements and improve our technique for a safer and more confident climb. Highly recommended! Sara Pittman2 December 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our group hired Erik and Haley (plus they were joined by another guide, Etel, who was also awesome) to teach a 3 day course in bishop focused on sport, trad, multipitch, and self rescue. I loved every single day and feel like I got 1:1 training despite being in a big group. They both have such amazing, patient energy that made learning from them so easy! They met you where you were at skills and knowledge-wise and helped me navigate when it was time to sit back and practice more on the ground versus just trust my skills and knowledge and jump in and get climbing. Safety was a clear priority and Erik and Haley supervised at every step. I felt really safe while being pushed to try new things. Thanks guys, had an awesome weekend with you!!! Rebecca Frager15 November 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would recommend Vertical Pursuits. Kevin was knowledgeable, professional, and had a style that was easy to learn from. I would easily choose Vertical Pursuits again in the future.