Top Rope Climbing is the first form of technical (involving rope/harnesses) climbing that an individual is often introduced to. The climber is attached via his or her harness to one end of the rope, which then goes up to the top of the wall/pitch, threads through an anchor and then go back down to your partner (the belayer). The belayer threads the rope through a special belaying device attached (often referred to as an ATC, but there are many types) to their harness. As the climber ascends the wall, the belayer pulls the rope down and through their belay device, removing excess slack from the system, with the now unused portion of the rope gradually coiling at their feet. When the climber reaches the top of the wall they will call to their belayer who will gently feed the rope back through their belay device, lowering the climber to the ground. Because the rope goes directly upwards and excess slack is kept to a minimum by the vigilant belayer, during a fall a portion of the climbers’ weight is transferred to the belayer and they typically only have a gentle drop of 0.5m-1m. The “gentle” nature of the fall is provided by the special climbing ropes used that have an element of elasticity to absorb the shock. The belayer is always expected to be watching the climber and using a set of standard moves that assures in the event of a fall they will not be pulled off balance or lose their grip as their harness takes the weight of their partner. In a gym setting, the top ropes are usually fixed in place and maintained by the staff. Once trained, Top Roping is considered one of the safest forms of climbing and is enjoyed by novices and professionals alike. The SNCS Level One course taught by RockerFellas will teach you the skills necessary to safely top rope and ensure you are competent to start technical climbing. We do this in a fun and friendly environment.