Building the Adaptive Climbing Leaders of Tomorrow through Mentorship

ACF BOOT CAMP

What is ACF Boot Camp?

Nitty Gritty Details

WHERE: Basecamp at Lago Linda’s Campground, Beattyville, KY

WHEN: October 14 (PM) - October 17 2024

COST: There is no fee for this program. Participants will be responsible for paying for camping (we’ll have sites near each other set aside, folks are free to book a cabin if they’d rather that than a tent site) and for their own food. Participants should expect to split some gas money for crag commutes. The last day morning will be spent volunteering at basecamp for ACF setup. We ask that all partcipants provide a blog post or other testimony for the program, due one month after program completion.

HOW TO APPLY: There will be 8 spots available for year 1. This will be an application based program, with participants selected by the leadership crew. Applications will open with ACF registration on July 1, 2024. Participants will be notified of their status by August 1, 2024.

ACCESSIBILITY NOTES: Unlike the rest of ACF, this will not have facilitated access (ATV transport, volunteers, etc). Participants should be independently mobile for 1/4 to 1/2 mile while carrying a 25 lb pack, potentially over rough terrain - being slow is ok!

I HAVE QUESTIONS! Email operations@adaptiveclimbersfest.org

About You:

  • You have climbed outside before, but you’re not ready to be the ‘leader’ of a group of outdoor climbers. You feel like there’s some gaps in your skill base that mentorship could help fill in.

  • You’re comfortable attempting top ropes of at least 5.10

  • You have your own climbing gear, especially shoes, harness, helmet, belay device, and large pack. Draws, rope, and anchoring material is a bonus.

  • You don’t have to lead, but you understand the important basic concepts of leading. Leading will not be required, but we’d love it if you’d be willing to explore the possibility of learning.

  • You are ready to try hard and learn even harder. You want to be the person who, when someone asks ‘Can I tag along with you?’ you’ll say “Hell yes. I got you.”

  • As your skills and confidence progress, you’ll get to the point where you can in turn educate and lead other adaptive climbers out to the crags.

You rock climb. You’re looking for the next step forward in your climbing journey. You want to become more confident in your outdoor skills. You want to get more involved in the community. Oh, and you’re an adaptive climber.

ACF Boot Camp will provide an intensive two day climbing experience to help build up the base of the adaptive climbing leaders of the future. You’re not learning how to be a guide or instructor, you’re learning how to be a CLIMBER. Our hope is that with this under your belt, you’ll turn around and bring someone else in the community up and along with you.

Boot Camp is NOT a guide or instructor training program. It’s also NOT going to be easy. It’s going to be long days with a LOT of climbing! Who knows, maybe we’ll all get matching tattoos at the end.

Read this page carefully, and if this sounds like it was made for you, apply through the link at the bottom!

How It Works

Monday night we’ll meet at Lago’s to go over goals and expectations. Early to bed because after group breakfast in the morning, we’ll be taking off to head into the Gorge, splitting into two groups of 2 leaders 4 participants. We’ll spend all day climbing, meeting back at camp for dinner and debrief. We’ll do it all again the next day, mixing up the teams. You may be asked to take charge and plan the day. Wednesday night we’ll do dinner out to do a full debrief and celebrate a good time. Thursday morning we’ll help the ACF organizers get ready for the big crowds arriving that afternoon.

The flow will be organic and will ultimately feel like a climbing trip, but we’ll also be literally showing you the ropes - how to coil them, how to stick clip, group management considerations, what all of these silly climbing terms mean, how and when to use what anchors, the unwritten rules and standards that permeate the greater climbing community, etc etc.

Meet your Bootcamp Instructors

  • Mo Beck

  • Ronnie Dickson

  • Jono Lewis

  • Jim Ewing