SRT Class

Single Rope Technique (SRT) Class:

Next training date: June 28-29, 2025  (Current enrollment: 4)

Cost: $100/donation per person.  

Registration is via this PayPal link or the Pay/Register button, but a PayPal account is not required.  Please specify all participant names and preferred email addresses during registration. If for some reason you have to cancel, please notify HCRU two week prior. Contact dan@hcru.org for any registration questions.

Limited to 20 participants. 

About this class:

This class is designed to introduce students to Single Rope Technique (SRT) basic skills. Students will be instructed on how to safely climb and rappel using SRT with hands-on training in both classroom and field settings. While the class is a group setting, the instructor to student ratio is about 1:2 to ensure safety; each learning station has a dedicated instructor.

Topics covered include: rigging and equipment, climbing systems and their applications, ascending, descending, changeovers in both directions, and dealing with rope obstructions. 

Class starts at 8 am on Saturday at Brindlee Mountain Fire Station 1: morning is indoor classroom, afternoon is hands-on skills in a covered high bay. There is no end-time, but a typical class wraps up the day around 6 pm. Sunday, class is in the field all day on gorgeous bluffs! 

Class will be held rain, heat, or shine. We train for real-life situations, come prepared for weather!

Looking for a place to stay?  Information on Camping

Location: 

 Brindlee Mountain Fire Station 1,  4373 U.S. 231, Union Grove, AL‎ - (256) 498-3109

Class starts at 8 am on Saturday. When you park, DO NOT BLOCK THE GARAGE DOORS - the emergency vehicles in the fire station may need to leave.

Equipment Requirements:

Participants must provide the following:

1.  Sturdy, lugged-sole lace-up boots 

2.  Outdoor clothing appropriate for the weather 

3. Well-fitted gloves with leather palms and full fingers (work gloves are fine)

4. Soft-capped knee pads (such as volleyball type pads)

5. Cash for lunch on Saturday (not all local restaurants accept credit cards)

6. Snacks, water, and bag lunch for Sunday (we are in field all day)

The HCRU will provide helmets, and all of the necessary climbing and rappelling gear.

If you are a vertically competent caver (perhaps taking this as a refresher), you may bring your own SRT gear, however if it does not meet HCRU safety standards you will be required to use a provided system. All systems must include a Quick Attach Safety (QAS).

Age Requirements:

All participants must be 18 years old or have a signed Liability Release Form.

Helpful Knowledge/Prep work:

All the following knots are covered as a part of the course, but it will enhance your experience if you practice these before the class. Click to go to an animated step by step instruction for tying:

• Alpine Butterfly

• Bowline

• Double Fisherman

• Prusik

• Water Knot

• Figure 8 Follow-through

• Figure 8 Double ("Bunny Ears")

What is done in the training?

Saturday morning is spent in the classroom covering single rope climbing techniques, anchoring/rigging, safety, and equipment. The afternoon is spent in the high bay of the fire station, where students practice:

• Ascent (either frog-style or rope-walker, your choice) - the student is asked to climb 100 ft of rope (the rope is anchored at 20 ft and let out via a pulley system to cover the 100 ft). This can be physically challenging and a student may not be able to complete the entire 100 ft of rope. A student must be able to climb a minimum of 40 ft of rope in order to master the climbs of the second day.

• Change over from Ascent to Descent/ passing a rope obstruction (this can be physically difficult and while this is a REQUIRED technique for vertical caving, students may not be able to master this and it is not required for the second day of training)

• Edge transition on ascent (ascend rope to a 12 ft attic)

• Edge transition on descent (descend rope from the 12 ft attic)

• Knot tying

This day typically ends late afternoon or early evening, depending on student progress.

Sunday is spent outside at a nearby location ('the Bluffs') that has two bluffs which are used for ascent/descent practice.  One bluff is about 40 ft and the other is about 35 ft.  Students ascend and descend both bluffs and can repeat this as desired. Anchor training using webbing anchors is also done. This day typically ends around mid afternoon.

It must be emphasized that this training is the ONLY THE BEGINNING of your journey in single rope techniques, and that the student has responsibility for future practice/training to become sufficiently proficient for safe vertical caving.