Play and Work at Height
Demonstrating a RAD ('Raise and Descend) rope suspension system at the 2017 Climbing Wall Association's Certification Summit at the Petzl Technical Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah.
In addition to relocating Cloudsplitter's home office to the Mountain West hub of Salt Lake City, my time at Petzl America's Technical Institute has opened the door to more formal training experience with 'industrial climbing' - including rope access, arborism, technical rescue, tactical operations and general fall protection.
I enjoy the intersection of work and play at height. In my mind, both sport and work at height share the same goals of maximizing the outcome and minimizing the risk. Ironically, I paid for my alpine guide exam with roofing side jobs occasionally employing rope systems for fall protection -and figured it was good 'cross-training.'
A recent post on the Climbing Wall Association's Thrive blog, includes an interview I did on the development of Work At Height standards and practices for climbing wall workers. I really enjoy alpine climbing, but gym climbing is fun too, and it's easy to incorporate in a balanced lifestyle that includes some of both. I've been excited to be a part of the process, and I support the professionalization of anyone who chooses to make a career out of climbing:
More info on the upcoming CWA Certification Summit
Work At Height rope systems allow for continuous and redundant fall protection when accessing and positioning for work.
