After starting their climbing journey with ice last winter, Nicole and Dan have expanded into to the rock world and booked an instructional day to learn how to become more independent climbers. We covered building single pitch anchors off bolts and trees, how to evaluate gear placements, cleaning, and more. Jewels & Gems provided a great outdoor classroom, and the rain held off just for us. It’s so cool to see these two progress!

A person wearing a helmet ties a knot on a rope attached to a board on a birch tree trunk surrounded by rock formations. Board text reads Practice Board Use Palms Not Fists Hit Board Only Not Tree. A climber ascends a sheer rocky cliff gripping a rope while surrounded by lush green trees filtering sunlight. A person climbs a large rock face using climbing gear surrounded by a lush green forest with tree leaves framing the top of the scene. A person is kneeling and tying a yellow rope around a tree in a dense forest with several signs mounted on trees. Two people wearing climbing gear stand and talk in a forest clearing surrounded by tall trees and scattered rocks.