Womens Trad Clinic with Lynn Hill and Katie Brown

   This was of course, the primo' clinic to attend with many viewers also hanging out for the first couple hours. Lynn Hill and our own Katie Brown took a group of about 16 women up to Global Village for Friday in the cold air.  Mike from France also was there for 'ground school' safety info and cam demo lessons while Lynn and Katie set up some climbs.  Action mostly took place on Father/Son crack (5.7), Kentucky Pinstripe(5.10a), Vision(5.7),  Jake Flake(5.8) and waaay down on 5.7 Casual Viewing. 

   Class began with intros from students, with a good representation out of the Cinci-Dayton areas in Ohio. A short history of passive and active cams was done, then students practiced placing cams and nuts into low cracks and rating their efforts.  As the day progressed, the game plan unfolded as such.  Lynn would lead and set up topropes over the routes.  Our clinic students would then climb on belay, and practice placing protection, sometimes trailing a rope to clip their gear and test drag.  When lowered down, Lynn would often get back on the rope and critique the placements, showing any faults while offering suggestions throughout.  And thus, 5 plus hours went by really fast. 

     The same was happening 200 yds down the trail at Casual', with Katie in charge of those who headed down to try that longer route.  Those waiting would return to the practice wall area and place more gear, belay or watch the climbers on practice lead. I didn't see a frown all day until they realized it was over.   Photos attached show some of the action for the day.  If you attended, please pass the word on to others so they can download some of their photos for the day.  No posed stuff, no paired up smiling climbers.  Just candids throughout the day as they went about their business.  Hope everyone enjoys. National Public Radio sent one of their commentator/reporters out. Has anyone caught when they broadcast the interview?

Woodchuck