Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Climbing II (Face-to-Face)

ORPT 1528-01

Course: ORPT 1528-01
Credits: 2
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PEHP
CRN: 10991

Course Description

Climbing II builds upon the skills and knowledge developed through Climbing I. Topics include lead climbing and belaying, intermediate rescue skills, anchor cleaning and assessment, and site management. Students with considerable climbing experience may qualify for this course without taking Climbing I. (Spring) [Graded (Standard Letter)]

This course will build upon the material covered in climbing 1. The course will prepare students to climb outdoors and to facilitate climbing experiences for others. Classes will be experiential, and the curriculum will align with current accepted practices for rock climbing as per the American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA).

Required Texts

Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic Skills 2nd edition (Mountaineers Outdoor Expert) Paperback by Topher Donahue & Craig Luebben

The Push by Tommy Caldwell

Learning Outcomes

Students will…

  • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate climbing ropes, harnesses, belay devices, bolts and carabiners for their suitability to be used (or not)
  • Demonstrate an ability to provide a safe top-rope and lead belay for a climber using a single rope system
  • Demonstrate an ability to utilize the standard belay commands and perform partner checks
  • Students will demonstrate their ability to utilize climbing techniques for efficient movement over rock
  • Students will demonstrate an ability to lead and clean a sport route
  • Students will learn solutions to common lead-climbing problems (e.g. stick clipping, French freeing, using aid, etc...)
  • Students will demonstrate an ability to set up top-rope anchors on bolts
  • Students will learn various techniques for setting up and using instructor tethers when near cliff edges
  • Students will learn or refine their ability to set-up and then rappel from routes
  • Students will understand the principles of Leave No Trace and access issues related to climbing

Course Requirements

My Approach to Teaching this Class:

This is an experiential class and as such we will spend nearly all of class learning by doing. As a class we’ll have the privilege of learning how to climb by climbing--both inside and out. We'll also have the chance to set up climbs ourselves and facilitate climbing experiences together. We'll spend time learning about the systems that allow us to climb--such as anchor building. Because this class is academic, expectations may be different than those you have for personal climbing trips. In addition, this class is unique in that I don't grade individual assignments throughout the course, though I regularly provide formative feedback to help you progress towards our course objectives. At the end of the semester, you will provide a written reflection on your effort and output relative to my expectations (listed throughout the syllabus) and within that scope you will declare and justify the final grade you believe you earned, in most cases I will accept those recommendations as your final grade.

Learning Tasks (aka assignments):

This is a list of the tasks you’ll be expected to complete in this course. All written assignments will be due via Canvas unless otherwise noted. The list below represents a quick version of each assignment, thorough details for each task will be on Canvas, under the ‘Assignments’ tab.

Climbing Wall Waiver 

Class Waiver 

Going Hands-Free

Belay Take-overs 

Lead Falls 

Lead Fall Catches 

Cleaning Anchors

Climb Outside of Class

Class Outdoor Trips (3 offered, any 2 required) 

Instructor Tethers

Book Reflection (The Push by Tommy Caldwell)

Grade Declaration 

Grading Scale

A = >94%,  A- = 90-93%,  B+ = 87-89%,  B = 84-86%,  B- = 80-83%,  C+ = 77-79%, C = 74-76%, C- = 70-73%,  D = 60-69% F = <60%. You will select one of these for your final grade at the end of the semester. I reserve the right to make the final decision for what grade you earn, though I rarely disagree with my students recommendations. 

Course Outline

Week             Topic / Focus                             In-Class / Field Activities                                                  Readings / Assignments
1 | Course Introduction & Systems Review | Course expectations; waivers; Climbing I skills review; gear inspection | Due: Climbing Wall Waiver, Class Waiver
2 | Belay Systems & Partner Checks | Advanced belays; standard commands; belay take-overs | Belay Take-overs
3 | Movement & Efficiency | Footwork, balance, pacing, resting strategies | Rock Climbing text (movement chapters)
4 | Lead Climbing Foundations | Lead belaying; clipping techniques; rope management | Going Hands-Free
5 | Lead Falls & Catching | Fall theory; progressive lead falls; dynamic belay | Lead Falls; Lead Fall Catches
6 | Anchors & Systems | Bolt evaluation; top-rope anchor setup; redundancy | Cleaning Anchors
7 | Cleaning Sport Routes | Lead and clean a sport route; anchor assessment | Practice: Lead & Clean
8 | Instructor Tethers & Edge Management | Tether systems; cliff-edge movement; site management | Instructor Tethers
9 | Rappelling Systems | Rappel setup, backups, transitions | Rock Climbing text (rappelling chapters)
10 | Problem Solving in Lead Climbing | Stick clipping, French freeing, basic aid techniques | Climb Outside of Class (ongoing)
11 | Facilitation & Teaching Climbing | Managing multiple climbers; spotting errors; coaching techniques | Continue: Climb Outside of Class
12 | Outdoor Ethics & Access | Leave No Trace; access issues; risk management | Due: Book Reflection (The Push)
13 | Integration & Reflection | Skill check-ins; course synthesis; reflection | Due: Grade Declaration

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Each assignment will be given a due date and time (i.e. September 25th @ 3pm). Though the assignments aren't given a grade, I value having them turned in when due. Please make time in your schedule to allow yourself the time you need to complete assignments by their due date.

Attendance Policy

Attendance (We have 12 weekly classes & 3 full-day class trips this semester)

This course meets for 12 weekly classes and 3 off-campus trips and relies primarily on in-person participation. Regular attendance is required to meet course learning outcomes. Attendance will be taken at each class session.

  • Up to 2 class absences are allowed without penalty.
  • Each additional unexcused class absence (beyond 2) will result in a 5% reduction of the final course grade.
  • Five (5) or more unexcused class absences—equivalent to missing over 40% of the course—will result in an automatic failing grade (F or UW), regardless of performance on other coursework or your previous experience with the skills and material.
  • You'll be penalized with a 5% grade deduction for only attending 1 trip, and a 10% grade deduction for missing 2 trips (2 are required, 3 are offered). If you attend all 3 trips you may use 1 trip towards 1 weekly class unexcused absence. Please look at the dates for trips early in the semester and assure you can attend at least 2. If a trip must be rescheduled for weather or other reasons and a student is unable to make the trip, the instructor will work with students to find suitable substitutions.

Students are responsible for ensuring they do not exceed the maximum number of allowable absences. Absences are considered unexcused unless documentation is provided and approved in advance or as soon as reasonably possible. For questions about excused absences see policy 6.30 or ask the instructor.

Course Fees

There are no additional course fees. 

Equipment:

Please bring something with you for taking notes on lessons and recording your observations, smart phones do this well. For every class, please come prepared with appropriate clothing—comfortable, athletic fitting clothing tends to work well, though jeans and a t-shirt will work too. You will need climbing shoes which can be checked out for free at the PE cage, though you'll need your student I.D. I’ll provide harnesses, belay devices, ropes, and any other equipment needed to climb. On our outdoor trips you will need to rent shoes from either SUU outdoors or Cedar Sports if you don't own a pair. I highly encourage you to purchase a harness, climbing shoes, a belay device and several locking carabiners for this course. In addition, I would consider buying a 60 or 70 meter dynamic rope (9-10 mm thick), a ground cloth (small tarp), 10-15 quickdraws, a helmet, a few shoulder-length (60cm) and double length (120cm) sewn slings, 50 ft of 7mm cordage and a 40-50 liter backpack to carry it all in.

Course Information

Credit Hours: 2

Prerequisite(s): ORPT 1527 or instructor permission - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Registration Restriction(s): Intensive English Program majors may not enroll

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.