Summer Start Date Change

The summer program will start a week later than initially planned.  The new start date is Tuesday May 15th.  If you were at sign-ups last Thursday, the handout given to you is the correct date.

We also have a couple openings still remaining for the summer program.  If you are interested contact
Joel Anderson at (406)860-7616 or Thad McGrail (406)860-0118.

Steepteam 2012 Summer Program

for the summer team schedule see the post below

 

EXPECTATIONS

Steepteam is not a guide service for beginners. Steepteam is a program for youth with climbing experience to develop further skills towards becoming a life long rock climber. Outdoor safety techniques are the primary focus of our outdoor summer session. Younger team members will learn and practice the skills of top roping while older team members learn and develop their sport climbing techniques.  Everyone is expected to attend the May indoor sessions.  Climbers showing minimal progress with the taught safety techniques will not be allowed to join the team outside.

 

Our outdoor trips frequent locations like the Rims above Billings, the Pryor Mountains, Cody WY, and Ten Sleep, WY. We maintain a maximum 4:1 climber to guide ratio on all outdoor trips.

 

REGISTRATION

To maintain a safe climbing environment we strictly adhere to a 4:1 climber to guide ratio in our outdoor sessions. Thus, we will be capping the number of climbers in the summer program to 24. Previous Steepteam members will have the first right of refusal to join the summer program. We will host a registration session at Steepworld Climbing Gym on Thursday April 26th from 5:30pm - 7pm. If you cannot attend the registration session and plan on climbing with the team this summer, please call Joel Anderson at (406)860-7616 or Thad McGrail (406)860-0118 prior to the 26th. After April 26th, if any openings remain, we will invite new members from the waiting list. 

 

If you are interested in Steepteam but new to rock climbing Steepworld Climbing Gym offers great options for beginner climbers.  The Steepteam fall competitive session is open to all youth climbers ages 9-18 interested in attending climbing competitions.  The fall session will begin in October, details and schedule are to be determined but expected to be similar to previous years.

 

COSTS

The team fee for the summer session is $250 per climber. Steepteam operates as a 501c3 non-profit and all fees go directly back into the program. The summer fee helps us pay for experienced coaches and guides, group gear (ropes, anchors, and quickdraws), insurance, and other administrative costs associated with running the Steepteam program. For comparison's sake, a hired climbing guide for a full day will cost you $200-$350. We're offering 6 indoor education sessions and 9 outdoor sessions. Team members are also expected to maintain a membership at Steepworld Climbing Gym while the team uses their facilities. Steepworld is currently offering a summer membership deal: Unlimited indoor climbing for 4 months (May, June, July, August) for $90.

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Photo Page Updated

A long awaited update of the Steepteam Photo page.  HERE

ABS NATIONALS 2012

Focusing in on the task at hand, Charlie laces up his shoes before his turn to climb.

ABS Nationals was in Colorado Springs over the first weekend in March.  Our own Charlie Barron had a very strong showing placing 4th out of 40 competitors and topped out on 9 of the 10 problems he faced in competition.

Click here for video from finals day at Nationals.

Have you met Daniel yet?

As the team prepares to head into the great outdoors I wanted to share my excitement in having Daniel Burson commit to helping coach the team this summer.  Daniel is an accredited American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) guide who guest guides for Jackson Hole Mountain Guides, Beartooth Mountain Guides, and Montana Alpine Guides and, luckily for us, lives in Billings.

Education:  B.A. in Biology from Hendrix College in Conway Arkansas, NOLS Wilderness Leadership Course, Certified Leave No Trace Trainer, Wilderness First Responder Certification, Healthcare Provider CPR Certification

Years Climbing: 11

AMGA Coursework:  Completion and passing marks in the AMGA Rock Instructor and Ice Instructor Courses and attending the Alpine Guide Course in June 2012

Significant Alpine Climbs:  West Ridge (AI3) and Ham and Eggs (AI4, 5.9), Mooses Tooth, Alaska; Asteroid Alley (5.9), Mt. Andromeda, Canada; Direct Exum Ridge (5.8), Grand Teton, Wyoming; Crow Lake Buttress (5.11+), Beartooths; Ignorance Gully (AI3, 5.9), Granite Peak, Montana; and many failed attempts that taught me so much...

Favorite Rims Climb: Brown Sugar

Favorite Billings Boulder Problem: Sun Crack

Favorite Ice Climb: There are so many. Can it be a tie between Sand Dune Falls and California Ice?

Other Info:  He plans to complete his full AMGA certification in the Rock and Alpine Guide disciplines, a process that will probably take another four years.

2012 Summer Outdoor Session Dates

Below are dates for the 2012 summer outdoor session.  Costs, Expectations, and Sign-ups will follow in the next month.

The session will start in May with a 3 week mandatory indoor session focusing on safety techniques followed by outdoor trip dates spread out over the summer.

Mandatory May Safety Technique Session.
Junior Team - Top Ropes: born 2003-1999  -  6pm - 7:30pm
Senior Team - Lead Climbing: born 1998 - 1993  -  7:30pm - 9pm

May 2012 - DATES ADJUSTED APRIL 26TH
Tuesday - 8th 15th

Thursday - 10th 17th
Tuesday - 15th 22nd
Thursday - 17th 24th
Tuesday - 22nd 29th
Thursday - 24th 31st

Summer Outdoor Trips
actual meetup times to be determined

June 2012
Sunday - 3rd - Dirtfest, Zimmerman Park, Billings
Saturday - 23rd - Timber Canyon, Bridger MT -
2 weekday sessions at Gregory Hills will be scheduled during June

July 2012
Saturday - 21st - The Island, Cody WY
2 weekday sessions at Gregory Hills will be scheduled during July

August 2012
Saturday 11th - The Island, Cody WY
2 weekday sessions at Gregory Hills will be scheduled during August

September 2012
Saturday 1st - 3rd - Labor Day Weekend - Ten Sleep Canyon, Ten Sleep WY
Unguided Team Meetup for climbers comfortable with sport lead climbing.

Fall Team Feedback Survey

Please click the link below and share how we are doing, and more important what you would like to see from SteepTeam in the future.  This is your chance to help guide SteepTeam's direction as we strive to be the best climbing program in Montana.

All results are confidential, i.e. we do not know from whom the feedback is being given. 

Thank you all for your support and energy towards SteepTeam 2011 we look forward to this SUMMER and getting together again outside...

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZLWB8DK

January February Schedule

The Schedule for the rest of the season is as follows:

Tues 10th - practice
Thurs 12th - no practice, rest day for those attending divisionals
Saturday 14th - ABS Divisionals in Seattle, WA
Tues 17th - practice
Thurs 19th - practice
Tues 24th - practice
Thurs 26th - practice
Tues 31st - practice
Thurs February 2nd - no practice
Saturday February 4th - Montana Bouldering Championships

As always the schedule can be found through the Steepteam Calendar link on the right sidebar.