The council climbing committee is dedicated to providing quality training and activities above and beyond the basic camping experiences of Scouting America. Climbing programs are operated within the Scouting America. 

climb on safelyClimb On Safely: A Guide to Unit Climbing and Rapelling is Scouting America’s procedure for organizing climbing/rappelling activities at a natural site or a specifically designed facility, such as a climbing wall or tower.  All unit-sponsored/planned climbing activities, regardless of where they are held, falls under Climb On Safey: A Guide to Unit Climbing and Rapelling. This applies to a single unit, or multiple units, that may be participating in a joint unit climbing activity.

Climbing Training

There is inherent risk in climbing and rappelling. With proper training and management, that risk can be minimized. 

                Register for Climbing Training

Introduction Course for Climbing and COPE

Climb On Safely

Prerequisites: None
Description: Climb On Safely covers eight key safety points about climbing and rappelling and is required training for at least one adult leader on any type of Scouting outing that involves climbing or rappelling. 
• Basic understanding of Climbing Program Policies
• Climb On Safely online training is an orientation only, and does not constitute training on how to climb or rappel. 
Course length:  15 min, online course
Certification length:  2 years
Taught by: Online Learning Center at my.scouting.org

Foundation Courses for COPE and Climbing

COPE and Climbing Foundation Level I

Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• age 18+
• climbing experience recommended
Description: The training will cover the skills and information needed to staff LOW COPE as well as Climbing and Rappelling activities on Artificial Surfaces (towers and walls).  
Covers: Leave No Trace, Challenge By Choice & Setting Goals, Age Appropriate Guidelines, Warm-ups and Initiative Games, Spotting, Dealing with Fear, Safety Measures & Accident Prevention, Life Safety Systems, Climbing and Rappelling (Tower/Wall), Equipment Control & Inventory, Pre-use Inspections and Reporting, Effective Teaching Using EDGE
Certification qualifies: staff a climbing or COPE event with direct Level 2 or climbing director supervision
Course length: 17 hrs
Certification length: 1 year
Taught by: Council COPE and Climbing Committee and COPE and Climbing Program Trainer

COPE and Climbing Foundation Level II

Prerequisites:
• COPE and Climbing Foundation Level I
• age 21+
Description: The training will test current COPE and Climbing knowledge and skills. Additionally, the course will cover the skills and information needed to supervise low COPE activities as well as Climbing and Rappelling activities on Artificial Surfaces (Towers and Walls) at permissible locations.  
Certification qualifies: • supervise low COPE, bouldering, and climbing and rappelling activities on artificial surfaces (towers and walls) 
• teach Climbing Merit Badge
Course length:  14 hrs
Certification length: 3 years 
Taught by:  Council COPE and Climbing Committee and Council COPE and Climbing Program Trainer

Youth Course:
Cope and Climbing Foundation Instructor in Training (IIT) 
Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• age 16-17
• COPE experience recommended
• Earned the Climbing Merit Badge recommended
Description: The training will cover the skills and information needed to staff LOW COPE as well as Climbing and Rappelling activities on artificial surfaces (towers and walls).  
Covers: Leave No Trace, Challenge By Choice & Setting Goals, Age Appropriate Guidelines, Warm-ups and Initiative Games, Spotting, Dealing with Fear, Safety Measures & Accident Prevention, Life Safety Systems, Climbing and Rappelling (Tower/Wall), Equipment Control & Inventory, Pre-use Inspections and Reporting, Effective Teaching Using EDGE
Certificationqualifies: While COPE and climbing events NEED to be staffed by a qualified Level 2 and a qualified Level 1, IITs can provide ADDITIONAL support COPE and climbing events.
Course length: 
Certification length:
1 year
Taught by:  Qualified Instructor or Council COPE and Climbing Committee 

Climbing 

Youth Course:
Climbing Instructor in Training (IIT)

Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• age 16-17
• COPE experience recommended
• Earned the Climbing Merit Badge recommended
Description: Learn to teach Scouts how to climb and rappel at the unit, district or council level.
Covers: Site Selection & Management, Environmental Conditions, Rock Climbing & Technique, Anchoring, Bouldering, Teaching Climb On Safely, Teaching Climbing Merit Badge
Certification qualifies: While Climbing events NEED to be staffed by a qualified Level 2 and a qualified Level 1, Climbing IITs can provide ADDITIONAL support Climbing events.
Course length: 14 hours
Certification length: 
Taught by:  
Qualified Instructor or Council COPE and Climbing Committee 

Climbing Level I

Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• age 18+
• climbing experience recommended
Description: Learn to teach Scouts how to climb and rappel at the unit, district or council level. The training covers the skills and information needed to staff any Climbing Program
Covers: site selection and management, environmental conditions, rock climbing and technique, anchoring, bouldering, teaching Climb On Safely, teach Climbing Merit Badge
Certification qualifies: • Staff real rock programs, council climbing towers, council climbing walls, and council bouldering walls with a Level 2 or climbing director present
• teach Climbing Merit Badge
Course length:  14 hrs
Certification length: 1 year 
Taught by: Council COPE & Climbing Committee

Climbing Level II - Artificial Surface

Climbing Level II -Real Rock Surface

 

Prerequisites:
• Climb on Safely taken online
• Climbing Level 1
• age 21+
• Competence in basic climbing skills as found in Climbing Merit Badge requirements 5, 7-11.
Description for artificial surfaces: tests current climbing and repelling knowledge and skills, covers the skills and information needed to supervise climbing activities at permissible locations, expands Level 1 knowledge using troop or personal equipment and gear brought by the participant. The training expands on existing knowledge and focuses on event and site management and incident resolution so that an Instructor may lead a unit properly and with confidence, utilizing artificial structures. 

Learn the skills and information needed to supervise climbing activities at permissible locations. Expands Level 1 knowledge using troop or personal equipment and gear brought by the participant. Training expands on existing knowledge and focuses on event and site management and incident resolution so that an Instructor may lead a unit properly and with confidence in a natural area.  Tests current climbing knowledge and skills.
Covers: site selection and management, rock climbing and technique,  anchoring,  standards recap, and proper structure operations
Certification qualifies: • supervise climbing and rappelling activities with at least one additional climbing instructor to assist the lead Instructor for unit-based climbing events to maintain a 6:1 youth to adult ratio.
• teach Climbing Merit Badge
Course length:  21 hrs
Certification length: 3 years 
Taught by:  COPE and Climbing Program Trainer or Council Climbing Committee and Council COPE and Climbing Program Trainer

Climbing Director

Prerequisites:
• At least COPE Level 1, Climbing Level 1, or COPE and Climbing Foundation Level 1
• Climb on Safely
• age 21+
Description: Learn skills and information needed to supervise climbing activities at permissible locations. Expands Level 1 knowledge using troop or personal equipment and gear brought by the participant. Expands on existing knowledge and focuses on event and site management and incident resolution so that an Instructor may lead a Unit properly and with confidence in a natural area. Tests current climbing knowledge and skills.
Covers: site selection and management, rock climbing and technique,  anchoring,  standards recap
Certification qualifies: • staff climbing/rappelling bouldering, natural rock, indoor and tower activities • function as Lead Instructor with at least one additional Climbing Instructor to assist the Lead Instructor for unit-based climbing events to maintain a 6:1 youth to adult ratio.
• teach Climbing Merit Badge • lead climbing/rappelling bouldering, natural rock, indoor and tower activities • Supervise Climbing and Rappelling activities
Course length:  2 weekends OR 1 week-long course
Certification length: 5 years 
Taught by: National Camping School

COPE

Youth Course:
COPE Instructor in Training (IIT)
Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• age 16-17,
• COPE and climbing experience recommended
Description: Provides an introduction to COPE, instilling the goals of COPE, NCAP Standards, how to sequence and process a group, trust activities, zip line, Low COPE and an introduction to High COPE. 
Covers: goals and features of COPE, sequencing and processing, stories and tall tales, trust activities, low course activities, high course activities
Certification qualifies: • while COPE events need to be staffed by a qualified Level 2 and a qualified Level 1, COPE IITs
can provide additional support COPE events. 
Course length:  16.5 hours

Taught by: Qualified Instructor or Council COPE Committee 

COPE Level I

Prerequisites:
Climb on Safely taken online
• COPE and climbing experience recommended
• age 18+
Description: Covers the skills and information needed to staff any climbing program. Provides an introduction to COPE, instilling the goals of COPE, NCAP Standards, how to sequence and process a group, trust activities, zip line, Low COPE and an introduction to High COPE. 
Covers: Goals & Features of COPE, Sequencing & Processing, Stories & Tall Tales, Trust Activities, Low Course Activities, High Course Activities
Certification qualifies:• staff council COPE programs, council climbing towers, council climbing walls, and council bouldering walls with a level 2 or climbing director present
Course length:  16.5 hrs
Certification length: 1 year 
Taught by: Qualified Instructor or Council COPE Committee

COPE Level II

Prerequisites:
• Climbing Level 1, COPE Level 1, COPE and Climbing Foundation Level 1, OR COPE and Climbing Foundation Level 2 
• age 21+
Description: Learn the skills and information needed to supervise COPE activities at permissible locations. Expand on the knowledge learned in COPE Instructor 1, focusing on sequencing, low and high COPE incident resolution, zip line emergency procedures, COPE course pre-use inspection, and set-up.  Tests current COPE knowledge and skills 
Covers: Goals & Features of COPE, Group Development, Sequencing & Processing 2 hours Stories & Tall Tales, Trust Activities, Low Course Activities, High Course Activities,  Standards Recap
Certification qualifies: • lead low COPE and high COPE events • function as Lead Instructor for COPE events with the assistance of at least one additional Level 1 or 2 COPE Instructor to maintain a 12:1 youth-to-instructor ratio for Low COPE and a 6:1 youth-to-instructor ratio for High COPE. 6:1 youth-to-adult ratio. • Supervise COPE activities • teach the Climbing Merit Badge
Course length:  16 hrs
Certification length: 3 years 
Certification length: 1 year 
Taught by: Council COPE Committee and Council COPE and Climbing Program Trainer

COPE Director

Prerequisites:
• COPE and Climbing Foundation Level II
• Climbing Level II
• age 21+
Description: • tests current COPE knowledge and skills. Additionally, the course will cover the skills and information needed to supervise COPE activities at permissible locations.
• expands on the knowledge learned in COPE Instructor 1, focusing on sequencing, low and high COPE incident resolution, zip line emergency procedures, COPE course pre-use inspection, and set-up. 
Covers: Goals & Features of COPE, Group Development, Sequencing & Processing 2 hours Stories & Tall Tales, Trust Activities, Low Course Activities, High Course Activities,  Standards Recap
Certification qualifies: • lead low COPE and high COPE events • function as Lead Instructor for COPE events with the assistance of at least one additional Level 1 or 2 COPE Instructor to maintain a 12:1 youth-to-instructor ratio for Low COPE and a 6:1 youth-to-instructor ratio for High COPE. 6:1 youth-to-adult ratio. • COPE and Climbing Foundations Level 2" and "Climbing Level 2" . ADD "At Least COPE Level 1, Climbing Level 1, or COPE AND Climbing Foundation Level 1", Climb on Safely
Course length: 2 weekends or 1 week-long course
Certification length: 5 years 
Taught by:  National Camping School

 

Resources

About the Climbing Committee

The climbing committee conducts climbing training and supports climbing activities at camporees, summer camp, Order of the Arrow events, and thousands of unit climbing events.

Contacts

Council Climbing Chair
Chris Hanson

 

Climbing Committee Staff Adviser
Ted Hunn