Climbing is Dangerous:
Stack the Odds in Your Favor.

• Check your knots and harness buckle
• Inspect your gear and replace as necessary
• Know your partners and their habits
• Check your belay - are you sure you're on?
• Read all warnings - they can save your life
• Fixed gear is unreliable - back it up when possible
• Keep an eye on the weather
• Rock breaks - check your holds
• Always double check your rappel system
• Remember, safety is your responsibility

The Climb Smart! program is a national public awareness campaign designed to promote safe climbing and individual responsibility. The program grew out of the points encompassed by the Universal Warning which developed from years of examination of climbing related accidents and legal actions. It formed as part of the American Standards for Testing of Materials (ASTM) process and has become the basis of the labeling standard. The Climb Smart campaign summarizes the Universal Warning into simple points for individual climbers to remember in order to increase their personal safety. For more information on the Climb Smart! risk awareness program, please contact the CSG at info@orca.org.
Climbing is Inherently Dangerous.

In a world of growing adventure sports, people are entering the sport of climbing without fully comprehending its true dangers. Climbing has begun to take on a Hollywood image, separating it from a need for practice and instruction, which leads us to the second point. Instruction is Required!

In the past, climbers developed their skills through years of mentoring and exposure to a variety of environments and risks. Today, due to the proliferation of indoor artificial climbing walls, the demographics of climbing are changing. New climbers now rapidly develop the technical expertise to ascend difficult climbs through intensive indoor training. However, they often lack the breadth of experience that builds a foundation to deal with unpredictable outdoor environments.