There are a number of climbing areas where managing climbs from the top is the best choice. A site over water is a great example as are locations where the approach leads to the top and the cliff sides are too difficult to easily hike down or are pristine and would suffer from impact.

Another reality today for many popular crags is a very real concern about gear theft on the top of the cliff while the climbers are on the bottom. And then there are times when the top is the more durable surface or is more comfortable than the base might be that day. All of these are great reasons to top manage climbs with a group. However, top managed sites hold different risks and require different skills from base managed sites to effectively manage climbing groups. The PCIA Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ Course addresses these needs in a one day course designed to build upon skills acquired in the Base Managed Climbing Instructor™ Course. Like other PCIA courses, the course continues to reinforce the importance of teaching technically accurate information and to debunk many common climbing myths. The emphasis is again on refining core skills and improving educational delivery of material.

The 10 hour (1 day) module focuses heavily on the use of direct belays by both instructors and students and presents the subtle but important differences in systems that make life easy on the top. The course also addresses rescue and assistance skills such as escaping direct and indirect belays and raising systems. The basics of mechanical advantage systems are taught and raises are practiced through assisted locking devices as well as aperture style devices.

Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ Certification
Upon completion of all TMCI course components graduates are upgraded to certified Top Managed Climbing Instructor™. There is no separate exam for this level unless challenging.

Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ Course Pre-Requisites

• You are currently at least age 18.
• Are a PCIA Certified Base Managed Climbing Instructor™.
• You possess the personal equipment necessary for the course.
• You are capable of comfortably climbing 5.8 terrain while on a top rope.

Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ Component Skills

Professional Skills

• Appropriately choose terrain to meet client needs.

Climbing Ability

• Model a top rope climb at the 5.8 standard illustrating confident, smooth, and controlled movement.
• Demonstrates a variety of basic and intermediate physical climbing movement skills.

Technical Understanding

• Demonstrates confident and competent belaying using a variety of belay methods including aperture devices, assisted locking devices, and a Munter Hitch with both right and left hand as break hand in a top managed setting.
• Demonstrates the ability to efficiently build a variety of adequate anchors with artificial gear as well as a mix of natural and artificial gear. Time Limit: 10 minutes / anchor.
• Demonstrates the set up and use of an instructor belayed rappel utilizing one or two ropes.
• Demonstrates the set up and use of a releasable instructor belayed rappel utilizing one or two ropes and discuss situations when this set up is warranted.
• Demonstrates the set up and use of an student belayed rappel utilizing one or two ropes.
• Demonstrates weighted and unweighted transitions between belay methods.
• Demonstrates an appropriately placed anchor master point and the set up of a top managed climb with an instructor belay. Time Limit: 15 minutes.
• Demonstrates an appropriately placed anchor master point and the set up of a top managed climb with a student belay. Time Limit: 15 minutes.
• Demonstrates the ability to supervise a top managed site with at least two climbs operating.

Safety Skills

• Present a sample site safety briefing.
• Able to discuss selection of safe climbing routes for varying abilities and styles of climbing.
• Evaluate and problem-solve the need for back-up belays and the use of anchors.
• Demonstrates an understanding of mechanical advantage systems to include: 1:1, 2:1, 2:1+1, 3:1, 3:1+1 and 5:1.
• Demonstrates efficient use of at least two mechanical advantage methods to raise a climber at least 3 meters with no more than 1 meter of system slack while instructor belaying.
• Demonstrates efficient use of at least two mechanical advantage methods to raise a climber at least 3 meters with no more than 1 meter of system slack while a student is belaying.

Educational Ability

• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson on harness application, knot use, belaying and communication.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson showing effective coaching of movement skills through activities, verbal direction and modeling.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson on artificial gear placement.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson illustrating essential considerations master point creation with various materials.
• Facilitates a 10’-30’ educational presentation on carabiners, belay tools, climbing grades, reading route topos, webbing and cordage material specs and use, how to select a rope /rope dynamics, Leave No Trace practice.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson on knot and hitch tying including figure 8s. overhands, clove hitch, block Munter Hitch and Prussik Hitch.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson on escaping the belay.
• Designs and demonstrates a 45’ lesson on simple raising systems for rock climbers.

Scholarships:
A few scholarships are available to qualified applicants. Click through for more info and the application.

Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ Exam Challenges
The Top Managed Climbing Instructor™ certification may be challenged. Experienced providers who can provide evidence of formalized instruction in climbing management and significant field experience are allowed one attempt to challenge. Candidates will be required to take a one day exam that assesses the core skills of base and top managed instruction as well as educational delivery.

The requirements for exam challenges are:

Find a course: You can click here to go to our calendar, which is sortable by date and course type.