Welcome!¶

The CERN Climbing Club or Club d'Escalade du CERN (CEC) was officially born on the 2nd of June 2022! Now, we are working hard to fill the club with life and we are looking forward to

strengthening the communication of the climbing community at CERN - concerning everyone who is already at CERN but in particular for people who are newcomers at CERN,
organising gatherings, movie nights and other such events,
making topos and climbing guide books available to the club members to support their trips and planning,
being available for your questions, comments, suggestions.

This website is a central entry point containing all the important pointers to events, mailing lists, e-groups, mattermost channels etc.

So stay tuned and see you around, Your CERN Climbing Club Committee

NOTE: Signups to the climbing club are handled on a calendar year basis. Current inscriptions will be valid until 31.12.2024

Signing up is now done via this indico event. Please simply follow the instructions given there to become a member. If you need information on insurances that cover climbing and outdoor activities, here is an insurance information sheet.

News¶

Leaz is closed¶

Until further notice, climbing in Leaz is currently not allowed. Please respect that. For further information and details of the ban, please check this document.

Safety¶

Safety is the highest priority when climbing. The following list provides some guidelines. Note, that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list nor has the CERN Climbing Club any authority or responsibility in providing any standards. If you do not feel comfortable climbing or belaying, please consider taking appropriate courses!

You should know how to belay and you need to be familiar with the belay device you use (in particular read and understand manufacturer's instructions) and you need to feel comfortable using it.
Make sure that the person you climb with knows how to belay with the belay device they are using (in particular read and understand manufacturer's instructions) and they need to feel comfortable using it.
Be aware that thinner ropes tend to slide through belay devices more easily EVEN IF the belay device is supposed to assist in breaking the fall.
The partner check before attempting any route is absolutely crucial; climber: check the belay device is properly attached and used; belayer: check the climber is properly attached to the rope.
You should know about your gear: How old is it, can it still be used, was there a potential situation (among other things: dropping something, heavy fall, accidents where high friction is involved) that invalidates the integrity of your gear.

Gear recalls¶

From time to time manufacturers recall certain gear for various reasons, in particular when safety features are compromised. One can check for instance the website of the UIAA for an overview. In addition, manufacturers usually post their recalls on the websites.

We are around in the local gyms¶

At least one of the CEC committee members will be around - as regular as possible - in one of the local bouldering gyms. We try to announce the location, day and time over the weekend of the upcoming event on our mattermost channel.