CLIMBING

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

MERIT BADGE SERIES

CLIMBING

“Enhancing our youths’ competitive edge through merit badges”

 (b) Name at least five different types of governments currently in power
in the world.
(c) Show on a world map countries that use each of these five different forms
of government.
6. Do the following:
(a) Explain how a government is represented abroad and how the United
States government is accredited to international organizations.
(b) Describe the roles of the following in the conduct of foreign relations.
(1) Ambassador
(2) Consul
(3) Bureau of International Information Programs
(4) Agency for International Development
(5) United States and Foreign Commercial Service
(c) Explain the purpose of a passport and visa for international travel.
7. Do TWO of the following (with your parent’s permission) and share with your
counselor what you have learned:
(a) Visit the website of the U.S. State Department. Learn more about an issue
you find interesting that is discussed on this website.
(b) Visit the website of an international news organization or foreign
government, OR examine a foreign newspaper available at your local library,
bookstore, or newsstand. Find a news story about a human right realized in
the United States that is not recognized in another country.
(c) Visit with a student or Scout from another country and discuss the typical
values, holidays, ethnic foods, and traditions practiced or enjoyed there.
(d) Attend a world Scout jamboree.
(e) Participate in or attend an international event in your area, such as an
ethnic festival, concert, or play.

Climbing

1. Do the following:
(a) Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards you may encounter
while participating in climbing and rappelling activities and what you should
do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
(b) Show that you know first aid for and how to prevent injuries or illnesses
that could occur during climbing activities, including heat and cold reactions,
dehydration, stopped breathing, sprains, abrasions, fractures, rope burns,
blisters, snakebite, and insect bites or stings.
(c) Identify the conditions that must exist before performing CPR on a person.

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2. Learn the Leave No Trace principles and Outdoor Code, and explain what
they mean.
3. Present yourself properly dressed for belaying, climbing, and rappelling (i.e.,
appropriate clothing, footwear, and a helmet; rappellers can also wear gloves).
4. Location. Do the following:
(a) Explain how the difficulty of climbs is classified, and apply classifications
to the rock faces or walls where you will demonstrate your climbing skills.
(b) Explain the following: top-rope climbing, lead climbing, and bouldering.
(c) Evaluate the safety of a particular climbing area. Consider weather,
visibility, the condition of the climbing surface, and any other
environmental hazards.
(d) Determine how to summon aid to the climbing area in case of an emergency.
5. Verbal signals. Explain the importance of using verbal signals during every
climb and rappel, and while bouldering. With the help of the merit badge
counselor or another Scout, demonstrate the verbal signals used by each of
the following:
(a) Climbers
(b) Rappellers
(c) Belayers
(d) Boulderers and their spotters
6. Rope. Do the following:
(a) Describe the kinds of rope acceptable for use in climbing and rappelling.
(b) Show how to examine a rope for signs of wear or damage.
(c) Discuss ways to prevent a rope from being damaged.
(d) Explain when and how a rope should be retired.
(e) Properly coil a rope.
7. Knots. Demonstrate the ability to tie each of the following knots. Give
at least one example of how each knot is used in belaying, climbing,
or rappelling.
(a) Figure eight on a bight
(b) Figure eight follow-through
(c) Water knot
(d) Double fisherman’s knot (grapevine knot)
(e) Safety knot
8. Harnesses. Correctly put on a commercially made climbing harness.
9. Belaying. Do the following:
(a) Explain the importance of belaying climbers and rappellers and when it
is necessary.
(b) Belay three different climbers ascending a rock face or climbing wall.

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 (c) Belay three different rappellers descending a rock face or climbing wall
using a top rope.
10. Climbing. Do the following:
(a) Show the correct way to directly tie into a belay rope.
(b) Climb at least three different routes on a rock face or climbing wall,
demonstrating good technique and using verbal signals with a belayer.
11. Rappelling. Do the following:
(a) Using a carabiner and a rappel device, secure your climbing harness to a
rappel rope.
(b) Tie in to a belay rope set up to protect rappellers.
(c) Rappel down three different rock faces or three rappel routes on a climb-
ing wall. Use verbal signals to communicate with a belayer, and demonstrate
good rappelling technique.
12. Demonstrate ways to store rope, hardware, and other gear used for climbing,
rappelling, and belaying.

Coin Collecting

1. Understand how coins are made and where the active U.S. Mint facilities
are located.
2. Explain these collecting terms:
(a) Obverse
(b) Reverse
(c) Reeding
(d) Clad
(e) Type set
(f) Date set
3. Explain the grading terms Uncirculated, Extremely Fine, Very Fine, Fine, Very
Good, Good, and Poor. Show five different grade examples of the same coin type.
Explain the term proof and why it is not a grade. Tell what encapsulated coins are.
4. Know three different ways to store a collection, and describe the benefits,
drawbacks, and expense of each method. Pick one to use when
completing requirements.
5. Do the following:
(a) Demonstrate to your counselor that you know how to use two U.S. or
world coin reference catalogs.
(b) Read a numismatic magazine or newspaper and tell your counselor
about what you learned.

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Climbing Resources.

Climbing Resources
Scouting Literature Long, John. How to Rock Climb! Globe
Deck of Knots; Basic Illustrated Knots Pequot Press, 2010.
for the Outdoors; Boy Scout Handbook; ———. Climbing Anchors. Chockstone
Project COPE manual; Climb On Safely; Press, 1993.
and Topping Out: A BSA Climbing/
Loughman, Michael. Learning to Rock
Rappelling Manual
Climb. Random House, 1982.
For more information about or to Luebben, Craig. Knots for Climbers.
order Scouting-related resources, Falcon, 2011.
visit http://www.scoutstuff.org ———. Rock Climbing: Mastering Basic
(with your parent’s permission). Skills. Mountaineers, 2004.
Mellor, Don. Rock Climbing: A Trailside
Instruction and Guidebooks Guide. W. W. Norton, 1997.
Allen, Linda B. High Mountain Roper, Steve, and Allen Steck. Fifty
Challenge: A Guide for Young Classic Climbs of North America.
Mountaineers. AMC Books, 1989. Sierra Club, 1996.
Burbach, Matt. Gym Climbing: Sherman, John. How to Rock Climb:
Maximizing Your Indoor Experience. Better Bouldering, 2nd ed.
Mountaineers Books, 2004. Falcon, 2012.
Cox, Steven, and Kris Fulsaas, eds. Skinner, Todd, and John McMullen.
Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Modern Rock Climbing: Beyond the
Hills, 7th ed. Mountaineers, 2003. Basics. ICS Books, 1993.
Fawcett, Ron, et al. The Climber’s Takeda, Pete. Extreme Sports: Climb.
Handbook: Rock, Ice, Alpine, National Geographic, 2002.
Expeditions. Sierra Club, 1987. Toula, Tim. Rock ‘N’ Road: An Atlas of
Lewis, S. Peter. Climbing: From Gym to North American Rock Climbing
Crag, Building Skills for Real Rock. Areas, 2nd ed. Falcon, 2003.
Mountaineers, 2000.

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 .Climbing Resources

Voeller, Edward A. Sport Climbing. Sherman, John. Stone Crusade: A

Capstone Books, 2000. Historical Guide to Bouldering
Wilkerson, James A., ed. Medicine for in America. American Alpine
Mountaineering and Other Club, 1999.
Wilderness Activities, 6th ed. Weihenmayer, Erik. Touch the Top of
Mountaineers, 2010. the World: A Blind Man’s Journey to
Climb Farther Than the Eye Can See:
History and Biography
My Story. Plume, 2001.
Bonington, Chris. Mountaineer: Thirty
Whittaker, Jim. A Life on the Edge:
Years of Climbing on the World’s
Memoirs of Everest and Beyond.
Great Peaks. Sierra Club, 1996.
The Mountaineers, 1999.
Curran, Jim. K2: Triumph and Tragedy.
Houghton Mifflin, 1987. Periodicals
Fraser, Mary Ann. On Top of the World: Climbing Magazine
The Conquest of Mount Everest. 2520 55th St.,Suite 210
Henry Holt, 1991. Boulder, CO 80302
Telephone: 303-625-1600
Jones, Chris. Climbing in North America. Website: http://www.climbing.com
Mountaineers Books, 1997.
Krakauer, Jon. Into Thin Air: A Personal Organizations and
Account of the Mount Everest Online Resources
Disaster. Anchor Books, 1998. Mountain Project
MacDonald, Dougald, ed. The Best of 2525 Arapahoe Ave. #E4-715
Rock and Ice: An Anthology. Boulder, CO 80302
Mountaineers Books, 1999. Website:
http://www.mountainproject.com
Messner, Reinhold. The Crystal
Horizon: Everest­—The First Solo
Ascent. Mountaineers Books, 1989.
Rosen, Mike. The Conquest of Everest.
Bookwright Press, 1990.

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