Behind the Lens and on the Rocks
by Michael Wolfe
“Scene 7 — Slate 3 — Take 4 — ACTION!”
For many Hoofers, this is the first time they’ve had a camera pointed at them while dangling over a cliff, securely tethered by their climbing gear. The call comes from freelance videographer Abigail Schaeffer, whose search for the perfect shot tirelessly continues: no tangled knots, no awkward shadows, no unscrewed carabiners. High atop the East Bluffs at Devil’s Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wis., another climbing anchor is rigged up, this time, with a better camera angle.
Schaeffer packs up her camera, and another day of filming wraps for the Hoofer Mountaineering Educational Video Series.
For more than 70 years, the Hoofer Mountaineering Club (HMC) has taught climbing skills to its members and the broader Midwest community. But as online learning and social media have transformed how people learn outdoor skills, HMC saw an opportunity to give its climbing education a fresh new
look: a comprehensive video series covering the club’s technical curriculum and preparing members for adventures in the mountains.
The result is a library of instructional videos that takes climbers from basic, beginner-friendly,fundamentals to advanced techniques suitable for technical climbing objectives outwise the Midwest.
Topics include crag etiquette, belaying, anchor construction, sport and traditional lead climbing, multipitch climbing, and all of the risk management associated with the diverse climbing landscape.The videos complement the club’s tried-and-true in-person clinics, providing an accessible way to prepare and review essential skills, build confidence, and progress through the cl+b’s climbingcurriculum. For more experienced climbers, the videos offer a resource for refining techniques and revisiting critical safety practices.
Bringing this vision to life took a village. HMC Advisor Adam Remus and Vice President of Education Michael Wolfe drew on the expertise and enthusiasm of climbers from across the Midwest. Photographer and videographer Abigail Schaeffer led the filming, making sure every shot, from a close-up of a cam placement to a wide-angle view of a Devil’s Lake top-rope anchor, was clear and well-framed. Local climbing guide Carrie Van Lanen contributed additional technical demonstrations and narration, helping ensure that the instruction was both technically sound and accessible to learners.
HMC members also volunteered their time on filming days, taking practice falls, building anchors, and lending their climbing style to the all-important B-roll. Behind the scenes, financial support from the Wisconsin Union Director’s Fund, the Mountaineering Foundation of Chicago, and the Wisconsin Climber’s Association made the substantial video-editing effort possible.
The project is about more than giving Hoofers a new set of instructional videos. It reflects a shared commitment across the Midwest climbing community to make outdoor education more accessible, engaging, and effective. By bringing together volunteer climbers, experienced guides, dedicated educators, and generous supporters, HMC has created a resource that will benefit generations of climbers to come.
