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Big Wall and Aid Climbing Instruction

While places like Zion and Yosemite are well known for their aid climbing the skill has uses in Colorado at places like The Black Canyon and other areas as well. When you can't free climb with your hands and feet sometimes you still need to make it to the top. Using different techniques to make upward progress with fixed and removeable gear is the way to continue a climb. Learning aid climbing skills is especially useful on remote climbs where retreat may be difficult and using those skills on bigger walls allows teams to be more confident on more difficult climbs.


The history of aid climbing and the transition to clean climbing and free climbing is also beneficial in understanding how a lot of classic climbs came to be and why certain techniques and styles persist through climbing history.

Climbing Skills You'll Learn

If you are an experienced free climber but haven’t really ventured beyond then you are missing out on techniques for some of the most amazing climbs in places like Zion, Yosemite, and Patagonia. During this course participants will learn:

  • How to ascend sections of rock beyond their free climbing ability using a variety of clean aid techniques.
  • Systems for ascending fixed lines and hauling equipment up big walls. Including techniques like lower outs.
  • Techniques to improve efficiency to increase the size of climbs participants can complete in a day or how to manage terrain over multiple days.
  • How to manage all the gear that comes with aid climbing and efficiently ascend large walls in shorter timeframes.

After the course is over climbers should feel confident starting straightforward aid climbs and smaller big walls



Climbing Instruction Rates and Availability






1 Instructor
Half Day (4 hours)
Regular Day (6 hours)
 Full Day (8 hours)




1 Students
$309
$369
$429




2 Students
$249
$309
$369




3 Students
$199
$249
$309




4 Students
$149
$199
$249



 2 instructors to keep low ratios for the best experience! 



5-8 Students
$119
$149
$199 








Rate Information:




Rates are per person, e.g. 3 people for a Regular Day would be $259/person for a total of $777. Trip start times are custom but generally we recommend 8AM starts for most rock climbing May through September to avoid heat, crowding, and afternoon thunderstorms.




Discount Information: We appreciate our guests but discounts are limited to the following and cannot be combined with any other offer.




Early Bird Discounts and Last Chance Pricing:
Book early and save! Schedule any rock climbing trip a month or more in advance for a 10% discount. Any trip booked with less than 48 hours notice incur a $100 convenience fee.




Bundle Pricing: The ultimate way to get started climbing! Purchase 3 or more days of climbing guiding or instruction at once for a 10% discount. Schedule at your convenience.



Best Places to Learn Aid and Bigwall Climbing


Aid climbing is a unique skill set. While it can be taught in several places here are a few that make the most sense. Picking an objective can also be a great way to learn the skills while also knocking a climb off your bucket list:








Follow Up Climbing Classes


Aid climbing and big walls are advanced skills and require previous climbing experience. Participants should be prepared with the following skills:

    

  • Participants should be comfortable placing traditional gear.
  • Participants must be confident in their ability to build rock solid anchors with a variety of gear in a variety of terrain.
  • Participants should be proficient belaying a leader, follower, and rappelling with a variety of devices.
  • Participants should have the ability to free climb at a 5.8 level comfortably, some venues may allow for less.
Participants without the required climbing skills may be asked to book additional days for the best learning experience.


Required Climbing Skills