Introduction to Outdoor Climbing

Learn baseline skills for climbing outside on single pitch sport climbs.

Based at world-renowned climbing area City of Rocks, this is the perfect class for gym and/or beginning climbers looking to make the transition to climbing outside. The course will include instructional topics on crag etiquette and Leave No Trace, equipment, anchors for top roping and sport climbing, leading and cleaning sport climbs, and rappelling. The overall focus is to impart foundational risk management skills and introduce best practice techniques for this increasingly popular outdoor sport.

Day 1

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Base Etiquette and LNT (Leave no Trace)
  • Climbing and equipment overview
  • Top Rope Setups
  • Movement/climbing technique
  • Lead Belaying
  • Lead Climbing

 

Day 2

  • Movement/warm-up
  • Lead Climbing
  • Cleaning a sport Anchor
  • Rappelling basics
  • Introduction to falling
  • Intermediate movement skills

 Difficulty: No previous outdoor climbing experience is required.

Ideally, participants should already know how to: 

  • Properly wear a harness
  • Tie into a rope using the figure 8 follow through
  • Belay a top rope climber using PBUS method

 Duration: 2 days

 Meeting Time: 9am

 Meeting Location: City of Rocks Visitor Center in Almo

 What We Provide:

  • All technical climbing equipment (shoes, harness, helmet, belay device, carabiners). Discount packages can be purchased at Backwoods Mountain Sports in Ketchum.

 What You Need:

  • Basic outdoor clothing and footwear
  • Small day pack
  • Lunches
  • Lodging or camping arrangements for City of Rocks courses
  • Review the equipment list

Ratio: 4:1

 Rates: $450/person (based on 3 person minimum)

 Dates:

  • Saturday & Sunday, May 25-26, 2024
  • Saturday & Sunday, June 8-9, 2024
  • Saturday & Sunday, September 7-8, 2024
  • Saturday & Sunday, September 28-29, 2024