There comes a time in every climber’s life, when the walls just aren’t big enough. You’ve spent years developing your trad climbing skills, traveling through the alpine, crushing boulders, and are looking for more. One trip to Yosemite National Park, and you’re hooked on the idea of taking down El Cap. There’s just one thing – how?

Climbing a bigwall is a multi-day journey that requires a very unique set of skills. Throughout this four day course in Moab, we’ll cover everything you need to know to climb even the biggest pieces of stone.

We’ll start by introducing you to some of the specialized aid and big wall gear that you’ll need for a multi-day adventure. Aiding on your gear is fun, and learning to aid climb is a great way to improve as a trad climber. Learn the skills needed to efficiently move through roofs, pendulums, and traverses. Practice setting up hauling systems and moving the haulbag or “pig” around. Dial in the rope management while learning how to organize complex anchors.

Making your way up a 3,000ft tall rock will require you to sleep there overnight, and we’ll introduce you to the ways of portaledge living and how to manage all the different systems, ropes, and anchors being implemented.

Our Bigwall Climbing Course takes solid trad leaders and gives them new aid climbing skills, rope trickery, and a solid understanding of anchors and how to avoid the dreaded bigwall cluster. Skills such as hauling systems, packing a haulbag, and leading/seconding an aid pitch are covered in extensive detail.

So what are you waiting for? If taking on a bigwall is a goal of yours, get started with the instruction in this bigwall and aid climbing course. The big stone is calling your name!

Prerequisites:

Participants should be able to comfortably climb 5.9 outdoors on a top rope as well as have experience with traditional lead climbing and anchor building. Our Anchors and Introduction to Trad Climbing Courses are a great spot to start if you don’t meet the prerequisites.