Accelerate your climbing!

Five amazing days of climbing instruction on Squamish granite. This is our most comprehensive rock climbing course covering topics from Level 1 Rock through Level 4 Rock. Skills will build on each other gradually and successively each day.

With our professional guides closely watching, and providing instruction you will progress from top roping, lead climbing (sport and trad gear), anchor building, to multi-pitch climbing. Designed for climbers with indoor top roping experience and some outdoor crack climbing experience.

Immerse yourself in rock climbing this summer!

Itinerary

Courses are in Squamish from 8am - 4pm. Meet your Guide at Cloudburst Cafe in Squamish at 8am. Plan to be back at the cars by 4pm.

8am - 4pm

Squamish Smoke Bluffs

Pre-requisites

• Ability to tie-in with a figure-8.

• Experience top-rope belaying.

• Can comfortably climb 5.7 indoors.

Ratio

1:6 (min 3)

guide : participants

Note: private courses can be organized for 1-2 participants, and groups.

Waiver

You are required to read the VMG Waiver and agree to it’s terms and conditions prior to paying or signing. Your guide needs to see the emailed waiver verification before participating.

Questions? 

Goals

Day 1

• Safety systems and protocols, hazards at the crag, and risk management.

• Equipment strengths, forces on top-rope systems, proper use, and fit of equipment.

• Review of top-rope belaying, knots, and tying-in.

• Safe communication and terminology.

• Learn top-rope anchors and assess integrity (2 bolt anchors, trees). Practice building top-ropes.

• Rappelling and using a prusik back-up.

Day 2

• Lead climbing equipment: ropes, quick draws, gloves, stick clip.

• Racking up, bringing the right number of draws, what to carry on lead.

• Clipping draws into bolts safely, clipping the rope into draws efficiently and safely (pinch clip and hand clip).

• Become a 5.15 belayer! Feeding slack, managing rope to mitigate risk, using a Grigri.

• Falling safely.

• Cleaning routes, threading the anchor, lowering vs rappelling, overhangs, and tramming.

Day 3

• Learn about trad gear design, strength, and limitations.

• Learn and practice perfect trad placements (cams, nuts), and tricks for cleaning gear (nut tool).

• Build multi-directional anchors with IDEALS acronym. (series and parallel). Protect upward forces.

• Introduce mock trad leads with the safety of a top-rope.

Day 4

• Practice lead climbing and placing gear, build efficiencies.

• Crack climbing techniques: hand jamming, finger locks.

• Lead strategies: fall-line management (runouts, high pivot points), finding stances, protecting the second.

• Graduate to lead your first trad climb without a top rope - become VMG certified!

Day 5

• Multi-pitch theory: racking up, what to carry, packs, choosing rope(s), timing, descent or retreat options.

• Station management, belay transitions (lap coils, flipping the pile), swapping leads.

• Strategies for leading out on hanging belays, first piece.

• Multi-pitch rappelling on 2 ropes, PAS's, rap anchors, knots in the end.

• Next steps: Rock 1 Rescue and Rock 2 Rescue.

Note: Goals are flexible and can be tailored for individuals.

Fee

$799 +GST (5 days)

Dates

Note: Private instruction is available. Customize your program and learn at your pace with one-on-one instruction. Contact VMG!

Equipment

• Harness,

• Helmet (climbing)

• Belay device

• Chalk bag

• Rock shoes (required)

• 4 x locking carabiners (pear shape)

• 2 x carabiners (non-locking)

• 2 x double length sling (120cm)

• 1 x cordelette (5m x 7mm cord)

• 6 x quickdraws

• 2 x alpine Draws (60cm slings)

• Gear rack (set of nuts #4-10, single set cams 0.2 - 3”)

• 1 x Nut tool

Note:  VMG can supply all equipment except rock shoes (can rent from Climb On Squamish). Email us what you need.