Rock Climbing Instructional Courses

Intro to Rock Climbing with Banff Life

Outdoor Rock Intro Course

Join The Specialists this summer for an unforgettable rock climbing experience.  We are offering numerous courses to help you build your repertoire of skills and help you make safe decisions in the mountains. We offer instruction for absolute beginners to start with a solid foundation, as well as for expert climbers looking at advanced clinics or to update their knowledge base. All of our rock climbing courses are run at low ratios so you get more time to climb and learn from certified guides and knowledgeable instructors.

Your Instructors

  • Have extensive instruction and coaching experience
  • Are patient and attentive
  • Have developed and refined these programs, and will tailor them to your unique abilities and goals
  • Provide clinics for gear manufacturers, educational institutes, individuals and groups
  • Have mastered these skills themselves through years of training and experience at the forefront of the sport
  • Are dedicated to seeing you progress as climbers, becoming efficient and confident in your abilities, and enjoying the process.

All programs

  • Some scheduled programs are listed below. Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.
  • We keep our instructor to participant ratio’s low to increase the value of your experience. Although it would be more profitable for us to fill larger courses, we know a superior program has fewer participants. When comparing prices with other guiding services, keep in mind the group size GREATLY impacts the amount of time you spend climbing, and the level of focused personalized coaching you receive.
  • We can accommodate larger groups and corporate programs – please email us for details and pricing

Outdoor Rock Intro ~ 1 day

No prior rock climbing experience required.

Intro days scheduled for: May 27, June 17, Jul 22, Aug 20, Sept 16

Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.

Overview

Looking for a taste of climbing and picking up the basics? Try our Outdoor Rock Intro day! Climbing venue will depend on weather and mountain conditions but will likely take place in the Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Lake Louise area.

Topics Covered

  • Fitting your gear – helmets, harnesses, climbing shoes (all included)
  • Discussion of safety procedures and climbing area hazards
  • Basic climbing movement – using foot placements, hand holds, and effective body positions
  • Basic rope work – tying in, belaying and lowering on top rope climbs

Pricing: $225.00 per person

What’s included: Guiding fees and all equipment. Transportation can be arranged.

For further information and to reserve your guide,  visit our Bookings Page or contact us.

Outdoor Rock Intro Weekend ~ 2 days

No prior rock climbing experience required.

Course scheduled for: July 15-16, August 12-13

Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.

Overview

Looking for a taste of climbing and picking up the basics? Try our Outdoor Rock Intro Weekend! Climbing venue will depend on weather and mountain conditions but will likely take place in the Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Lake Louise area.

Topics Covered

  • Fitting your gear – helmets, harnesses, climbing shoes (all included)
  • Discussion of safety procedures and climbing area hazards
  • Basic climbing movement – using foot placements, hand holds, and effective body positions
  • Basic rope work – tying in, belaying and lowering on top rope climbs
  • Building basic top-rope anchors
  • Use of different belay devices
  • Visit 2 different climbing areas

Pricing: $450.00 per person

What’s included: Guiding fees and all equipment. Transportation can be arranged.

For further information and to book your trip, visit our Bookings Page or contact us.

Learn to Lead Outdoors ~ 2 days

Lead Climbing

Lead Climbing

Indoor or outdoor top-roping rock climbing experience required. Or sign up for one of our Rock Intro courses first.

Course scheduled for: May 24-25

Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.

Overview

Leading on rock is both rewarding and serious. This course will give you the knowledge, experience and confidence to head out on the ‘sharp end’. Initial focus is ascent and descent of single pitch routes. Then we will get into the meat and potatoes of leading on rock. Climbing venue will depend on weather and mountain conditions but will likely take place in the Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Lake Louise area.

Topics Covered

  • Gear selection, use and racking
  • Route selection, planning and routefinding
  • Building soft anchors on bolted stations
  • Lead climbing belaying
  • Cleaning anchors and routes
  • Use of quick-draws while leading
  • Efficient climbing technique
  • Mental techniques (How to hold it all together!)
  • Risk level evaluation
  • use of different belay devices
  • Visit 2 different climbing areas

 Pricing: $450.00 per person

What’s included: Guiding fees and all equipment. Transportation can be arranged.

For further information and to book your trip, visit our Bookings Page or contact us.

 Rock Rescue Weekend ~ 2 days

rock rescue

Indoor or outdoor lead climbing experience required. Or sign up for our Learn to Lead course.

Course scheduled for: May 20-21, May 27-28

Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.

Overview

Could you deal with a real life rope rescue of your climbing partner or yourself in a vertical environment? Using familiar gear that should be on every multipitch climber’s harness, you will learn the fundamentals of rock rescue. Climbing venue will depend on weather and mountain conditions but will likely take place in the Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Lake Louise area.

Topics Covered

  • Discussion of safety procedures and climbing area hazards
  • Knots and hitches you should know
  • Managing anchors for rescue systems
  • What to bring and why
  • Escaping the belay
  • Load transfers
  • Raising and lowering systems
  • Rope ascending
  • Rappelling with and injured climber
  • Visit 2 different climbing areas

Pricing: $450.00 per person

What’s included: Guiding fees and all equipment. Transportation can be arranged.

For further information and to book your trip, visit our Bookings Page or contact us.

Trad Intro ~ 2 days

IndianCreekMartin2 019Indoor or outdoor lead sport climbing experience required. Or sign up for our Learn to Lead course.

Course scheduled for: June 24-25, July 22-23

Can’t make these dates? Put your own group of climbers together and you pick the dates.

Overview

This course will introduce you to the purest type of rock climbing where traditional gear is placed in rock features to attach you and your climbing team to the rock. Climbing venue will depend on weather and mountain conditions but will likely take place in the Banff/Canmore/Kananaskis/Lake Louise area.

Topics Covered

  • Discussion of safety procedures and climbing area hazards
  • Introduction to modern trad protection – cams, nuts, hexes, etc..
  • How to place, assess, and remove modern trad protection pieces
  • Discuss the basic physics and principles of placing protection
  • How to build trad gear anchors – 2 to 5 piece anchors, uni and multidirectional
  • Use of different soft materials for building anchors
  • Use of natural protection like trees, rock horns, chockstones, etc..
  • Trad climbing strategies and racking for your lead
  • Visit 2 different climbing areas

Pricing: $450.00 per person

What’s included: Guiding fees and all equipment. Transportation can be arranged.

For further information and to book your trip, visit our Bookings Page or contact us.

*Please add 5% sales tax to the above amounts *Half, full, and multiday trips available *Packed lunches and transportation available.