Lead Climbing Essentials – From Sport to Trad

Course Agenda

Day 1: 7:00 am at Yamnuska Classroom & Local Sport Climbing Area 

• Welcome, introduction, goals, agenda, and issue gear.   
• Overview of hazard evaluation and risk management at the crag.  
• Review climbing equipment fit and strengths/weaknesses  
• Introduction to the lead climbing system.   
• Instruction and practice with quickdraw use (clipping bolts, directionals, efficient clipping).   
• Leading techniques for sport climbs  
• Managing high first bolts (stick clipping)  
• Simulated or real leads (based on participant and guide comfort level).   
• Introduce anchor cleaning (‘switchovers’) and practice in a controlled setting, practice at height 
• Rappelling techniques and practice. 

Day 2: 7:00 am at Local Climbing Area   

• Introduction to natural protection (cams and nuts) 
• Placing and removing natural protection 
• Assessing the quality of placements 
• Building anchors using natural protection 
• Review of the ‘Lead Climbing’ system 
• Review of quickdraw use (clipping gear, direction, efficient clipping) 
• Placing and removing natural ‘pro’ on top rope 
• Simulated leads to practice the trad lead climbing system 

Day 3: 7:00 am at Local Climbing Area 

• Hazard evaluation and risk management at the crag 
• Managing specific issues on a gear lead (using multi-directional pieces, managing poor placements, protecting crux moves, managing ‘runouts’ between gear) 
• Simulated or real leads both sport and trad (dependent on both you and your guides comfort level) 
• Setting up and assessing anchors 
• Personalized coaching of movement skills and gear placements 
• Debrief and instruction for further progressions for rock climbing 

‘Multi-Pitch Days’ 

Join us for an additional day of climbing! Team up with a guide-led group to tackle one of the region’s classic multi-pitch climbs, putting your newly acquired skills into action. Explore all available dates on our Introductory Multi-Pitch Climbing Days webpage. The instructor-to-student ratio is 1:2. We divide into compatible teams, choose a suitable ‘multi-pitch’ route (several rope lengths in height), and spend the entire day climbing it. Climbs include routes on Mt. Yamnuska, Kid Goat Buttress, Tunnel Mountain, and Cascade. $409 plus GST. 

Locations

The Bow Valley is littered with varied rock and lots of different climbing crags. Expect to climb on sandstone at Mt. Yamnuska Practice cliff, Limestone slabs at Wasootch Creek, quartzite at Lake Louise (one of Canada’s greatest climbing cliffs), and at one or more of many other locations such as Grassi Lakes, Cougar Creek, Heart Creek, Kid Goat, or East End of Rundle. We will be based in Canmore but will travel each day to get the most from the variety of climbing available in the area. Your instructors are very familiar with rock climbs in the Bow Valley. Climbing on a variety of rock types will further accelerate your skill development.

Meeting Time and Place

The course begins at the Yamnuska classroom at 7:00 am on Day 1. The Yamnuska classroom is located at 100, 50 Lincoln Park. See this map for location.

Instructors and Group Size

Enthusiastic and extremely talented, your instructors hold rock climbing or alpine certification from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides. Our instructors are chosen not just for their technical climbing virtuosity but also for their ability to instruct and coach.

Instructor to student ratios range down from 1:6. The minimum group size is 3. On “Plus” days 1:2 is the norm with a minimum group size of 2.

Transportation

To help keep prices affordable, participants are responsible for their own transportation, as well as providing transportation for their guide during the program. Canmore is a 1hour (100 km) drive west of Calgary.

If you are flying from afar for the program we suggest that you rent a car for your visit. In addition to getting you to the climbing locations, it will allow you to explore our region a bit after program hours. For example, you can visit Banff and enjoy the hot pools and sample the numerous restaurants.

Park Passes

Please note that program venues may be within National Parks and/or Kananaskis Country. For programs where transportation is not provided by Yamnuska/Canadian Rockies Hiking by Yamnuska, guests will be required to purchase their own pass.

National Park passes are available both online at https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/voyage-travel/admission and in-person at National park gates and some information centres.

Kananaskis Country conservation passes are available online at https://www.alberta.ca/kananaskis-conservation-pass.aspx

Accommodation and Meals

Accommodation in Canmore is not included. A variety of accommodation options exist in both Canmore and Banff, including campsites, hostels, all levels of hotels as well as condo-style accommodation with kitchens or suites.  We recommend that you book your own pre and post-trip accommodations well in advance as all levels of accommodations in the Bow Valley fill quickly.

Food is not supplied. You will need lunch, energy snacks, and plenty to drink each day. We recommend a minimum of 1 L of fluids with more on hot days.

The course fee includes the use of rock shoes and technical gear although you should feel free to bring any gear you already have.

The weather encountered on this program varies greatly, with the courses at the beginning and the end of the season more prone to cold conditions. The list below covers all possibilities. Should sunny warm conditions be forecast some items may be unnecessary. Remember that the weather can change fast so even if the day starts out sunny you may still need rain gear in the afternoon. Conditions on the higher climbs on the ‘Plus Days’ are often colder.

Clothing and Equipment List

• Lunch, snacks, and plenty to drink
• Daypack (large enough for spare clothing, your lunch & personal and group climbing gear)
• Sunglasses
• Sun cream
• Rain Gear (minimum jacket, pants if available)
• Clothing allowing for easy and complete range of movement.
• Warm weather gear (fleece jacket, long johns, warm hat, gloves, etc.)
• Rock shoes (available for your use at no extra charge, please let us know in advance if needing to use these)
• Hiking boots or running shoes for the hike to the climbing area.
• Harness, helmet, belay device if you have them (we will supply these if necessary), chalk bag.

• Alpha SV Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Jacket (Men’s & Women’s)
• Rush Bib Pant (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Atom SL Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Cerium Down Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)
• Nuclei Hoody (Men’s & Women’s)

Please book as early as practical to avoid disappointment. We require a 35% deposit including GST with the balance due 8 weeks in advance of the course.  If booking less than 8 weeks in advance full payment is required.

We ask that you familiarize yourself with our detailed booking instructions and conditions.

Risk is an inherent part of all mountain activities. We strive to manage and reduce it however, it is impossible to totally eliminate. Learn more about our safety and risk management approach here.  Please note that you will be required to sign our waiver before commencing the program. Please view our sample waiver copy.

The Simpson Group offers a wide range of travel insurance options including Trip Cancellation/Interruption, Travel Medical, and Personal Effect Loss for both Canadian and International Travelers. Other providers offer similar services and we encourage you to select an appropriate level of coverage. We highly recommend purchasing this insurance to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. The two basic types of insurance that most travellers need to consider are Medical and Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance.

Insurance Risk 
One of the ways to mitigate risk is by purchasing appropriate insurance. Simpson Group Insurance Services who are travel & health risk specialists, work with technical and high-risk insurance solutions both in medical and non-medical spheres.  We highly recommend that you review your insurance needs to cover and protect you against unforeseen events. It is wise to ensure that your health plan will cover you in case of illness or accident during your trip. Simpson Group have a team standing by to answer any of your questions.

Emergency Medical Evacuation
While there is typically no charge for search & rescue in the National and Provincial Parks for active pass holders, costs such as air & ground ambulance after the rescue are not covered by your park pass. The chance of a large bill associated with this risk is a real possibility.

For Canadians
A common myth is that healthcare across provinces is fully covered. There are many things which do not carry interprovincial agreements. Ambulance services, medical evacuation, and some services which one province charges more than another you’d be responsible to pay the difference.

For Internationals
A common myth is that healthcare in Canada is free. Although it is less expensive than US healthcare, charges for non-residents can still be very high. Proper medical health insurance is essential if you were to get injured. Most coverages exclude rock climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing, backcountry skiing and the like. Simpson Group can make sure all those risks are well covered.

Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance
We recognize that our guests’ schedules may change for many reasons, business, family, flight delays, injuries, and other unplanned events.  For these eventualities, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance is a great way to protect your investment. We can assure you that circumstances do arise that prevent guests from participating in trips or courses and trip cancellation & interruption insurance is a relatively easy way to manage your level of risk of unforeseen events.

For all your travel insurance requirements we recommend Simpson Group Insurance Services.  For more information and to purchase a plan, visit Simpson Group’s website.