Intensive Big Wall Clinic
On this Big Wall Course, you will learn the skills you need to tackle overnight big wall climbs!
This weekend is for experienced multi-pitch trad climbers to get hands-on, expert instruction on all the fundamental aspects of big wall climbing: aid leading, ascending a rope, hauling, and planning.
You can’t learn everything about big walling in a weekend (perhaps a lifetime) but you will be ready to start up Grade V walls on your own and start learning by doing!
*The most rigorous climbing skills training available*
4:1 ratio maximum | 2 participant minimum
Operated by Vertical Pursuits LLC
Week Before: We will meet on Zoom for an hour or so the week before the course to meet each other, cover some introductory material, and field any questions about the course and gear. This meeting will allow us to take complete advantage of our in-person time together!
Day 0 (9/27): I highly recommend that you arrive at Cal Dome on this evening so that you can get a good night’s sleep at the campground and be well-prepared for the days ahead.
Day 1 (9/28): We will drive together a short distance to the climbers trail and head up to our crag for the weekend. We will get introduced to and practice the main fundamental skills of wall climbing; aiding, jugging, and hauling. We’ll hike back to the cars with our heads spinning after a jam-packed day of skills and then roll back to the campground to relax for the night.
Day 2 (9/29): We’ll head back to the same crag (where we will have stashed our gear) and spend the day practicing fundamentals and exploring some variations to the fundamental skills. The meat of the day will be running everyone through a 2-pitch aid route; this is where it all comes together! We will also take some time to discuss planning, packing, and strategy for big wall climbing. This will be another big day of learning. We’ll wrap up in the evening and folks can head home or camp out another night.
Extra Day or Two! (9/30-9/31): This is totally optional and would incur an additional cost but if you’re free on Monday and/or Tuesday why not put all your new skills to the test by spending the night high on Calaveras Dome?! Or maybe we can just free climb on a classic multi-pitch after all that learning. Contact me for details about options for these days. (First come, first served)
This is A LOT! Our days will be packed.
- Gear Selection
- Picking an Objective
- Planning, Packing, and Strategy
- Leading
- Top Stepping
- Bounce Testing
- Daisy or not?
- Following/Jugging
- The two styles of jugging
- Getting the perfect lengths
- Types of backups and pros/cons
- Hauling
- Rigging, docking, and releasing the bag
- 1:1
- 2:1
- Rope Management
- Order of Operations
- Anchor Management
- Lower Out
- Multiple methods
- Pendulum
- Descending
- Knots + Hitches
- Butterfly
- Munter Mule Overhand
- Mock 2 Pitch Climb
- Each participant does it twice!
Included:
- All ropes, haul bag, portaledge, and anchor equipment.
- Non-stop stoke and instruction from me; an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, big wall first ascensionist, soloist, and speed climber.
- All photos taken during the trip! Including top-down photos from a fixed-line.
- Access to my mentorship community for continued support on your climbing journey.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Lodging/Camping
- Local travel/car rental
- Food or Snacks
- Travel/Trip Cancellation Insurance (recommended)
- Anything on the What to Bring tab
- Helmet
- Harness
- Shoes for aiding (anything works really, stiffer approach shoes ideal)
- Free shoes (good to have in the car!)
- Handful of lockers (bigwalling EATS lockers)
- Belay Devices (GriGri style and ATC style)
- Anchor/rescue material (ie cordalette or quad length sling)
- Daisy chains
- Ascenders
- Microtraxion or similar
- Fifi hook (optional)
- Ladders
- Gloves
- Double rack of cams (no bigger than #3)
- 30+ liter backpack
- Sun Glasses
- Sun Shirt
- Sun Hat
- Thin Pants for climbing
- Solid Shoes for the approach
- Warm Puffy Jacket
- Rain Coat
- Please bring your own lunch food.
This clinic is valuable to those new to big wall climbing as well as those who have practiced some of the skills before. In order to make the most of our time together please consider these prerequisites:
- Multi-pitch climbing experience
- Trad climbing experience
- Lead climbing experience
- Climbing 5.9 outside or 5.10 in the gym.
- Fitness for some steep approaches and long days at the crag.
- Seriously interested in climbing big walls (this course is intense!)
**We highly recommend insuring your travel arrangements!**
Calaveras Dome is located between Tahoe and Yosemite. About 3.5 hrs from San Francisco and 2.5 hrs from Sacramento.
There is camping available right near the base of the dome at the White Azalea Campground or Mokelumne Campground. Both are first come first served and $25/night. Dispersed tent/car camping is also an option nearby but does not host a bathroom.
There aren’t any amenities nearby so you do your shopping well before you arrive in the region.
There is no cell service at the camping or crag. You can drive 20 minutes or so back up the road to get service. I will have a satellite device for emergency communication.
We’ll do our best to try to coordinate travel times among participants to reduce the number of vehicles we are renting/driving around!
2 Participant Minimum: Clinics are priced relatively cheaply with the assumption that more than one person will attend. If you are the only person that signs up, I will either refund you or we can arrange private instruction!
Weather:
We are unlikely to cancel due to weather unless heavy rain is expected for both days of our program.
Cancellation:
If you cancel more than 30 days from the start of the trip you will receive a full refund minus a 20% deposit.
If you cancel within 30 days of the trip you will not receive a refund. If you are able to find someone to fill your spot you may receive a refund.
If I cancel the trip (due to serious illness or extreme weather) you will receive a full refund for the cost of the trip, however, I cannot refund travel costs (flights, car rental, etc.) so please strongly consider travel insurance.
On this Big Wall Course, you will learn the skills you need to tackle overnight big wall climbs!
This weekend is for experienced multi-pitch trad climbers to get hands-on, expert instruction on all the fundamental aspects of big wall climbing: aid leading, ascending a rope, hauling, and planning.
You can’t learn everything about big walling in a weekend (perhaps a lifetime) but you will be ready to start up Grade V walls on your own and start learning by doing!
*The most rigorous climbing skills training available*
4:1 ratio maximum | 2 participant minimum
Operated by Vertical Pursuits LLC
Week Before: We will meet on Zoom for an hour or so the week before the course to meet each other, cover some introductory material, and field any questions about the course and gear. This meeting will allow us to take complete advantage of our in-person time together!
Day 0 (9/27): I highly recommend that you arrive at Cal Dome on this evening so that you can get a good night’s sleep at the campground and be well-prepared for the days ahead.
Day 1 (9/28): We will drive together a short distance to the climbers trail and head up to our crag for the weekend. We will get introduced to and practice the main fundamental skills of wall climbing; aiding, jugging, and hauling. We’ll hike back to the cars with our heads spinning after a jam-packed day of skills and then roll back to the campground to relax for the night.
Day 2 (9/29): We’ll head back to the same crag (where we will have stashed our gear) and spend the day practicing fundamentals and exploring some variations to the fundamental skills. The meat of the day will be running everyone through a 2-pitch aid route; this is where it all comes together! We will also take some time to discuss planning, packing, and strategy for big wall climbing. This will be another big day of learning. We’ll wrap up in the evening and folks can head home or camp out another night.
Extra Day or Two! (9/30-9/31): This is totally optional and would incur an additional cost but if you’re free on Monday and/or Tuesday why not put all your new skills to the test by spending the night high on Calaveras Dome?! Or maybe we can just free climb on a classic multi-pitch after all that learning. Contact me for details about options for these days. (First come, first served)
This is A LOT! Our days will be packed.
- Gear Selection
- Picking an Objective
- Planning, Packing, and Strategy
- Leading
- Top Stepping
- Bounce Testing
- Daisy or not?
- Following/Jugging
- The two styles of jugging
- Getting the perfect lengths
- Types of backups and pros/cons
- Hauling
- Rigging, docking, and releasing the bag
- 1:1
- 2:1
- Rope Management
- Order of Operations
- Anchor Management
- Lower Out
- Multiple methods
- Pendulum
- Descending
- Knots + Hitches
- Butterfly
- Munter Mule Overhand
- Mock 2 Pitch Climb
- Each participant does it twice!
Included:
- All ropes, haul bag, portaledge, and anchor equipment.
- Non-stop stoke and instruction from me; an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, big wall first ascensionist, soloist, and speed climber.
- All photos taken during the trip! Including top-down photos from a fixed-line.
- Access to my mentorship community for continued support on your climbing journey.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Lodging/Camping
- Local travel/car rental
- Food or Snacks
- Travel/Trip Cancellation Insurance (recommended)
- Anything on the What to Bring tab
- Helmet
- Harness
- Shoes for aiding (anything works really, stiffer approach shoes ideal)
- Free shoes (good to have in the car!)
- Handful of lockers (bigwalling EATS lockers)
- Belay Devices (GriGri style and ATC style)
- Anchor/rescue material (ie cordalette or quad length sling)
- Daisy chains
- Ascenders
- Microtraxion or similar
- Fifi hook (optional)
- Ladders
- Gloves
- Double rack of cams (no bigger than #3)
- 30+ liter backpack
- Sun Glasses
- Sun Shirt
- Sun Hat
- Thin Pants for climbing
- Solid Shoes for the approach
- Warm Puffy Jacket
- Rain Coat
- Please bring your own lunch food.
This clinic is valuable to those new to big wall climbing as well as those who have practiced some of the skills before. In order to make the most of our time together please consider these prerequisites:
- Multi-pitch climbing experience
- Trad climbing experience
- Lead climbing experience
- Climbing 5.9 outside or 5.10 in the gym.
- Fitness for some steep approaches and long days at the crag.
- Seriously interested in climbing big walls (this course is intense!)
**We highly recommend insuring your travel arrangements!**
Calaveras Dome is located between Tahoe and Yosemite. About 3.5 hrs from San Francisco and 2.5 hrs from Sacramento.
There is camping available right near the base of the dome at the White Azalea Campground or Mokelumne Campground. Both are first come first served and $25/night. Dispersed tent/car camping is also an option nearby but does not host a bathroom.
There aren’t any amenities nearby so you do your shopping well before you arrive in the region.
There is no cell service at the camping or crag. You can drive 20 minutes or so back up the road to get service. I will have a satellite device for emergency communication.
We’ll do our best to try to coordinate travel times among participants to reduce the number of vehicles we are renting/driving around!
2 Participant Minimum: Clinics are priced relatively cheaply with the assumption that more than one person will attend. If you are the only person that signs up, I will either refund you or we can arrange private instruction!
Weather:
We are unlikely to cancel due to weather unless heavy rain is expected for both days of our program.
Cancellation:
If you cancel more than 30 days from the start of the trip you will receive a full refund minus a 20% deposit.
If you cancel within 30 days of the trip you will not receive a refund. If you are able to find someone to fill your spot you may receive a refund.
If I cancel the trip (due to serious illness or extreme weather) you will receive a full refund for the cost of the trip, however, I cannot refund travel costs (flights, car rental, etc.) so please strongly consider travel insurance.
$600
9.28.2024 - 9.29.202
Calaveras Dome, CA
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