Intermediate and Advanced Climbing Courses in Red Rock
Overview
Intermediate & Advanced Climbing Courses in Red Rock Canyon
Ready to level up your climbing and become a confident, self-sufficient outdoor climber? Our intermediate and advanced courses are designed to give you the technical skills, judgment, and experience to climb safely and independently.
Red Rock Canyon is one of the finest climbing classrooms in the country. Its incredible variety of single-pitch crags, traditional crack climbs, and world-renowned multi-pitch routes create the perfect environment for learning every aspect of outdoor lead climbing. With nearly 40 years of guiding and instructional experience, The Mountain Guides offers personalized instruction taught by AMGA Certified Rock Guides.
Our courses are completely customized to your current experience, goals, and pace of learning.
Course Options
- Learn to Lead Sport Climbing Course (1–2 days): clipping, stance management, lead belaying, sport anchors, cleaning, and falling — everything needed to lead single-pitch sport routes independently
- Learn to Lead Trad Climbing Course (1–2 days): placing and evaluating removable protection, building and cleaning anchors, and leading safely on gear
- Multi-Pitch Climbing Course (2–3 days): belay anchors, belaying from above, rope management, transitions, swapping and block leading, route finding, descents, and retreat — taught on its own or after a Learn to Lead course
Courses are private and customized to your experience and goals, so the day can include mock leading, supervised leads, or refining systems you already use.
Who These Red Rock Climbing Courses Are For
These courses are ideal for climbers who:
- Want to learn to lead single pitch sport or trad routes
- Already lead single pitch and want to climb multi-pitch
- Want to become a safer, more efficient climber
- Are looking for custom and advanced techniques
What You Can Learn: Sport, Trad & Multi-Pitch
- Sport leading, anchor building, cleaning, and rappelling
- Trad leading, evaluating protection,
- Multi-pitch climbing systems, rope management, transitions, and more
- Self rescue, aid climbing, big wall climbing
What to Expect in a Red Rock Lead Climbing Course
- Professional route selection and risk management
- Custom tailored day to your exact goals and objectives
- Instruction in systems, techniques, and efficiency
- Coaching on climbing movement
- A full, rewarding day maximizing your time out
Why Train with The Mountain Guides in Red Rock
- AMGA-trained and certified professional guides
- Emphasis on safety, fun, and learning
- Extensive knowledge of Red Rock climbing
- All equipment provided - travel light
Learn to Lead Sport Climbing Course
Ready to leave the top rope behind?
Our Sport Lead Climbing Course teaches the skills needed to safely lead single-pitch sport climbs. Whether you've been climbing indoors or following outdoors, we'll help you develop the confidence and judgment to become an independent lead climber. 1 or 2 days is best for this course.
What you'll learn
- Site selection & preparation
- Crag etiquette & risk management
- Gear for sport climbing & racking considerations
- Stance management
- Clipping fundamentals
- Lead belaying & lowering
- Safety checks
- Lead climbing
- Protecting the next climber
- Stick clipping
- Sport anchors
- Anchor & route cleaning
- Falling & catching falls
- Last resort options
By the end of the course, you'll understand not just how to lead climb, but why each system works.
Learn to Lead Trad Climbing Course
Traditional climbing opens the door to thousands of classic routes throughout the world.
Our Trad Lead Course focuses on placing removable protection, evaluating gear, building efficient anchors, and leading safely on traditional routes. 1 or 2 days is best for this course.
This course emphasizes understanding over memorization so you'll develop the judgment required to safely make decisions on your own.
What you'll learn
- Site selection & preparation
- Crag etiquette & risk management
- Gear for trad climbing & racking considerations
- Protection, placement, & evaluation
- Anchor building & cleaning
- Safety checks
- Lead climbing & belaying
- Advanced techniques
- Last resort options
Students typically spend much of the day placing gear and receiving real-time feedback from their guide.
Multi-pitch Climbing Course
Multi-pitch climbing is where everything comes together. Beyond simply leading a pitch, you'll learn the systems, efficiency, and decision-making required to safely climb longer routes. Whether your goal is classic sport climbs or adventurous traditional routes, these skills form the foundation of competent multi-pitch climbing.
Our instruction emphasizes smooth, efficient systems that reduce errors, improve communication, and keep your team moving safely throughout the day. 2 or 3 days is best for this course and can be taught after after Learn to Lead Courses or in conjunction with those courses.
What you'll learn
- Building secure belay anchors
- Belaying from above
- Rope management and stacking
- Efficient transitions at belays
- Swapping leads and block leading
- Route finding and reading terrain
- Communication systems
- Managing multiple ropes
- Rappelling and descent systems
- Protecting traverses
- Retreating from a route
- Time management and climbing efficiently
- Hazard assessment and risk management
- Problem solving unexpected situations
- Gear organization
- Leading with confidence and efficiency
Instruction is customized to your experience level and goals. Depending on your background, the day may include mock leading, supervised leads, refining existing systems, or developing advanced techniques for longer and more complex climbs.
Learn to Lead Courses | ||
# Climbers | $ Per Person | $ Total |
|---|---|---|
1 | $425 | $425 |
2 | $265 | $530 |
3 | $215 | $645 |
4 | $195 | $780 |
5 | $175 | $875 |
6 | $165 | $990 |
Multi-pitch Climbing Course | ||
|---|---|---|
# Climbers | $ Per Person | $ Total |
1 | $465 | $465 |
2 | $350 | $700 |
Because of scheduling, these classes cannot be booked online. Please click here to inquire about specific dates and pricing for your class.
Please read through our policies by visiting this page.
While Red Rock is located in a desert, depending on the season, we see big variations in temperature. With this in mind it is important to be prepared for a variety of conditions, keeping in mind that in some cases we will be up to 2+ hours from the trailhead.
The Mountain Guides can provide any personal climbing gear (helmet, harness, climbing shoes, belay devices, PAS, etc.) at no additional cost, though if you have your own, you are encouraged to bring it (especially climbing shoes). We will supply all ropes & protection (cams, quickdraws, slings, etc.).
Please contact our office for any gear questions.
Upper Layers
- Synthetic T-shirt or
- Sun Hoody
- Lightweight Wind Shell
- Fleece or lightweight down sweater
- One extra higher weight upper layer or another jacket if November - mid March
Bottom Layers
- Synthetic Climbing Pant
- Long John’s optional December & January
Footwear
- Sticky Rubber Approach Shoes (highly recommended as most approaches involve a lot of slick rock), running shoes or hiking shoes
- Technical Rock Climbing Shoes (comfortable fit for long routes)
- Socks: 1 pair
Backpack
- 15-30 liter capacity
Accessories
- Sun Hat
- Water: 2-3 liters
- Food: Energy bars, fruit, sandwiches, trail mix.
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen / Lip balm
- Bandana
- Headlamp (for long routes)
Considerations
- Warm Weather (April - October): The sun is itense and hydration is vital! Stary hydrating the night before. Consider freezing your water bottles or putting ice in them. Light colored and loose fitting clothes will help keep you cool.
- Cold Weather (November - March): Bring gloves and a warm hat that will fit under your helmet. Bring extra layers like long underwear and a heavier winter jacket to keep warm when the sun ducks behind clouds of dips below the canyon walls.
See more about gear, including recommendations and discounts from our gear partner Black Diamond here.
We typically meet at the Vista Commons shopping plaza in Summerlin, about 25 minutes drive from the Las Vegas Strip. There is a coffee shop, grocery store, gas station, restaurants, and more available at the plaza.
A wide range of lodging options can be found from the hustle and bustle of The Strip, on the edge of town closer to Red Rock in Summerlin, or even camping in the desert 10 minutes outside of town at the Red Rock Canyon Campground. We're happy to send lodging recommendations.
Harry Reid International Airport is about 20 minutes away and provides quick access to Red Rock.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please call our Red Rock office at 702-659-9255 or email redrock@themountainguides.com.
Is Red Rock a State Park or a National Park?
It's neither. It is a National Conservation Area that is operated and administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM is the largest administrator of public lands in the western U.S. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is almost 200,000 acres of your public lands.
Do I have to pay a fee to get into Red Rock?
To date, there is only one fee area, the 13 Mile Scenic Drive / Visitor Center. On the days you climb with JHMG, you do not have to pay an entrance fee. Most climbing is accessed via the one-way 13 Mile Scenic Drive. When you return to Red Rock on your own, a day pass is $7, annual pass is $30 and they honor the America the Beautiful Pass ($80).
Does JHMG provide transportation and will you pick us up and drop us off back down on the Strip?
JHMG does not provide transportation. However, for a party of one or two, it is possible to take a cab out to our office (or other west side rendezvous venue) and guide can drive from office out to Red Rock and back to office. Depending on location of your hotel, cab fare could run $30-$50 each way. If you have more than one day to escape the Strip, we highly recommend a rental car.
How far is Red Rock from the Strip?
The entrance/fee booth to the Red Rock 13 Mile Scenic Drive and Visitor Center is a quick 20-30 minute drive from the Neon Jungle.
Is it always hot and sunny in Red Rock?
Definitely not. Red Rock is in the Spring Mountain Range and most of the climbing is located between 4000’-6000’ above sea level (Vegas = 2000’). Temperatures can vary from well below freezing in winter to well above 100(f) degrees in summer. During winter months, it is not uncommon for Red Rock to be covered in a fresh blanket of snow (2”- 8”). Fortunately, most of the snow melts within a few days.