Big Wall & Aid Climbing Course
Overview
Big Wall & Aid Climbing Course in Moab, Utah
Learn the fundamental skills needed to climb big wall routes on a two-day aid climbing course in Moab, with the option to add a third day and put it all together on a desert aid route with a private guide. Whether you are preparing for a specific wall, chasing a new challenge, or expanding your skill set, you will leave with a much broader understanding of what it takes to climb a big wall.
Big Wall Course at a Glance
- Location: Moab, Utah — local crags and desert towers
- Length: 2 days, or 3 days with a private aid-route day
- Prerequisites: Comfortable on long days of 5.8 outside, with multi-pitch experience and basic systems (belaying, rappelling, cleaning gear)
- Format: Ground school day, then application on small towers; optional day 3 objective
- Season: Fall, winter and spring
- For: Multi-pitch climbers ready to move into aid and wall climbing
What You'll Learn on the Big Wall Course
- Clean aid technique and moving efficiently on aiders
- Jugging fixed lines and cleaning pitches
- Lowering out, hauling and wall rope management
- Applying the systems on real desert tower pitches
Course Format
Day one is ground school at a local Moab crag: jugging, cleaning, lowering out and rope-management strategies. Day two applies those skills to smaller objectives with straightforward aid climbing; there are several small towers around Moab and you will likely climb two or three of them. On the three-day option, day three is a private aid route chosen with your guide to match your skill and fitness. See the Itinerary and Schedule tabs for the full breakdown.
Who This Course Is For & Prerequisites
This course is for climbers who already lead or follow multi-pitch routes and want to move into aid and big wall climbing. You should be comfortable with long days of 5.8 outside and have experience with multi-pitch climbing and basic climbing systems: belaying, rappelling and cleaning gear. Technical climbing equipment is provided; aiders, daisies and ascenders are on the Equipment tab if you want to bring your own.
Why Learn Big Wall Climbing with The Mountain Guides
- AMGA-certified Rock Guides with big wall tactics honed in wild destinations around the world
- Moab’s towers and crags: real aid pitches minutes from town
- A private day-3 objective so you finish by climbing, not just practicing
Take the Next Step
Check the Schedule tab for dates, or contact our Moab office to set up a private course. Pair it with our Indian Creek or desert tower days to build a full Moab trip.
Progress through all the building blocks of clean aid climbing in the spectacular setting of Moab, UT. You are guaranteed to leave this course with a broader understanding of what it takes to climb a big wall. Whether your goals are preparing for a specific climb, seeking a new challenge, or just looking to expand your skill set, The Hook two-day clinic is for you.
Our guides for this clinic are world class and experienced in big wall climbing tactics honed from years spent in all sorts of wild and exotic destinations. They are all AMGA certified Rock Guides.
The 3-day clinic is the same as the 2-day clinic but for those that want the Big Wall experience, we are offering a third day to climb an aid route with a private guide using the skills you take away from the previous two days.
Price: 2-Day Course – $500 Per participant
Price: 3-Day Course – $1100 – Per participant
Comfortable with long days of climbing 5.8 outside and experience with multi pitch climbing and basic climbing systems (belaying, rappelling, cleaning gear, etc.)
2 Day Course
Day 1
This will be our ground school day. We will drive to a local Moab crag and practice skills like jugging, cleaning, lowering out and rope management strategies.
Day 2
This day will be used to apply your skills to smaller objectives with straightforward aid climbing. There are several small towers scattered around Moab and we’ll likely climb 2-3 of them on this day. If you are up for it, we’ll spend late afternoon preparing for the day 3 objective with a private guide.
3 Day Course
Day 1
This will be our ground school day. We will drive to a local Moab crag and practice skills like jugging, cleaning, lowering out and rope management strategies.
Day 2
This day will be used to apply your skills to smaller objectives with straightforward aid climbing. There are several small towers scattered around Moab and we’ll likely climb 2-3 of them on this day. If you are up for it, we’ll spend late afternoon preparing for the day 3 objective with a private guide.
Day 3 – Private aid route
Take day 3 to climb an aid route with the skills you learn and practice from day one and two.
You and your private guide will pick an appropriate objective for your skill and fitness level.
FOOTWEAR
- Approach Shoe - Guide Pick: BD Technician Pro
- Technical Rock Shoe: comfortable fit. -an aggressive fitting climbing, sport climbing shoe is not recommended.
CLOTHING
- Synthetic Shorts for approach (optional)
- Pant for Climbing
- Long Sleeve and/or Short Sleeve Synthetic T-shirt
- Warm Layer for chilly mornings (fleece or light down jacket)
- Lightweight Wind Shell
- 35- 40 Liter backpack
- 15-20 Pack for Multi Pitch / Tower climbs
ACCESSORIES
- 2 to 3 Liters of Water
- Lunch + Snacks for the day
- Sunscreen
- Sun Hat
- Sunglasses
CLIMBING EQUIPMENT The Mountain Guides does provide technical climbing equipment (if you need any of the options on the list please let us know in advance) If you have your own, your are more than welcome to bring use it.
- Harness / Helmet
- 3 Locking Carabineers
- Belay/Rappel Device
- Rappel / Leather / Garden gloves
- Personal Attachment System
Have gear questions? We’re here to help! Email us at moab@jhmg.com.
See more about gear, including recommendations and discounts from our gear partner Black Diamond here.
The Mountain Guides does not provide lodging or accommodations.
Located in southeast Utah, Moab is approximately 236 miles from Salt Lake City, 355 miles from Denver, 115 miles from Grand Junction and 458 miles from Las Vegas. Most trips and classes leave from Lion's Park, near the Moab bridge. Meeting times are determined by the season and guide. Many of our climbing sites are fairly close to town, while Indian Creek, Castle Valley and Fisher Towers take about an hour to get to. Once there however, there are miles of routes with close proximity to one another, making the walking time minimal when compared to the amount of climbing that can be achieved in a day. Climbing around Moab is usually about a 10 to 20 minute drive from downtown. The approaches are very close to the car and routes are located close together.