With over 2,800 established routes, Red Rock Canyon is one of the largest climbing meccas in the United States. Located just 45 minutes from the Las Vegas airport, this National Conservation Area has world class routes that are accessible to climbers of all ability levels, making it the perfect venue for beginner trad climbers, hard-core sport enthusiasts, and multi-pitch masters alike. Â
Our week-long multi pitch course is designed to feel like an immersive camp, set in what is arguably North America’s finest moderate multi-pitch climbing venue. The first three days will be spent working through a progression of skills from anchors and leading to self rescue, culminating with two memorable days of climbing the area’s classic routes and getting high above the canyon floor. This course is for climbers who have some outdoor experience leading and placing trad gear and want to build the skills to confidently take on multi-pitch objectives.
2026 Course Dates:
Day 1: We will get a lay of the land and explore some of Red Rock’s cragging zones while working on fundamentals of gear placement, building anchors, and skills for planning and leading traditional routes.
Day 2: The focus of this day is on multi-pitch transitions. We will continue building on the skills covered on the previous day while adding in efficiency in rope work, positioning at belays, and swapping/continuing leads as well as transitions between climbing and descending.
Day 3: While reviewing and building off the lead climbing and route planning skills, we switch gears a bit on this day to focus on self-rescue skills. When you and your partner(s) are high off the deck, what do you do when you have to get down quickly when the weather goes south? How do you get down with an injured partner? How do you reach a partner who is injured above or below you? These are all situations every multi-pitch climber should have skills and a plan for and this day will build the tools to deal with the unexpected.
Day 4: Putting all the skills together, we will go climb one or two classic routes in the canyons. With a plethora of options, we would likely be looking for something in the 5.6-5.8 range and 3-6 pitches in length. Â
Day 5: We will aim to finish on a high note, picking a route that is possibly a little bit longer than the previous day, hopefully finishing on an inspiring summit with sweeping views of the desert and the distant spectacle of Las Vegas. Â
Difficulty Level:
Click here to learn more about difficulty ratings.
Overall Difficulty: Moderate
Skills Required: Confident leading sport up to 5.8
Fitness Level: Good physical fitness
Prior to the start of your trip, your guide will reach out to the group to assess everyone's interestes and skill level. We will do our best to accomodate requests for specific crags or routes, provided that there are good options to meet the needs of everyone in the group.
If you already have a rack, we would encourage you to bring it. While trad gear is fairly standardized, there can be small differences between different brands and generations. Learning on your own gear is best. If you do not have a rack, or have gaps in your gear, the guides can provide you with any additional pieces you may need.
