Clinics

Small group and private clinics for all levels.

Learning from a professional allows you to focus on the most essential skills which translates to climbing more confidently, safely & quickly. Clinics are taught a principle-based style to help you understand not just WHAT to do but WHY to do it.

Improvised Rescue

April 27 & 28 / Womens +
Two day clinic
8am - 4pm
Squamish Smoke Bluffs
Whether you are leading or following, basic rescue skills are crucial to learn and practise.
If you, your partner or an adjacent party have an injury, stuck ropes, rappel past your anchor (the list of reasons is endless) or you simply want to gain overall efficiency and add to your technical toolbox, this course will provide you with ACMG best practises of common climbing systems and real world applications of them.
This clinic is for folks who want to increase their confidence while on the wall; decision making, planning, preparation, communication and the technical elements of improvised self and partner rope rescue.
If you don’t use it you lose it… refreshers are recommended annually especially if you haven’t been practicing!
This is a fast paced learning environment. Participants will be responsible for arriving to the clinic with competency of some concepts, knots and hitches. Upon registration you will receive a list of links to youtube videos teaching these skills. Pre-clinic home study is strongly encouraged.
Foundations (day one)
-Equipment strengths and limitations
-Preparation: equipment selection, packing, communiation
-Decision making in light of rescue scenarios
-Rappel extensions & backups
-Belaying from above using guide ATC and munter hitch
-Load strand direct lower
-Hauling using a 3:1 mechanical advantage
-Carabiner brakes (if a rappel device is dropped)
-Tandem rappel (two people, one device)
-Discussions on stuck ropes and ‘defensive’ rappelling
Progressions (day two)
-Review and practise of day one
-Rope ascending
-Adding mechanical advantage (5:1)
-Rescue lowers
-Block and tackle
-Counter-balance rappel (pick off)
Experience belaying & rappelling using a backup is essential. This is a fast paced learning environment. Participants will be responsible for arriving to the clinic with competency of some concepts, knots and hitches. Upon registration you will receive a list of links to youtube videos teaching these skills, some pre-clinic home practise is strongly encouraged.
$425
Two days of instruction, coached practise and discussions.
-Pre-clinic study links.
-Rescue equipment to use (prussiks, extra carabiners, slings, guide ATC style belay devices.
-PDF clinic notes.
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here

Book Rescue

Climb Harder

September dates TBD
730am to 330pm.
Join Kinley and Vikki Weldon for a deep dive into taking your climbing to the next level.
There is more to climbing higher grades than simply being ‘strong’. Our mindset, problem-solving, curiosity, tactics and comfort with falling all play into the process of climbing harder.
This unique 2 day course will build your confidence so you can climb harder. You will learn mindset, tactics and practice falling.
It is designed for climbers looking to level up and challenge themselves on harder climbs. We explore a wide range of topics designed to change the way you analyze and approach climbing challenging grades.
This clinic is limited to 8 people.
4:1 participant to guide ratio.
In an action packed two days you will learn the multi layered (and often not linear) mindset, processes and skills required to climb harder including but not limited to:
-Structured falling instruction working with you where you are at to create more comfort with falling and catching falls (dynamic lead belaying).
-Tactics such as warming up, resting on the route, breathing, shaking out, breaking a route into workable sections & nutrition tips for optimal performance.
-Skills like clipping up a route & finding optimal clipping stances.
-Creating a maintaining a positive mindset that focus on curiosity and learning.
Participants must have been confidently sport lead climbing and lead belaying for at least 2 years on outdoor sport climbs over the grade of 5.9. Most of our venues have limited routes under the grade of 5.10 however that is the point of the clinic: to get you on harder routes! There is no requirement on this clinic to lead, as many of the skills can be practiced on top rope.
$575
-Two days of instruction, discussions, climbing, skills practice.
-Take home workbook.
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here

Book Climb Harder

Crack Movement

Crack Climbing is akin to speaking a language. Knowing only a little and learning can feel awkward and difficult, while having some fluency allows greater expression and fun!
You will learn and practice a variety of fundamental crack climbing techniques and skills. While this clinic focuses on movement, topics such as gear placement, lead strategies and headspace will be thoroughly discussed.
This clinic is for folks who have been climbing outside for 2+ years but would like a better understanding of crack climbing movement, lead strategies and increased confidence and enjoyment while crack climbing.
During the clinic we will review intermediate to advanced crack climbing techniques. Even if you have been crack climbing for years but want a to think about and climb crack climbs like you haven’t before, this clinic is for you.
Learning new skills is optimal in low stress environments, therefore, much of the climbing during this clinic is done on top rope. There will be opportunities for supervised leads, crag and group dependant.
Grade 7 Hand Jams will be available for participant use throughout the clinic.
4:1 guide to client ratio to a maximum of 8.
-Increasing efficiency of reading the rock, resting mid route & movement on cracks
-Techniques of jamming finger, hand, fist and off width size cracks, stemming, diagonal and layback cracks, smearing
-Headspace & lead strategies
-Gear placement strategies for runouts, protecting above the ground and ledges, ‘tricky’ gear, protecting continuous sized cracks and how to french free or back off a route.
-Equipment selection and racking and more.
Minimum two years of top rope and lead belaying. Minimum one year of outdoor climbing on sport or trad.
Participants are encouraged to have their own ‘somewhat comfortable’ climbing shoes, harness, hemet and belay device.
$500
Two days of instruction, coached practise, climbing and take home notes.
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here

Book Crack Clinic

Wide Cracks Camp

August 16
730-330
Smoke Bluffs
Wide crack don’t have to feel impossible. Learn the techniques required to jam WIDE cracks in this one day unique clinic.
To optimize learning and practising new movement techniques, climbing will be on top ropes. We will cover tips and tricks for placing gear on wide cracks.
-Wide hands, offwidth and chimneys.
-Dressing for success.
-Jamming techniques, cups, stacks, arm bars, chickenwings and a plethora of foot and legs tricks for cracks 3 inches and wider!
-Protecting wide cracks.
Participants must have one year of confident top rope belaying and outdoor climbing experience. Some experience crack climbing is strongly recommended prior to this clinic. Check out the crack technique clinic to build your crack skills.
$ 250
Bookings are subject to the terms of the booking policies.
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here.

Book Wide Clinic

Trad Skills

July 13 / Womens + (one day clinic)
August 17 (one day clinic)
730am - 330pm
Smoke Bluffs
This one day clinic is a great introduction and review of trad climbing or folks who want to increase their knowledge of traditional protection and lead single pitch trad climbs. Squamish’s Smoke Bluffs host 100’s of world class crack climbs, perfect for learning and perfecting these skills.
- G7 HAND JAMS are available for participant use.
- 4:1 participant to guide ratio to a maximum of 8.
Lessons followed by coached practice and feedback:
-Equipment strengths and forces
-Principles of protection placements
-Equipment selection & racking up
-Lead strategies
-Increasing confidence while leading
-Coached mock leads
Minimum:
One year of lead climbing indoors or outdoor sport routes.
One year of confident lead belaying.
5.8 crack climbing on top rope.
$250
-Instruction from a local ACMG certified guide.
-Take home PDF covering the clinic content.
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here

Book Trad Clinic

Multipitch Systems

July 16 & 17 Womens +
Two day clinic
730am - 330pm
Squamish Smoke Bluffs
Maximum 4 participants
.Multipitch climbing allows us to explore the great walls and mountains of the world. Planning, preparation, communication, technical systems (belaying, anchors and protection) and rope management techniques are essential for climbing safely and efficiently. Whether you want to learn these skills for the first time or streamline and update your existing systems there is always a way to become a more efficient multi pitch climber.
-Planning, preparation, communication.
-Equipment selection.
-Technical systems (top down belaying, multidirectional anchors and protection strategies).
-Rope management and use of a second rope for hauling and rappelling.
-Multipitch rappels (defensive rappelling tactics).
-Decision making (injuries, busy routes, fading light, wet conditions).
Participants will have been confidently lead belaying and lead climbing for at least one year on sport routes 5.9 and above or traditional routes 5.8 and above. If you are in a group of two and one person leads and the other doesn’t, you can take this clinic as a pair as long as the non-leader is a competent lead belayer.
If you aren’t sure if you fit these prerequisites, send me a message.
$500
Review Booking Policy and Waiver here

Book Multipitch Clinic

Beyond Traditional Workshop

Next dates TBD. get out our newsletter mailing list to be notified!
730-330
Smoke Bluffs
Join Dirtbabe Collective x Kinley Aitken Guiding for a 3-day course to learn the fundamentals of lead-climbing on (trad) gear with a focus on nervous system regulation!
We are excited to offer a blended-focus workshop, encompassing the technical elements of lead-climbing on (trad) gear and the mental/emotional/physical regulation strategies of the nervous system to keep us calm in the vertical world!
This workshop breaks down the extensive technical knowledge of trad climbing into digestible chunks, followed by experiential exercises to assist in the integration process. Throughout the process, information, tools and practices supporting regulation of the nervous system will be offered. This will assist anyone who experiences fear or nervousness in their mind or body while they climb!
-How to place and clean trad gear with a focus on principles of gear placements, equipment strengths and limitations, and how to test (and trust) your gear!
-How to build trad anchors (unidirectional gear anchors).
-How to choose a rack and rack your harness.
-Mock trad leading (potential to lead a route independently, dependent on comfort and ability).
-Lead climbing strategy.
-Fall hazard mitigation strategies.
-Trad climbing lingo.
-Practice and receive guidance on crack climbing technique.
-Theory of nervous system regulation as applied to climbing..
-Personal and partner practices to support nervous system regulation.
-Connect with other climbers interested in trad climbing and nervous system regulation.
-Experience lead belaying (minimum of two years - indoors or outdoors).
-Experience climbing outside, 5.8 and above (minimum two years).
-Strongly recommend being comfortable top-roping on granite cracks.
-Basic crack climbing knowledge and experience.
-Experience with leading sport and following trad is helpful but not required.
-Harness, helmet and shoes (can arrange rentals if needed).
-Bring your own rack if you have it! (not required).
$650
Review the Booking Policy and Waiver here.