Intro To Multipitch Climbing

$249

PER PERSON

4:1

RATIO

Independence in this skill, guaranteed.

upcoming dates

Learn the skills to put yourself in the wildest positions on Earth!

This course is designed to introduce the skills and concepts required to climb and descend multi-pitch rock climbs. 8 hours of instruction will give you a solid foundation for pursuing this form of climbing and make the next steps clear to you!

Who is this course for?

You lead climb outdoors and want to learn the next skill set.
You climb on top rope and want to learn to follow your partners up multi-pitch climbs (note: this course will not teach you lead climbing/belaying skills).
You climb single-pitch trad and want to take your skills to bigger cliffs.
You’ve followed some multi-pitch climbs but want to take more ownership of the skills.
You’ve climbed some multi-pitch with a guide and want to get the skills on your own.

Making rappel transitions.

Transitioning to the next leader.

Ground school!

Rappelling.

Multipitch course in Mexico!

Threading the rope to rappel.

No fun at all! Belaying a follower.

Itinerary

We’ll start off with some discussion about the beauty and challenge of multi-pitch climbing, the added risks, and the importance of careful judgment. We’ll move into some foundational skills such as basic anchor building, belaying a follower, and making a transition. Then we’ll practice these skills with a partner at ground level. Next, we will discuss descending; how to set up rappels, and how to transition between multiple rappels. We’ll wrap up by doing some multi-pitch style scrambles and rappels putting all of the pieces together!

Curriculum

Additional challenges of multi-pitch climbing
Basic flow of a multi-pitch climb
Basic anchor building (two bolts)
How to belay a follower from above
Efficient belay transitions
How to secure yourself to the anchor
Transitions from climbing up to rappelling down
Rappelling basics
Consecutive rappel transitions
Next steps

What's Included?

Ropes
Quickdraws

Any of the following climbing gear if you request it in advance:

Assisted Braking Belay Devices (GriGri)
Anchor Material (Slings + Cordelette)
Harness
Helmet
Shoes

What to Bring

Harness, Helmet, Climbing Shoes
Quickdraws, locking carabiners, prusik, slings/anchor material, belay device.
Personal food, water, clothing and backpack for a day outside

*if you don’t have this equipment, just let us know! We got you covered.

Prerequisites

Climbing for at least 1 year
Outdoor climbing experience
Solid top rope belaying skills

Possible Course Locations

The Grotto, Sonora

Red Rock, Nevada

Calaveras Dome

Donner Summit

El Potrero Chico, Mexico

Joshua Tree National Park

Cosumnes River Gorge

Pine Creek Canyon

Lover’s Leap

Sugarloaf

Phantom Spires

Moab, Utah

SEE DATES & BOOK ↓

$249

PER PERSON

4:1

RATIO

Independence in this skill, guaranteed

Tap to expand

stoked

Climbers!

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 64 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Misty Lawrence 
 5 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had taken an intro to trad clinic through another company fairly recently, so I was apprehensive about taking another intro to trad course, but I was still hesitant to lead trad after the first course and a friend recommended Erik so I decided to go for it. I’m super stoked I did! The class was small, only 3 of us, so the course felt very tailor fit to our needs. Erik has a fantastic positive vibe, he’s incredibly supportive, and his instruction was very clear and easy to understand. After a bit of informative ground school much of the course was spent on the wall learning gear placement with his close guidance. By the end of the course all 3 of us led 5.6 and 5.7 routes. I have so much more confidence leading trad now, I highly recommend Vertical Pursuits!!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   oliver symonds 
 2 August 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We scheduled an intro to trad course to learn the basics and get familiar with the techniques. Even before the day of the course, Kevin and Erik were super helpful with recommendations and ensuring the day would be dialed in for us. On the day of the course, Erik was an excellent guide covering the basics and quickly getting us on the wall. My son was excitedly putting up trad leads well before the end of the day. It was great having a high level of instruction and mentorship, while feeling less like a guide and more like a coach. We'll be back for sure.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Harvey Clarke 
 20 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Erik is a fantastic guide - he made trad climbing and multipitch super accessible for a full group of 4 climbers at once. Highly recommend these guys!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Shari VanT 
 14 July 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. One of the best, safest, and most fun guides I have climbed with! Highly recommend Vertical Pursuit’s!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Michael Silvester 
 25 June 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Erik is an outstanding teacher, guide, and all around great guy! I spent the day with him and one other student at School Rock on Donner Summit taking the Intro to Multipitch course and it was stellar! He has a great teaching style—knowledgeable, patient, and easy to learn from. He broke down complex systems into simple, understandable steps and made sure we felt comfortable asking questions along the way. What really stood out was how invested he was in helping us learn and build confidence. His experience and expertise were obvious, but he never made anything feel intimidating. By the end of the day, I felt much more confident with multi-pitch climbing systems and techniques. If you’re looking for a guide who is professional, approachable, has done laps on El Cap (including The Nose!) and genuinely passionate about teaching, I highly recommend Erik and Vertical Pursuits.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Olivia Simon 
 10 June 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had a fantastic experience learning from Kevin at the Intro to Sport Climbing class. He is an amazing teacher - super kind and never made me feel dumb for asking really basic questions. The format of the class is awesome. You get time on the ground to learn skills and then get to apply them on the wall. Everything feels super safe and thoughtful. I learned a ton and think it's an insane value for the price. It's a whole day of instruction with no more than 4 people in the course, but my course only had 2 so that meant even more time on the wall and extra mentoring. Also, the communication with the Vertical Pursuits team was top notch. Kevin was kind enough to chat with me on the phone before I took the class to answer my questions and make sure the class would be a good fit. He was great about communicating location and timing the day of. And, he followed up after class with an email of everything we talked about + videos and resources for review. If you're on the fence, take the course! It's a great opportunity to learn from real pros and up your knowledge safely!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Ethan F 
 31 March 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kevin brought me and a buddy out to sport climb for the first time, and it was a great time. He's a great mentor who's friendly, knowledgeable, and willing to answer all your stupid questions. He went above and beyond to be helpful, and offered resources even after our day of climbing. Highly recommend!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Tim Blair 
 30 March 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kevin was an awesome teacher and guide. Classes feel more personal because of the limited number of people. We took the trad class, learned how to place gear effectively, then put it to the test the same day. I felt incredibly safe and confident in my and Kevin’s abilities. Thank you for a great climbing day!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Phoenix Morrow 
 30 March 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Awesome time learning the basics of Trad climbing with Kevin. The small group helped me and my partner feel like we were able to ask all the questions we needed, and we were able to receive constructive feedback. The guides are very knowledgeable. Highly recommend.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Melisa Hickman 
 19 March 2026
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Vertical Pursuits is AWESOME!! I had a trad lesson with Kevin at Sugarloaf.  Kevin was extremely safe, thorough, and encouraging.  We had just the right balance of ground school and climbing.  Before my day with Kevin I was afraid to try anything harder than a 5.7 crack and he helped me to bust right through that fear with his calm, reassuring guidance.  I had the best day with him and I feel totally ready to push through my plateau.