Trad | Beyond the Basics
Trad | Beyond the Basics
- Sunday, March 29th @ Sugarloaf, Kyburz CA
- Saturday, April 11th, @ Sugarloaf, Kyburz CA
- $249 per Person
- 4 Students per Instructor
Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711
Struggling to progress? Get "been there, done that" advice from a 5.13 trad climber.
Why do so many people sport climb 5.10 but trad climb 5.6? Well, progressing at trad climbing is tough! You could be getting stuck by; not trusting your gear, being afraid to fall, not having crack climbing skills, placing poor gear, having holes in your knowledge, lacking confidence in yourself, or many other things!
A tight ratio on this program will allow your AMGA Certified Guide or Instructor to see where you are at and whats holding you back! You’ll then get to work on those skills with expert guidance
Who is this course for?
- You’ve taken a trad course, have gone trad climbing on your own, and want to get continued instruction.
- You learned to trad climb from a mentor but are having trouble progressing.
- Whenever you climb trad you are terrified and feel like you are soloing.
- You climb 5.[bigger number] on sport but 5.[much smaller number] on gear.
- You’ve been climbing trad for a long time but never challenge yourself in your leads.
Itinerary
We’ll start off with a round table discussion about what we feel is holding us back in our climbing. We’ll do some ground school review of gear placements touching on more advanced considerations than what you may have gotten in the past. We’ll then get on ropes mock leading with a top rope back up and we will take incremental falls on our gear, building trust or discovering mistakes.
We will progress from there differently for each individual. Some folks will be ready to lead some challenging climbs, others will want to practice more mock leads, and others may work on getting comfortable with small falls.
At the end of the day, we’ll group up, share what we learned, and exchange contact info with some new partners!
Curriculum
- What might hold us back
- Changing “the leader shall not fall” mentality
- Intermediate gear placement considerations
- Overall pitch protection strategies
- When it is unsafe/safe to fall
- Incremental fall practice
- Personalized instruction for YOUR challenges
- Crack climbing movement skills
What's Included?
- Ropes
- 8 hours of small group instruction
Any of the following climbing gear if you request it in advance:
- Assisted Braking Belay Devices (GriGri)
- Harness
- Helmet
- Shoes
What to Bring
- Harness, Helmet, Climbing Shoes
- Trad rack, alpine + quick draws, locking carabiners, slings/anchor material, belay device, crack gloves.
- 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
- Personal trad leading experience (if you don’t check out our Intro to Trad course instead!)
- Solid lead and top rope belaying skills
- Capable of top roping 5.8 outside
- At least 1 year of climbing experience
*unsure of these prerequisites? Contact Us!
Possible Course Locations
Next Course Details
- Sunday, March 29th @ Sugarloaf, Kyburz CA
- Saturday, April 11th, @ Sugarloaf, Kyburz CA
- $249 per Person
- 4 Students per Instructor
Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711
stoked
Climbers!
EXCELLENT Based on 52 reviews Posted on Jessica Rose4 February 2026Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Went on a rock climbing and yoga retreat in EPC with Erik and it was INCREDIBLE. Great instruction, great climbs, great vibes. I was one of the relatively newer-to-outdoor-climbing folks on the trip, and Erik was both patient and thorough in answering any and all of my questions. He helped build my confidence with lead climbing and lead belaying and I always felt super supported. Can't wait to play rocks with Erik again!Posted on Michael Westbrook2 December 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Took the SPI course and exam with Kevin. We learned all of the required AMGA stuff and also got a lot of practical insights into the business.Posted on J. C.8 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Vertical Pursuits is THE BEST rock climbing guiding service I’ve ever experienced. Erik has been our guide for years and he is reliable, prepared, knowledgeable, ready-for-anything, positive and downright fun. I always feel safe, supported, yet gently challenged with Erik. I always have the best time with Vertical Pursuits. If you’re looking to bridge into outdoor rock climbing or even up your climbing game, then Vertical Pursuits is the choice for you!! I Highly recommend!Posted on Vicky Wyatt3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I've been on a few climbing trips with Eric between 2023 and 2024 - such an amazing rock climbing guide and all round good human being. I went on a couple of organised group climbs (intro to sport climbing clinic and outdoor climbing day) and a couple of solo guided trips to Moab and Lovers' Leap - these are some of the best things I've ever done! So grateful to Eric and to Vertical pursuits making these climbs accessible for a relative beginner and so encouraging as well as being confident safety is a top priority. Highly, highly recommend and so sad I moved from the US so haven't got climb with Eric for a while.Posted on Andrea Willett3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Taking clinics with Vertical Pursuits was an absolute blast. Erik knows how to get on your level and make the material palpable. He and the staff at Vertical Pursuits are incredibly knowledgeable and hard working people, highly recommend if you are looking to learn more about safely rock climbing or a guiding service.Posted on Zain Memon3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Erik and Kev are unmatched!Posted on Meagen Doucette3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I took my spi instructor course with Kevin and couldn’t have asked for more. He was so tuned into what each of us needed and was sure we left with what AMGA curriculum listed AND MORE. He made sure we had enough energy to actually retain the info we learned and left plenty of time to practice real time. As the only female in the group, Kevin made me feel very comfortable and welcome. I would recommend Kevin and vertical pursuits to anyone looking to get SPI certified or guided up something.Posted on Eric R3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I took a big wall and aid climbing course with Erik and it was absolutely EXCELLENT! Never thought I could obtain the skills to big wall in the span of two days but the instruction was clear, efficient, and actually practiced during the course. I feel confident enough to get started and can definitely vouch for the instructors. They are extremely good at what they do and it is evident that it comes from a place of passion and love for climbing. Highly recommend anything with Vertical Pursuits!Posted on Justin Nguyen3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Kevin is an incredibly knowledgeable instructor, guide, and rock climber. He's so passionate about teaching and helping climbers be safe that he's even been recording webinars and youtube videos for free!! The content on videos is top tier and some of the best on the webPosted on Kyle Moorman3 September 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Went from learning trad with them to a year later confidently leading 5.11 on gear - highly recommend