Trad | Beyond the Basics
Trad | Beyond the Basics
- April 27th @ The Grotto
- $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
- April 27th @ The Grotto
- $249 per Person
- 4 Students per Instructor
Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711
stoked
Climbers!
EXCELLENT Based on 32 reviews Sarah Harvey22 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I did a private multi pitch day and a 2 day crack climbing clinic with Kevin in Moab. I had an awesome experience and felt super safe. I got so much out of the whole weekend. Kevin is super knowledgeable and went over and beyond to make sure that we got as much out of the weekend as we could! The crack climbing clinic gave me a lot of solid techniques to work with and try outside. Kevin really tailored the experience to what we wanted to get out of the whole weekend. I would highly recommend any courses or private guiding with Vertical Pursuits. It really is a game changer on building your confidence and leveling up your Climbing. nicholo plaza17 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had an absolute blast with Vertical Pursuits. We had Erik and Haley as our guides for a trad climbing progression course in ORG. Not only were they super knowledgeable, but just had good vibes all around. They were happy to answer questions, provide a thorough explanation, and demonstrate things in action. 10/10 would recommend! Jeff Pang16 April 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Had a great time on the wall with Erik and Haley in the Owens River Gorge. They are great teachers and awesome people. I hadn't been outdoor climbing in years, but with their guidance I got to project my first 5.11 and took a whipper or two. 🙂 Aaron31 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I initially signed up for the Trad Beyond the Basics class with Kevin but decided to switch to a private 1-on-1 session instead. Kevin really focused on my specific challenges in trad climbing, helping me build my confidence with placements and falling. His teaching comes from real-world experience, and it was amazing to have the chance to practice and fall on actual routes. I had an excellent experience, and the instruction was super helpful in boosting both my skills and confidence, making me feel ready to tackle harder routes. Big thanks to Kevin! Nick DeRosa17 March 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. A private day out climbing w/ Kevin @ Vertical Pursuits is exactly what you need. He's detailed, personable, funny, & one hell of a climber/teacher If you're looking for a "guide service", then you're in good hands - but, in reality, Vertical Pursuits is more than just a guide service—they are mentors and teachers who give you the knowledge and skills to climb independently and be successful (& safe)! Isaiah Poritz15 February 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I had a fantastic private instructional day with Kevin in El Potrero Chico! He did a wonderful job explaining the multipitch climbing process and identifying the reasons why it all works and is safe. We spent the first half of the day going over the ropes on the ground, and we spent the second half climbing. He was very thoughtful in trying to craft a day that would help me achieve my climbing goals! Louie Chen19 January 2025Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I took a self-rescue clinic with Kevin as I was wanting to feel more confident with multi-pitch trips, and it definitely delivered. The clinic was originally a 2-day class, but since I was the only one that signed up, it turned into more of a 1-day private lesson, which I didn't mind at all. Kevin was very knowledgeable and encouraging on all the skills, and always had answers to all my questions. I got to practice everything to make sure I really understood it and though I don't expect to use most of the skills I learned anytime soon, I definitely got tons out of the experience and had a great time! Felipe Heidrich4 December 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. My daughter and I had a fantastic time learning Trad Climbing with Vertical Pursuits! Our instructor, Kevin, was incredible – knowledgeable and clearly passionate about climbing. He went above and beyond, climbing alongside us and providing hands-on guidance to ensure we placed our protection correctly. He patiently taught us how to evaluate our placements and improve our technique for a safer and more confident climb. Highly recommended! Sara Pittman2 December 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Our group hired Erik and Haley (plus they were joined by another guide, Etel, who was also awesome) to teach a 3 day course in bishop focused on sport, trad, multipitch, and self rescue. I loved every single day and feel like I got 1:1 training despite being in a big group. They both have such amazing, patient energy that made learning from them so easy! They met you where you were at skills and knowledge-wise and helped me navigate when it was time to sit back and practice more on the ground versus just trust my skills and knowledge and jump in and get climbing. Safety was a clear priority and Erik and Haley supervised at every step. I felt really safe while being pushed to try new things. Thanks guys, had an awesome weekend with you!!! Rebecca Frager15 November 2024Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would recommend Vertical Pursuits. Kevin was knowledgeable, professional, and had a style that was easy to learn from. I would easily choose Vertical Pursuits again in the future.