Trad | Beyond the Basics

Trad | Beyond the Basics

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!

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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.

  • 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

Or call/text us at (916) 299-0711

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We’ll get back to you ASAP to book your private trip or answer any questions you may have!

Kevin Heinrich

I grew up mostly in the North Eastern US but began traveling and climbing after high school and never looked back. I’ve been lucky to climb in over 10 countries and have done many first ascents on 3 continents. Now I mostly travel in my janky van in the Great American West with occasional trips abroad. I’m surprised to say I’ve been guiding for nearly a decade on rock, ice, mountains, and skis but now mostly focus on delivering highly personalized and precise rock climbing instruction.

It would be fun to list more accomplishments but I truly don’t think that’s what climbing is about. My goal is to be a damn good teacher of the skills people need to prepare for and take on some of the biggest challenges of their lives; not so they can brag about it on Instagram or in a website About page :), but so they learn about themselves, the people around them, and the world we live in.

I’m an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and have some expensive other bits of paper too. I pride myself in thinking hard about the skills I teach and how best to present them to you in a way that’s clear, concise, actionable, and appropriate for your skill level. Above all else I care. I care about you as a human being and hope we can get outside and learn from each other soon!

Professional Certifications
Personal Climbing Resume