Classic Wasatch Climbs
The Salt Lake City area is home to world-renowned climbs on Little Cottonwood granite, Big Cottonwood quartzite, American Fork limestone and Maple Canyon cobble formations. Our private guides can lead you on the best sport and trad climbs the Wasatch offers. You don’t have to have a climb in mind — after discussing your experience and goals, your guide will create a fun, exciting and challenging day of climbing tailored to you.
Custom or private guiding means you have a guide dedicated to you rather than being in a course or group climb that is open to other guests. UMA’s outstanding rock climbing guides and instructors are available daily to lead climbs and help guests progress in any and all aspects of climbing.
While we will safely get you up pitch after pitch on a classic route, we can also cover topics such as route finding, belay station management, strategies for belaying the second, preventing factor 2 falls, on-route communication, stacking ropes at hanging belays and descending after the climb.
While not all multi-pitch climbs require speed, a focus will be put on efficiency: becoming more efficient at climbing, quick belay transitions, placing and removing protection efficiently, etc.
Some of our favorite classic Wasatch multi-pitch routes include the following climbs (details and prices depend on difficulty and length of routes).
Intermediate Climbs
- East Dihedrals/Jig’s Up/ Steort’s Ridge: 5.6, 4 pitches
- Schoolroom: 5.6 to 5.8, 4 pitches
- Beckey’s Wall: 5.7, 3 pitches
- Crescent Crack: 5.7, 3 pitches
- Outside Corner: 5.7, 4 pitches
- Pentapitch: 5.8, 4 pitches
- High Dive/Lord of Long Arms: 5.9+, 3 pitches
- The Green Adjective: 5.9, 3 pitches
Advanced and/or Long Climbs
- Tingey’s Terror/Torture: 5.8, 8 pitches
- The Thumb: 5.7 to 5.10, 9 pitches
- Center Thumb: 5.9, 5 pitches
- Sundial, Eleventh Hour: 5.8, 5 pitches (long approach)
- The Black Streak: 5.10b, 6 pitches, 700 feet
- The Thumb to S-Direct: 5.9+R, 10 pitches, 1100 feet
- Stiffler’s Mom: 5.11a, 7 pitches
- Arm and Hammer: 5.11c, or 5.10 A1, 6 pitches, 600 feet
Have Questions or Concerns?
- Call us at (801) 550-3986
- Email us at [email protected]
Prerequisites
- Intermediate Climbs: Climbers should already know the fundamentals of multi-pitch climbing, belaying and rappelling.
- Advanced and/or Long Climbs: For experienced multi-pitch climbers only.
Skill Level & Fitness
- UMA can tailor custom guiding to your personal levels, goals and time frame.
- Most climbs require a hiking approach. You must be able to easily hike on variable, uneven terrain (at 7,000′-10,000′ elevation) from the trailhead to access rock climbing crags.
Private rock climbing trips take place in one of Salt Lake City’s local canyons (expect to be in the field for 4-8 hours for intermediate climbs and 8-10 hours for advanced or long climbs). Guests are expected to bring their own snacks, lunch and water (1-2 liters). UMA does not provide transportation. We encourage carpooling to help mitigate traffic in the canyons and crowded parking areas.
SCHEDULE & MEETING LOCATION
The usual meeting time and place are 8 am at the Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon Park & Ride lots, but these are subject to change. Exact meeting times and locations will be provided to registered guests before the trip date.
GUIDE/INSTRUCTOR
You will receive a reminder with the contact information for your guide. They will contact you directly by email to confirm meeting time and location, as well as weather considerations and equipment needs.
TRANSPORTATION & PARKING
Transportation will not be provided. Most canyon parking lots require a parking fee.
How To Register
- Register Online
- Call us at (801) 550-3986
- Email us at [email protected]
Rock Climbing Equipment List
- Comfortable and flexible pants or shorts, and a shirt
- Waterproof/windproof outer shell jacket
- Light puffy overcoat and or other insulation layer (fleece, synthetic or down)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- 1-2 liters of water (water bag recommended for multi-pitch)
- Lunch and quick energy snacks
- Approach shoes (no sandals)
- Day pack (~25-45 liters)
- Harness
- Belay device (ATC guide or GRIGRI) and large pear-shaped locking carabiner
- Helmet
- Rock climbing shoes
- Nut tool
- Personal anchor system
Please see our Rock Climbing Gear List & Rentals page for information on the items UMA provides and local shops where you can rent or purchase gear.
Recommended Guidebooks
Rock Climbing the Wasatch Range by Stuart and Bret Ruckman
A Granite Guide: Ferguson to Lone Peak by Nikki Smith, Andrew Burr and Tyler Philips
Climber’s Guide to American Fork/Rock Canyon by Bret Ruckman and Stuart Ruckman
Maple Canyon by Darren Knezek and Christian Knight
Private guiding is customized to your personal needs and requests.
Intermediate Climbs
| 1 person | $550 / person |
| 2 people | $350 / person |
Advanced and/or Long Climbs
| 1 person | $600 / person |
| 2 people | $400 / person |
- Rates above are per guide and may vary accordingly.
- Rates may vary depending on the difficulty and length of the desired objective.
- State and local taxes will be added.
- Gratuity not included.
Please see our main FAQ page for general questions or for anything not covered below.
How tight should my rock shoes fit?
If you are climbing an easy multi-pitch route or just learning, get a half-size bigger shoe than the sales or rental clerk recommends. Nothing spoils the fun like foot pain. If you are an advanced climber climbing difficult routes, we recommend tight-fitting shoes that border on being uncomfortable to allow more control on small footholds.
Should I wear pants or shorts?
Shorts are nicer for warm days, but long pants will protect your legs from abrasive rock. If shorts are preferred, they should be long enough to go under the leg loops of the harness.
Does the course include climbing equipment?
UMA provides helmets, harnesses, locking carabiners and belay devices to each participant if they don’t have their own. UMA has a limited selection of rock climbing shoes, but we recommend you rent shoes at a shop to ensure a proper fit. Please sign up for the items you need in your portal. The guide will bring the gear you sign up for, as well their lead climbing equipment.
How old do I need to be to climb?
Students must be at least 14 years of age to join a group course. For private guiding and instruction, there is no age restriction; even 5 and six-year-olds seem to enjoy climbs with short approaches and lots of holds. Longer approaches and multi-pitch climbing are typically not appropriate for kids under 11.
Where do I meet my guide?
Before the start of the course, your guide/instructor will confirm by email the meeting time and location. Most commonly, this location is the Big Cottonwood Canyon Park & Ride lot.
