Guiding & Instruction - Utah Rock Climbing
Instruction & Skill Building - Rock Climbing
Custom or private guiding means you have a guide dedicated to you or your group rather than being in a class or clinic that is open to other guests.
UMA's outstanding guides and instructors are available daily to lead climbs and help guests progress in any and all aspects of climbing.
The options listed here are some, BUT NOT ALL possible programs. Contact UMA to customize your outing.
Introduction to Rock Climbing
If you want to climb with your friends or family, or learn the sport of rock climbing, this is a perfect introduction. Emphasis is on safety, skills and fun. It's open to those who have never climbed, but also appropriate for people who have climbed occasionally, taken time off, are moving outside from the gym, wanting to safely top-rope with friends and family; and anyone seeking a solid rock climbing foundation or refresher.
DETAILS
Difficulty: No experience necessary
Curriculum: The day generally begin with a review of harness, knots and communication. Guide starts on moderate rock routes and progresses from there. You will climb a variety of pitches to practice and improve movement techniques, including edging and smearing, stemming, jamming hands and feet, crimping, lie-backing, etc. Rope management and technical skills will include learning to coil a rope, clip and unclip bolts, remove nuts and camming devices, and equalize and clean top-rope anchors.
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: 6:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8 am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch, water and snacks
- Review the equipment list
How to Register:
- Register Online
- Call us at (801) 550 3986
- Email us
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
| 5 people | $180 / person |
| 6 people | $150 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
| 5 people | $115 / person |
| 6 people | $100 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Gym to Rock
Climbing indoors has become very popular, but outdoor rock is much different. A "Gym to Rock" instruction session with a UMA guide will focus on those differences, and prepare you for safe climbing in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyon, or anywhere. You may already understand belaying, lowering, knots, rope systems and climbing movement. Your guide will prepare you for outdoor climbing where a broad range of more challenging techniques are encountered: the subtleties of edging and smearing for face climbing and slabs, jamming hands and feet, crimping, liebacking, roofs, etc. Personalized coaching will allow you to progress to the limit of your ability.
DETAILS
Difficulty: Indoor gym experience
Curriculum: This class also includes an introduction to constructing anchors, setting your own top-rope, clipping and unclipping the rope, belaying with an assisted-braking belay device (e.g. gri gri,) basic placement and removal of nuts and camming devices, and can be done on a single or multi-pitch setting, all depending on your needs and goals.
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 6:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch, water and snacks
- Review the equipment list
How to Register:
- Register Online
- Call us at (801) 550 3986
- Email us
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
| 5 people | $180 / person |
| 6 people | $150 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
| 5 people | $115 / person |
| 6 people | $100 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Anchor Building Clinic
This clinic is designed to specifically focus on building secure belay or rappel anchors and placing solid protection. We will cover all aspects of building safe and solid anchors and you will practice building your own anchors while getting direct feedback from the instructor. This is a hands-on course. Participants will build a variety of anchors using appropriate techniques and various materials.
DETAILS
Difficulty: Some climbing experience
We will answer all your questions relative to:
- Why we use anchors
- Different types of anchors
- Material used to build anchors
- Climbing knots used in anchors
- Concept of "ERNESTA"
- Tying yourself to an anchor
- Evaluating natural features such as trees or boulders for use as an anchor
- Building anchors from natural features
- Evaluating existing bolts and pitons for anchors
- Building anchors from bolts and pitons
- Placing pro: nuts and cams
- Building anchors with nuts and cams
- Top Rope anchors
- Lead climbing Anchors
- Rappel anchors
- Belaying directly from an anchor using self-locking belay devices
- Lowering and rappelling from an anchor
- Rope management
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 6:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes & climbing shoes; touring equipment or snowshoes for approach
- Lunch (if full day), water, snacks
- Review the equipment list
How to Register:
- Register Online
- Call us at (801) 550 3986
- Email us
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
| 5 people | $180 / person |
| 6 people | $150 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
| 5 people | $115 / person |
| 6 people | $100 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Sport Climbing Clinic
Sport Climbing is perhaps the safest and most convenient way to rock climb, and many new bolted routes are added to our crags each year. The Wasatch Range offers hundreds of challenging and safe sport climbs on a variety of rock types that will allow you to push your physical and technical abilities. The instructor will watch you climb and teach you ways to improve efficiency, take advantage of your strengths and add new techniques to your arsenal.
DETAILS
Difficulty: No experience necessary
Curriculum: Our sport climbing clinic focuses on the specific skills required to climb single-pitch, bolted routes. Skills and techniques taught during the sport climbing clinic will include: appropriate gear for sport climbing, belaying sport routes, recognizing and utilizing various handholds and footholds, face climbing vs steeps and overhangs, optimal body position, clipping and back-clipping the rope, use of stick-clip, sport climbing anchors, bailing, communication with belayer, cleaning a sport anchor, lowering off, cleaning an overhanging sport route, etc...
This clinic is designed to help you reach the next level in your climbing so an emphasis will be put on efficient techniques. If you have been stuck at a certain grade and want to redpoint or onsight at a higher level, we will show you how to successfully work and project harder routes. You will learn how to rest more efficiently, develop mental techniques to help you stay calm, learn how to take safe falls, using knee-bars, heel-hooks, toe-hooks, reading and remembering sequences etc…
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 6:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch (if full day), water, snacks
- Review our complete equipment list
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
| 5 people | $180 / person |
| 6 people | $150 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
| 5 people | $115 / person |
| 6 people | $100 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Learn-To-Lead Sport and Trad Clinic
This clinic is designed for climbers who have experience with belaying and top rope climbing, and are now looking to become competent leaders. Learning to lead climb will open the door to routes where anchors aren't otherwise accessible for top rope. Becoming a solid lead climber allow you to step into multi-pitch and alpine climbing. We will use "mock leading" on a top rope and learn the intricacies of clipping bolts and placing gear while on lead.
DETAILS
Difficulty: Previous climbing experience and knowledge of belaying
Topics will include:
- Efficient and attentive lead belaying with an ATC and a GriGri
- Avoiding short roping
- Practicing falling and catching a fall (soft catch)
- Efficient climbing tips for leading on steeper/more challenging routes
- Placing protection and clipping bolts
- Avoiding rope drag, Z-clipping and back clipping
- Protecting traverses
- Finding stances for placing protection
- Anchor-building at top of pitch
- Belaying from anchor at top of pitch
- Lowering and rappelling from anchor
- Bailing off and cleaning a route
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 4:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch (if full day), water, snacks
- Review our complete equipment list
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Crack Climbing Clinic
If you want to take your climbing beyond sport or gym climbing, you will eventually need to be comfortable climbing cracks. Most natural-pro routes follow crack systems as these provide climbers the opportunity to place protection versus relying on pre-placed bolts. The crack itself also provides a weakness that will allow you to ascend. Arguably, crack climbing is the purest form of rock climbing. It has a rich history in the United States, from Yosemite to Indian Creek.
The Wasatch Range is filled with natural granite and quartzite cracks and it is a perfect place to develop your crack climbing technique. This clinic will allow you to securely and efficiently climb a variety of crack types and grow your arsenal of techniques.
DETAILS
Difficulty: Previous climbing experience
Skills and techniques taught during this clinic will include:
- Finger, fist, and hand jams
- Off-widths and wide cracks
- Taping hands for crack climbing
- Specific footwork for cracks
- Using lie-back technique vs jamming
- Stemming
- Placing and removing gear in cracks
- Gear selection and racking
- Climbing strategies for cracks
- Crack climbing anchors
Duration: 4-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 4:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch (if full day), water, snacks
- Review our complete equipment list
RATES
Full Day (6-8 hours)
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Half Day (3-4 hours)
| 1 person | $270 / person |
| 2 people | $180 / person |
| 3 people | $150 / person |
| 4 people | $135 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
Self-Rescue / AMGA Course Prep
Ever wondered what you would do if your partner gets injured on a multi-pitch route? What if your ropes get stuck while on rappel? What if your second can't pull past a crux, or is hanging in mid air below a roof? Dropped your belay device from top of pitch 7 and now you have to rappel?
There are so many situations when things can go terribly wrong, yet rock-rescue is often overlooked. This Self-Rescue Clinic will instill the skills to help you and your partner deal with the unexpected during a climb. It will give you the baseline rescue skills and techniques that every climber should master in case things don't go as planned.
DETAILS
Difficulty: Participants should already be familiar with belaying, rappelling, and building anchors, and should know the following knots and hitches: figure eight, munter hitch, clove hitch and prussic hitch. If you are not familiar with these skills we can still run the program as a private and get you up to speed.
Techniques and skills taught in this course include:
- Escaping the belay
- Raising a climber
- Lowering a climber from an auto-locking device
- Ascending a fixed rope
- 2:1, 3:1, 5:1, and 6:1 hauling systems
- Tandem rappels
- Pre-rigged rappels
- Friction hitches for multiple applications
- Improvised belaying
- Improvised chest harnesses
- Variety of other useful knots and hitches
Duration: 6-8 hours
Max Ratio: Max 4:1
Meeting Time: Generally 8am
Meeting Location: Big or Little Cottonwood Park and Ride Lot
What We Provide:
- Broadly experienced, highly-trained, professional climbing guides
- Helmet, harness (if needed)
What You Need:
- Approach shoes and climbing shoes
- Lunch (if full day), water, snacks
- Review our complete equipment list
RATES
| 1 person | $450 / person |
| 2 people | $300 / person |
| 3 people | $250 / person |
| 4 people | $225 / person |
State & Local Taxes will be added. Gratuity not included.
"Tingey's Terror"
Photography by Tyson Bradley
Testimonials
Thank you. You guys are great. Andy Polloczek is unmatched, a great instructor.
- John Pack
Thanks for a fantastic day. Todd Passey is a world class guide. He found great lines and snow. Most importantly he kept me safe. Todd was so impressive at navigating the elements and knowing all of the variables. Thanks for an experience I will not forget.
- Scott Simon
I wanted to let you know what a fantastic time Janet and I had with Todd Glew. His guiding, route choices and knowledge of the area were excellent and, not least of all, he was great company and we really enjoyed hanging out with him. And as for my last day with Todd skiing the Y Couloir . . . that will forever be one of the most memorable days skiing of my life. Wow!!
- Tim Peckett
Just wanted to say we had a FANTASTIC time today on our first backcountry tour. Eric was a wonderful, knowledgable and high-competent guide who truly made our day the best it could ever be. Thank you!
- Coleen Colahan
Quino is a wonderful guide - did a great job taking us up Cardiff pass, couple runs on the slopes north of the pass, and then back to Alta. Quino was great - easy going, set the right pace so that we could all keep up, picked a good route for us. Just perfect - many thanks for having him guide us.
- Harm Scherpbier
Just wanted to drop a quick note thanking you guys for setting me up with such a great guide yesterday! Colby was great and I had an amazing time in the snow. His expertise, professionalism and knowledge of the area was unprecedented.
- Paul Kronser
You have a great bunch of guys here with these individuals and I am sure the others in your organization are just as pleasant. From the office staff I spoke with to all the guides in the field.
- James Albritton
Utah Mountain Adventures
P.O. Box 521809
Salt Lake City, Utah 84152-1809
Phone: (801) 550 3986
Fax: (801) 486 8505
Rock Climbing - Guiding & Instruction - Utah Mountain Adventures
Join Utah Mountain Adventures for guiding or instruction in Utah's Wasatch range, a world class climbing area with outstanding vertical landscapes of granite, quartzite, limestone and alpine peaks. Learn techniques and routes in Little Cottonwood, Big Cottonwood, Mt. Olympus , Bell's Canyon, etc. Our guides know the routes intimately and can help you excel while making your climb as memorable as the scenery.
Or build skills in a course, such as the Rock Climbing Clinic or Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing Course, Teton Prep, Canyoneering Course, or Learn to Lead. Safety and client satisfaction are paramount at Utah Mountain Adventures. We limit the size of our groups to ensure individual attention from our highly experienced guides.
- Guided Rock Climbing & Custom Rock Climbing Instruction
- Rock Climbing Classes
- Teen Rock Climbing Camp
UMA also specializes in corporate team-building and just-for-fun, group climbing activities. Participants learn trust by belaying and lowering one another under guides' supervision. Climbers overcome fear and push each other while scaling vertical walls and rappelling down. Venues in the Cottonwood Canyons are easily reached, can accommodate large groups, and offer climbing challenges from friendly to 5.13.
View our complete schedule of Salt Lake Rock Climbing Courses.