Curriculum

Our Learn to Lead program is designed for climbers who are ready to take the next step from following to leading. This course builds a strong foundation in technical skills, decision-making, and risk management so you can confidently lead your own single-pitch climbs. Through hands-on instruction and plenty of time on the rock, you’ll practice gear placement, anchor building, belay techniques, and route planning.

Students Will Learn:

  • Gear selection, racking, and care
  • Placing passive and active protection
  • Building traditional and multi-directional anchors
  • Lead belay techniques and autoblocking devices
  • Anchor and rope management
  • Leading procedures and mock leading practice
  • Cleaning anchors, rappelling, and multi-pitch transitions
  • Lead climbing strategies—physical and mental
  • Falling, fall factors, and optional falling practice
  • Guided and student-led single-pitch climbs

 

 

Details

Prerequisites

  • Ability to follow 5.8 outdoors
  • Experience with outdoor top-roped climbing
  • Good physical fitness

Inclusions

Included in the course cost is group technical climbing equipment, climbing permits, and the guide fee.

Exclusions

Not included in the course cost are all personal clothing and climbing gear, transportation, lodging/camping fees, meals while on the course, travel insurance, or gratuities to the guide.

Note on Gear

Course participants are encouraged to bring their own traditional gear. However, if they do not have any, they will be able to use AAI equipment. Helmets, harnesses, and rock shoes are required equipment and are available for rental if needed.

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Course Options

Rock Climbing Course Series

Our rock climbing course progression takes you from the basics to advanced skills in a clear, supportive way. Each course builds on the last, giving you hands-on practice and the confidence to take on bigger objectives. Whether your goal is to climb outside for the first time, lead trad routes, or tackle alpine rock, our step-by-step approach ensures you’re always learning, growing, and ready for the next challenge.

  1. Outdoor Rock Climbing Intensive Introduction
  2. Learn to Lead
  3. Technical Self-Rescue for Climbers
  4. Multi-Pitch Skills Course
  5. Aid and Big Wall Climbing course

​Locations

We offer our Learn to Lead course in some of the most iconic climbing destinations in the country like Leavenworth, Red Rock, Moab, and Joshua Tree.  In doing so, we are able to offer this course year-round in world-class terrain. Each location offers stunning scenery and unique climbing styles, from the splitter cracks of the desert to the alpine granite of the Cascades, giving you a well-rounded experience and the chance to explore incredible places while building your skills.

Winter (October – April) locations include:

  • Red Rock Canyon, NV – located just minutes outside the city of Las Vegas.
  • Joshua Tree National Park – approximately an hour away from Palm Springs, CA and right next to the Marine base in Twentynine Palms, CA. The climbing at Joshua Tree is very high quality. Its legendary parallel-sided cracks make it the perfect training ground for climbers looking to learn to lead on granite walls similar to those found in Yosemite.
  • Moab, UT – near both Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park in southeast Utah.

​Summer (April – September) locations include:

  • Leavenworth, WA – about forty minutes from Wenatchee or three hours from Seattle on the east side of Washington’s mountains.
  • Squamish, BC – located one hour north of Vancouver, BC.
  • Boulder, CO – roughly 45 min outside of Denver, CO in the front range mountains.
  • Mammoth Lakes, CA – located in the eastern Sierra, forty minutes north of Bishop, CA, and three hours south of Reno, NV.

 

A private Learn to Lead course can be arranged with the location, length, and dates of your choice. Though the group course is generally preferable for learning, a customized course can be superior for some climbers. The cost for a private course is determined by the private rate for the location.

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