Kick Your Climbing Career Off Right With Level 3 of the ACC Weekend Climbing Courses with Expert Kris Irwin

Are you comfortable climbing on bolts but lacking the confidence to start leading trad routes independently?

Our Intro to Trad Climbing course is our third level of four climbing courses that will help you gain the confidence to climb trad pitches outside. The trad course focuses on gear placement, anchor building, and leading techniques to keep you safe while boosting up your confidence.

No matter your background, our Intro to Trad Climbing course will teach you the required skills. Many experienced climbers will tell you that when it comes to safety, it is important to get into the right habits from day one. Taking one of these course will ensure just that. And who better to teach you than long time Bow Valley climber Kris Irwin.

Get professional orientation to the spectacular rock climbing on offer in the Bow Valley and kick your lead-climbing career off right this summer with the ACC!

Camp Objectives

We will take you through the skills and decisions you need to be confident when leading trad climbs. From gear, to placements, to anchors, communication and all that lies between, you will come out of this course empowered to expand your horizons.
Your "classroom" could be anywhere from the front range crags in Kananaskis all the way through to the "back of the lake" crags at Lake Louise. The climbing areas will be determined by your guide(s) based on a number of factors i.e. weather, distance, group size and dynamics.

Day by Day Adventure Itinerary

Saturday:

Meet at Wasootch Slabs parking in Kananaskis at 8:00 am (MST)
Review safety and basic climbing skills
Learn to place and clean gear placements
Progress from top rope, to mock lead to leading

Sunday:

Meeting point will be shared on day 1
Review lessons from previous day
Further practice on gear placements
Continue progression from mock lead to lead

Is this Camp For Me?

Trad Edition - Intermediate

For those that already lead climb sport and with rope-handling and belay skills, this is the course for you. Difficulty of grade is not important for this course as hard skills will focus on lead trad climbing development. This is not a learn to climb course. This course is designed for those that already sport climb and want to develop their trad skills.

Logistics and Planning

Food

To keep the cost of this course as low as possible for participants, food will not be provided as part of the course. So please brink along your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (or favoured alternative), a packed lunch and some snacks for both days.

Accommodation

If you are traveling from out of town we recommend staying in Canmore. There are various hostels and hotels to choose from including our very own clubhouse with hostel style accommodation. Located on a high bench overlooking the Three Sisters, Ha Ling and Mount Rundle, our purpose built hostel is the perfect place to relax while completing your course.

For full details on the Canmore Clubhouse accommodation click here

Guiding

Our guiding team will comprise of ACMG-certified guides with a maximum 6:1 participant to guide ratio to ensure you get sufficient one-on-one coaching. Our guides know the Bow Valley inside out and will be able to recommend future routes and crags to further your skills. The ACC hires guides certified by the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Visit the ACMG website to learn more about what they do!

Rentals

If you don't have everything on the gear list and aren't ready to invest in your own, there are many awesome local businesses that rent out all of the equipment you will need. Be sure to reserve your rentals ahead of time to make sure everything you need is available for you when you need it.

Coming from the Bow Valley? Check out GearUp in Canmore. ACC members get 10% off all gear rentals!
Coming from Calgary? We recommend renting your gear from MEC, the University of Calgary Outdoors Center, or the Norseman.
Coming from the Revelstoke? Give Revelstoke Powder Rentals a try.

Your Guides

KRIS IRWIN

Kris is an ACMG Alpine Guide and lives in Banff with his wife Ellen and their daughters Aria and Annie. He is certified to lead all types of rock, ice, and mountain climbs and has been climbing in the mountains at home and abroad since 2004. Although he feels most at home on the classic ice climbs in the Rockies he has also made several first ascents in Alaska in the past few years. Kris is one of the most active waterfall ice climbing guides in the winter and in the summer can be seen leading guests throughout the Rockies, Bugaboos and Rogers Pass. An excellent instructor and personable guide, Kris always gets rave reviews from his guests

Adventure Map

Details

June 17th- 18th, 2023
$350 + Tax

Trip Waivers and Liability Page

Before registering, please review our Waivers and Liability page.

More Information

Please try to register online before calling. If you are having issues please try to have your emergency contact information and course questionnaire filled out before calling.

Email Us

(403)-678-3200 ext 312

Cancellation Policy
We sell Tugo® Travel Insurance suitable for both ACC Adventures and personal trips:

Travel Insurance

INCLUDED WITH YOUR CAMP FEE

2 days instruction by ACMG certified alpine guides
Group gear such as ropes and first aid kit

PARTICIPANTS MUST PROVIDE

Transportation to and from the field locations
Accommodation
Snacks and lunches
Personal gear (see gear list)

Organizing Fantastic ACC Adventures For Over 100 Years

Local Knowledge - based out of Canmore, AB, we know the Rockies region and the best local caterers, guides and porters
Dedicated resources - full-time office staff, ACMG guides and group equipment on-hand to ensure your trip runs smoothly
Not-for-profit - any money we make on camps and courses is reinvested into providing services for our members and the mountain community