Cody, Wyoming – Multipitch Sport Climbing Trip

Description

The Mouth of the Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone, home to some of the longest sport multipitch climbs in the country

Explore the incredible multipitch sport climbing in Cody, Wyoming

We offer custom guided rock climbing trips in Cody, Wyoming on some of the best moderate multipitch sport climbing objectives in the US.  We guide some of the country’s longest multipitch sport climbing routes in at the Mouth of the Clarks Fork of the Yellowstone River, home to several routes ranging from 6 to 22 pitches.  These multipitch sport climbing routes feature fun and mostly moderate slab climbing on grades ranging from 5.8-5.11 in an incredible, desert-alpine setting overlooking the northern Bighorn Basin.  If you like climbing long moderates and you’re looking for an awesome experience climbing in a wild and scenic venue, a custom sport climbing trip to Cody is a must-do.

Why climb in Cody with us:

Our rock climbing guides are experienced professionals, talented climbers, and well-trained teachers.  They are also humble, personable, and overall great humans to be around in the mountains.  Our guides are adept at providing safe, supportive, and inclusive climbing experiences for people of all backgrounds and ability levels.  Many of our rock climbing guides live and climb in the Cody throughout the summer, which is a major advantage because they know the areas they guide extremely well.  Being based in the area also minimizes travel for our guides, which makes our service more affordable than our competitors and reduces our carbon footprint.

Favorite routes in the Mouth of the Clark’s Fork:

Topping out Colter’s Rib (5.10a, 12 pitches) in the Mouth of the Clarks Fork

• Colter’s Rib (5.10a, 12 pitches, 1400′) – Colter’s Rib is a great introduction to the style of multipitch sport climbing found at the Mouth – we highly recommend it for your first day of climbing in the area.  It is also an excellent objective in itself with great rock, mostly moderate climbing, and incredible positioning.  The rock quality is outstanding, there is only one 5.10 move on the route (most of the climbing is 5.8 or below), and the route follows an aesthetic arching rib of limestone with significant exposure on either side.  Many of the pitches can be linked, making this route an excellent choice if you want to cover a lot of ground but don’t have all day to climb the longer classics at the Mouth described below.

M11 (5.11, 22 pitches) is an all-time classic and one of the longest sport climbs in the country

• M11 (5.11, 22 pitches, 1850′) – M11 is the longest multipitch sport climb in the Mouth and currently one of the longest sport climbs established in the US.  The route features thousands of feet of fun and mostly moderate slab climbing on clean, well-featured limestone in an incredible desert-alpine setting.  Ambitious and well-fit climbers may be able to complete the route in the day but it’s also feasible to bivy on route or climb the first half of the route as a day objective.  Don’t let the grade or length of the route intimidate you too much however – most of the climbing is 5.9 or below and this is an incredibly unique and rewarding objective regardless of how many pitches you want to climb!

Topping out the stellar fourteenth pitch of Forever (5.10 AO, 21 pitches)

• Forever (5.10 A0, 21 pitches, 2500′) – Forever is an incredibly fun and lengthy climb that ascends one of the tallest features at the Mouth.  Most of the pitches are easier than neighboring M11, but Forever is much longer than M11 (comparable in height to Half Dome!) and the nature of the climbing feels more varied and adventurous in nature.  Of all the Mouth routes, Forever feels the most like the long bolted limestone alpine routes found in the Italian and Austrian Alps.  And the top of the climb is not to be missed, as the last four pitches put you on top of a freestanding tower that has one of the best summit views in the area!  Without a doubt, Forever is one of our favorite guiding routes in the state (and one of the longest guided rock routes in the country for that matter).

Interested in more details about sport climbing in the Mouth?  You can read more about this destination here.

Trip Itineraries:

• 1 Day Itinerary  

Our 1 day custom sport climbing itinerary is a great option if you only have a single day to climb but you want to make the most of it!  Your guide will work with you to select some exciting objectives (typically area classics) that are appropriate for your skill and fitness levels and that feature fun, high quality climbing on good rock. Our primary objective with this trip is providing a safe and highly rewarding sport climbing experience that you will remember for many years to come!

• 2 Day Itinerary 

Our 2 day custom sport climbing itinerary is a full-value experience for those looking for an action-packed two days of guiding in one of the best sport climbing venues in the country.  Your guide will coordinate with you to choose exciting objectives that align with your climbing goals and are well-suited to your skill level. Generally people like to choose several moderate objectives for day 1 to work on technique and streamline their systems followed by more challenging objectives on day 2 to push themselves on harder climbs.

• 3 Day or More Itinerary

This is our most popular custom sport climbing itinerary!  Our 3-4 day itinerary is an excellent option if you’re looking to really progress in your climbing and explore a variety of climbs in Cody.  Your guide will work with you to select objectives for each day that align with your climbing goals and appropriate for your skill level.  We suggest climbing in as many different crags over the course of your trip in order to experience the incredible variety of terrain the area has to offer.  We also highly recommend scheduling at least one rest day after two days of climbing in order to recharge for the rest of your trip.

Trip availability:

Our custom sport climbing trips to Cody are available from May to October.

Guide to climber ratio:

All of our custom sport climbing trips to Cody have a 1:1 or 1:2 guide to climber ratio.

Trip logistics:

Transportation: Nearby Cody, Casper, and Sheridan have airports serviced by Delta and United Airlines.  You can also fly into neighboring Billings, Montana (where flights are often cheaper) and rent a car to drive to Cody.

Accommodations:  We recommend staying at either a hotel or bread and breakfast in Cody.

Meeting location:  You will meet your guide at Rawhide Coffee in Cody.

Daily schedule:  We typically will meet at 8am, drive to the climbing location, and finish climbing by 4pm.

Equipment:  Many climbers choose to bring all of their own gear, but we can provide all technical climbing equipment including CAMP helmets, harnesses, and Butora climbing shoes.

Cody-based guides:

Our talented team of climbing guides includes some of the most prolific climbers in the region who are at the forefront of climbing development in Wyoming.  Most importantly our guides are skilled teachers who are patient, kind, and helpful to people from all walks of life as they learn new skills.  Their top priority is making you feel safe and supported as you take on a new challenge.  Feel free to request a particular guide for your course.

• Zach Lentsch – Zach Lentsch is an avid climber, guide, and owner of Wyoming Mountain Guides. A Bighorn Basin native, Zach has been exploring wild parts of northern Wyoming for as long as he can remember. In addition to running the business and designing Wyoming Mountain Guides’ suite of climbing programs operating across the state, Zach works extensively in the field and guides a wide range of trips ranging from introductory programs to advanced rock, ice, and alpine trips on challenging terrain. Zach is also a passionate developer of new climbing routes with over 100 first ascents across Wyoming, including the longest ice climb in the state (Ultralight Beam WI3+ 1000m) in the Wind River Mountains, the longest sandstone rock climb in the state (The Fall of Satan 5.10 C3 250m) in the Bighorn Mountains, and a high concentration of rock, ice, and mixed climbs in the Cody area up to 5.12, WI6, and M9 in difficulty.  Zach is an experienced teacher and works hard to integrate as much technical and environmental education into the climbing experience as possible while also prioritizing safety and having a great time together.

• Dane Steadman – Dane Steadman is a skilled multi-disciplinary guide with significant accomplishments including the first guided ascents of Pilot Peak and Stinkingwater Peak, guided ascents of Cloud Peak, Gannet Peak, Granite Peak (MT), guided ice climbs in the Cody area up to WI6 in difficulty, and guided rock climbs across the state of Wyoming up to 5.12 in difficulty.  Dane is also a very driven and talented climber whose main focus is exploratory alpine climbing both in Wyoming and in the greater ranges.  Notable climbs of his include the first ascent of Technicolor Super Dream on Mt. Huntington in Alaska, the first ascent of the North Face of Pik Alpinist in Kyrgyzstan, the second ascent of Titanic on Torre Egger in Patagonia, and several first ascents of hard ice and mixed climbs in the South Fork of the Shoshone River Valley up to WI6+ and M11 in difficulty.  What’s more, Dane is incredibly personable, patient, professional, and really fun to be around in the mountains.

• Andrew Lamb – Andrew Lamb is rock and ice climbing instructor, experienced alpinist, and competitive ice climber from Worland, WY.  Andrew has instructed rock and ice climbing programs in Bozeman since 2022 and has recently relocated to the Cody area.  Some of his proudest ascents include the Japanese Couloir on Alaska’s Mt. Barrill, Winter Dance and the Nutcracker in Hyalite Canyon, and significant solos throughout the Greater Yellowstone.  He is also a talented competitive dry tooler who competed with the US National Ice Climbing Team.  He considers his greatest strength as a guide is his “attitude of positivity and optimism for all the aspects of the mountains, whether that be the hauling, the patience and respect for clients, the teaching of technical skills or the grit needed to work through tough situations environmentally, physically or emotionally.”

Booking and payment:

You can view each of our guide’s availability on the calendar above.  To book your course directly via our website, you need to first select a guide and choose from available dates.  Then to finalize your booking we require a 25% deposit, which is non-refundable.  The remainder is to be paid two weeks before the course and is non-refundable if you cancel within two weeks of the program.  If you do cancel last minute on your own accord and want to transfer your credit to another course or trip, we do charge an additional 30% rescheduling fee.  However in case of bad weather or a medical emergency we will waive the rescheduling fee.

Contact us:

Interested in booking a custom sport climbing trip to Cody with us?  Please send us an email including your name, email address, phone number, climbing experience, in addition to a description of what, where, and when you’d like to climb.