Wind River Youth Climbing Camps – Summer 2026

Description

Overview:

Our Wind River Youth Climbing Camp gives kids in central Wyoming ages 9-18 the opportunity to explore the world class climbing resources in their backyard.  During the camp, participants learn the fundamentals of sport climbing and via ferrata climbing safety systems in addition to movement skills, environmental stewardship, and communication skills.  Our main aim is for kids to have fun, stay safe, and explore the vertical wilds of Wyoming in a sustainable way.  Our recreational-level camps are open to all kids regardless of ability and experience level but are best for beginning through intermediate climbers.  If your child is an advanced climber, check out our performance Cody  bouldering camp, Ten Sleep sport climbing camp, and advanced trad climbing camp at Devils Tower.

Location:

Our Wind River Youth Climbing Camp takes place at the Golden Rule Ranch in Wind River Canyon.

PLEASE NOTE: The Wind River Via Ferrata and adjacent sport climbing areas are located entirely on private land.  There is no public access to these climbing resources, the property is surveilled, and any attempt to access this property without a guide is criminal trespassing and will be prosecuted.  Via ferrata and climbing access on this property is guided-only and we are the sole entity offering guiding services at this time.  If you have any questions about climbing the Wind River Via Ferrata or adjacent sport climbing crags, please reach out to us directly via email, phone, or text.  Please do not try to contact the landowners or access the property on your own.

Session and Dates:

• One session: June 15-17, 2026

Rates and Payment

All of our recreational camps cost $275 in total – that rate includes all camp fees, guiding, and equipment use.  We require a $100 non-refundable deposit to sign up.  The remaining balance is due two weeks prior to the camp and is non-refundable if you cancel within two weeks of the camp.

Schedule

Our recreational youth climbing camps take place Monday-Wednesday throughout the summer.  We meet kids at 8am and climb until 2pm.

Transportation:

Due to insurance restrictions we do not provide transportation to any camp participants.  Parents will need to drop off and pick up participants every day of camp.

Curriculum:

Our recreational youth climbing camp curriculum focuses on three main learning objectives: safety, sustainability, and supportive behavior.

• Safety: participants will learn the foundations of bouldering, sport climbing, and trad climbing safety systems, with an emphasis on mitigating objective hazards and developing competency with spotting, knot-tying, and top-rope belaying.  Our aim is for kids to gain a foundational understanding of risk and be more safety-minded if they choose to climb more in the future.
• Sustainability: participants will learn how to be sustainable users of the resource and learn how to practice the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace in the wild.  We strongly believe in minimizing our impact on the environment and a great way to do this is to teach the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts the best practices of Leave No Trace.  We also complete at least one sustainability project during the camp, ranging from trash pickups to noxious weed pulls to erosion control.
• Supportive behavior: participants will learn how to be supportive of each other throughout the camp.  Climbing is a demanding activity physically, mentally, and emotionally, and as such is a great way for kids to challenge themselves.  Climbing is necessarily a partner-based sport, so it’s a great opportunity for kids to learn how to work together as a team to stay safe and reach new heights together.  We work hard to create a safe space where all feel welcome and comfortable to push themselves in new ways.  Any deriding comments, bullying, and hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: My child is younger than 9, but they love to climb.  Do you allow younger kiddos to join the camp?

A: The age limit is a guideline, not a strict rule.  Generally we find that kids 9 and up are both heavy enough to be effectively lowered on a toprope and mature enough to actively participate in climbing safety systems (knot-tying, belaying etc.).  But if your younger child is an active climber, is capable of being lowered without a pickoff, and on the responsible side, then we’d love to have them!

Q: My child has participated in your camp before.  What will they get out of doing it again?

A:  We get lots of repeat participants and each camp will be a different experience because we’re working with different groups of kids.  We also are able to challenge kiddos at every experience and ability level.  That said, as of the summer of 2026 we will start offering more advanced performance climbing camps for seasoned youth climbers who want to focus on climbing harder grades.

Q: My child is interested but is completely new to climbing.  What if they don’t like it, get tired easily, or get scared?  Will they still have a rewarding experience?

A:  Our recreational camps are geared toward beginners, so there will almost always be several first-time climbers in each camp.  These camps also involve lots of non-climbing outdoor activities including creative projects and environmental stewardship.  No matter how much each participant actually climbs, our staff will work hard to make every kid feel supported and have opportunities to engage and learn throughout the camp.

Q: I would love to sign up my child but they have a medical condition, physical disability, or learning/developmental disability I’m concerned might limit their ability to climb safely.  Do you make accommodations for adaptive or differently abled climbers?

A: Absolutely!  As permittees on federal land we are required by law to provide as many opportunities to people to engage in the activity regardless of ability.  That said, some conditions might require special planning to accommodate.  Please just contact us via email or phone if you have any concerns.

Signing up:

We require a $100 deposit to reserve your child’s spot in a camp.  After we receive your deposit, we will send you a signup email with a waiver, information form, logistical details, and invoice for the remaining balance.

Contact us:

Feel free to email us or call our owner Zach (307-431-1741) with any questions you have about our recreational youth climbing camps!