Traditional Climbing

Famous for its hard offwidths, funky rock formations, and unique ecosystems of the high desert, Wyoming is the perfect place to develop your “trad” climbing (i.e. climbing with removable protection) skills and explore some of the west’s wildest landscapes.  Our guides specialize in teaching people how to crack climb – whether you’re just learning how to hand jam or you really want to learn the chicken wing, Wyoming is the one place you can do it all.

Vedauwoo has earned a reputation for its wide flares and sharp feldspar crystals, but this Stonehenge of Sherman Granite features quality cracks of all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re just learning how to hand jam or you really want to learn the chicken wing, Vedauwoo is the one place you can do it all. With hundreds of fun routes, short approaches, and only two hours’ drive from Denver, it’s also one of the more convenient places to climb in Wyoming. Not to mention the bizarre beauty and longstanding cultural significance of what the Northern Arapaho called “bito-o-wu”, or “the land of the earthborn spirit.” Take in the surreal scenery and learn why this place is such a special training ground for so many Wyoming climbers, past and present.
Box Canyon, Vedauwoo

Lessons:

All of our trad climbing trips include personalized instruction on anchor systems, specialized crack climbing techniques and movement.  In addition we offer place-based lessons on each of these areas’ unique geology, ecology, archaeology, and history.  We believe the more people know about these places, the more they’ll take care of them.

Climbing the creekside crags of Shell Canyon is like climbing in a museum – the rusted pitons and brass wires overgrown with grass remind you that people have climbed these granite walls throughout the last half-century. The approaches may be short but many of the climbs here are long, strong, and spicy – like a little slice of Vedauwoo dropped in the middle of a limestone canyon. The easily accessible climbing in Shell Canyon is particularly well suited for climbers looking for a half-day of working on their offwidth or flared finger technique, but is well worth the visit for anyone who wants a good challenge in a breathtaking environment.
   Creekside crack climbing in Shell Canyon

   

Contact us to customize your trad climbing trip!

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