Crack Climbing Clinic

Skyward Mountaineering has been helping rock climbers break through climbing barriers and improve their movement techniques since our founding in 1996. The Crack Climbing clinic is a two-day intensive course based in Grand Junction in the heart of Colorado’s stunning red rock desert. Unlike the crowded crags in Moab, this unique course takes place in the secluded sandstone and granite crack climbing haven of the Uncompahgre Plateau.

Rock climbing is a multi-faceted sport with different techniques required for different rock types and features. Unlike face climbing where climbers grasp holds that protrude from the wall, similarly to how a child would climb a tree or how we grab objects in daily life, crack climbing requires climbers to fill the void and create holds inside the cliff in their absence. Our Crack Climbing course is specifically developed to teach climbers the incremental steps to successfully and efficiently rock climbing cracks of all sizes, from fingers to splitter hands to off-width and chimneys.

Carabiner icon, depicting the type of guided climbing trip.

Rock climbing course, with routes ranging from 5.9 to 5.12

Calendar and clock icon, depicting the time and dates for the guided trip.
A mountain icon, depicting the difficulty and prerequisites for the guided trip.

Previous rock climbing experience required

2 full days (8 hours each). See open enrollment dates below or choose custom dates

Learn how to climb cracks of all sizes

  • Throughout our 2-day Crack Climbing clinic we will cover the following skills:

    • Tape gloves

    • Foundational crack climbing movement techniques

    • Learn to jam cracks of all sizes from finger locks, ring locks, hand jams, fist jams, offwidth and chimneys

    • Learn the nuances of footwork: toe jams, heel-toe cams, calf locks and knee locks

    • Improve your efficiency on long and sustained crack climbing routes

  • Your guide will discuss trip logistics, your goals, learning outcomes and conditions updates in the days prior to the course.

    08:00 Meet your guide at the trailhead in Escalante Canyon and hike to the crag
    08:30 A full day of rock climbing and instruction set in a beautiful desert canyon with towering sandstone walls. After introductions and goal setting you’ll begin with detail-oriented instruction on crack climbing techniques and practice your skills with personalized on-the-wall instruction and feedback
    15:30 We’ll wrap up the climbing and hike out
    16:00 Course finishes for the day and we’ll set up a comfortable camp in the canyon
    18:00 Everyone will prepare their own dinner and we’ll enjoy climbing stories by the campfire as a group

  • 07:00 Wake up with the sun and enjoy a hearty breakfast to prepare for another fun day of climbing.Meet your guide at the trailhead in Unaweep Canyon and hike to the crag
    08:30 Drive to another trailhead and hike up to the crag for a full day of crack climbing. You’ll hone your skills from the previous day and practice jamming new sizes
    15:30 We’ll wrap up the climbing and hike out
    16:00 Course is finished, pack up camp and drive home

A group of people with their hands stacked together in a circle, with tape gloves after a day of crack climbing. The dirt below them is red.
A person wearing rock climbs up a crack inside a red chimney with a greenrope securing him from above.
A person lead climbing a crack splitting a steep red sandstone face.
A rock climber ascending a tall, narrow crack in a sandstone cliff with a rope tied below, in a desert landscape under clear blue skies.
A person climbing a red sandstone rock face in a desert environment.
Two people climbing a crack in a narrow canyon with red sandstone cliffs. The belayer below is looking up at the climber.
A person crack climbing up a narrow canyon with red sandstone cliffs.
A person rock climbing on a tall red sandstone cliff under a clear blue sky. He is climbing past a small roof feature in the middle of the cliff.
A person wearing a black and orange helmet is lead climbing a hand crack in the Moab desert. The photo looks down at him as he jams his hand in the crack.

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Two people standing on top of a tall, narrow sandstone spire with layered reddish-brown rock formations and a cloudy sky in the background, in a desert landscape of Colorado National Monument.
A climber in red pants, a green shirt and white helmet is climbing a crack in the Black Canyon.
A person wearing a pink jacket, black pants and a blue helmet is rock climbing on a tall, reddish-brown cliff face. She is stemming between a corner system and crack while placing the next piece of trad gear.

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Questions?

Our office staff are guides, climbers and skiers - we’re here to help!