Intro to Trad Climbing Part 2

The Intro to Traditional Climbing - Part 2 Course expands and reinforces skills from the Anchor Building and Intro to Trad Part 1 courses (including anchor construction, trad lead techniques, gear placement, and mock leads). This course also teaches top-managed belaying (belaying from above the climber), rappelling with backup systems, and advanced practice for placing pro on lead. Upon completion, students will have the confidence and knowledge to take friends or family trad climbing while maintaining safety. These skills also prepare climbers to smoothly transition into the Multi-Pitch course.

Who this course is for

• Climbers who have experience leading trad and want to refine there skills and progress further

• Climbers who want hands on guided practice ensuring confidence and efficiency in what it takes to get to the top AND back down on a traditional climbing route

• Climbers that want to learn more about trad leading but already have a basic understanding of it

What you’ll learn

• Gear Mastery: Comprehensive training on the inspection, care, and practical function of all critical trad hardware (cams, nuts, ropes, etc.).

• Anchor Building & Placement: Proficiency in constructing bombproof ERNEST/ERNESA anchors and mastering safe, effective placement and testing of passive and active protection.

• Leading & Safety Efficiency: Techniques for efficient racking, advanced rope management (including drag minimization via alpine quickdraws), and practicing mock lead belaying and fall management.

• Belay Systems: Hands-on practice with the mechanics of dynamic lead belaying and setting up efficient top-managed belays.

• Rappelling Systems: Extending a rappel, using a third hand backup, how to weight test your system to ensure you are rappelling safely.

• Route finding: reading natural lines, identifying features, and planning your ascent.

• Outdoor ethics & Leave No Trace: responsible practices for preserving crags and the St. Croix River corridor.

What to expect - Trad Climbing

Expect a highly practical and immersive day at Interstate Park, designed to give you the confidence to lead your own traditional routes. We will move beyond theory, beginning with a detailed overview of essential trad gear—from inspecting cams and nuts to maximizing efficiency with alpine quickdraws and smart racking systems. The core of the clinic involves extensive hands-on practice in placing and testing active and passive protection, followed by learning how to build bombproof ERNEST/ERNESA anchors. We will reinforce safety and efficiency through mock-lead and belay scenarios, practical rope management techniques, and instruction on setting up top-managed belays often used along the North Shore and in multipitch terrain. You will leave equipped with a refined skill set and a solid path toward independent lead climbing.