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| Length - 1 Day and Up |
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| Cost - Prices are per person (listed below) |
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| Max Ratio - 4:1 for beginners; 2:1 for intermediate or advanced |
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| Capacity - 8 |
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Location
Red Rock, NV |
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Desert Rock Climbing - Red Rock Canyon |
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The peaks and formations of Red Rock Canyon just outside of Las Vegas Nevada. Photo: Jason Martin
Courses offered every day, September 1st through mid-May.
As the fall temperatures and wet weather start to overtake the more temperate rock climbing areas in the U.S., rock climbers begin their annual migration to the desert southwest in search of the sunny skies and warm rock found there for most of the winter months. Our season in Red Rock gets started towards the end of September and will continue through the spring, well into May in most years. The shortest days of the year (December) can be brisk in the deeper canyons but there are plenty of sunny options for climbing in the many cragging and lowland areas at Red Rock.
A climber on the Panty Wall in Red Rock. Photo: Jason Martin
Intro To the Area
Red Rock Canyon National Monument is unique in North American climbing. No other area offers such extensive climbing in a beautiful desert environment while at the same time enjoying the ease of access and amenities of a nearby metropolitan area. Only 20 miles from downtown Las Vegas, Red Rock rises in a 3000-foot wall of red, pink, and cream colored Aztec sandstone. The cliffs form a north-south trending barrier over ten miles long and are cut perpendicularly with many major canyons and innumerable smaller ones. When you are climbing, the only sign of human impact is an occasional glimpse of the narrow access road, so while you are close to civilization, it feels like you are deep in a desert wilderness area.
On the walls of these canyons and on the towers and summits which lie between them, you will find some of the longest and best non-granitic climbs in the country. The exceptionally hard, high quality sandstone of Red Rock offers long continuous crack lines and steep, exposed face climbing on fine desert varnish. The canyons and cliffs of Red Rock have retained a true wilderness feeling. There are very few established trails in the area and most of the approaches involve easy cross-country travel, often up isolated, narrow canyons lined with juniper and shaded by the many-hued rock walls which rise above.
In addition to hundreds of one-pitch sport climbs, Red Rock boasts an unusually large number of very long, high quality routes of moderate technical difficulty. Many fine climbs of grade III or IV in length lie in the 5.6 to 5.8 range. Some of the harder routes with a difficulty of 5.9 or 5.10 can only be described as desert classics. To take full advantage of the fine climbing these superb, long routes have to offer we recommend a maximum client to guide ratio of 2 to 1.
- Courses offered every day, mid-September through mid-May
- Customized schedules can easily be accommodated
- We offer instruction and guided climbs at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.
- We also offer the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Certification Course in Red Rock.
Andy Bourne climbing in the Sandstone Quarry area, Red Rock, NV.
Photo: Matthew Anderson
How to Register for a Rock Course
Have questions? Contact our Program Coordinators at info@aai.cc
Because we run so many rock courses and because we are so flexible about dates, we don't publish a course schedule. To register, simply call our office and discuss the dates that you want. If you want to climb with one or more other climbers, we will work to match you up with others who are at a similar level of experience.
Half Day Courses
$300 - Private
$190 - (per person) 2 people
$125 - (per person) 3 or more people
Available for Beginner and Intermediate level courses. Participants can meet their guide at the parking lot outside the entrance to the Red Rock Scenic Drive, or at any hotel within two miles of the Las Vegas Strip. Pick up time is 11am; return to the hotel by 6pm.
Full Day Course
$300 - Private
$225 - (per person) 2 people
$190 - (per person) 3 or more people
Available for Beginner, Intermediate, and Master's level courses. Participants can meet their guide at the parking lot outside the entrance to the Red Rock Scenic Drive, or at any hotel within two miles of the Las Vegas Strip. Pick up time is 8am; return to the hotel by 6pm.
Multi Day Courses
$300- (per day) Private
$210 - (per person, per day) 2 people
$170 - (per person, per day) 3 or more people
Available for Beginner, Intermediate, and Master's level courses. Participants can meet their guide at the parking lot outside the entrance to the Red Rock Scenic Drive, or at any hotel within two miles of the Las Vegas Strip. Pick up time is 8am; return to the hotel by 6pm.
Climbers on the Summit of Velvet Peak after climbing the classic route Epinephrine. Photo by Eli Schleifer
Single Pitch Instructor Certification Course
For those seeking professional certification, we offer the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Certification Course several times per year.
Red Rock Classic Routes
- Cat in the Hat: Grade III 5.6
- Olive Oil: Grade III, 5.7
- Frog Land: Grade III, 5.8
- Crimson Chrysallis: Grade IV, 5.9
- Epinephrine: Grade V, 5.9
- Rainbow Buttress: Grade IV, 5.9
- Refried Brains: Grade V, 5.9
- Black Orpheus: Grade IV, 5.9+
- Dream of Wild Turkeys: Grade III, 5.10
- Triassic Sands: Grade III, 5.10
- Eagle Dance: Grade V, 5.10, A1
Course Levels
For a complete description of beginner, intermediate and advanced course levels, see Rock Climbing Courses- Levels 1,2,3.
Camping, Lodging, Shuttle Service, and Directions
For a listing of places to camp, hotels (near Red Rock Canyon and also in Las Vegas), and directions to Red Rock Canyon, download our Red Rock Canyon Camping, Lodging, and Directions brochure (PDF).
Shuttle Service: We are able to provide transportation to and from Red
Rock Canyon from McCarran International Airport,
hotels on the strip, hotels Downtown, or hotels west
of the Strip. This service costs $20/person if there are two or more climbers, and $35/person if there is only one climber.
Graham Hamby approaches the Black Corridor area in Red Rock. Photo by John Scripps
Client Comments
"Our trip to Red Rock in March was absolutely fantastic and your guides were truly excellent. It was an adventure for everybody and we all left Nevada with some fond memories."
Dom Baker, 406th Squadron, Royal Canadian Airforce, Halifax
"My guide met and exceeded my expectations. I had expected someone who was familiar with the area and used safe climbing practices, both of which my guide did!" Karen Hartnett, Fairport, NY
"I really enjoyed my experience climbing in Red Rock Canyon,NV. My guide was smart, fun, and unbelievably well qualified, in addition to being very calm and reassuring on the more difficult routes." Cindy Wedding, Tipp City, OH
"My guide was was informative, responsible, supportive, and helped me meet my climbing goals." Mary Jumbelic, Fayetteville, NY
"Not only did my guide surpass my expectations, his knowledge and skills were such that all my questions were answered - from setting anchors for top rope to the elementary skills of setting pro andlearning to rappel. I felt my skill level was pushed in a good way! " Mark Saladino, San Francisco, CA
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Follow Up Programs
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| Alpine Mountaineering and Technical Leadership - Part 1 |
| 12 Days |
Beginner |
North Cascades, WA |
May - September |
| Acquire skills to be a rope team leader on moderate glacial terrain and a skilled second on multi-pitch rock. Climb Mt. Baker, Mt. Shuksan, Liberty Bell, and South Early Winter Spire. |
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| Carstensz Pyramid Expedition |
| 15 days |
Intermediate |
New Guinea, Jayawijaya Mountain Range |
June or September |
| Our goals on this expeditions are to ascend one of the 7 Summits and enjoy the cultural and natural environment of Papua New Guinea. |
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| China - Rock climbing in Yangshuo |
| 2 days and up |
Beginner to Advanced |
China, Guanxi Province |
October-November |
| Join us for rock climbing instruction and ascents among some of the most amazing and unusual scenery in the world. |
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| Joshua Tree, California |
| 1 Day and Up |
Beginner to Advanced |
Joshua Tree, CA |
October - April |
| Joshua is a true winter playground for climbers of all levels. The area touts high quality rock with sharp edges, abundant cracks, and a very high friction factor. Come enjoy the sun with us while perfecting your technique! |
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| Mount Whitney Skills & Ascent |
| 3-4 Days (depending on route and acclimatization) |
Beginner & Intermediate |
Eastern Sierra Nevada, CA |
June - September |
| Mount Whitney is the highest peak in the lower 48 states, and boasts several moderate rock climbs and scrambles of excellent quality granite. Avoid the crowds by climbing one of these three moderate alpine climbs. |
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| Pacific Northwest Rock Climbing |
| 1 Day and Up |
Beginner to Advanced |
Western Washington and British Columbia |
April - October |
| AAI leads rock climbing instructional courses at several locations across Western Washington - including Leavenworth, Index, and Mt. Erie - and also in Squamish, British Columbia. |
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American Alpine Institute (AAI) |
1515 12th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
info@aai.cc |
© 2007 American Alpine Institute, Ltd. All Rights Reserved
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