Lead Climbing Wanaka - Half Day

Push yourself mentally and physically by learning to lead climb in New Zealand’s premier (and most scenic) sport climbing venue.

This course teaches the essentials for leading bolted sport routes. It is also a must do for people who had a friend teach them but want to check they have good and safe techniques.

We keep our ratios small (1:4 max), so the course is tailored to you and our instructors always check what you already know (of course you may not have any lead climbing knowledge). Don’t worry if you don’t have any equipment, we provide all equipment necessary, you are welcome to use your own if you have some.

Meet your Guide at Basecamp Wanaka Climbing Centre, or we can pick you up from your Wanaka accommodation if you wish. We'll begin with a short briefing and you'll be outfitted with all the equipment you will require. 

Your guide will take you to the most suitable climbing location for the group, choosing from a range of climbs where you can learn the essentials of lead climbing. Enjoy the sun, the mountain views, and the company of your group as you climb together on the doorstep of Mt Aspiring National Park.

This course covers;
• Belaying
• Quickdraw/runner placement – how to correctly place the quickdraw on your harness and the rock.
• Clipping methods – efficient ways of clipping the rope into the quickdraw
• Safety considerations – when to clip, spotting, rope management, buddy checks

We also offer an advanced lead climbing course, where your prior skills are acknowledged and built on including safe rope changeovers and self-protected abseiling.

We'll spend the maximum possible time on the rock, so you get real value from your half day with us, learning the skills you need to keep yourself safe while lead climbing. After 3-3.5 hours of climbing, we head back to the vehicle, and we return you to our meeting point, for a well-deserved rest.