Indoor Climbing Intro (Indoor Step 1)
Our friendly, knowledgeable instructors will guide you through your first climbing experience. Get hooked on this fun and challenging sport in a 2.5-hour lesson while learning all the skills needed to pass a top-rope belay test at any facility in the city. The emphasis is on climbing safely while having fun. Prerequisite: none. Includes: certified instructor and all climbing equipment.
Intro to Lead Climbing (Indoor Step 2)
In this 2.5-hour course, our friendly, knowledgeable instructors will guide you through your first lead climbing experience.
Building on your strong foundation of top-roping climbing and belaying skills, take your climbing to the next level by learning the skills and knowledge required to pass a lead belay test at city gyms.
This is a great introduction to lead climbing indoors or a foundation for taking a full-day course outside.
Prerequisite: Must have a strong foundation in top-rope climbing and top-rope belay systems, and be comfortable top-rope climbing 5.10- indoors.
It is recomended that have passed a top-rope belay test before taking this course.
If you are unsure if you meet the prerequisites, please contact us at ocprograms@ucalgary.ca prior to registering.
Includes: certified instructor and climbing equipment included (if needed).
Geckos
This beginner, play-based program introduces young climbers to the wonderful world of vertical adventures, focusing on building confidence and physical literacy. Through fun-filled bouldering activities and games, participants will develop essential skills in a safe and fun environment. Our kid-oriented instructors prioritize safety and ensure that every session is brimming with fun and learning. Most lessons will take place on the bouldering wall, with exciting excursions to the roped wall where our instructors will handle the belaying. Come join us and let your little ones get active, build confidence, and discover the sheer joy of climbing!
Mountain Kids
This beginner climbing series is designed to ignite the excitement of being active and discovering new heights. For kids aged 7-11, this program combines play-based top rope climbing and bouldering to develop fundamental movement skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Kids will learn to belay, climb with confidence, and explore their limits in a safe, structured setting. Join us and watch your child's confidence soar as they reach new heights!
We are unable to accommodate climbers under 7 years old in this program.
Youth Climbing Club
Unleash your potential with our exciting climbing series for youth aged 12-17! Develop body awareness, coordination, and strength while having a blast in our weekly sessions. Our passionate coaches will guide you through essential climbing and belaying techniques, ensuring you build confidence and skills safely. No prior experience is needed—just bring your enthusiasm and embark on an unforgettable climbing adventure!
Adaptive Climbing Programs
Join us for a fun climbing session, tailored to individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities! Our goal is to create a welcoming and positive environment where participants can build their climbing skills and confidence under the guidance of our certified instructors. Through personalized instruction, participants will learn basic climbing techniques and skills that work best for their individual capabilities, ensuring a fulfilling experience for everyone.
All participants must have an aide, family member, or a friend register and attend the lesson with them. The Adaptive Climbing Program by the University of Calgary is a Calgary Adapted Hub Powered by Jumpstart program. The Calgary Adapted Hub is a collective of 12 Calgary-based organizations, including the University of Calgary. The Calgary Adapted Hub is committed to providing quality inclusive and accessible sport and recreation programs for all children in Calgary. To ensure our programs are achieving this goal, our team is evaluating the impact of this program on aspects of health and wellbeing, quality of life, economic impact, and social inclusion. Our study has been approved by the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB18-0292) and Mount Royal University’s Human Research Ethics Board (102684). Once you are registered in the program, a qualified member of the CAH research team will contact you, providing you information about the study so you may make an informed decision about whether you would like to take part in the program evaluation.
If you would like to reach out to the CAH research team please contact Leticia Janzen at
cah.research@ucalgary.ca or
403.955.5736.