Moab Rock Climbing – Guided Rock Climbing

 

A world-class climbing destination, Moab is a playground of adventure for desert climbers, offering some of the best crack routes and towers a climber could ask for. With a huge variety of options to choose from, the Moab area is an excellent choice for beginner to advanced climbers looking for either single or multi-pitch routes. From the roadside cracks of Wall Street, to the sport climbs of the Ice Cream Parlor and River Road, to climbing towers in Castle Valley, there is something for all abilities and interests.

We recommend several trip options, including Desert Crack Clinics, Best 4 Days in Moab, Desert Tower Tour, and Full-Day Single or Multi-Pitch Climbing. (See tabs below for more info!). Route grades range from moderate to 5.13 and harder, and our AMGA trained or certified guides can accommodate all levels of experience.

We recommend the spring and fall for climbing in the desert. Spring (late March through June) is characterized by long days and mild weather, while fall (September through early November) offers cool temperatures and the most stable weather.

If you’re unsure where to begin or where you’d like to climb, please contact our office and we’ll design the ideal trip for your experience level, goals, and objectives. This magnificent desert landscape has enchanted climbers for generations, and we hope you can join us for an amazing climbing experience!

Moab Rock Climbing

  • River Road
  • Wall Street
  • Ice Cream Parlor
  • Ancient Art
  • Castle Valley
  • And more!

Climbing Trip Options

  • Desert Crack Clinic – Spring 2026
    • April 11-12 & 18-19
    • May 2-3 & 9-10
  • Best 4 Days in Moab
  • Desert Tower Tour
  • Full-Day Single or Multi-Pitch Climbing
  • See tabs below for more info!

Desert Crack Clinic (Spring 2026) - Register

Also check out our guided rock climbing trips in Telluride & Ouray and Black Canyon of the Gunnison!

To book a Best Four Days in Moab, Desert Tower Tour or a Full-Day Climbing trip, please contact the Mountain Trip office at [email protected] or (970) 369-1153.

Desert Crack Clinic

Whether you are a seasoned sport climber or budding trad climber, expanding your crack climbing technique can be a critical next step in your progression. A grasp of basic crack climbing fundamentals will open the door to routes that require the use of natural features and weaknesses, from desert towers to alpine granite. For those looking to bolster their crack climbing skillset, there are few classrooms better than southeastern Utah. The Navajo and Wingate sandstone of Moab is characterized by vertical cliffs fractured by smooth, parallel-sided cracks that demand a well-rounded skillset to climb efficiently. Our guides will start at the bottom, covering the basic fundamentals of crack technique, providing feedback and allowing you to refine newly learned skills over the course of our two-day Desert Crack Clinic.

Climber Ability Requirements

  • Tie a figure-eight follow through knot
  • Climb 5.10 on top-rope, indoor or outdoor
  • Properly top-rope belay

What to Bring

  • Comfortable lace-up or slip-on climbing shoes; avoid aggressive sport shoes with Velcro
  • Harness
  • Helmet
  • Chalk bag
  • Crack gloves and/or a roll of climbing tape
  • Medium to large crag pack or backpack
  • Lunch, snacks, and water for a full day in the field
  • Adequate layers for sun and shade (long pants recommended)
  • Sunscreen and sunglasses
Daily Itinerary

Our daily itinerary is customizable and subject to change, depending on specific venue, number of participants, and weather. The clinic will consist of two 8-hour days, at a 4:1 climber-to-guide ratio. Our time in the field will consist of short ground-school lessons, with the majority of the day being dedicated to employing techniques on-route in a single-pitch setting, allowing for feedback, coaching, and refinement. Crack climbing can be strenuous, especially while learning! With this in mind, we structure our days to allow time to rest and focus on ground-school topics in between our time on the rock. We will start each day in Moab, at a convenient meeting location dependent on the final venue selection. Clinic participants will then carpool/caravan to the crag (15-35 minute drive). Shady Crag, Wallstreet, and Maverick Buttress are areas that we frequent for our clinics.

General Topics Covered

  • Environmental considerations: Leave No Trace ethics specific to sensitive desert environments
  • Warming up for desert crack climbing
  • Making tape gloves
  • Route selection and considerations
  • Equipment and shoe selection
  • Route-finding and strategy

Crack Climbing Technique

Although participants will gain exposure to the full spectrum of jamming techniques from fingers to fist-sized cracks, we will generally focus on hand-sized cracks, as this technique will become the foundation of a climber’s movement skillset. Our instructor(s) will teach hand and foot jamming technique in an approachable ground-school setting, followed by an opportunity for participants to take their newfound skills to the rock.

Additional Topics Will Include

  • Footwork and jamming technique from finger- to fist-sized cracks
  • Resting techniques and body position
  • Gear placement and cleaning considerations

On the Rock

  • Routes will be selected that are appropriate for the specific techniques being learned
  • Instructors will demonstrate core crack climbing techniques on-route
  • Participants will take turns belaying and climbing, while instructors provide feedback and coaching

Day 1

  • Meet in Moab and drive to the climbing venue
  • Environmental considerations: Leave No Trace ethics specific to sensitive desert environments.
  • Warm-up techniques
  • Making tape gloves/crack glove selection
  • Equipment and shoe selection
  • Route selection and route-finding
  • Intro to jamming, ground school session
  • Top-rope session on hand-sized cracks
  • Body position

Day 2

  • Meet in Moab and drive to the climbing venue
  • Review of hand-sized crack technique
  • AM top-rope session with instructor feedback
  • How to rest, place, and clean protection
  • Review of finger and fist crack technique
  • Top-rope session on difficult crack sizes, or continued refinement of hand-sized crack technique
  • Progression, next steps!

Best 4 Days in Moab

Have you scrolled through pictures of Castleton Tower and The Rectory, and dreamt of climbing them but aren’t sure where to start? Do you have more than just a weekend to spend in one of North America’s most enchanting rock climbing venues? Our Best 4 Days in Moab trip is an ideal place to start! Beginning by sampling a combination of crags around Moab, we’ll fill in any gaps you have in your crack technique, and then, if you’re ready, we’ll attempt Castleton Tower or any other appropriate objective you have in mind.

Below is our suggested itinerary, however, this trip is 100% customizable based on your personal goals. By spending almost a week with us, your guide will get to know you and be better able to craft an experience that’s just right for you.

Day 1
The first day will typically be spent at Wall Street, a great venue with a wide variety of options. Here we can sort out you or your group’s ability, teach any number of skills related to movement or systems, and get a feel for how the rest of the itinerary will flow.

Day 2
The second day is often spent at a local crag in the Moab area, usually learning to hone in your crack climbing technique. An indoctrination into featureless parallel sided cracks is a process often described as, well, difficult. That’s why you’re with us, right? We can take you step-by-step through the skills needed to build your confidence in crack climbing technique and make the experience more enjoyable as a whole.

Rest Day
Even those of us who live for climbing understand the value of a rest day. There are numerous activities to check out in and around Moab: hiking, mountain biking, canyoneering, Arches National Park, and much more. If you’re a warrior with limited vacation time, we’re happy to run this program as four consecutive days.

Day 4
This day varies. Sometimes we check out a new crag around Moab to continue dialing in crack technique, or, if you’re feeling ready, we sample one of the many excellent multi-pitch routes in the area.

Day 5
You’ve spent the whole week preparing for this day—the final objective. There are any number of towers to climb, from the famed Castleton Tower to lesser-known objectives, like Parriott Mesa, as well as a variety of other multi-pitch routes.

Desert Tower Tour

Desert towers are one of the most coveted experiences a climber could ask for. You’ve likely seen a photo of the iconic skyline of Castle Valley, home to some of the world’s most dramatic desert towers. It’s difficult to describe the feeling of standing on top of such a feature! And we would be thrilled to offer you the opportunity to have this incredible experience.

Our Desert Tower Tour is fully customizable, where you can choose from a single day to a multiple day adventure. We recommend taking a long weekend and checking off a tower a day with one of our guides! There are dozens of towers to choose from, but below is a short list of the most popular options.

Castleton Tower

The most famous route on this iconic tower is Kor Ingalls. A slightly lesser known, but exceptionally popular moderate route is the North Chimney at a moderate grade of 5.9. Perhaps the most classic route is the North Face. At solid 5.11- it’s not the choice for most inaugural trips up Castleton, but if you have the crack climbing skills, this is by far one of the best routes in Castle Valley.

The Rectory

There are no easy routes up The Rectory. However, if 5.11 finger locks are your “jam” then you’ll be psyched on Fine Jade, 5.11a. With consistently engaging pitches with good protection and the best possible position imaginable, this is absolutely one of our favorite climbs on the planet! Honeymoon Chimney, 5.10, is anther spectacular route to be had here.

Ancient Art

This is easily one of the craziest summits in the world. Standing on top of this twisted, some say teetering, uber-famous tower is an experience of a lifetime. Stolen Chimney, at 5.10 A0, is the standard route to ascend this iconic tower.

Inclusions and Exclusions

Included in the Trip Fee:

• Guidance of our highly experienced, AMGA trained Mountain Trip guides.

• All necessary protective equipment where it is required.

• Assistance arranging post-trip activities in the area.


Not Included in the Trip Fee:

• Travel to and from Moab.

• Accommodations in Moab.

• Personal clothing and equipment per our equipment list. (Please, just ask us if you need anything!)

• Travel and/or rescue insurance.

• Costs incurred due to evacuation or unplanned departure from the area due to illness or other problems.

• Costs incurred as a result of delays beyond the control of Mountain Trip.

• Costs as a result of force majeure.

Refunds and Cancellations

Mountain Trip recognizes how difficult and disappointing it can be for guests who must cancel trips. Guests must also recognize that, due to the nature of planning trips and contracting guides for specific dates, Mountain Trip also accrues significant expenses in organizing our excursions. We must therefore adhere to a strict refund policy for all guests.

We require 100% payment at the time of booking and at least 72 hours’ notice for cancellations and rescheduling of activities. If you would like to purchase travel insurance to protect a trip in case of last-minute cancellations, you can do so via Travel Guard HERE.

We are happy to work with you to reschedule to a new date, or if you need to cancel entirely, we will provide a full refund with a minimum of 72 hours’ notice. If you cancel inside of 72 hours ahead of a trip departure, or do not show up, you will not be refunded and will have to reschedule by paying full price.

All requests for refunds must be made in writing and received in our Colorado office. No refunds will be provided for cancellations occurring within the last three days prior to the scheduled date of a trip.

Mountain Trip reserves the right to cancel a trip prior to the departure date for any reason. In such an event, all monies collected by Mountain Trip from trip participants shall be promptly refunded. This is the extent of our financial liability.

Weather Cancellations

We, Mountain Trip and our guides, reserve the right to make all weather-related decisions in regards to the cancellation of trips.

The following is a list of guide-recommended gear for Moab Rock Climbing with Mountain Trip. For Moab trips, we will provide all technical climbing equipment, with the exception of helmets, harnesses, and rock climbing shoes. Climbers are required to bring and use their own gear upon inspection by one of our guides.

Whatever gear you choose, please make sure it fits well so you fully enjoy your experience in the desert.

In addition to what we provide and have available to rent, there is also a good selection of gear available in Moab. If you have any specific questions about what you might need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Mountain Trip office.

Print Equipment

Footwear

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Trekking Shoes or Boots for ColoradoComfortable, well broken in trekking shoes or lightweight boots will work for approaching climbs, the Telluride Via Ferrata or climbing 14ers. Good traction is important for all of the above. Contact our office for more detailed advice!

Torso Layers

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Light Fleece HoodyLight/mid weight fleece (or wool) top with a hood. You will wear this over your light weight base layer.
Rain Jacket for ColoradoA rain shell can be your most important layer as we often experience afternoon showers during the summer months in Colorado. It should be packable and in good working order meaning that, in addition to being waterproof, it still has a functional water repellent finish and beads water on the surface of the fabric.

Leg Layers

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Lightweight Softshell Trekking PantsA lightweight synthetic softshell pant is a great layer that you'll wear every day on a trek or for an ascent of a peak. These are water resistant, breathable and comfortable in a wide range of weather and temps.

Head and Hands

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
SunglassesSunglasses are essential in the mountains. Choose a pair that are comfortable and provide 100% UVA and UVB protection.

Packs and Duffels

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Climbing PackSuitable climbing packs will be 30 - 45 liters in volume and have the capability of easily attaching crampons, and ice axes if used for a day of ice climbing or if needed for a peak ascent. For a day climbs, any pack in the 30 - 45 liter range will work, but we recommend that you consider the weight of the pack carefully. Overnight, alpine routes require larger (45L) packs that also let you strap your sleeping pad to the outside.

Climbing Gear

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
Climbing HelmetMake certain it fits over your warmest hat and under the hood of your shell. The super-lightweight foam helmets are great, but can get crushed in your duffel bags during travel, so protect your lid!
Climbing HarnessClimbing harness with a bit of padding and some good gear loops.
Carabiners2 locking carabiners and 2 non-locking carabiners. (4 total)
Belay/Rappel DeviceA plaquette style belay/rappel device.

Other

GearDescriptionGuide's Pick
CameraMost climbers these days use their phone as a camera, but if you plan to bring a dedicated camera, consider a small, light weight point and shoot camera. If you are a photography buff and really want to bring a DSLR, plan for that extra weight with your training!
Lip BalmBring a tube of quality lip balm with sun protection (SPF).
SunscreenThe sun can be intense in Colorado, so please apply high SPF sunscreen prior to your trip and bring a small tube along to reapply during the day.
Water BottleBring a bottle with water in it! 1 liter is a minimum for day trips.
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