Colorado offers some of the best rock climbing in the world! From Mountain Trip’s HQ in Telluride and Ouray, our expert rock climbing guides spend their days climbing and instructing in several of the top rock climbing venues in the U.S. Our Best 3 Days Colorado Rock Climbing trip will give you the skills to take your rock climbing to the next level, while experiencing some of the most premier rock routes in southwest Colorado and the San Juan Mountains.
Who Should Do the Best 3 Days Trip?
This trip is designed for anyone who wants to improve at rock climbing, from complete beginners to seasoned veterans. No matter your experience level, our guides and instructors design each individual trip to meet your particular desires. Our rock climbing guides are passionate and experienced climbers with intimate knowledge of all kinds of terrain, from easier routes that are best for teaching beginners how to climb, to harder routes that teach advanced skills like crack climbing and overhanging climbing techniques. If you have a particular route in mind, we’ll build up your skills over the trip to accomplish your goal, and if you just want to go climbing, our guides will pick the best routes. We create a stress-free learning environment so you can focus on having fun and developing your skills.
What Happens on the Best 3 Days Trip?
On Day 1, your guide will get to know you and your climbing goals. Climbing a variety of single-pitch routes, you’ll receive movement and technical skills development on fun routes that align with your long-term climbing dreams. On Day 2, your guide will pick a classic multi-pitch route that will focus on technical rope skills, multi-pitch techniques, and enjoyable climbing. Getting high off the ground, you’ll experience the thrill of multi-pitch climbing and start to assemble the various skills required to climb longer routes. On Day 3, your guide will choose a longer and more challenging multi-pitch route that will put your skills to the test.
Where Should You Do the Best 3 Days Trip?
Telluride is home to some of the best crack and face climbing in Colorado, with options for all types of climbers from beginners to experts high in the pristine San Juan Mountains. Ouray is a sport climbing mecca, with most routes requiring face climbing technique on sheer walls of steep canyons. Unaweep Canyon near Grand Junction has some of the best granite climbing in the west. If you’re not sure where to climb, call us and we’ll help you choose a destination.
Mountain Trip’s rock climbing guides are trained or certified through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA), and are among the best climbers in the business. They have guided climbers all over the world from Colorado and Utah, to Canada and Mexico, the Alaska Range, the Alps, and beyond. We emphasize fun and secure instruction, and cultivate an inclusive and non-competitive learning environment, to help you reach your goals and have a great time on all of our trips.
Contact Us with Questions or Private Trip Inquiries
If you are unsure about what and where to climb, or have any questions, please contact the Mountain Trip office at [email protected] or (970) 369-1153.
Day 1: Movement Technique and Single-Pitch Climbing. Today, your guide will ask about your goals and formulate a plan to help you get there. Then you’ll hit the crag and work on climbing techniques like smearing, edging, jamming, laybacking, stemming, chimneying, sidepulling, backstepping and more, as you hone your climbing skills. You’ll also cover basic rope techniques like belaying, lowering, and rappelling, in additional to learning all about climbing equipment. For more experienced climbers, your guide will focus on your learning goals to tailor the lesson to your ability.
Day 2: Classic Multi-Pitch Climbing. On this day, your guide will choose a classic multi-pitch climbing route that will allow you to climb way off the ground and into the sky. The goal is to learn or practice multi-pitch rope techniques, belaying, team communication, and technical descents like short-roping or rappelling.
Day 3: Longer Multi-Pitch Climbing Objective. On the third and final day, we’ll choose a challenging multi-pitch route that will combine all of the skills we’ve practiced on the trip, including movement and technical rope skills. This memorable climb will be a culmination of everything you’ve learned so far, and it will also set the table for climbing adventures yet to come!
Inclusions and Exclusions for Best 3 Days Colorado Rock Climbing
Included in the Trip Fee:
Guidance of our highly experienced 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 southwest Colorado.
Personal clothing and equipment per our equipment list. (Please, just ask us if you need anything!)
Accommodations in Colorado.
Travel and/or rescue insurance. (The CORSAR card is an inexpensive way to reimburse local rescue groups for costs incurred during a rescue in Colorado.)
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.
Participants must fit our rated equipment in order to participate on rock climbing trips. We use the Black Diamond Momentum Harness, which goes up to a 41-inch waist. If any individual does not fit the equipment we provide, they will not be able to attend.
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 Best 3 Days Colorado Rock Climbing with Mountain Trip. We will happily provide all technical equipment, including helmets, harnesses, and rock climbing shoes. Climbers are also welcome to 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 mountains.
In addition to what we provide and have available to rent, there is also a good selection of gear available in Telluride and Ouray. If you have any specific questions about what you might need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Mountain Trip office.
Comfortable, 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!
A 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.
A 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.
Suitable 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.
Make 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!
Most 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 Balm
Bring a tube of quality lip balm with sun protection (SPF).
Sunscreen
The 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 Bottle
Bring a bottle with water in it! 1 liter is a minimum for day trips.
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Beautiful scenery, and exciting climbing. Our guide Boaz was flexible with start time, friendly and professional. This is the second via ferrata we have done with mountain trip and highly recommend them.
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Fionahstaff
Aug 2024
Our guide Jessi was awesome , super nice , helpful and picked the perfect climbing routes for us. We did enjoy it so much that we extend from half day to full day. Jessi was also recommended some hikes and it just felt like we are climbing with friend we know. We will come definatelly back ! Thank you !!!
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912lenkae
Aug 2024
I can't praise this crew enough! From Dan in the office answering all of my gear questions so patiently, to Chris our amazing guide, everyone we interacted with was knowledgable and professional. Such an amazing experience - we would book another adventure with them in a heartbeat!
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Lisa B.
Jul 2024
My son had a FANTASTIC time. Kaylee was knowledgeable and supportive and he learned a ton. He was glowing at the end and couldn’t wait to tell us all about it. Also, the main office was totally helpful when I made an initial mistake with the booking. We would definitely use them again.
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Rebecca D.
Jul 2024
Mountain Trip is hands down one of the best guide services I have ever used. Our guide Carly was absolutely awesome. I can’t wait to book my next adventure with them the next time I’m in Telluride.
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Stay08524444327
Feb 2024
We had one of our most favorite days in Telluride thanks to Grant and mountain trip. Our family of four went rock climbing and it was epic! Grant was so encouraging and knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Our little boys loved it as much as we did - I highly recommend!!
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Gigi S.
Aug 2023
We did a morning family climbing trip with Grant. He was great with kids and we had a fantastic time! The kids wanted to climb longer! I highly recommend it!
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Albert P.
Jul 2023
This is a first rate company who cares immensely for their climbers, their guides, and the natural resource of the mountain!
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ajltraveler2018
Jun 2023
Fantastic experience it’s a wonderful adventure if you’re willing to climb some rocks and cross over a river! Our guide Jason was super helpful and kind! He demonstrated the proper use of a rest loop and it’ll save your arms in the long run trust me! The course itself isn’t stressful and for the most part very mild until the end. If your feeling extra adventurous and still have some strength climb the skywall it’s intense and fun!
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Justin L.
Aug 2022
Fischer and Dave were the best, most knowledgeable mountain activity guides I have ever met. They gave our entire group of 8 a fun and information packed half day. These guys could be doing just about anything with a wide array of knowledge and genuine personalities. Thankfully they have chosen to guide in the great outdoors. And Mountain Trip was great to work with. Easy to follow website, email communications and every detail covered. We had complete novices and experienced rock climbers in our group and we ALL felt very safe and still all had a great adventure doing something we had never done. Highly Highly recommend going ice climbing if you have not and if you can get Fischer and Dave to take you, even better.
