Multi-pitch and Trad Climbing Course
The Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course teaches the skills to begin to climb traditionally protected and multi-pitch rock climbs. Courses are run on the single and multi-pitch crags of Wānaka.
Location
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course](IMG-20230404-WA0000 "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 1")
The course is based at the local and easily accessible Wānaka single and multi-pitch crags.
The Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course can be tailored to the participant’s previous experience. Private courses with low ratios are great ways of developing a climbing partnership for bigger rock climbing objectives.
Multi-pitch and Trad Climbing Course Syllabus
Familiarity with ropework is important for all areas of rock climbing. From simple pitching and abseiling to safeguard short sections of a route, or for emergency rescue use. Rock climbers should first be familiar with the fundamental building blocks of knots and belaying.
Visit our Downloads page for course resources.
Syllabus includes:
- Equipment selection.
- Placing traditional protection on the crags.
- Multi-pitch skills including tactics for climbing in a pair or three.
- Anchor configurations, belaying, stance management, and techniques for protecting the anchor for multi-pitch climbing.
- Descent and abseiling systems.
- Vertical upwards and downwards rescue including, escaping the system, load transfers, lowering, raising
Shortened private courses can be tailored to individual goals.
Prerequisites
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Alpine Rock Climbing Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NDczOjMwODk=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 2")
Participants should have some previous rock climbing or experience.
Participants require experience roping, and with knots such as Figure-8, Clove Hitch, and Italian Hitch.
Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course Details and Pricing
| Duration: 2 days |
| Maximum ratio 1:2 |
| 2025/26 Group course dates: 26th – 29th January 2026 23rd – 24th February 2026 Get in touch to arrange private dates from November to April. |
| 2025/26 Price: |
| 2 days: $1980 / $980 / $790 per person for 1 / 2 / 3 people. Includes: GST, guide fees, compliance costs, technical equipment, and transport from Wānaka. Excludes: Lunch, snacks and dinners, accommodation in Wānaka, rock shoe hire (if required). |
See Also
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Winter Mountaineering Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTIwOjMxODU=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNzY4IDEwMjQiIHdpZHRoPSI3NjgiIGhlaWdodD0iMTAyNCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 5")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTI1OjE5Nzc=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCAxMDI0IiB3aWR0aD0iMTAyNCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxMDI0IiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg== "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 6")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Summer Mountaineering Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NTI5OjMyMzU=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 7")
‘A great knowledgeable instructor. He made sure each participant understood the material. Friendly and made you feel comfortable asking any questions. I would highly recommend [the guide] and would love to be a part of another one of his instructional courses.’
— Tom, Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course
‘[Our guide] was an outstanding teacher. Very patient, knowledgeable, and an excellent communicator. The course was engaging and I learnt loads! We spent a day at the Wānaka crags to get our rope work sorted and then moved onto the snow on the second day to put all our skills to work. [I’m] feeling more confident now, and highly recommend this course to anyone interested in crevasse rescue.’
— Danielle, Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course
‘[Our guide] was really knowledgeable but also very realistic and sensible regarding what we needed to know and focusing on the common and more simple things. He was very patient with us when at times we got a bit muddled! He was a fantastic instructor.’
— Biz, Glacier Travel and Crevasse Rescue Course
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Technical Rope Skills Course](IMG-20220916-WA0008 "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 8")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Alpine Rock Climbing Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzE4OjIzOTE=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjgzIDkxMSIgd2lkdGg9IjY4MyIgaGVpZ2h0PSI5MTEiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PC9zdmc+ "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 9")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Alpine Rock Climbing Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzIyOjMwODM=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMTAyNCA3NjgiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDI0IiBoZWlnaHQ9Ijc2OCIgeG1sbnM9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cudzMub3JnLzIwMDAvc3ZnIj48L3N2Zz4= "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 10")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Alpine Rock Climbing Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzI2OjIzOTE=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjgzIDkxMSIgd2lkdGg9IjY4MyIgaGVpZ2h0PSI5MTEiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PC9zdmc+ "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 11")
![Wanaka Rock Climbing [] Wanaka Mountain Guides](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzMwOjE0NTE=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgMjU2MCAxOTIwIiB3aWR0aD0iMjU2MCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxOTIwIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg== "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 12")
![Wanaka Mountain Guides [] Alpine Rock Climbing Course](data:image/svg+xml;nitro-empty-id=NzM0OjIzOTE=-1;base64,PHN2ZyB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNjgzIDkxMSIgd2lkdGg9IjY4MyIgaGVpZ2h0PSI5MTEiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+PC9zdmc+ "Multipitch and Trad Climbing Course 13")