Climbing Programs, Lessons, and Group Bookings

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Programs | Climbing Lessons | Private | Group Bookings | Booking Requests | Climbing Drop-in Calendar

Our programs cater to people of all climbing abilities, from beginner to advanced level athletes.

We are driven by a passion for climbing and a commitment to promoting the benefits of climbing as a lifestyle. Our Climbing Gym Instructors are experts in everything from basic bouldering to highwall belaying and lead climbing.

Programs

Programs registration fees include:

  • Facility access (Wilson Climbing Centre, changerooms)
  • Equipment rentals (shoes, harnesses, belay devices, chalk)
  • Regular scheduled classes for each course
  • Certified instruction

Bouldering 101

Unlock the basics of bouldering! Over four weeks, learn the techniques, rules, and strategies for this dynamic style of climbing. No experience necessary.

Learn more + register

Highwalling 101

Ready to scale the high walls? Highwalling 101 is perfect for climbers looking to transition from bouldering to top rope climbing. Learn essential techniques over this four-week course.

Learn to Lead

Our certified instructors will guide you through dynamic belaying, clipping techniques, and taking and catching a fall.

Learn to Top Rope

In this course, we will cover everything you will need to know to safely ascend our top rope walls.

Youth Climbing

Our youth series is an engaging blend of education, physical fitness, mental toughness, and fun.

Climbing Lessons + Group Bookings

Book private lessons (1-3 participants), school groups (4-32 participants), experiential group visits (4-32 participants) or skill-based groups (4-16 participants).

For bookings with more than 32 people, or to have the entire facility for your group, the Climbing Centre can also be rented for exclusive use with or without instruction (additional staffing fees will apply if rented outside of normal operational hours).

Private Lessons | 1-3 participants

  • Climbing Gym Instructor included
  • Equipment included
  • Activity options:
    • Facility orientation, rules, and safety precautions
    • Novice to advanced technique/skill lesson
    • Top rope belay school (requires 2 participants minimum)
    • Lead climbing/belaying (requires 2 participants minimum)

Rates

  • 1 participant: $70 / hour
  • 2 participants: $130 / hour
  • 3 participants: $180 / hour

Group Bookings

$130 two-hour facility booking fee (plus $50/hour for each additional hour of booking) plus a participant fee depending on the type of booking. The facility booking fee includes:

  • 2 hours of staff instruction
  • 30 minutes for instructor prep, set-up, and take-down

Booking a climbing session includes instructor(s) (at a ratio of ~8 participants per 1 instructor) and all necessary rental equipment (e.g., shoes, chalk, harnesses).

The Centre requires a minimum of 2 weeks’ notice when requesting a booking. Urgent requests may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

School Group | 4-32 participants

$130 facility booking fee plus $10/student participant fee.

  • Non-recurring, experiential OR skill-based session for non-post-secondary school groups only (i.e., elementary, junior high, high school)
  • Wilson Climbing Centre staff supervision/highwall belays included
  • Equipment included
  • Activity options:
    • Facility orientation, rules, and safety precautions
    • Climbing movement fundamental lesson
    • Introduction to boulder problems
    • Climbing games/free bouldering
    • Staff belays in the highwall loft
    • Lead climbing demo

Experiential | 4-32 participants

$130 facility booking fee plus $20/student participant fee.

  • Wilson Climbing Centre staff supervision/highwall belays included
  • Equipment included
  • Activity options:
    • Facility orientation, rules, and safety precautions
    • Climbing movement fundamental lesson
    • Introduction to boulder problems
    • Climbing games/free bouldering
    • Staff belays in the highwall loft
    • Lead climbing demo

Skill-Based | 4-16 participants

$130 facility booking fee plus $30/student participant fee.

  • Wilson Climbing Centre staff supervision/instruction included
  • Equipment included
  • Activity options:
    • Facility orientation, rules, and safety precautions
    • Novice to advanced technique/skill lesson
    • Top rope OR Lead belay school (Lead requires >6 months experience top roping; all participants must have a current top rope check from the Wilson Climbing Centre in order to book a lead belay session)

Booking Requests

Email climbing@ualberta.ca if you have any further inquiries about your private lesson or group booking request.

Bookable Times + Days

While you may book a private lesson or group session at any time, the best time to book a climbing session is in the morning on weekdays or weekends, before we open to the public (before 11:00 a.m. on weekdays and 12:00 p.m. on weekends).

If you choose to book during our public drop-in hours (11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, and 12:00 - 6:00 p.m. on weekends), you will be sharing the space with an unknown number of drop-in climbers.

Please note that due to Summer Youth Camps and Climbing Programs, July and August booking requests will be extremely limited.