Climbing

Brand new to bouldering? Still need some pointers? Go beyond our walkthrough with a guided bouldering session. Spend an hour with a climbing coach and get started on the right track.

• Duration: Thursdays from 6p-7p, Saturdays from 10a-11p*

• Price: $20 per participant
• Notes:
• There is maximum of 5 people per class. First come, first served.
• Facility admission and rental fees are additional, should those things apply to you.
• Participants must be 14 years or older (exceptions will be considered).

*Special reservations are available for $30. Please allow about a week to schedule. There must be at least 2 participants.

REGISTER NOW

Want to learn how to top-rope belay? This introductory course will teach you how to tie your knots and how to belay, so you, your friends, and your family can enjoy roped climbing together.

• Duration: Tuesdays & Fridays from 6p-7p*

• Price: $20 per participant
• Notes:
• There is maximum of 6 people per class. First come, first served.
• Facility admission and rental fees are additional, should those things apply to you.
• Participants must be 14 years or older (exceptions will be considered).

*Special reservations are available for $30. Please allow about a week to schedule. There must be at least 2 participants.

REGISTER NOW

ASCEND climbing coaches are excited to host climbing workshops primarily focused on singular topics or pushing through specific plateaus.

• Duration: TBA
• Price: TBA
• Notes:
• TBA

COMING SOON

A 4-week session designed to introduce a brand-new climber to the indoor adaptation of the sport. An instructor will cover climbing technique, lingo, bouldering, top-roping, belaying, training for climbing, and more! While anyone is welcome to join, this broad, introductory course was developed with beginner climbers in mind to give them the confidence needed to have fun, be safe, and make friends in the gym. Participants must be 14 years or older. Interested in Youth Climbing 101? Click HERE.

• Duration: Sessions start on the first Wednesday of each month, 6p-8p (attending all classes is strongly recommended).
• Price: $150 guests | $100 members
• Included:
• Four, 2-hour sessions of small group instruction.
• Membership for the calendar month the sessions are held.
• Rental gear for entire month.
• 10% off in ASCEND retail shop.

REGISTER NOW

In addition to reviewing all topics in Sport Climbing 1, students will be introduced to lead belaying with a GRIGRI, cleaning, lowering, and common sport climbing anchors. Note: Leading on ASCEND's top-rope wall is not allowed outside of this class.

• Goals: To prepare students for outdoor sport climbing.
• Duration: Offered monthly on select Saturdays or Sundays
• Cost: $60 members | $70 guests
• Prerequisites:
• Sport Climbing 1 or equivalent experience 

REGISTER NOW

Connect with the Pittsburgh women’s climbing community AND learn to build and clean sport anchors, practice clipping bolts and learn how to take and catch lead falls in a controlled environment.

• Goals: To prepare for indoor and outdoor sport climbing and to connect female climbers in a positive environment.
• Duration: Offered Saturday, February 23 from 10a-3p
• Cost: $75 members | $85 guests
• Prerequisites:
• Identify as a woman
• Are green tag belay certified at ASCEND. Some lead belay experience is preferred, but not required.
• Are interested in transitioning to outdoor climbing or getting ready for indoor lead walls... coming to Pittsburgh soon!

REGISTER NOW

Connect with the Pittsburgh women’s climbing community while learning multi-pitch climbing skills including: belaying from above, communication and rope management, rappelling, and necessary knots and hitches.

• Goals: To prepare for outdoor multi-pitch climbing and to connect female climbers in a positive environment.
• Duration: Offered Sunday, February 24 from 10a-3p
• Cost: $75 members | $85 guests
• Prerequisites:
• Identify as a woman
• Are green tag belay certified at ASCEND. Some lead belay experience is preferred, but not required.
• Are interested in learning outdoor multi-pitch climbing skills in a controlled environment.

REGISTER NOW

This trip is designed for participants new to climbing outside. Sure, you might be able to boulder V7, but roped climbing outside is quite different in terms of technique and safety. If you've never climbed outside or need a refresher, this entry-level outdoor climbing class will leave you feeling more comfortable and ready to take the next step.

• Goals: Participants will learn how to rappel and how to climb outside using a top-rope system.
• Duration: Offered on select Saturdays from 9a - 3p (rain day is always scheduled for the next day on Sunday)
• Cost: $135 members | $150 guests | $95 youth
• Equipment: Harness, shoes, helmet required, but if you're without, we got you covered free of charge!
• Prerequisites:
• ASCEND Green Belay Tag (if 14 and up)
• Comfortably climb 5.6

REGISTER NOW

Have you ever wanted to know how that rope you're tied into is secured at the top of the cliff? This trip is designed for participants with some experience climbing outside who will be introduced to anchor building and other self-sufficiency skills - the key to begin exploring the world through climbing.

• Goals: Participants will learn how to rig top-ropes in common situations and will also be introduced to related rope-climbing techniques.
• Duration: Offered on select Saturdays from 9a - 3p (rain day is always scheduled for the next day on Sunday)
• Cost: $160 members | $175 guests
• Equipment: Harness, shoes, helmet required, but if you're without, we got you covered free of charge!
• Prerequisites:
• ASCEND Green Belay Tag
• Outdoor Climbing 1 or speak to comparable experience
• Comfortably climb 5.6
• Participants must be 18 years or older

REGISTER NOW

Are you interested in learning the fundamentals of multi-pitch climbing? In this 6-hour outdoor class you will learn the skills necessary to be a competent follower in a multi-pitch environment at a crag local to Pittsburgh. Skills covered are belaying a lead climber building a suitable anchor for rappelling, how to do an extended rappel with an auto-block backup, and how to belay a climber from a top anchor.

• Goals: Participants will learn how to lead belay, build suitable anchors for rappelling, advanced rapelling techniqes, and how to belay from the top
• Duration: Offered on select Saturdays from 9a - 3p (rain day is always scheduled for the next day on Sunday)
• Cost: $160 members | $175 guests
• Equipment: Harness, shoes, helmet required, but if you're without, we got you covered free of charge!
• Prerequisites:
• ASCEND Green Belay Tag
• Outdoor Climbing 1 or speak to comparable experience
• Comfortably climb 5.6
• Participants must be 18 years or older

REGISTER NOW

Are you comfortably climbing 10- routes in the gym and ready to take your climbing to the next level? In this 6-hour outdoor class you will learn how to belay a lead climber, how to lead climb, how to set up an anchor on a bolted route, and how to clean an anchor and lower or rappel off of a route. All "lead climbers" will be mock leading and will be backed up on a top-rope system.

• Goals: Participants will learn how to lead belay, lead climb, establish and clean anchors on a bolted route, lower and rappel down
• Duration: Offered on select Saturdays from 9a - 3p (rain day is always scheduled for the next day on Sunday)
• Cost: $160 members | $175 guests
• Equipment: Harness, shoes, helmet required, but if you're without, we got you covered free of charge!
• Prerequisites:
• ASCEND Lead Test Card
• Outdoor Climbing 1 or speak to comparable experience
• Comfortably climb 5.9 and redpoint 10-
• Participants must be 18 years or older

REGISTER NOW

Looking for something that's not listed above or prefer to roll with your own crew? Have little to no experience and just want to get outside for an all-inclusive day of climbing? Scout troop that needs climbing merit badges? We got you! Pricing will vary depending on your needs and how many people you have.

INQUIRE NOW

Todd was introduced to climbing through the Boy Scouts but started getting more serious about it when he started at the University of Pittsburgh in 2004. Since then he has gained experience with route setting, guiding, coaching, and outdoor retail. He is passionate about traveling and loves exploring new areas through climbing. He's traveled extensively throughout the country primarily for sport climbing and bouldering. He is also an avid ultra runner, and he loves talking about pretty much anything running/climbing related.

Matthew has been competing at climbing competitions for as long as he has been climbing. Starting in 2009, he was drawn to the sport after a long career in swimming. In addition to competing nationally, Matt has also traveled and climbed a number of hard boulder problems outside, including the classic Hueco Tanks problems "Power of Silence" and "Power of Landjager". Currently, he has an affinity for route setting & sharing his climbing vision through coaching. 

Brian is a slightly above average climber who has been trying to get better for 20 years. If you've read about a climbing training program, he has probably tried it, starting with Dale Goddard's Performance Rock Climbing and running through Steve Bechtel's Climb Strong programs. He has always dreamed of training at the Sheffield School Room with Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon. He believes that climbing is a high-skill sport (think tennis rather than weight lifting), and that climbers benefit from skill-specific training in addition to strength training.

Maria Rose is relatively new to the climbing scene, having first started while living in northern Thailand. The majority of her time was spent sport climbing on the walls of the Crazy Horse crag outside of Chiang Mai, and deep water soloing in Krabi. (This has made her very spoiled to climbing in perpetual sunshine.) Maria is also a competitive runner, running track and cross country from middle school through college, setting pole vault records in college, and training with the Thai national track team. She is passionate about seeing female athletes and athletes of color receive more recognition in the climbing scene, and hopes to make the sport more accessible to Pittsburgh's communities through coaching and conversations that challenge stereotypes of who belongs outdoors.

Nate brings 7 years of climbing experience and over 10 years of various coaching experience to the ASCEND coaching staff. He gained most of his climbing knowledge while living Nashville and climbing at his favorite spots such as Little Rock City and Stone Fort but he now calls Pittsburgh home. Nate really, really hates slopers.