RATIO
Multi Pitch: 2 : 1
Single Pitch: 4 : 1
LENGTH
3 Days, 2 nights
EXPLORE
From 995 per person
Smith Rock Retreat
Come for 3 days of climbing and instruction in Smith Rock State Park. We’ll climb, laugh, and learn a ton. Over 3 days you’ll learn everything you need to know about climbing outside: outdoor climbing techniques, route selection, setting up top ropes, leading sport climbs, cleaning climbs, and beginner rock rescue. By the end of the course you’ll have all the skills you need to climb outside with friends and know how to have fun and stay safe.
Known as the birthplace of American Sport Climbing, Smith Rock lives up to its hype. 1500 routes, 650 acres of land, year-round potential and enough variety to keep any climber interested for years. It provides the perfect classroom for the course.
In 3 days,
Climb stellar routes in a breathtaking location with new and old friends. If you’re excited to climb as much as possible, great! If you’re excited to learn as much as possible, great! We make this retreat meaningful for climbers of all levels and abilities.
You can add on an optional additional day of guided multi-pitch climbs if you want. On these optional days we set out to climb one of Smith Rock’s world-famous multi-pitch climbs.
MOMENT BY MOMENT, DAY BY DAY
In one weekend, experience the magic of climbing.
DAY 1
DAY 1
We’ll meet at the main trail at 9 am, learn each other’s names and goals and share a plan for the week. Day one will be about reviewing / learning the basics of safe climbing: clean knots, proper belaying, safe movement on rock and good route selection. From there we’ll climb a bunch and get comfortable on Smith Rock tuft slowly climbing more and more challenging routes. You’ll get pointers on climbing technique along the way. After Lunch and a few more climbs you’ll learn the basics of sport climbing and maybe even do your first sport lead by days end. We’ll be back to the trailhead at 5 and head back to our air bnb / camp for a pizza dinner and drinks around the fire.
DAY 2
DAY 2
We’ll have breakfast around 8 and head off to climb at the Morning Glory Wall at 9 am. This areas offers lots of good options to get people leading. Main goal of the day: lead as many routes as possible and lead belay as much as possible. We’ll start on routes well within your comfort so you have time to ease in to it. By the end of the day you’ll have lead a handful of routes and understand how to clip, belay safely, minimize the likelihood of a ground fall, and generally be a safe sport climber. From here you will set up the routes on lead creating safe top rope anchors for your friends to climb on. Next we’ll learn how to clean routes safely in 2 different ways. After everyone has successfully cleaned a few routes it’s time to get better at our head game…. by falling. Sport climbing is very safe, but even so it can feel quite scary. We’ll find a nicely overhanging route and practice falling safely and giving safe catches as a belayer.
DAY 3
DAY 3
Today is the day to put everything together. The group will decide where they want to go and what they want to climb. With your new skills you’ll navigate to the climbing routes, rack up and set up and clean the routes. We’ll climb things that push your skill level and your comfort… just enough. We’ll finish the day off at 4pm to give people a head start on the drive back to Seattle or wherever you’re coming from.
WHERE WE SLEEP
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.”
Remote Lodge Option
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The Fallen Snag is a beautiful, well-appointed space, with incredible views of Smith Rock, a full kitchen, hot showers, and a wood stove.
Camping Option
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We’ll spend our nights camped 10 minuted from Smith Rock in a beautiful group campsite with beautiful views around the valley, pit toilets, picnic table, and a fireplace. Camping gear not provided.
If you’d like to join this trip, but prefer to find your own accommodations, let us know.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
BOOKING
Step 1. Send us a quick note with what you’re interested in. Step 2. We’ll get back to you to discuss your trip.
Step 3. Fill out some info and send a trip deposit. Step 4. Adventure :)
BOOK SMITH ROCK RETREAT
Fill out the form below and we’ll make it happen!
FIND OUT MORE
Have questions? Reach out below or text / call us.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Check out the FAQ’s below, or text or call us at 845-661-3008 to talk it through! Or send us an email. We love hearing from folks.
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Nope! This trip is for everyone who’s excited to climb and learn in community. That being said, you’ll get more out of it if you’ve climbed at least a handful of times before and can comfortably top rope 5.8
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Professional Mountain Guide with over 17 years climbing and skiing experience around the world & advanced wilderness medical training.
Accommodations in a beautiful Air Bnb or campsite depending on the dates you chose.
All food except where noted.
Transportation to the crag from the Airbnb or campsite as needed.
All group climbing gear:
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Airfares to or from your home city, whether on scheduled or charter flights.
Passport and visa expenses. Tourist entry fees may apply depending on your nationality.
Any government arrival and departure airport taxes.
Ski or trekking equipment.
Any meals ashore with the exception of breakfast at the host hotel and the Welcome dinner on the evening prior to departure.
5-day Ushuaia Ski Tour add-on
Baggage, cancellation and travel insurance (emergency medical and evacuation insurance is mandatory. Ice Axe can help you to arrange this insurance if you need assistance.)
Excess baggage charges.
Laundry, bar, beverage and other personal charges onboard the ship or at the hotel.
Telecommunications charges or the customary gratuity at the end of the voyage for stewards, guides, and other service personnel.
Tips for guides and hospitality staff.
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Trips will be limited to just 6 spots.
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Dinner on night one will be pizza and beer from a delicious local pizzeria. Dinner on night 2 will be at one of the local restaurants (this meal is on you).
Breakfast will be eggs, granola, yogurt, and berries.
Lunch will be a sandwhich bar.
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We’ll meet in Smith Rock at 9am on day one. You can either drive to Smith, or fly to Redmond airport and rent a car.
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We have people come on our trips by themselves all the time! There’s nothing like travel through remote wilderness to build community. Our prices are based on double occupancy of rooms. if you’re traveling alone we’ll ask you to pay a one time solo - travel supplement to cover the extra cost of the room. Please inquire for updated pricing.
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Indigo Alpine Guide trips are most often run by the owner Jack Bynum and his closest and most trusted friends. All the people who work for IAG have over a decade of experience guiding trips in the most remote places on earth, have wilderness medical training and advanced guiding certifications.
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For Day Trips:
If you cancel for any reason prior to 30 days before the course start, you may rebook a later date for 100% credit, subject to availability, or receive a refund. If you cancel between 7 and 30 days prior to the course start, you may reschedule subject to availability. Between 7 and 30 days there are no refunds. If you cancel inside of 7 days from the course start, there are no reschedules or refunds available. This includes, but is not limited to:
– Injury/illness (positive cover exposure excepted)
– Weather, mountain and travel conditions (please see #4 below)
– Personal scheduling changes
For Multi-day Trips:
You may cancel up to 120 days of the scheduled travel date and receive a full refund minus a $500 per-person service fee. If you cancel between 120 and 60 days of travel, there is a 50% cancellation fee. Within 60 days of travel, there is a 100% cancellation fee. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance as we are not able to make exceptions to this policy in cases of family/medical emergency or of the trip being canceled.
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We always encourage folks to purchase trip cancelation insurance in addition to the mandatory medical evacuation insurance. We require that you have at least $200,000 in medical evacuation insurance. Your insurance policy should cover hazardous sports and we recommend that your policy cover search and rescue. Since we cannot confirm each client’s policy individually, it is your responsibility to make sure your policy will cover you while you participate in your activities of choice on the expedition.
For US citizens, we recommend Global Rescue. You will have a choice of purchasing it with or without the cancellation coverage–so make sure to select the one that gives you the coverage that you need. Other commonly used companies include World Nomads and Squaremouth.
You are welcome to seek out other insurance options, as these are only recommendations. When selecting a policy, please make sure they insure all the activities you’ll be participating in (many don’t include roped climbing, skiing, mountaineering, etc).
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
We’re always happy to talk through anything on your mind. Oftentimes the quickest way to get it all done is by phone or zoom. Hit us up at the button below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can (we’re often in the mountains.)
