Joshua Tree Women’s Trad Climbing Series
Season-long women’s trad and crack climbing series in Joshua Tree!
Are you a female climber in Southern California who wants learn to lead trad and climb cracks while building community with other women? Join me Winter — Spring 2026 for a season of mentorship and skill development. We’ll meet every other Sunday from late January through late March, for a total of five full days of climbing. Hone your crack climbing techniques, learn how to place cams and nuts, and start confidently leading in Joshua Tree with ongoing support!
Dates: January 25th, February 8th, February 22nd, March 8th, and March 22nd, 2026
Learn: trad gear selection and placement, lead strategy, route-finding, crack and slab climbing techniques, anchor building, and more!
Cost: $750 for all five sessions
5:1 max climber to guide ratio
Who is this for?
Local-ish Climbers: This series is designed specifically for those who call Joshua Tree a “local-ish” crag because we’ll meet every other week for five sessions. If Joshua Tree is a reasonable single-day or overnight trip for you, and you want to meet other climbers in the region, this may be the perfect fit!
Women*: All-women’s groups can help provide a supportive, non-judgmental environment for participants to push themselves and learn new skills! All questions are good questions in this space.
*Includes cis and trans women. Non-binary folks who feel comfortable in a space that centers women are welcome to join. Instructor at this time is a cis-woman.
What’s Included?
All ropes, anchoring material, and traditional gear
Climbing helmet, harness, and shoes included upon request
5 full days of instruction per session
One evening zoom session to meet the group and set goals
10% off two additional days of private guiding
Climber Prerequisites
The goals of this program are to develop trad leading and outdoor climbing movement skills. To get the most out of the program, it’s helpful to come with previous climbing experience.
Required pre-requisites: Climbers should be able to tie a figure-8 follow through, top-rope belay, perform partner belay checks, and climb 5.8 indoors without falling or taking.
Recommended pre-requisites: Experience lead belaying and leading sport climbs, either indoors or outdoors, is helpful though not required.
If you’re wondering whether this program is for you, please feel free to reach out to me using the contact form below!
What’s Not Included?
National Parks Pass
Lunch, snacks, and personal gear like a day pack, layers, water-bottles, etc…
Camping or lodging
Transportation
Curriculum Details
Week One: During our first week, we’ll get in plenty of top-rope climbing, starting to hone our Joshua Tree outdoor movement skills. We’ll work on hand jamming, foot jamming, slab technique and more while building relationships as a group.
Week Two: This session will include a thorough introduction to traditional gear, including nuts, cams, and natural protection. Students will get feedback on gear placements, practice building anchors, and perform mock leads.
Week Three: We’ll continue mock leading, receiving tons of feedback on lead strategy, gear placements, rope management, and more! We’ll also continue to practice a variety of crack and slab climbing techniques.
Week Four: Depending on comfort and skill, students will have opportunities to try a live traditional lead with instructor supervision and support.
Week Five: During our final session together, we’ll continue to try live leads and test our gear with small practice falls as comfort levels allow.
Bonus Skills: Leading in Joshua Tree often requires topping out on formations, belaying your partner to the top, and rappelling down. As we get into live leads, we’ll cover these skills so you are set up well to continue to explore Joshua Tree on your own!
Why Sign Up for a Multi-Week Series?
Consistency and Repetition: The series will introduce concepts in bite-sized chunks with plenty of time for practice, rather than hitting you with a fire-hose of information.With more sessions over a longer period of time, you’ll be able to walk away with skills you can actually use!
Crack Climbing Technique: This program is unique in how it pairs crack climbing movement technique alongside trad leading skills — this is often a missing piece of the new trad climber’s puzzle! If you can place gear while standing on a foot jam, you’ll feel way more secure as a trad leader.
Community: This program is designed specifically for climbers local to Southern California. You’ll be able to meet new climbing partners, get on the same page with skills, and keep climbing together after the program ends!
Contact me to sign up!
Fill out the form below for more information or to sign up for the women’s climbing series. I’ll reach out to determine which session is a good fit and to send registration information. I can’t wait to climb with you!