April 27-29, 2025
Indian Creek Crack Clinic
My Indian Creek crack climbing clinics are happening twice a year: in spring and fall. If you are looking for a way to get into crack climbing, improve your skills, and meet a fun group of people, this event is for you!
The group is capped at 10, and the clinic takes place Sunday-Tuesday so we can have our pick of classic routes.
Where We Meet
We meet up in Moab on Sunday afternoon and drive together to our campsite at my cabin at Indian Creek, where everyone can pitch tents and get settled in. Dinner, beer and a campfire are provided for you that night so we can relax, get to know each other and have a peaceful night sleep before heading to the Creek the next morning! Meals are all vegan (with the exception of local eggs as an option at breakfasts), and many of the recipes can be found here on this website–I’m excited to share some of my favorite food with you here in the desert.
What to Expect
On Monday morning, breakfast and coffee are ready for you at the campsite, and also lunch to take to the crag. We’ll spend the day learning and implementing crack specific climbing techniques with personal instruction from me and fellow desert locals Chris Kalous, Lance Lemkau and Andrew Bisharat. You’ll also get photos of yourself climbing (so please make sure you bring some bright shirts for climbing!).
That evening we’ll head back to camp where dinner is waiting for us, and some quality desert time around the fire.
Tuesday morning it’s up to the cliffs again. We will push the climbing on harder and longer routes, and our climbing photographer will be taking professional quality photos of everyone from above. Along the way, we’ll offer instruction and practice time for racking, gear tips and tricks, and multi-pitch anchor-building and efficiency methods. Our goal is to send you home well fed, sandy, with tired arms and a big smile 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
I climb 5.9, will I be able to take the clinic?
Yes, if you can toprope 5.9 to 5.11, you will be able to climb, learn and improve over the weekend. Most participants are comfortable toproping 5.10 or 5.11, and have led 5.9 or 5.10 either in the gym, sport climbing or on cracks. We use moderate routes for teaching things like jamming, foot techniques and practice leading, and we also put ropes on harder routes for people to push it and get well pumped by the end of the weekend.
Is this clinic for newer or more experienced climbers?
We always get a range of experience levels in the group, and we have a high instructor/participant ratio so we can make sure everyone gets instruction at the appropriate level. We’ve had climbers who are very new to climbing, and we’ve had veterans–we also often have repeat participants who come back multiple times to the clinic!
Do I need a rack?
You only need a harness and a chalkbag: you receive a pair of Tenaya climbing shoes, sized larger for cracks, to keep. We provide all ropes, gear, tape and rope gunning.
What will I learn at the clinic?
You’ll learn the pure fundamentals of crack climbing, starting with foot jamming technique and hand jamming technique, and carry that into the more technical crack sizes (from smaller to larger). You’ll learn and practice methods for hand taping and when to use hand tape versus crack gloves. You’ll learn which shoes work best for which types of crack climbing and how to prevent foot pain. You’ll also learn how to place cams in desert sandstone, the associated issues with spacing for safety, as well as different ways to rack gear for both leading and cleaning. You’ll learn and practice several different anchor building techniques for multi-pitch climbing, and get an understanding of which work best in various scenarios. We are here for you, so you’ll be able to ask and practice anything that crops up along the way.
Do we get to keep the professional photos of ourselves?
Our photographer shoots photos throughout the 2 days, of everyone at the crags, and also on ropes from above. After the clinic, he uploads all the images and sends everyone the link so you can download the high-res versions of your shots and everyone else’s.
What happens if it rains during the scheduled dates?
The weather is the one thing we can’t control, but we will always do our best to work around the weather. The ethic in the desert is not to climb on wet sandstone because it can damage the rock, and the accepted practice is to wait a full day to climb once the rock becomes saturated. Please understand that any time we schedule an event outdoors we are operating by nature’s rules and it is possible to get washed out by rain. We can and will work around sprinkles and non-saturating rain, and if we need to wait for the rock to dry we will use the time for more instruction, so be sure to bring a rain jacket just in case! No matter what month the clinic takes place, you will need clothing and sleeping layers for temperatures from extremely hot to extremely cold: check the weather in the days before you travel and pack for every possibility.
“Hi Steph, I just wanted to say thank you for everything, the instruction, the climbing, the Christmas gifts on the first day, to opening up your cottage to complete strangers. It was an amazing time and I would not trade it for the world, I am still in awe of everything that happened over the weekend and how smoothly everything went. In fact, one of my colleagues said I haven’t stopped smiling since I got back. I learned so much and cannot wait to put it to practice.
Whatever you do, please keep hosting the clinics. Things were pretty bad for me before the trip. I was stressed out and thought I was losing my mind. Now, post-clinic, I can actually breathe and no longer feel like I am drowning. The clinic was exactly what I needed and much more. Thank you so much. You know, the mark of a great teacher is their ability to transfer their love of a sport to those they are teaching. Before this weekend, I would have never have thought I would love shoving my hands and feet (and arms, and shoulders, and knees) into random cracks as much as I do now. You and your team did an outstanding job. Thank you!!”
Brendan“Hi Steph,
I wanted to write you a quick note saying thanks again for the great clinic last October!!
Jason & I went back to Indian Creek a few weeks ago, and it was amazing to see how much we had both improved since the clinic.
I think the moment when I realized it most clearly was when I got back on the Cave Route. When I worked on it with you, I fell probably about 20 times as I struggled up it … this time I got it with just one fall, and I could tell that I had so much more control over my technique & flow during my climbing.
The whole trip was amazing, and that was definitely a high point:) The clinic completely changed my technique for crack climbing, which has helped me tackle climbs that (before the clinic) I didn’t think were within my ability.
Thanks so much, and I hope everything is going well with you!!”
Hannah“I wanted to write to say thanks for letting me participate in the crack clinic. Climbing in any way at Indian Creek has been something I’ve really been wanting to do. With the climbing being so hard and not being a good trad leader it has always been out of my reach. Talking with the rest of the group yesterday morning I think we all agreed that we didn’t just feel like “clients” – we kind of felt like we’d been given a temporary “locals card” for the weekend – lol. I’ve been to so many things over the years like classes and even private guiding where I felt like a client, was treated like a number and was completely micro-managed. While I still learned things and dont regret those courses your crack clinic weekend was so much better and as much about the experience as the training and for that I’m thankful.”
Matt“I wanted to say thanks a ton for last weekend. I couldn’t have asked for a better time. Everything from dinner Friday night to opening your property to us was awesome. It felt pretty surreal sitting down to dinner with one of my favorite athletes and someone that I share many values with was just way too cool. I’ve never taken a formal climbing course before last weekend and I think any class I take from here on out will have a lot to live up to!! You and Lisa set the bar very high. I gotta tell you, something really clicked with me last weekend, and I think I have found my niche in climbing. Cracks. Since when I started climbing three years ago, I’ve never been to a place so unique and perfect. This was an exceptional experience, and I look forward to jumping on a cliff with you guys sometime in the near future.”
Peter“Thanks so much for hosting the crack clinic. I’ve wanted to climb in Indian Creek for years now but haven’t been able to make it happen on my own. I’m so psyched to finally have had the chance to climb on some steep desert cracks. I appreciate you sharing your knowledge with us and making us feel welcome in the Moab climbing community. It was such a wonderful group of people you brought together to make the weekend a great success and a ton of fun. Chris Kalous is hilarious!The weekend really felt like so much more than just another climbing trip.
I’m not sure yet if I will be able to make the next clinic but I am definitely interested in doing more with MBA in the future.
Thanks again for organizing such an amazing experience for all of us.”
Josh“Hi Steph, Lisa, Chris K,
Thank you again for the great weekend of climbing and sharing yourselves during the crack climbing clinic. You handled the potentially stressful weather beautifully and gave everyone full value. It was an honor climbing and just being with you guys, and I learned something from each of you…really an excellent introduction to Indian Creek for me. Fabulous food, photographs, and even music, too. Every aspect of the weekend was great, and I hope our paths cross again sometime. Thanks.”
Bob“Hi Steph, just wanted to say thanks again for putting on such an awesome clinic! I really had the time of my life :). I can’t imagine how much work goes into planning something like this, but I wanted to let you know that every last detail was perfect – down to the delicious muffins. Thanks again, and good luck with your busy fall season!”
JuliaHi Steph, I was recently camped out with your crack climbing clinic posse with my wife Leanne.
“You should never meet your ‘heroes'” this is a quote that is often repeated and validated, due to the disappointing outcome that results, whether by getting dissed, or realizing that the person is callous and egotistical.
Leanne and I really look up to you as a climber and as a person. You represent and embody so many admirable characteristics.
To be honest, I was a little nervous about meeting you because a part of me thought that you might not be as wonderful a person as you seemed from a distance via columns, articles, and interviews.
You are such a beautiful person inside and out. It was a privilege to be in your presence. You attract such amazing people into your life, because what you project to the world/universe, so you attract. Leanne and I felt both pretty shy and starstruck throughout our time with you, which is not at all characteristic for us. Bottom line is we are so happy to know that you are as genuine as you seemed.
Thank you for being you. Merci beaucoup 🙂
Stephan“The clinic was honestly the COOLEST thing that I’ve ever done and perhaps will ever do. I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT! It was so fun to camp out and hang out with everyone. Your friends are all really cool and sooo funny, and it was really awesome and refreshing to hang out with everyone! The food was amazing, and the pictures were amazing. The climbing was pretty spectacular as well! 😉 It was so pretty, and so fun! (And, I’m so excited about my new crack shoes!!!) I was having sensory overload from all of the exciting things this weekend! It was so great to meet you as well. Aside from all of your amazing accomplishments (which literally blow my mind), I really, really, really admire you as a person. I wish I had a super eloquent way of explaining it, but I genuinely admire your courage to follow your passion (and be the person you want to be) and your perseverance to be so good at it and your positive attitude, humor, and humility. You’re really fun to hang out with! Please excuse the awkwardness, but you are my hero! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to learn from and climb with you and Chris and Lisa.
THANK YOU! I HAD SO MUCH FUN!”
Sara“Thanks everyone, for an excellent weekend!!! Everything was really top notch — terrific clinics and continued learnings from steph, lisa and chris c., awesome food (including serving, clean-up and door-to-crag hospitality!), all around super support (firewood and firemaking, road improvements, DIA to Moab to DIA transportation services) and of course excellent photography from chris h., wonderful entertainment and ambiance from chris c./lisa (including taking obscure music requests), chris h. (bonfire), and steph (who could ask for a better campground than steph’s property and cabin!!), and a psyched group of clinic goers!”
Julie
