Frequently asked questions

No. The calendar on our site sends an interest request, and nothing is charged. We'll reply within one business day to confirm the date, crag and details. Once you're happy with the plan, we send an invoice for a 50% deposit to hold your date, and the balance is due 72 hours before your trip.

Most days it's just your group. If your group is small, we may pair you with another small group on the same day, never more than 4 climbers per guide, and we'll always let you know before your trip. Prices are per group, so the per-person cost drops as your group grows. See our rates.

Each guide takes up to 4 climbers on single-pitch days. For bigger groups (birthday parties, team outings, scout troops), email us with your group size, ages and dates and we'll see what we can put together.

Cancel or reschedule 7+ days out for a full refund or a free move. From 2–6 days out you get 50% back or a free reschedule. Inside 48 hours there's no refund, but you can transfer once to another date within 12 months. If we cancel for weather, fire danger or a closure, you always get a full refund or a free reschedule. Full details on our policies page.

Tips are never expected but always appreciated. If you had a great day, 10–20% is customary in the guiding world and goes straight to your guide.

Yes, by request. LA's local crags are mostly single-pitch, so our multi-pitch days head to Tahquitz and Suicide Rock above Idyllwild, about 2¼ hours from LA, for classic granite routes up to 1,000 feet tall. These run as full days at a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio, roughly April through November, and suit fit climbers who are comfortable following 5.6–5.8. Many guests do a single-pitch day with us first. Mention it in your request or get in touch.

We meet at the trailhead, fit everyone with shoes, a harness and a helmet, and walk to the crag together. While your guide builds anchors, you'll learn the essentials: tying in with a figure-eight, how belaying and lowering work, and the commands climbers use to talk to each other. Then it's climbing time: a mix of routes picked to match your group, with coaching on footwork and movement along the way.

The day is planned around the people climbing, so tell us your goals. Some groups want to try as many routes as possible; others want to learn to belay each other or rappel. Just tell us.

Half days run 8:00am–12:00pm or 1:00pm–5:00pm; full days run 8:00am–4:00pm. In the summer heat (May–September) mornings start an hour earlier, and winter afternoons wrap up by 4:30pm to beat the early sunset. The calendar shows the exact time for your date.

Need a different start? Mention it in your request and we'll do our best, though shifting a half day can shorten it if the guide has another trip that day.

It depends on the crag we pick together. Your confirmation email includes the exact trailhead, a map pin and parking notes. Most groups drive themselves and follow the guide's directions; please carpool where you can. Roadside parking at Stoney Point and Texas Canyon fills up fast on weekends.

Included: your certified guide, climbing shoes, harness, helmet, chalk, ropes and all technical gear, plus state park day-use parking for one carpool vehicle where a fee applies (e.g. Malibu Creek).

Bring: 2–3 liters of water per person (more for a full day), snacks or lunch, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a warm layer, and comfortable athletic clothes that you can stretch in (skip the jeans). Closed-toe shoes or sneakers for the walk in.

No, so pack your own snacks and lunch. On full days we take a proper break at the crag. Malibu Creek and Stoney Point both have grocery stores and cafés within a few minutes' drive if you'd rather grab something on the way.

Stoney Point and Texas Canyon are a few minutes from the car. Big Rock is a 10–15 minute walk on a paved path, and Malibu Creek is a mostly flat 15–25 minute walk with a little boulder-hopping near the Rock Pool. Suicide Rock in Idyllwild is a steeper 30–45 minutes uphill, and Tahquitz is 30–60 minutes of real hiking.

Yes. Guides snap photos throughout the day when it's safe to do so, and we'll send them to you afterwards. Feel free to bring your own camera or phone too (we'll show you how to stash it safely while you climb).

Absolutely. Most of our guests have never climbed outside, and plenty have never climbed at all. We top-rope, which means the rope runs through an anchor above you and your belayer takes in slack as you climb, so a slip usually means a short stop on the rope rather than a fall. Climbing always carries some risk; your guide manages every anchor and double-checks every knot and harness to keep it low.

Gym climbers are welcome too: we can focus on outdoor skills like reading real rock, cleaning anchors, rappelling, or learning to lead on bolts.

As easy or as hard as you want. LA's crags have routes from beginner-friendly 5.4 slabs to 5.13 test pieces. Your guide picks a progression that keeps everyone challenged without being overwhelmed. First-timers usually start around 5.5–5.7, and returning climbers can push into the 5.10s and beyond.

Kids 6 and up are welcome on standard trips, and families are some of our favorite groups. Anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian on site who signs the waiver. Multi-pitch trips are 14 and up.

Yes. Lots of nervous climbers have a great day with us. You're always in control of how high you go. Even getting a few feet off the ground and learning to trust the rope is a win. Your guide will never pressure you, and we'll start on low-angle routes where you can rest on your feet.

Yes. Jack holds the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor certification. Multi-pitch days are only led by a guide certified for multi-pitch terrain. Learn more on our guides page.

Yes. Every participant (or a parent or guardian, for minors) signs a liability waiver before climbing. We'll email a link with your confirmation so it's done before the day.

We'll suggest the best fit for your group, the season and the forecast. In the cooler months that usually means Stoney Point, Malibu Creek, Texas Canyon or Big Rock; in summer we head up high to Idyllwild or the San Bernardino Mountains, or climb early mornings in the shade. You can request a favorite crag on the booking form. See all our crags.

Your guide makes the call, and if we cancel you choose a full refund or a free reschedule. We don't climb wet sandstone (it breaks easily and the damage is permanent), and Malibu Creek's pockets need two or three dry days after rain. State parks and national forest land in the Santa Monica Mountains and San Gabriels can close on Red Flag fire-weather days, so we check closures the evening before every trip.

Malibu Creek State Park and Lake Perris charge a day-use fee per vehicle, and we cover it for one carpool vehicle. Stoney Point has free street parking. For Texas Canyon, Idyllwild and the San Bernardino Mountains we provide the required Adventure Pass.

Not right now. Guided climbing isn't an authorized commercial activity at Echo Cliffs (National Park Service land), the Point Dume beach lot and road have been closed for erosion since August 2026, and Williamson Rock has been closed to protect an endangered frog. We only guide where we're permitted to. Here's the full list and why.