I had an exceptional experience with Nick for a day of instruction (Anchors 1) and rock climbing at Devil's Lake. I had done some climbing over 30 years ago and when my 19 yo son and 19 yo nephew indicated an interest in the sport I made the wise decision seek a professional instructor. i made some phone calls to advertised Devil's Lake guiding services and "interviewed" the guides for their experience as well as philosophies on instruction and education given the diversity of the students we were about to unleash on them. It was obvious after just a few minutes of talking with Nick that he was not only vastly experienced in the discipline, but was also a formally trained educator (Master's degree). He accomodated our complicated schedule, focused on the major themes of climbing safely, tailored his instruction to our different learning styles and attention spans, and made the day a very enjoyable experience. He exceeded my expectation as a professional and as an educator. Since we didn't have any formal gear (I used to climb in Chuck Taylors when they only came in white, for those of you who can remember the day) we used his harnesses, helmets, and ample hardwear - a great way to experience the modern sport without a large investment. He also provided climbing shoes for us from a local shop. The next day, without my asking, he emailed me with recommendations for equipment for us to consider if we decided to purchase our own, which we have decided to do. I cannot speak for others in his employ, but I would definitely recommend Nick to anyone who is interested in safely learning the basics of the sport, and given his extensive experience, likely way beyond that. read more

Excellent guide company. We took their Anchors I and II courses with James Schroeder. He really made us feel safe the entire time for our first climbing experience outdoors. He also brought us to some REEEAALLY cool places to work on the skills we were learning in the course. I would absolutely recommend them to anybody looking to get out and learn how to climb or even just to guide them to some great climbs. AMGA certified guides do it right...these are no exception. My girlfriend is a bit timid of heights however has jumped in and started climbing with me...there were a couple times where she was a bit apprehensive, however James was able to coach her through everything and she was completely elated by the entire experience. Even enough to walk down onto a ledge and then rappel down a 70' cliff side. Bravo! Because of your help, we confidently set our first top rope anchor and climbed a 30ft spine. Unforgettable weekend...dare i say life changing as we now are addicted to outdoor climbing and are wondering what we can pawn for more gear (ok, just kidding, but we really are going to start doing as much as we can) We will certainly be taking a guided climbing trip with them to build some experience and see some of the cooler routes and perhaps a lead course or two at some point in time in the future after we build a little more experience... read more

Awesome day. Nick is fantastic. My wife and I spent a day with Nick in Devil's Lake and we had a great time. Why you should chose Devils Lake Climbing Guides for your rock climbing adventure: - Nick did an excelled job selecting climbs that really challenged us. We were pushed to our limits which is what makes rock climbing such a rewarding experience. - It's clear that Nick takes safety very seriously. He spends great diligence on setting up each climb and he is happy to entertain any questions that you have. - The personalized climbing experience is the way to go. You are able to get in as many climbs as you would like. - Nick is just a really nice guy. Our conversations were excellent. We've been on a number of 'professional' tours/experiences in the past and they generally are sterile with jaded guides. Not here. With Nick, it's like spending the day hanging out with a friend who happens to know a boat-load about climbing and takes an actual interest in you. Overall, this was a 5 star experience all the way. If you are looking at the various rock climbing guide options in Devil's Lake, I am confident that you can do no better than Devils Lake Climbing Guides. Climb on. read more

Had an awesome time with the Devil's Lake Climbing Guides and Black Diamond this past weekend. Got to spend some time climbing on ropes that they set up and then had an informational lesson about using trad gear and setting anchors. Our large group was split up into smaller groups with close instruction from a guide. My guide, Dawson, worked with me and 2 other girls- first demonstrating how to place gear and set anchors. We then practiced ourselves and Dawson helped us identify what was good and bad about our placements/setups. He thoroughly answered any questions we had. Dawson was very knowledgeable and insightful from his own climbing experiences. The personal instruction was extremely beneficial as I was able to learn a lot in a few short hours. I also got to interact with our group's other guides throughout the day and they were all personable, fun people! Such a worthwhile experience for beginner to experienced climbers- hoping to take another course with Devil's Lake Climbing Guides in the future! read more

We had booked DLCG for a perfect weather weekend in September and they didn't disappoint. I had fears that with a larger group there might not be enough guides or roped pitches to keep all of our climbers satisfied. Well I was instantly relieved when we arrived at the site and we had discovered we should have eaten more breakfast for all the climbs we were up against !! All the guides were fantastic with our varying array of skill levels and even took the time to make sure everyone had a voice and remembered all our names! Safety was of the utmost importance but also they allowed the climbers to discover the routes on their own without constant guidance. All the guides were patient with even our little climbers. I'd definitely use this group again and plan on it at the next opportunity. The modest price was definitely worth the benefit even with having supplied personal gear of my own. read more

My husband and I went climbing with Nick last summer. It was one of the most fun adventures we have taken. It was not our first time climbing, so we asked Nick to teach of how to actually set up a climb, instead of just doing it for us. He was extremely knowledgeable and very patient with us as we learned how to tie knots and place camming devices. We spent a full day climbing, enjoying the outdoors, and just having a great time. Nick was great to talk to and, as an added bonus, had his camera with him the whole time, taking amazing picture of us while we climbed that he offered to send to us after. Even though its been a year since we climbed with Nick, my husband and I constantly reminisce about that day and definitely plan to hire Nick to take us climbing the next time we find ourselves near the Dells. read more

I attended Anchors I & II during the first week of April 2018. I highly recommend this class, which is a small group setting, for anyone interested in learning to climb outdoors (we had two guides and four students). Both classes were experience based learning from the get-go -- this is not a lecture class, you will be actively learning & building anchor systems with your peers. In Anchors I, you will cover natural anchors (trees & boulders), tying knots, and putting together anchor systems. In Anchors II, you learn about active and passive equipment and how to properly place the equipment. You will spend hours placing equipment, receiving feedback, and providing feedback to your peers. I highly recommend these classes. I will be taking Anchors III & Lead Climbing sometime this summer. read more

We had a terrific rock climbing expierence with our group of 18 young women and older women climbers! Everyone involved climbed to the best of their ability and more with the help of the knowledgable and extremely kind, friendly, & fun guides (Nick, Jess & Eric). Nick was always easy to get in touch with and communicated well right from the beginning. He was also an invaluable asset when it came time for me to plan the rest of our adventure while we were in the park. Nick & Jess were quick to get on a first name basis with our group which was really impressive. Each guide was also quick to make positive lasting impressions with each of the climbers. We had a fantastic time and would not hesitate to plan another rock climbing adventure with DLCG!! read more

Nick Wilkes Made Our Day! I was looking for a quality climbing experience for my 13-year-old son who loves climbing and hates staying on trails. I wanted to climb, too, but mostly just to do something with my boy and enjoy the outdoors. I was delighted that Nick could accommodate our request for a half-day trip (we only had 1 day to spend in Devli's Lake State Park). I appreciated Nick's calm manner for organizing everything and his ability to establish a great rapport with my son and I. Nick had just the right sense of humor to engage a teenager, too! I was impressed with Nick's knowledge of climbing and the opportunities at Devil's Lake. He found a great, shady, uncrowded spot at just the right difficulty level for us. read more

Nick and Ben were absolutely amazing. Both were extraordinarily patient, positive, and consummate professionals :] I went with a group of 10 people, they learned our names and made a point to speak with every single one of us. In just 6 hours, I felt like they really got to know us. Not only this but they were able to figure out our strong and weak points, guide you accordingly AND also give you the space to try and figure out the climb on your own. I will definitely be joining them again and cannot wait to organize a group to go learn anchoring! Thank you guys so much. We had so much fun and I still cannot believe I was able to conquer my fear of heights with you! read more

Our guide Kevin did a fantastic job with our anchors course! Our group of four learned a lot and it was well worth the money. He did a great job answering our questions and made sure we learned what we needed to know to be safe outdoor climbers. He also tailored the curriculum to our specific goals for building both toprope and multipitch anchors. I was not expecting that building anchors could be such a fun experience, Kevin was very personable and a great guy to spend two days with at Devils Lake! I highly recommend anyone looking to learn to build anchors goes through Devils Lake Climbing Guides! Emily G read more

A small group of us took a two-day anchors course, and Nick, Sarah, and Kevin were all great instructors over the two days. We spent time to learn solid fundamentals and then took those fundamentals to new climbing scenarios, all with just enough hands-on supervision to stop us from doing anything disastrous. It was a great way to spend time outdoors and learn a large amount of practical material in a very short amount of time. All that and with great personalities to boot! At the end of the course, I feel confident in our ability to identify and place solid anchors for all sorts of climbing scenarios. read more

My wife and I took an Anchor Building course with Nick at Devil's Lake. Nick was very professional and extremely knowledgeable about anchors, the park, and climbing. Nick took the time to get to know us, understand our skill level, and teach us in a style that best suited our needs. He was patient in teaching us the finer details of anchor building and, above all, he was focused on ensuring the techniques we learned to build anchor systems were safe and solid. I would highly recommend Nick's services to anyone looking to climb or seeking instruction at Devil's Lake. read more

This was my first time rock climbing and I must say Nick made it worthwhile. Nick is a fun guy as an instructor as well as to hangout with. He is knowledgeable and very friendly. He sure does know his stuff and was extremely helpful in guiding through right practices and tips. What's more is he took some good pictures of us too so that we had some good memories to bring back. 5 stars for arranging this to Nick and Dawson. I will definitely recommend Devils Lake Climbing Guides to anyone interested. I definitely look forward to doing this again with Nick. read more

Nick and his crew are amazing guides. A group of 6 of us had a gnarly time. We were challenged and had some great instruction on how to progress our skills. Our group had varying levels of skills and they were able to accommodate everyone so they felt exhilarated, yet not overwhelmed. Everything was set up professionally and safety was a priority. Nick and Bridger are really easy to talk to and fun guides. We will be back to hire them for more classes. Thanks guys! read more

As good as it gets. We hired Nick's company for three days of guided climbing and instruction. It could not have been more idyllic and Nick could not have been more professional, safety minded, and absolutely enjoyable to climb with. Five stars. If you are thinking of experiencing climbing for the first time, looking for a refresher, or just want to climb with someone who knows the Devil's Lake area, I recommend Nick@devilslakeclimbingguides.com. read more

Nick and his faithful sidekick Matt helped us learn exactly what we needed to learn to get started making our own anchors using trad gear. The experience was fantastic and I would recommend this course to anyone that is interested in building trad anchors. Nick was always challenging us to be more aware and be as involved as we could in the anchor building process. By the time the first day was over I already felt like I had got my money's worth. read more

I went with owner/guide Nick for my first rock climbing experience and have gone again a couple of times since then. I highly recommend this company for those who want to go climbing but don't have the knowledge or equipment to do it on their own. Nick is patient, extremely knowledgeable, and--above all--meticulous about safety. My husband and I had so much fun at Devil's Lake on our climbs, and look forward to going again sometime soon! read more

One of the BEST experiences of my life! I will definitely book with Nick again. Not only was the climb invigorating and confidence building, but as a first timer, it was comfortable. Nick was so friendly and re-assuring that my fears alleviated. This is the perfect way to relieve stress and experience Devil's Lake.I can't comment enough on how awesome Nick was in training us and guiding us on our first ever climb! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! read more