Andres Arriaga was our guide and he made everything easy for us. He went out of his way to educate us on the flora and fauna of the area as well as the safety of rock climbing. read more

10 / 5 stars. When hubby and I started our outdoor climbing adventures, we were looking for local guides (in San Diego) who can introduced us to a new form of climbing and also elevate our outdoor technical skills. In the last year, we've done 5 private sessions with GSG around local crags, we did our first outdoor bouldering session, sport climb session, and then progressed towards technical skills such as anchoring, lead, and wrapped the year with our first multi-pitch climbing. Ryan, the owner of GSG is responsive and communicative. He answered all of our inquires promptly and thoughtfully; the follow-ups for our sessions are detailed and we always had the peace of mind going each climb. The GSG guides we've climbed with, Greg, Spencer, Chad are stellar guides who are extremely professional, patient and organized. Each experience is tailored to our goals for the day and we learned a great deal of technical knowledge and practical knowledge from them. As beginners, we felt safe and had a lot of fun being challenged mentally and physically. Can't wait to go out in 2024 with GSG on longer overnight trips! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

Top-notch guiding experience, and I had a fantastic trip! Communication was fast and responsive from Ryan to organize my 2 day multi-pitch trad climbing trip in the Eastern Sierras. Ben R. was an absolute rock star guide who planned the perfect crags and routes for me based on my previous experience and my goals for the weekend to get back into multi-pitch trad climbing. read more

I wish I could give more Stars! I was recommended to reach out to GSG after contacting my trusted Climbing Instructor (Daniel - also part of GSG and highly recommended) on whether he did Mt. Shasta Guiding or not. Daniel recommended Golden State Guides and I was not disappointed! From the initial phone call with Ryan and various texts everything was super professional, instructive, honest, clear, and friendly. I had to make a last minute decision due to timing as I originally wanted to start my trip a few months out. Instead, due to timing constraints, I had to book earlier and Ryan was right on it! Luck of the draw...I was partnered up with Ben. What an awesome experience!! Ben is the upmost professional and absolutely knows what he's doing out there! I knew I was in great hands out there. Ben was always checking on me and I felt like I was being treated at a 5 star resort. Super easy to hang out with and super strong. And, just a great human being. #1 Goal was to gain Alpine experience (this was my first Alpine mountain experience) and #2 Goal was to try to summit. Achieved #1 with flying stars ! #2 was out of reach for me and no fault of GSG, but this experience was far more than I could have imagined. What made this such a win was absolutely on Ben! Ben made the most of what was physically possible for me and I gained such valuable Alpine skills that I will have for a lifetime (including little tips that make things a whole lot easier). Ben was so clear in his instructions that I was able to pick things up faster than I normally do. The way that Ben explains things is amazing and I highly recommend Ben to anyone. The best part of it was, I had such a great time just hanging out with Ben. I look forward to our next adventure together!! Huge thanks to Daniel, Ryan, and Ben! GSG is one of the Best of the Best!! Paul read more

Absolutely top-notch experience with Golden State Guiding! I booked a trip with them to help my teenage son and me prepare for an upcoming climb of the Grand Teton, and I couldn't be more impressed. From the start, Ryan's prompt and thoughtful communication made it easy to choose the right trip for our goals. Our guide, Spencer, was outstanding--professional, patient, and highly skilled. He took the time to understand our current climbing abilities and tailored the itinerary to help us build confidence and progress effectively. His instruction was clear and encouraging throughout the entire trip. I've worked with dozens of guiding companies around the world, and Golden State Guiding is easily in the top 1%. If you're looking for an experienced, responsive, and truly professional guide service, look no further. I can't recommend them highly enough! read more

Third day complete with Golden State Guiding and Chad. First two were in Mission Trails. Today was our multi pitch day in El Cajon. The weather was ideal. The route was well thought out by Chad. I can't compliment GSG enough for helping me accomplish this in a structured environment where I felt as safe as could be possible. As is expected, there were moments when my capabilities felt challenged. However, the level of training and communication was of a caliber that I was able to quickly get out of my head, redirect my thoughts on the confidence I'd built in my guide and I pressed forward each time. I'm hoping to plan another activity with the same guide plus a friend in the coming months. I cannot recommend GSG highly enough. Thanks Ryan and Chad! read more

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I'm the gym climber that is trying to transition to outdoor rock climbing and reach heights above the 40ft indoor wall. I booked the Intro to Multipitch Climbing course up in the Eastern Sierra and got to work with Chad up there at Pine Creek Canyon. I went in wanting to get more experience climbing outdoors while learning as much as I can about all the systems to climb safely - I got all that and more! Chad's an amazing guide that's super knowledgeable and friendly and I'm glad I got to work with him over those 2 days. My experience with GSG has gotten me even more stoked about rock climbing - big thanks to Ryan and Chad for helping me evolve as a climber! read more

We booked a full day (8a-4p) rock climbing trip at Joshua Tree National Park with GSG. The coordination via email to book was super easy and customer service with Mel was amazing. We booked several months out for a Saturday. It was clear to us that the park entrance fee and lunch was not included so we would be arranging that ourselves. We were connected to our guide for the day, Greg. He is as fantastic. Before our trip we talked about our goals with the trip. We met Greg outside at the Visitor Center at 8am and talked about the plan for the where we would be climbing for the day. Greg was all around awesome. We climbed several routes and Greg provided safety into and set anchors for us and also squeezed in bouldering for us since we had requested for some bouldering in addition to rope climbs. Our day was fun and Greg went above and beyond (thanks Greg!) in providing encouragement, jokes and belaying us. read more

Golden State Guiding - Joshua tree guided trip with Greg! - Rock Climbing Near Me

Im only starting with a 4* rating because the weather wasn't the best for ice climbing and theres nothing GSG can do about that. Ryan organised a day out with Ben (Who was fabulous by the way), at rather short notice. The comms pre adventure were very clear, precise and easy to follow. Ultimately a really great day out on a one to one and i learned way more than i would have if i had opted for a two day group adventure. I cannot recommend Ryan, Ben and the Team at Golden State Guiding enough...a truly professional and awesomely fun experience. read more

10/10 would recommend. Trad 101 is well worth it for learning the craft and/or sharpening skills. Guide Patrick M. is the man.

Climbed Shasta May 14-17 as a privately guided trip. Sammy was the best! Competent, knowledgeable, skilled, fun, patient and encouraging. We had a great weather window, no wind at summit which is unbelievable. A bit warm so I recommend snowshoes. Had an absolutely fantastic trip. I told Sammy I burned my face to a crisp last year on Shasta, so she was constantly after me to re-apply sunscreen, which I so appreciated. Can't wait to do another trip with Sammy !! Pre-trip coordination with Ryan was also excellent. Thank you Ryan !! read more

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I had a blast in red rocks with Golden State Guiding! I did 2 days of multipitch, and one day of sports climbing (which was top-rope + mock lead). This was my first time doing multipitch, which was a lot of fun to try, and I got to work on some of the skills I was lacking, like cleaning up an anchor, and repelling (which we did down a 600 ft rock). All the instructors were very helpful, had lots of patience, and were generally really cool people you would love to climb with anywhere. If you're starting outdoor climbing, I highly recommend this group. read more

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One of the best experiences in my life. Did the split boarding and intro to ice climbing courses. Both times the guides were incredible. All the gear was top notch, the routes we took were so fun. Everything was super safe and the guides all keep in touch. It's a great community read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

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I've used this guide company for a couple years now and I can't even begin to explain the gratitude I have for these guides I've had the pleasure of working with Jo, Ben and Joshua! They were all very knowledgeable and took into consideration my goals and what I wanted out of the day. I did a day of top rope at Joshua Tree with Jo in Dec 2022. On this day she introduced trad to me and I honestly never thought I would get into trad. At the time, I was only single pitch sport climbing, and even then the outdoors was pretty foreign to me, as I really only frequented my local LA crags.. I really had no idea how to get into trad or how to even find the courage to attempt such long, risky routes. She let me do a mock trad lead and she was right beside me explaining each placement I made and surprisingly, she said they were decent. At this point, I still didn't think I would ever get into something like this but I think she planted a little seed in my head. One year later in Nov 2023, I was able to do multipitch instruction with Ben. Then just yesterday (May 2024) I did an instructional trad course with Joshua. Golden State has been with me throughout my climbing journey and has been such a great resource for not only high quality instruction, but also the inspiration to keep getting better and adventure on. read more

Amazing customer service, absolutely above and beyond what i've experienced with other guide services. Fantastic guides, really cool adventure opportunities and really great value on trips. 11/10! read more

Attended the Ladies Weekend Out with Golden State Guiding in Red Rocks this March, and wow, it exceeded my expectations in every way! It was an absolutely amazing experience, I am so glad I took a chance and signed up. Every guide was so knowledgeable and helpful, each woman was encouraging and provided great tips. I had the most interactions with Jo and Sammie, and Samie was my guide for my first time ever doing multi-pitch climbing. She was so patient, calm, and an excellent teacher. She helped us keep our composure, be brave, and keep climbing while we were 200 feet in the air on the side of a mountain! She is so encouraging and I could not have asked for a better guide for my first experience of multi-pitch climbing. Jo is an absolutely fantastic guide, she fearlessly led the way for us during this weekend of adventure, and her enthusiasm for climbing and the outdoors is contagious. I cannot wait to do another adventure with GSG! They got me hooked on climbing! These LWO events are so empowering and encouraging, it was awesome to be surrounded and encouraged by some bad-ass, strong woman climbers! Keep up the awesome work! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

I have used Golden State on a number of occasions and continue to be impressed with not only their expertise but most importantly the focus on safety. I learned years ago after many self guided adventures, that I can enjoy these experiences, much more with the confidence of having solid Guides keeping me in the zone. Looking forward to the next adventure. read more

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We booked with Golden State Guiding again for an outdoor education rock climbing in Joshua Tree. Since our 5th graders outdoor Ed was cancelled due to pandemic, we tried to be creative and make our own adventure with the help of GSG. Booking process is a breeze as Ryan is super organized and provides all the details you need. Guides are top notch. Greg was awesome and so great with our kids. Camden (8 yo) climbed up more routes than anyone! Adelaide (10 yo) was a little hesitant but Greg has such a jovial kind nature and was able to make it fun and easy for her. Mike learned how to make anchors, place gear & lead. I got to climb some fun routes. We all had a blast. read more

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GSG provided an amazing experience! The guides were super friendly and knowledgeable and everything was organized, safe, challenging, and exciting! I will definitely be booking courses in the future read more

Had the awesome opportunity to go out to Joshua Tree with Greg! A few weeks prior, I was climbing with a new group of friends at Dixon Lake, a small crag known for a little bit of trad. With trad, I've learned bits and pieces from friends, but have never felt fully confident in what I'm doing. I asked my new friends how they learned and they strongly recommended Golden State. I'm a very cautious climber, which means I always have a million questions when I'm learning something new. Greg was super chill. He answered every question I had, made me practice a ton, and explained the pros and cons of different approaches for whatever we were working on. He also made it fun! Overall, I feel like I have a solid foundation to build off of now. If you're someone who benefits from formal instruction like I do, Golden State is the company to go with. They know their stuff and will make sure you do too at the end of your lesson! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rapping down from Nutcracker, Cap Rock - Rock Climbing Near Me

Did a day trip in Mammoth area with GSG. I already have AIARE 1/some BC experience, and needed an early season refresher. Mike was an excellent guide, and chose very appropriate terrain for the Avi forecast. It was hot for January (50) and the possibility of what loose kept us off Avi terrain. Mike was thorough, patient with an old guy, and enthusiastic about his job. Despite the conditions, I had a great time, and came back happy and tired. read more

Another great experience with the GSG team, but this time I focused my efforts on what to do if something goes wrong. I signed up for the self rescue 101 course with lead guide Josh. I was really happy that we went all day, learning so many techniques and systems for most applicable scenarios. Josh was so knowledgeable and skilled not only as a guide but as an instructor. He answered all of my what-if's and gave me so many little tips and tricks that you could only learn from a guide. I feel so much more confident and prepared to tackle some new objectives thanks to Josh and the GSG team. Looking forward to my next outing with this great group of people. read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

Thanks Ryan and Jan for making the AIARE Level 1 course happen in Mammoth Lakes last week. Jan is a great instructor and didn't get overly technical, instead focusing on what we need to know to make good decisions in avalanche terrain. He helped my fiancé make a field repair of her snowshoes when the brittle straps started breaking. And he kept the group safe and having fun during a winter storm and COVID restrictions. Without a doubt, Jan is a true professional who takes pride in teaching aspiring and seasoned adventurers and enjoys seeing them get stoked using their new skills. I got more out of this course than I expected and had a blast at the same time. read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

My little sister and I are new to outdoor climbing and decided to take an intro to climbing course in San Diego. We could not have been any better taken care of! Chad was super awesome, upbeat and positive. He showed us a ton of super cool climbs, taught us how to built anchors and even encouraged us to try crack climbing, which neither of us were familiar with, but fell in love with after trying it out. He sprinkled the experience with stories and sage advice, and was overall just the chillest dude ever. 10/10 recommend! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

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Exactly what I was looking for. Day filled with guiding, education, and practice. Quick to respond and listen in order to plan my day tailored to my experience and knowledge. Hands down best guiding company. Looking forward to more guiding, workshops, and events! read more

5 star experience! Super informative, safe, and fun! Had a great day outdoor climbing in Joshua Tree. Highly recommend!

Definitely give Golden State Climbing a go. They're very organized about their approach to logistics, setup, & getting you with a decent, qualified guide which is thanks to Ryan, who's at the gelm of this operation. Safety is #1 & they match what you're looking to accomplish with the appropriate level of not only climb routes, but on-site instruction as well. They're friendly, encouraging, & not ego-driven. There really is something for everyone here with Golden State. I've had Spencer guide me twice so far & will book him again in between travels & obligations. Suggestion: I'd be interested in an off-site anchor building/knot tying workshop very soon-- either taught at a gym or park!! I'm someone who could use the practice for it to become second nature. I can't speak highly enough about my experience with this outfit thus far. read more

My family and I (all beginners at rock climbing) had a great experience. When I first reached out, Ryan answered all of our questions right away. When the forecast showed bad weather on the day we originally booked, they moved the trip up a day to avoid rain. And they let us bring our dog along with us on the trip (we kept a close eye on her the whole time). Chad was a great guide - patient, encouraging, rock solid, very supportive of my 9 year old daughter. I always felt we were completely safe with him. Stoney Point is an incredible place to hike and climb. We'll definitely go back, and definitely recommend GSG to everyone! read more

I literally can't say enough about how much of an amazing time my girlfriend and I had with Josh on Tahquitz in Idyllwild. He was so knowledgeable and made us feel 100% safe at all times. He was such a great dude to be around too. He kept the day very light and it never really felt like we were working... it was just having fun. We climbed 6 pitches and 1,000 ft. I couldn't have asked for more. I would 100% recommend Josh and this company for anyone that is looking to get out, challenge themselves, and have an amazing time while doing it!!! I would give 10 stars if i could. read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

Cory from GSG took me and my daughters (11 & 14) out for a local afternoon of climbing. I loved that Cory followed my girls lead on what they wanted to do (sometimes more challenging climbs, other times fun/easy ones) and he snuck in lots of learning and confidence building. Watching my girls belay each other and swing around on the ropes having fun was the best. Through it all, Cory was on, safe, and silly. Everything from the booking to confirmation and followup was so professional. I look forward to doing it again! Thanks Ryan and Cory! read more

I was referred to GSG by an employee of Vertical Hold Climbing Gym sometime last year and I kept that info all this time! Being an avid runner & hiker, I really enjoy any opportunity to challenge myself, especially outdoors, and rock climbing seemed a fun way to spend a morning. Up until this point, the only experience I had with climbing was at the gym. But Ryan was great and super helpful throughout the booking process and answered all my questions and concerns. Since we're in San Diego, we decided to climb at Mission Gorge and our guide Greg Davis was amazing (and hey, we're IG friends now too). The feeling of finally getting to the top is overwhelming and Greg was extremely instrumental in making this happen. I would definitely recommend them and actually hope to book a second day out with them, in the hopes of advancing a little more in our technique. Thank you Ryan and Greg! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

Ryan and Chad did an extraordinary job helping plan and execute a 5 day / 43 mile fall backpacking trip about two of the most beautiful sections of the John Muir Trail - Evolution Basin and Le Conte Canyon. They did a wonderful job and I would absolutely use them again in the future. read more

This company was super helpful and flexible with my reschedule. Our guide, Greg, was knowledgeable, safe, helpful, funny, and friendly. I was pretty scared up at the top, and he was 100% chill and supportive, even though internally I was embarrassed for crying like a 35 year old 10 year old. Greg also helped my partner, who is much more experienced and not a baby, to learn some new skills! We had a really good time! Would recommend them to anybody who wants to climb in Joshua Tree, from easy to hard. read more

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Great experiencing climbing with Golden State. Ryan was great to work with in ironing out details (location, dates, times) that would work for my family. Chad was an amazing guide as we climbed Mission Gorge (San Diego). He was personable, knowledgable, and fully engaged. My family represented a mix of climbing experience - and Chad gave appropriate and meaningful encouragement and coaching to every kid at every skill level. So thankful for this perfect morning. Thank you, Chad and Ryan! read more

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I had an excellent 2-days of backcountry skiing in the Eastern Sierra with Trevor from GSG. Trevor identified great terrain that was suitable for my abilities. He shared his vast knowledge and experience and was a great partner in the backcountry. When we had to make decisions, Trevor would provide options and help explain the pros and cons associated with each one. Trevor did a great job of finding a great adventure while prioritizing safety. I am already looking forward to a longer trip next year with GSG and Trevor. read more

My husband and I had a wonderful experience during a 4 hour outdoor climbing session at Dixon Lake with our guide Will Helmer. While we have climbed some indoors, outdoor climbing was a whole different experience and Will was the right combination of encouraging but also patient. As all 3 of us have science backgrounds, we were happy to learn the physics and engineering of safe modern rock climbing too from him. Despite not being far from a ranger station, I appreciated that our guide had wilderness first aid certification (just in case!) Will took a number of photos to share and Air Dropped them to us in the parking lot before we ended the trip - this was a great surprise! One of his shots is posted below. Melissa was great to communicate with during the booking process - it was a more professional/customer service oriented situation than I actually expected for an outdoor guiding company! She helped set the trip up with our limited dates and location. We wouldn't hesitate to book an outdoor rock climbing trip again with Golden State Guiding. read more

Golden State Guiding - Dixon Lake chimney route. Photo credit: Will Helmer - Rock Climbing Near Me

We recently took a backcountry tour with these fine folks and it was a great experience from start to finish. Professional, on-time and super knowledgeable guides paired with good communication and, of course, some killer local knowledge. Highly recommended. Thanks Ryan and Sammy! read more

Golden State Guiding is absolutely amazing. I'm a high school teacher that took a group of students out rock climbing and the guides were so encouraging and positive and the students had a great time. I highly recommend booking with Golden State Guiding, you'll have a great trip! read more

I took the trad 101 course with Golden State and it was awesome! Ryan responded quickly when I inquired about the course and booking us in the schedule went really smooth. We spent the day at Suicide Rock learning about gear placements, building anchors, multi-pitch transitions and mock leading. Our instructor Jakob was very friendly and informative throughout the course. He took us on some fun routes where we practiced gear placements. Overall I had a great time and learned a lot about trad climbing which is exactly what I wanted out of it. I'll stick with Golden State Guiding again in the future when I eventually get into alpine climbing! read more

Golden State Guiding - Rock Climbing Near Me

Highly recommend and encourage anyone choosing to challenge themselves and start something new. I was fortunate enough to get Greg as my guide, not only was he very professional, Greg is a highly skilled and experienced climber. I learned alot from Greg, but Golden State Guiding has been amazing and accommodating to my needs and questions as I venture out to a new fields and hobby. I can't wait to have more adventures with them soon read more