Rock climbing guides and rock climbing classes at Joshua Tree National Park and Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks, Idyllwild.

Rock Climbing Instruction in Southern California

Since 1983, Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School has been Southern California's rock climbing school leader, setting the standard of professionalism with our low student to instructor ratios, state of the art course curriculums, excellent safety record, and exceptional rock climbing guides.

Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School was honored to be ranked as the #1 rock climbing school in America by Outside Magazine, in their list of America’s top adventure schools, and our rock climbing school made the list of msnbc.com's "Top Ten Outdoor Adventures."

From September through May our group rock climbing classes and guided climbs are held at Joshua Tree National Park, located in the high desert north of Palm Springs. One of America's most popular rock climbing areas, with over 9,000 routes to choose from, Joshua Tree has ideal weather for rock climbing in the fall and spring, and is the best site in the country for rock climbing during the winter season. Summer temperatures are generally too hot for rock climbing at Joshua Tree.

During the spring, summer, and fall season Vertical Adventures' Idyllwild Rock Climbing School offers guided climbs of Idyllwild's Tahquitz Rock, which at 1,000 feet high is Southern California's tallest rock formation, and one of the best rocks in the country for traditional, multi-pitch rock climbing. Located in the beautiful pine forest above the town of Idyllwild, in the San Jacinto Mountains, at an elevation of 7000 feet, Tahquitz Rock offers a great selection of classic multi-pitch rock climbs.

Our rock climbing classes and guided rock climbs have enabled many to attain goals they never thought possible. To the gym climber who has yet to climb outside: I invite you to experience the joy and exhilaration of outdoor rock climbing in Southern California. Joshua Tree is the ideal place to learn to safely climb outdoors.

With over 9000 rock climbing routes, Joshua Tree National Park rock climbing combines easy access for rock climbing classes plus great variety, providing the perfect venue for a rock climbing class or guided rock climbing.

Bob Gaines, Director A.M.G.A. Certified Rock Climbing Instructor AMGA Certified Rock Instructor

Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School Director Bob Gaines is an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified Rock Instructor. Bob is the coauthor of Rock Climbing: The AMGA Single Pitch Manual, which is the textbook for the AMGA's single pitch instructor program. Bob has been a Joshua Tree rock climbing guide and instructor since 1983, when he founded Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School at Joshua Tree. Travel and Leisure magazine, in their "Great Places to Climb" feature article, rated Bob Gaines as "top guide" for Joshua Tree National Park. Vertical Adventures’ Joshua Tree rock climbing school program includes one-day rock climbing classes, multi-day rock climbing courses up to 5 days duration, group rock climbing instruction, guided rock climbing, private instruction, and rock climbing guides for Joshua Tree Our Joshua Tree rock climbing season for our regularly scheduled group rock climbing classes and guided climbs is from September through May. Vertical Adventures' Joshua Tree rock climbing school program operates under commercial use permit at Joshua Tree National Park. Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School Director Bob Gaines is the author of Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park, featuring a selection of the finest routes in Joshua Tree National Park.