Golden State Guiding — Local services in Poway

So a little context, my buddy and I have been backpacking for years, and one year we took a trip with friends to summit a "14er". Once we got a taste of that there was no looking back. We've bagged a 14er every year since and are now down to the last and most coveted(IMO) 14ers in California, the Palisades. With that, my buddy and I are not super smart but smart enough to understand the risks and know it's time to up our game. We needed someone who can guide us successfully and teach us along the way build our skill set, maybe most importantly not get tired of our tireless shenanigans. Enter Golden State Guiding and Ben Rademacher(aka Cap'n). Goal was to summit Mt. Sill via North Couloir and soak up anything we could from Ben. Knots, rappelling, belaying, and anything in between. To say our trip was successful is an understatement. We summited in record time, learned so much more than we expected and ended up leaving with a bigger appetite for more. I now have a climbing gym membership‍. Golden State Guiding and the team they put together was very clear in all communication. We had the chance to talk to our guide, Ben ahead of time to pick his brain, talk about goals, risks, and break the ice before packing up with a total stranger for 2 nights. Ryan and Mel kept in constant and open communication about small changes to the trip(none that affected us in any way) but nonetheless they still communicated and I appreciated that. Overall this experience was awesome and I would 100% recommend Golden State Guiding. We're looking forward to joining forces next...

I had an awesome full day of rock climbing with GSG at Mission Gorge near San Diego. Ryan organised my trip on the very last minute notice(2 days in advance), communication was spot on via email. I haven’t climbed after injury for almost 2 years and was anxious and scared about going back on the rock. However, when I met Ryan and my guide Matt all my fears disappeared. They were very laid back, open and genuine and we had a nice chat, which helped me to relax.

Matt asked me what I wanted to get out of the day and we took it from there. He was very patient with me and thorough in explaining everything.

I managed to climb much more routes than I thought I would. He gave me good tips on climbing techniques along the way and encouraged me when I was feeling mentally stuck and motivated me to push harder which I am very grateful for.

Matt also did a little session on different types of equipment, anchor building, knots and hitches - very informative. He was very knowledgeable and eloquent in technical details I must add! I felt super safe with Matt all the time. We also did rappelling and the climb up the chimney, which was super fun!

I had an awesome time climbing with Matt and would definitely recommend to choose GSG. These guys are professional, fun and passionate about the outdoors...

I've been climbing for about a decade, but stopped due to Covid and then having a kid for almost the last 3 years. My wife got me a half day guided session with Golden State Guiding for father's day 2023 to try to get me back on the rock and it was worth every penny. Ryan and Chad were professional and communicated to an unparalleled level. I had all my questions answered and was ready for everything weeks in advance, which made the half day session all about the climbing. Chad, my guide, had a general idea of what I wanted to do, and was able to facilitate some excellent climbs for me. I felt absolutely safe and encouraged to push beyond where I thought my limit would be and was happily surprised at how well I performed with Chad's coaching. When I hit my stamina wall before the day was over, Chad was more than happy to switch to instructor mode and give me an indepth refresher on placing gear and building anchors for my next time out at the crag. My wife, who is not a climber and joined us for moral support, had a great time chatting with Chad while I climbed and was enthralled with his ability to convey information in a fun and personable fashion. I absolutely recommend Golden State Guiding for every level of climbing outing. Thank you again, Chad and Ryan! We...