I made a yelp account just for this review. Communication with Doug (the owner) was incredibly responsive from Day 1 - he helped pick our preferred day based on our group size and (limited) climbing ability. Teddy guided us on the Gunks for a full beginner's day and was a perfect fit with our group. He was professional, very safe, and incredibly funny. He spent more time with our less experienced climbers and let the more seasoned climbers enjoy themselves. Teddy had great insight to climbing and inspired all of us to try top rope / lead anchor more. I will book Teddy again if I climb in the area. (Also, I think Mountain Skills is the lowest cost of the gunks guides - about $175/person down to $130 with more people) read more

Last week, we went rock climbing in the Gunks with Mark and Ed from Mountain Skills Climbing (https://www.mountainskills.biz/)--my grand-nieces (ages 15, 12, 8, and 5) and their dad, my nephew, joined the adventure. Mark and Ed were absolutely amazing! With such a wide range of ages, skill levels, and comfort zones, they navigated it all seamlessly, thanks to Mark and Ed. Their patience, kindness, and deep knowledge made a huge difference--they knew exactly when to encourage and when to hold back. Everyone had a great time, even our youngest, who was a bit hesitant at first but felt proud and happy afterward. The older girls each pushed past their comfort zones, and their dad was able to set an inspiring example by challenging himself alongside them. It was an incredible experience for all of us--I can't say enough good things about it! read more

Had a great day out with Mark. Very safety conscious and provided helpful commentary and beta on the climb. Be sure to bring more water than you think you will need, and maybe a breakfast sandwich from Mtn Mkt (at the 299/55 junction). Gloves useful for any rappels. read more

I did a small group Sunset Rappelling class with Doug recently and it was really great! Doug was so chill, he explained everything we were going to do, addressed all our worries and concerns, and even had us practice the moves while standing. Given how nervous I was about rappelling, Doug's relaxed confidence and technical proficiency in setting everything up with backups made me feel excited about the rappel. I would highly recommend - the views were spectacular from atop the Gunks and it was such a thrill! read more

Wow. And I thought mountaineers were supposed to be kind and pretty open to people since they are routinely in awe-inspiring landscapes. I was treated horribly by the owner on the phone . I called to see if a Guide could be found for a specific day. I was explaining the climbers abilities . Number one I'm also a climber. He was snooty and rude and "this isn't what we do" I'm so sorry. So you don't offer guides for climbing or is that not the name of your company. Also, way to treat a lady and fellow climber .Great professionalism . What a jerk. read more

This place is top notch. I was concerned about the one negative review here on yelp, given the dangerous nature of climbing. I asked Doug (the owner) about it over the phone and appreciated his honesty; he said her friend did slip and get hurt traversing an ice field on the way up to an ice climb. I then called numerous other guides in the area and they all said that Doug's climbing school is as good as it gets...and agreed it was unfortunate someone had smeared his yelp page. Given Doug's honesty, the endorsements of other guides in the area, and that his price was the best in town, I decided to go with this climbing school. My girlfriend and I took a half day private lesson. $280 total included a 4 hour climb for 2 plus park entry/ climbing fees. We met up with our guide, Kyle, at the Rock and Snow climbing shop in downtown New Paltz to get fitted for shoes and harnesses at 2 pm, and then followed him up to the Shewangunk preserve. Kyle had an incredible attitude the whole time and gave us an extremely tailored experience. Both of us walked away confident we'd be able to set ourselves up with gear and everything else to top rope on our own at the park. Kyle also stayed out with us until dark, even though we only paid for a half day climb. Our cars were literarally the last cars in the parking lot when we headed out. And before we parted ways, my girlfriend and I both felt compelled to hug Kyle because we enjoyed our day with him so much. read more

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A day I will never forget, and as safe as outdoor rock climbing can be!!! I've been primarily a gym climber for around three years, and decided it was time to suck it up and get out on some real rock. I wrote in my submission form that I have only top-roped indoors, have done light outdoor bouldering, have a fear of heights, and that trad climbing scares me, but I wanted to push myself. I could not have asked for a better guide in Mark. When I showed up to the the Gunks in the morning, we talked extensively about my goals for the day and my current limits. We decided to baby-step into the day by starting with some single pitches to learn the basics of cleaning gear, rappelling, and getting comfortable on the rock. It was a little nerve-wracking at first to learn so much while confronting my fears, but it was exactly what I needed. The highlight of the day was completing a three-pitch climb, something I don't think I could have done without Mark's easy-going nature, patience, and skills. He is an excellent teacher, and despite my fear of heights, I managed to push myself exactly like I hoped. Several days later, I am still psyched about my experience, and I can't wait to get back out there. I immediately went to Rock and Snow in New Paltz and picked up a helmet and some improved gear of my own! Don't be turned off by one person's bad experience that happened more than half a decade ago (you'll see it if you scroll down). I did my own research and asked around my local gym to see which guide services they recommend, and MSCG was the first name they provided. If you're looking to push yourself a little or just have a great day on the cliff with a knowledgeable guide, this is the group!! For those looking for a little more info about what your day might look like, here's how mine went: - Arrived at the parking area at 8:30 AM and met Mark. - Grabbed necessary gear from the MSCG van. In my case, better shoes for multi-pitch (mine are aggressive bouldering shoes--not great for the kinda day we were planning), a helmet, locking carabiner, rope, and a few other items I would need that I didn't have in my collection. - Hiked up the stairmaster to the cliff and reviewed my experience, goals for the day, and general chitchat as Mark and I got to know each other better. - At the cliff, Mark showed me the basics of placing and removing gear, and talked me through how rappelling would work once we got up to the belay point. We talked through the best route to start on, prepped our gear, and started up! - We continued climbing all morning and took a lunch break around noon. Make sure you bring lunch in a day pack and lots of water! - We climbed through the early hours of the afternoon, and I was feeling pretty fatigued a bit earlier than planned, but Mark was very patient and made sure I was comfortable and satisfied ending the day when I did. I can say I absolutely got my money's worth, and would happily go back ASAP if only I could get the time off from work! :D read more

Doug was amazing today & actually helped my husband Luca confront his fear of heights during one session. It was super safe & he is knowledgable as they come. Full disclosure ...this was his first time climbing & he said he picked the perfect person to go w. We will def book w him again & can fully refer him to anyone who has any level of skill or l(ack thereof..) read more

I really can't say enough positive about Doug and all the guys at Mountain Skills. I've climbed with all of them: Doug, Dustin, and Mark- they are all exemplary individuals and stellar guides. I can't recommend them enough whether it's your first day out or you want to lead your first pitch of WI5. If you get the privilege of climbing with Doug (the main guy) you are in for a real treat. The first things you'll notice is that everyone who is anyone around the Gunks is on a first name basis with him: it's like finally getting to hang out with that popular girl in high school that never knew you existed. Even if you don't think so know, you'll enjoy basking in his glory. Furthermore, the guy knows every damn square inch of the 2 miles of rock, where you want to throw that #2 cam. So if you want someone experienced who is going to teach you the secrets of the Gunks, he's the one. Incredibly patient and knowledgable I can't say enough good things about the guy. To reiterate, as someone who's been out with Doug and the guys at Mountain Skills 50+ time I really can't say enough. You get it all, incredibly knowledgeable guides plus genuinely like able and hilarious personalities ( which if you've ever climbed with any of those snooty European guides, you know is important). So if you're in the area and you want to hop on some rock and ice and get the time go your life: these are the guys. read more

Mountain Skills Climbing Guides - Climbing Near Me - New Paltz, New York

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THESE PEOPLE WILL TRY TO KILL YOU. DO NOT CLIMB WITH THEM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Here's the story. I was on the Discover Outdoors ice climbing trip a year ago. They partnered with MSCG to do the ice climb, and labeled the intensity as a 3 out of 10. It was supposed to be a beginner women's trip. Apparently there was a Catskill ice festival on the same weekend and all the waterfalls we were scheduled to go to were full, or something, because Discover Outdoors got directions to a new place and got lost on the way there. Then MSCG, when they met us there, tried to rush us to the climb, giving us no opportunity to learn how to walk on crampons on the icy, flat ground around us. Again, since it was a beginner's group, almost everyone had never ever been on crampons before. The lead guide, Doug, was pretty condescending the whole time and gave us just a minimal overview of how to walk uphill on the solid ice towards the frozen waterfalls, handed out ice tools as walking aids to just half the participants, and then started straight up. For the group of around 12 of us, there was only Doug at the front and another guide at the back. Only the guide in the back made sure that we were all wearing our helmets, about a hundred feet uphill. The slope of the climb was 41 degrees. That's double black diamond level. I know because I measured it on Google Earth later. I also know because it was steep as fuck. I've never been on ice like that without switchbacks cut in the slope or a hand rope for assistance. Turns out, the Discover Outdoors liaison told me that she'd never seen Doug not use a hand rope before and she was really surprised. Guess he was too rushed to care about that for us. My friend, who was about 25 feet above me while we were 250 feet above the road, caught her crampon in one of the many exposed roots protruding from the side of the hill, half-twisted, fell seated onto the icy slope, and started sliding IMMEDIATELY. I watched in horror as she grasped at every rock and root that she slid over, sliding past me, picking up speed, with a clear route on the ice straight to the road. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu4vGirj-LY This is a youtube link in which Bear Grylls demonstrates how quickly and easily a slide on ice can get out of control. He reaches 40 mph. The angle of the slope in this clip is less than 41 degrees. Thank God about 25 feet below me she slammed into a tree ribs-first and it caught her fall. Two more guides appeared out of nowhere and rushed to her aid, and as soon as they found she was conscious they started joking about what happened. She, um, did not appreciate that. They eventually set up a rope (where was that earlier???) and lowered her down to the road, taking up the entirety of the 70-meter rope to do so. I went down after her, on the rope, after I had to take some time to convince the guide that I was NOT comfortable rappelling single strand without a prussik. Why such dismissiveness? At the hospital my friend found out that, thank God, she had no broken bones, but she did have a bone marrow bruise in her knee that literally one year later still gives her pain. We then were forced to wait for the other girls to finish ice climbing to be driven back to NYC. Who by the way also were not given a hand rope to maneuver down that same icy slope back to reach the road. Neither Doug nor any of the other guides ever apologized for what they did. MSCG is under investigation by the NY State Department of Conservation as a result of this event. AVOID AVOID AVOID. read more

I can't say enough great things about Doug. I was a bit of a late reservation and he was super open in communication with me. I literally know nothing about climbing and he taught me a TON, from how to walk in crampons to proper knot tying. He wasn't a know it all, while simultaneously having an answer to all my questions. I hope to work with him again in the future! read more

Mountain Skills Climbing Guides - That's me there, feeling accomplished n what not. - Climbing Near Me - New Paltz, New York

I sent my 17 year old daughter on a rock climbing experience this past Saturday with Ross from Mountain Skills. She had a wonderful time. Ross was very professional. He is a serious guy who also agreeably let my daughter progress rapidly due to her ability. She loved it. read more

Climbed mid-November with Mark, with conditions making planning difficult. Doug and Mark made a great effort to plan for the best, but they managed expectations regarding potentially bad weather. Fortunately, we wound up getting a really nice day in. Mark is a terrific guide and an easy guy to climb with. This was my introduction to the Gunks and he really helped me understand the area and the rock. I highly recommend Mountain Skills. read more

Had an excellent experience with our guide/instructor Dan Cooper. He is very knowledgeable and patient. He let us go at our own pace and was very encouraging. Felt comfortable with him the whole time. Dan provided us with a lot of good instruction. We would definitely climb with Dan again. read more

Maver, our guide for the day, was fantastic. We were visiting from Chicago looking for a fun day of climbing at the Gunks and he exceeded our expectations. Even with the difference in climbing experience (one of us climbed for 3 years, the other 7 months), Maver was super patient and taught us both new skills. We were challenged, but felt totally safe with him. Took us to some great routes with unforgettable views. Highly recommend; we will be visiting again! read more

Climbed with ( i think ) Mark using a groupon or living social discount. for two climbers and one guide. unfortunately had to wait an hour at rock and snow in new paltz for the 2nd person (climber) to show up. i would recommend booking with a person you know to avoid this. when they did show up, we got out there and Mark, set up some lead climbs for us, while i belayed him. he then belayed us as we climbed the easier top roped routes he set up. he knows the routes extremely well, climbed effortlessly himself and was able to instruct us from the ground when our bodies would tighten up and not do what we were supposed to - due to inexperience/fear, etc. he effectively guided us thru those top roping routes. it felt great! my first time on a real rock outdoors. and he taught us how to follow and clean. it was a great experience. my only regret is not getting back out there to do more guided tours. read more

I had an awesome experience climbing the gunks with Mark. I was originally going to do an ice climb, but warm weather made that not an option. Doug and team were super flexible to get me out for my first multi pitch experience. Mark is a fantastic guide. Great guy, awesome instructor. He ran a perfect blend of teaching and climbing. Like I said, a great person to hang out with as well. I'll definitely be looking to do more and learn to lead...maybe shed a few pounds first :) read more

If you are looking for a guide to go rock or ice climbing with these are the people. They are a smaller guide service dedicated to giving their clients the best possible personalized experience. I took my son out for his first rock climbing experience with Doug the head guide, I think I've created a monster as now all my son wants to do is go climbing ;). They are pretty well known in the industry for being an amazing group of guides, and a super fun group of people. I highly recommend them! read more

Great people, can't say enough good stuff about them! I was part of a group trip with the Adaptive Climbing Group, which has been working with Mountain Skills for several years. Doug and crew are fantastic at making things work and helping those of us with handicaps accomplish our goals... I have had other guides, and even adaptive sports organizations that refused to let me push the boundaries of what THEY thought I should be allowed to do. Doug's attitude was much more of insisting that I show competency under test conditions, and then letting me go for it. As a result, I was just able to become the second paraplegic in the world that I know of to do a lead climb.... Doug required me to do a demo climb on top rope to show that I knew how to handle placing gear and so on, but once I did, was willing to let me lead... This was a great balance between being safe, but not overprotective and limiting... I would also second the comments in other reviews about his seeming to know everyone else on the crag, and being a fun person to be around. He's the sort of person that makes it fun for everyone around him, because he so obviously is having fun himself. read more

Just wanted to say thanks for an amazing day on the rocks. Kyle was absolutely tremendous - he immediately put us at ease with our first day of outside climbing. He was unbelievably encouraging with my daughter (12), while at the same time, making her feel safe and secure. And he hauled my old carcass up and down the rocks, cheering me on the whole way. It's very rare to find a guide who takes such joy in a client's success. I cannot say enough about how special he made that day for us and I am truly grateful. read more

My lady and I recently did a full day of rock climbing with Mark and a full day of climbing with Dustin in the Gunks. Both were excellent days. 10 am to 4 pm on the rock with non-stop climbing. We followed the leads of our guides, climbed top ropes, and did a little multipitch. Each of them has around 10 years of experience in the Gunks so they know the routes very well. No time wasted on finding something good to climb. Mountain Skills is a bit pricey, but worthwhile if you want to be safe or don't have your own Trad gear to lead these routes. Thanks to Doug and crew. read more

If your going to be climbing with a guide in the Gunks then Mountain Skills should be your first choice. I have climbed with them on several occasions and they are truly professional every time. They are authorized to guide on The Mohonk Preserve, which is where the best climbing is, and they are certified guides. Do not climb with some looser from the gym, you could get hurt or worse Go with the pros. read more

For those of us who regularly use Mountain Skills, we are quick to refer people to them. I stuck with Mountain Skills to learn rock and then ice climbing because of the people who work for the company. It all starts from the top with the owner...if the owner has his heart in the right place, so will his people. That is 100% true about all of the MSCG I have encountered since 2013 when Doug took us out with Discover Outdoors for basic rock climbing instruction. He has since guided me in Huntington Ravine in the White Mountains in New Hampshire, keeping me safe and calm when I was clearly nervous and unsure about being a couple of thousand feet up an icy gully. So have many of the other guides on rock faces in the Gunks, people who I consider not only great professionals and good people, but friends. Additionally, when I need a referral to go out with another guide somewhere else, I can always count on these guys to send me to some of the best the country can offer. To address the negative Yelp comment listed below, over the years we've seen lots of clients around the region come and go, going up rock and ice faces. Not all of them are, say, up to the challenge nor do they all have a full respect for the need for a heightened amount of awareness, common sense, self-responsibility and readiness above what the guides are providing. It's not all about the guides. They cannot be there for clients every second in what can be inherently dangerous circumstances. MSCG, like other guides in the region, do a great job at basic safety and teaching. Of course, different guides have different personalities and are better with different personality types. Not all will be perfect matches, but that will not in the end deter any of these guys from caring about client safety and actually providing it. Accidents will always happen, so will cuts and bruises. But honestly, you rarely see or hear about them...at all levels. That's because the people we're with are good. If you don't believe what I am writing is the truth, ask around for yourself. For example, stop in at Rock & Snow in New Paltz or call them and see what they think about MSCG. Or contact Discover Outdoors, who continue to outsource to MSCG. They'll all tell you that you're in good hands with these guys! Rock on Mountain Skills! read more

An awesome experience, well worth the money! I would definitely recommend them to a friend and I also plan to use them for any further instruction in rock climbing. Today was my first time rock climbing outside of a gym and Kyle couldn't have provided a better introduction! He choose routes that had beautiful views and challenged me but were still suitable for someone of my skill level. Kyle was also very personable, knowledgeable about the sport, and encouraging when I felt like giving up. Additionally, he was very attentive and made sure to keep my rope tight the whole time which allowed me to feel secure. Stellar company, guide, and first time rock climbing! read more

I've been climbing with Mountain Skills for four years now and Doug has assembled an awesome group of guides. I highly recomend them, not much else to say. read more

AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE WITH MOUNTAIN SKILLS. I led a climbing trip of four campers with Frost Valley YMCA using mountain skills guides, and I would definitely use them for myself in the future. We climbed for four days and had four guides: Jeff, Tim, Mark and Anyssa. All of them were super supportive, knowledgeable, fun and passionate about what they're doing. Jeff taught all of our campers how to tie their shoes in a more effective way. All of the campers loved them, especially Jeff and Tim. They really bonded with them in the few hours of climbing. Would 100% use mountain skill guides again in the future. read more

Had a great day climbing with Steve (and Doug). He set up great routes, is super professional and safe, gave us helpful technique tips, and was fun to spend the day with. Highly recommend this company for a day/weekend of guided trad. read more

Mountain Skills guides are seriously the best of the best. They know the Gunks like the back of their hands, their ice-climbing and canyoning trips are ridiculously fun, and I've never felt safer or more comfortable when challenging myself as I have when I'm out with these guys. Doug is especially patient and so good at explaining proper techniques or calming you down when you are FREAKING OUT about some crazy maneuver you don't think you can do... until he talks you through it and you do it and it's awesome and so personally rewarding. Go with them - you won't regret it. read more

I've used Mountain Skills for trad and ice climbing outings and they were amazing. I would definitely recommend them for anyone looking to get into trad climbing or to go on an ice climbing adventure. read more

Me and my sister did an intro to ice climbing class with Steve at Mountain Skills earlier today and we absolutely loved it! I rarely leave Yelp reviews, but me and my sister were so impressed with our experience that I thought we should leave one. Steve was a great instructor and a pleasant person to talk to. We met a few other staff during our experience and they were all really nice and knowledgeable. This was our first experience ice climbing and we would definitely recommend that anyone interested take a class with Mountain Skills! read more

Climbed with Doug on my first Multi pitch climbs over the July 4th weekend. He is a great teacher and very knowledgeable. I really enjoyed my trip and cant wait to go again. read more

i had doug as a guide on a half day climb at the gunk yesterday. this was the first time i had ever climbed a rock face. we started out on a single pitch( one section of a climb based on rope length) and then did a multi pitch climb and rappelled down from the top in two sections.i had a great time and would probably go again. doug is easygoing and got me comfortable with the climbing, he knows what is doing. i will probably go again and request doug if he is available but today i need to rest some sore muscles read more

Awesome guides, who really cared about our experience, and excellent execution. We had my brother's bachelor party here and it really was an amazing weekend. The climbing was top notch. All of our guides provided great instruction and encouragement. Also the canyoneering was the best. It was just one amazing waterfall after another, again with awesome guides. Felt completely safe the entire time and learned a lot. read more