Rock Climbing and Rappelling Adventures

This is the rock climbing trip for the adventurous beginner that doesn’t have much experience, but wants a great outdoor day with family or friends. 30 minutes west of Harrisonburg, we’ll park just inside George Washington National Forest, and hike a scenic 20 minutes  to a secluded sandstone cliff. We’ll introduce you to climbing equipment, start with some easy climbs to warm up, and then graduate to some more challenging climbs to test out our new skills. Finally we’ll finish the day with a rappel – backing over the edge, with nothing between you and the ground below but 60 feet of air and a great view! Closer to Luray or Northern Virginia? We’ll visit Waterfall Mountain in the Massanutten range, or Little Stoney Man on the Blue Ridge for tall climbing and spectacular Shenandoah Valley panoramas!

(Full-day: $250 for 1-3 people; $60 for each additional.
Half-day: $175 1-3 people; $45 each additional.)

Seneca Rock is a spectacular blade of Tuscarora Sandstone, whose summit sits almost 1000 feet above its North Fork Valley floor. This is a scenic place for the beginner or family to learn the rock climbing basics, top-roping and rappelling surrounded by an awesome West Virginia backdrop. Easy routes guarantee early success, but more challenging climbs also wait to test your skills.If you’re going to be in West Virginia with a slightly larger group (boy scouts, large family gathering, or church youth or camp group), let us know, and we will relocate just 11 miles down the road from Seneca. WILD GUYde Adventures is an approved guide service at the NROCKS!

(Full-day: $275 for 1-3 people; $65 for each additional.
Half-day: $200 1-3 people; $50 each additional)

This adventure serves as a tutorial for those who have a little exposure to climbing, and want to gain eventual autonomy. On this day, you’ll have lots of instruction and hands-on practice in rigging top anchors, belaying skills and equipment alternatives, movement coaching, and rappel setup and protection. There will be individualized attention and repetitive practice, as well as some exploration of the historical evolution of climbing equipment and protocol. You will finish the day filled with a lot more confidence in your basic climbing skills! A second day is an option, scheduled either consecutively or later in the season, when you are ready to get into some incident management and self-rescue skills. Minimum age 16.

(Full-day: $200 for 1st person; $125 each for 2nd and 3rd)

This two-day program fulfills the requirements for scouts to receive their climbing merit badge. WILD GUYde is an approved Merit Badge Counselor with the Virginia Headwaters BSA Council. When we set up the course with you, we will mail you a badge booklet for each scout, outlining the requirements and skills. You do some prep with your troop beforehand (knots and first aid), and then when we meet at the rocks to spend two busy days climbing, belaying, rappelling, and learning. We will comp one adult leader for every 5 scouts registering.

($95 per person, with a 5-person minimum)

Each season, WILD GUYde Adventures offers this 3-day tutorial for active recreational climbers who want to add an instructor certification to their resume. Skills include anchors (natural and artificial), belay station management, rappel management, climbing movement coaching, and incident management of several common scenarios. This certification is useful for instructors at camps and university programs, as well as individuals pursuing a career in the outdoor adventure industry. 2024 course dates are March 17-19 and April 5-7 at Hidden Rocks Virginia, with a one-day exam scheduled individually and later in the summer for aspirants wanting certification. Click here for the information packet.  Additional detail is also available here.

($450 per person for the 3-day course; $150 per person for the 1 day certification exam)

This 2-day course prepares candidates to instruct at an indoor climbing wall operation (camp, university outdoor program). Upcoming course is TBA.

($275 per person)