Rock Programs

Valley Vertical Adventures offers a variety of rock programs throughout our home region. Of course we can always create a custom program for you if you like. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

Rock Climbing in Massachusetts and Connecticut

Located in Northampton, Massachusetts, we're a short drive from some great small rock climbing areas. We offer all types of climbing instruction at many different crags in central Massachusetts. Come climbing with Ryan Stefiuk, the only AMGA Certified Rock Guide operating in the state of Massachusetts.

• Half-day, full-day and rappelling options possible
• Beginner/intermediate toprope climbing at Chapel Ledge in Ashfield, and Crow Hill in Leominster
• Moderate/advanced sport and traditional climbing at Farley Ledge and Mormon Hollow in Erving, and Crow Hill in Leominster
• Sport/traditional lead climbing instruction
• All technical equipment provided
• 10% weekday discount

Rock Climbing in the Shawangunks

The Shawangunks Mountains have some of the best, most unique rock climbs on earth. Situated high above the Hudson Valley near New Paltz, NY, the "Gunks" have it all - from single pitch moderates to classic multipitch 5.11's. Located only 80 miles from New York City, the Gunks are a popular day trip for tri-state area climbers and also a great road tripping destination. Valley Vertical Adventures offers guiding and instruction in the Shawangunks daily, year-round (weather permitting) at the Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park (Peterskill). Currently, we hold our own permit to guide in Minnewaska, and have a partnership with Mountain Skills Climbing Guides, that allows us to guide on Mohonk Preserve.

• Beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbing options are available.
• All equipment and daypasses are provided.
• AMGA programs and climber self-rescue options are available
• Climb classic multipitch routes like Beginner's Delight, High Exposure, or Yellow Ridge.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Course/Assessment

A top-managed climbing site

The Single Pitch Instructor Course is an introductory level guide course geared towards individuals looking to become climbing instructors or solidify their outdoor climbing skills. This 3-day course focuses on techniques and considerations needed while climbing in a single pitch environment - the type of terrain that many climbers spend nearly all of their time in. This outstanding course covers base managed and top managed sites, basic improvised self rescue skills, and emphasizes the use of good decision making skills as the foundation for all climbing risk management. Individuals interested in instructing/guiding afterward can take an additional 2-day assessment to gain a 3-year AMGA Single Pitch Instructor certification. Included in the cost of the course is the SPI Manual and a full-year AMGA membership. The rate for this course varies by area. Please contact us for more details

Improvised Self Rescue

An improvised self-rescue kit

Knowing what to do when disaster strikes is an integral, and frequently overlooked component of most climber's skills training. What do I do when I drop or forget my belay device? How do I escape the belay and rescue a fallen leader? What do I do if my belayer is struck by a rock while they're belaying me? If you can't quickly solve problems like these, but you've been a climber for several seasons it's probably time to take an improvised self rescue course. Climbing, especially climbing in the winter and in the backcountry is all about self-sufficiency and self rescue is the name of the game. Each and every self rescue course we offer is concise, focused and emphasizes good judgment as a way to avoid emergency scenarios in the first place. Some of the self-rescue topics we cover:

• Single pitch self-rescue in top and base managed situations
• Multipitch leader rescue and belay escapes which focus on the complicated transitions involved in descending with an injured or incapacitated climber
• Glacier travel crevasse rescue