Susan Cram
Susan has been a climber for 25 years starting her climbing career in Eldorado Canyon in Colorado. Since then she has climbed all over the world including; Africa, Asia, Nepal, Europe, Mexico, Canada and most recently, Croatia. In the United States she has honed her skills in the Tetons, Wind River Range, Pacific Northwest, Yosemite Valley, and Tuolumne, the Sierras, Joshua Tree, Idyllwild, the Shawangunks and many other climbing destinations. She is not only a proficient rock guide but a mountaineer and ice climber.
Susan has worked for Yosemite Search and Rescue and the American Alpine Club. She comes to climbing full time after having a career in corporate America where she acted as Director of Technology for GMAC and Vice President of Consulting for TIE Commerce, an Amsterdam based software company. After a leave of absence to build a school in Nepal she came to Joshua Tree where she took over Uprising Adventure Guides, Inc and now guides full time.
Susan is an AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager and has completed the Rock Instructor Course. Sue has spent the majority of her life teaching people how to climb. Come spend a day with a corporate gone climber and hear how you can break free from the rat race as well!
Dave Mayville
With countless 5.12 routes to his credit and an impressive string of first ascents Dave Mayville is one of Southern California’s strongest and most highly respected rock climbers.
Known for his boundless energy and enthusiasm, Dave has the ability to teach and influence his clients like no other guide. When you climb with Dave those obstacles that used to hold you back will miraculously disappear and you will climb beyond your wildest expectations. With over 2000 days of guiding he knows the most unique climbs in the park. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginning climbing or someone who wants to hit the hard classics, with Dave as your guide you are going to have a truly unique climbing experience.
His personality and enthusiasm leads to fun at the crags, and his reputation for long days with clients keep them coming back for more. Go climbing with Dave and get stuff done. He has the confidence, focus, experience and muscle to get up just about anything. A truly amazing, seemingly invulnerable climber, Dave is a major influence in the history of Joshua Tree climbing and in the lives of many.
Here are some of Dave’s hard-hitting classics. Some like it hot (5.12)1990, Scorpion (5.13), Chameleon (5.12a) first lead, Middle Age Savage (5.12b) 1992, The Edge and many more. Climb with Dave Mayville and unleash your inner power!
Theresa Walsh
Among the many roles Theresa has filled as a professional outdoor educator, her contributions to guiding and technical instruction are outstanding. Since 1989 Theresa has taught many adventuring enthusiasts good judgment skills, the art of risk management and having fun. Her experience has come from working with youth, adults, and womens groups at the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Pacific Crest Outward Bound School (PCOBS) and Yosemite Mountaineering School. Theresa has accumulated over 75 weeks of wilderness expedition experience.
Chris Baumann
Chris started rock climbing in the Lake Tahoe area over 25 years ago. After teaching family and friends the art of climbing for many years, he decided to turn his passion into his career. Spend a day with Chris as your rock climbing guide and take advantage of his enthusiasm, safe and patient teaching style and genuine love of the sport. Chris prides himself in getting even the “faintest of heart” up the rock. He has helped countless people, young and old alike, face their fears and realize the rush of accomplishment and the unique clarity of mind that comes with rock climbing.
During the winter months, Chris instructs and guides with UPRISING in Joshua Tree and in the summer, he runs his own rock climbing instruction business, IN STONE, in the Truckee – Lake Tahoe area.
Chris is an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified Single Pitch Instructor and has completed the AMGA Rock Instructor Course. He is also a Wilderness Medicine Institute – Wilderness First Responder.
Ian McEleney
Ian started climbing and playing in the mountains in New Hampshire. Climbing’s combination of physical and mental challenges appealed to him right from the start. Since leaving New England he’s made rock, ice and big wall ascents all over the country, often climbing over 200 days a year. Ian spends time his time climbing and guiding in The Cascades, The High Sierra, and Red Rocks, but always returns to Joshua Tree in the winter for the unbeatable combination of good weather and thousands of climbs. Ian is a Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, and has completed an AIARE Level II Avalanche Course.
Diana Durr
Her outdoor enthusiasm began as early as 4yrs. old when she went on her first backpack trip with her father in the sierras. As a teenager Diana fell in love with rockclimbing through her experiences with the rock climbing section of the sierra club. Since then rockclimbing has become a life long passion. With over 25yrs. of climbing experience Diana has had the opportunity to climb all over the western United States. After raising their daughter Diana and her husband John (see above) are retired in Joshua Tree and can be found guiding or rockclimbing full time.
Diana is an AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor and has completed the AMGA Rock Instructor Course.
Kye Klamser
Kye has been rock climbing for thirteen years. Her climbing career began in her hometown of Homer, Alaska at the age of eleven. She progressed to technical ice climbing, alpinism, and competitive gym climbing by the age of thirteen. For her thirteenth birthday Kye’s mother brought her to Joshua Tree, CA to attend a two-week crack-climbing seminar. During that time she fell in love with the high-friction granite, endless routes, and wild climbing community that is unique to Joshua Tree. While attending college in Oregon she made regular trips to the national monument, and eventually returned to stay in 2011.
Kye is an AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor and has instructed and guided in Alaska, Oregon, and California. She has climbed extensively on both the East and West coasts as well as internationally, particularly enjoying the Chugach Range and Brooks Range in Alaska, the Eastern Sierra Nevada’s, Squamish, B.C., Smith Rocks, the Shawangunks, and the limestone of Eastern Europe. Kye has been sharing her love of the outdoors and teaching people how to climb for over half her lifetime. Her love for climbing is paralleled by her love of the ocean, and when she isn’t climbing Kye can be found catching waves in SoCal or on a sailboat in Alaska following whale migrations. Her philosophy is to Dream Big and Dare to Fail.