Group & Family Adventures

5 stars

Excellent guide service! We did one day of guided climbing out of a whole week of climbing on our own in June 2021. I was impressed by how Sylvan rocks tailored our guided day to our goals. My wife and I had goals of working on dialing in our systems during multipitch climbs. We had some minimal trad climbing and multipitch experience going into our day. Jeff, one of the co-owners, took us up spire two and spire four and provided education on rope and climber management at every step of the way. He tailored the day, taking into account our past experience and our goals. We got to go on some great climbs and added to our toolbox of skills. I was very appreciative of the extra time Jeff took to discuss climbs we could consider for the rest of the week after our guided trip had finished. The beta was much appreciated and added a lot of value to the rest of our week in the black hills.

5 stars

I did two days with Sylvan Rocks, a 6-hour day and an 8-hour day, both with Doug. I'm a relatively experienced climber, so we didn't have to spend any time on equipment orientation, climbing basics, etc. Doug made it a point to do a thorough safety check of the gear I brought, and continued to focus on safety throughout the day, never a careless moment. The anchors he built were bomber, as was his leading and belaying. It was a blast, even if I was climbing well below my ability. Doug knew all the great climbs, chances for summits and excellent views, along with climbs on rocks with spectacular formations. It was clear he was most interested in me having a safe, fun time; he offered suggestions for the itinerary but always left it up to me, and checked in if it seemed like the climbs were frustrating, always ready to alter for something better. We never had to; the two days were full of good climbing. Highly recommended!

5 stars

We chose to rock climb as a family of four last minute and we're so glad we did. It was one of the highlights of our South Dakota trip. Daryl found us a guide who was personable and patient. My 5 and 7 year old were able to climb 15 and 30 foot cliffs and my wife and I found the climbs exhilarating and fun. The price was reasonable and it fit well into a day trip to Custer State Park.