My trip through Cliffhanger Guides was full of fir...

My trip through Cliffhanger Guides was full of firsts - first time to Joshua Tree, first time climbing outdoors, first time hiring a guide to go on a solo mini excursion. I had planned my trip months in advance but then when the time came, nothing went according to plan -- the federal shutdown briefly shuttered the park, my flight into the area was abruptly cancelled the night before, delaying my arrival while I scrambled to re-book, and then once I got there it poured and poured and poured some more -- not the usual Joshua Tree blue-sky weather! Throughout, Zach and Andy were unbelievable, seemingly more determined than even I was to make the visit a total success despite the challenges. Andy is a natural teacher, quick to impart his expert climbing guidance, with fun storytelling mixed in and quite a bit of history lessons about the park itself. And although I wound up doing less climbing than I'd hoped due to the weather, he had spot-on recommendations for what else to do in the area. If I ever make it back, I'll call on these guys for sure, and will recommend to anyone to do the same.