Private by default
Book a climbing day with us and you are not sharing your guide with strangers. The plan is built around what you actually want to climb, and the only people on your trip are the ones you brought. Our AMGA courses work differently by design — candidates are grouped together, which is part of why a course costs less per day than private guiding.
Our rates are not the lowest in the Southeast, and that is deliberate. We pay guides as career professionals, we keep ratios small enough to actually teach, and we hold certifications from the AMGA and the IFMGA — the international standard for mountain guiding. Karsten Delap is the only IFMGA-licensed guide in the Southeastern United States, and Pisgah Climbing School is the only guide service in the region owned by one.
Every rate below includes your guide, all technical climbing equipment, and permit and insurance coverage for the terrain you'll be on.
2026 rates. Last updated September 2026.
We price by the day, not by the hour. Rates are per person, per day. If your schedule is tight, tell us — we will pick an area and objectives with a shorter approach that still meet what you came to climb.
Rock Climbing & Private Instruction
Multi-pitch, trad, sport, self-rescue, and advanced instruction all book at this rate. Most private days run one climber to one guide — you do not need a group to book. On multi-pitch terrain we usually limit the ratio to three climbers per guide.
| Group size | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | $375 |
| 2 climbers | $265 |
| 3 climbers | $240 |
| 4 or more | $200 |
Beginner & Family Climbing
Top-rope instruction for first-timers, families, and groups. Typically guided at six climbers per guide.
| Group size | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | $295 |
| 2 climbers | $185 |
| 3 climbers | $145 |
| 4 climbers | $125 |
| 5 climbers | $105 |
| 6 or more | $100 |
Ice & Alpine Climbing
Beginners are welcome on ice — we teach first-time ice climbers every winter. Ice and alpine runs on one rate regardless of experience level, because the technical equipment each climber needs is the same either way. That equipment is why an ice day sits above a rock day.
Single-pitch ice days can run at the larger group sizes below. Multi-pitch ice and alpine routes are guided at tighter ratios set by the route itself — usually no more than three climbers per guide, often two, and on serious terrain one. If you have a larger group with a multi-pitch or alpine objective in mind, get in touch and we will build the trip and quote it.
| Group size | Cost per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | $400 |
| 2 climbers | $280 |
| 3 climbers | $250 |
| 4 climbers | $210 |
| 5 or more | $200 |
AMGA Courses & Exams
| Program | Length | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) Course | 3 days | $660 |
| AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) Assessment | 2 days | $460 |
| AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI) Course | 2 days | $420 |
Course ratios are set by the AMGA at six candidates per instructor.
Specialized Programs
| Program | Rate |
|---|---|
| Military & agency training | $400 per person, per day |
| Rope access (SPRAT) | From $1,200 — scoped per job |
| IFMGA fee | Add $75 flat, per day |
The IFMGA fee applies to days guided by Karsten. It goes toward the cost of holding and maintaining IFMGA licensing, which is renewed annually and is not cheap to keep.
The group sizes described on this page are the ratios we plan around under typical conditions. They are not guarantees, and they are not a fixed standard for every trip.
The working ratio on any given day is set by your guide in the field, based on terrain, weather, conditions, the objective, and the experience and fitness of the group. Your guide may run a smaller group than listed here, and may accommodate a larger one, entirely at their professional discretion. This is most pronounced on ice and alpine routes, where the ratio is dictated by the route itself. If your party is larger than the sizes shown, contact us and we will tell you what we can do for your objective.
What's included
- Your certified guide for the full day
- All technical climbing equipment: harness, helmet, shoes, chalk bag, ropes, and anchors
- Land-use permits and commercial liability insurance for the terrain we climb
- Instruction, whether you booked a course or not
What to bring
- Closed-toe approach or hiking shoes
- At least two liters of water
- Lunch and snacks
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- Weather-appropriate layers
Location and travel
The rates above apply across the areas we guide regularly — Looking Glass Rock, Linville Gorge, Moores Wall, Pilot Mountain, Cherokee Rock Village, Seneca Rocks, and the rest of our Southeast rotation. Permits, gear, and insurance for those areas are already in the price. We do not charge extra for climbing in a state park, and we do not charge extra for a longer approach.
If you want a day somewhere well outside that rotation — the Red River Gorge, for instance — we can usually make it work, but a travel fee may apply to cover getting your guide there and back. We will tell you what it is before you book, and it will never appear after the fact.
Custom trips and bigger objectives
We are not in the habit of saying no. If you have an objective in mind, tell us and we will find a way to make it happen.
Trips outside our regular rotation are quoted individually: out-of-region travel, a specific peak, an area where we need to pull a permit, a multi-day objective, or a trip built entirely around one goal. Permit costs vary widely from one land manager to the next, and a custom objective carries planning and logistics that a standard day does not.
You will have the full number before you book anything. We would rather quote you honestly than tell you no.
Cancellation & weather
Standard trips: cancel or reschedule 30 or more days out for a full refund, no questions asked. Inside 30 days your booking is non-refundable and non-reschedulable — at that point we have committed the guide, the gear, and the day to you.
AMGA courses and certification programs: refundable 30 or more days out, minus a 10% administrative fee. Non-refundable inside 30 days.
Weather: your guide assesses conditions on the terrain you'll actually be climbing, not a forecast. If your guide calls the day, we reschedule and hold your tuition. If no reschedule date works, we refund your tuition minus a 10% administrative fee.
We strongly recommend trip insurance for every booking. It is the best way to protect your trip cost against anything outside our standard window.
Why our rates are what they are
We pay guides a professional wage. Guiding in the Southeast has historically been seasonal, underpaid work. We built Pisgah Climbing School to be a place where a guide can make a career, which means our guides stay, get better, and are still here the next time you book.
We run a guide mentoring program. Newer guides work alongside certified ones, and we put money toward their continued coursework rather than leaving them to fund the AMGA track alone. That is a real line item in our costs, and it is why the person you climb with keeps getting better rather than plateauing at whatever credential they walked in with.
Certification is not optional here. Our guides hold AMGA certifications, and the school is owned by an IFMGA-licensed Mountain Guide — a credential held by fewer than 200 Americans. That training is expensive and slow to earn, and it is the reason we can take you into terrain that other services cannot.
Most of what you pay does not end up in anyone's pocket. Your guide takes home less than half of what you pay for the day. The rest goes to workers' compensation and liability insurance, land-use permits, gear maintenance and keeping our equipment current, our guide mentoring program, and the ordinary cost of running a business that will still be here next season. A high day rate and a high margin are not the same thing.
Ratios stay small. Most private days run one climber to one guide. We plan around six per guide on beginner and family days, usually limit multi-pitch to three per guide, and tighten further on ice and alpine routes as the terrain demands — sometimes down to one. We teach on every trip no matter what we are climbing, and a smaller group means more of that attention lands on you.
We price by the day, not by the hour. Between the drive and the approach to areas like Looking Glass and Linville Gorge, a shorter outing still takes most of a day on our end. If your schedule is tight, tell us and we will choose an area and objectives with a shorter approach that still hit what you came to climb. We would rather build the day around your schedule than turn you away.
The price you see is the price you pay. Across the areas we guide regularly, gear, permits, and insurance are included. No equipment rental fees, no state park upcharge, nothing added at checkout. Travel to areas outside that rotation, and custom objectives generally, are quoted in full before you book and never adjusted afterward.
We hold a 10-year commercial permit in Pisgah National Forest (#PIS695801), along with permits for the other areas we operate in. That access is not free and it is not guaranteed to every operator.
One accordion per question. Phrase the titles exactly as written — these match how people type the query.
How much does a guided rock climbing trip cost in Western North Carolina? A full day of guided climbing or private instruction with Pisgah Climbing School runs $375 for one climber and drops to $200 per person for groups of four or more. Beginner and family top-rope days start at $295 for one climber and $100 per person for a group of six. All rates include your guide, gear, permits, and instruction.
Is your pricing per person or per group? Per person, per day. The per-person rate goes down as your group gets larger because your guide's day is shared across more climbers.
What is the difference between Beginner & Family Climbing and Private Instruction? Beginner and family days are top-rope focused and built for first-time climbers, kids, and groups who want a great day out with instruction along the way. Private Instruction and guided days cover everything above that: multi-pitch, trad, sport projecting, self-rescue, and skills coaching aimed at a specific goal.
What is your guide-to-climber ratio, and what if my group is larger? Most private days run one climber to one guide — you do not need to bring a group to book. We plan around six climbers per guide on beginner and family days, and we usually limit multi-pitch to three per guide. AMGA courses run at six candidates per instructor. These are planning ratios rather than fixed limits: your guide sets the working ratio in the field based on terrain, conditions, and the group. If your party is bigger than the sizes listed, call us and we will tell you what works for your objective.
Do I need my own climbing gear? No. Harness, helmet, climbing shoes, chalk bag, ropes, and all anchor equipment are included in your rate. Bring closed-toe shoes for the approach, water, and food.
Do you offer half-day or morning climbing trips? We can get you out for a morning and have you back for the rest of your day. Tell us your timing when you book and we will pick an area and objectives with a shorter approach, so you still get real climbing in the window you have. We price by the day rather than by the hour, because between the drive and the approach a shorter outing still takes most of a day on our end.
How much does guided ice climbing cost? Ice and alpine days start at $400 for one climber and drop to $200 per person for groups of five or more. Beginners are welcome — we teach first-time ice climbers every winter — and the rate is the same regardless of experience level, because the technical equipment each climber needs is the same either way. That equipment is why an ice day sits above a rock day. We run ice trips in New Hampshire each winter and alpine trips to Mount Baker.
What ratio do you run on ice? It depends on the terrain. Single-pitch ice days can run at the larger group sizes on our rate table. Multi-pitch ice and alpine routes are guided at tighter ratios set by the route: usually no more than three climbers per guide, often two, and on serious terrain one. Your guide makes that call based on the route, the conditions, and the party. If you have a larger group with a multi-pitch objective, contact us and we will build and quote it.
What is the IFMGA fee? Karsten Delap is the only IFMGA-licensed Mountain Guide in the Southeastern United States. Days he guides carry a flat $75 IFMGA fee, regardless of group size, which goes toward the cost of holding and maintaining that license.
How much does the AMGA Single Pitch Instructor course cost? The AMGA SPI Course is $660 for three days, and the SPI Assessment (also called the SPI exam) is $460 for two days. The AMGA Climbing Wall Instructor (CWI) Course is $420 for two days. Courses run at six candidates per instructor. Course dates are listed on our schedule.
Do you work with military and government units? Yes. Military and agency training is $400 per person, per day. Karsten consults with military mountaineering schools across the US, and we build curriculum to unit requirements rather than running a fixed syllabus.
Do you do rope access or industrial work? Yes. Rope access projects start at $1,200 and are scoped per job. Karsten holds SPRAT Level 3 certification, and our team includes Level 2 and Level 1 technicians.
How are your guides trained? Every guide working for us is certified through the AMGA, and the school is owned by an IFMGA-licensed Mountain Guide. Beyond certification, we run a mentoring program that pairs newer guides with certified ones, and we contribute funding toward their continued coursework. AMGA training is expensive and most guides pay for it themselves, so our guides keep progressing rather than stopping at the credential they arrived with.
Do you charge extra for climbing in state parks or remote areas? Not within the areas we guide regularly. The rate is the rate, permits and gear are included, and we do not add a surcharge for a state park or a longer approach. For a day well outside our normal rotation — the Red River Gorge, for example — a travel fee may apply to get your guide there and back. We will tell you what it is before you book.
Can you build a custom trip or guide an objective that isn't listed? Yes, and we do it often. Out-of-region travel, a specific peak, terrain where we need to pull a permit, or a multi-day objective built around one goal all get quoted individually, because permit costs and logistics vary a great deal from one place to the next. Tell us what you want to climb and we will come back with a real number before you commit to anything.
What is the cancellation policy? For standard trips, cancel or reschedule 30 or more days out and you get a full refund, no questions asked. Inside 30 days, bookings are non-refundable and non-reschedulable, because we have already committed the guide, the gear, and the day to you. AMGA courses are refundable 30 or more days out minus a 10% administrative fee, and non-refundable inside 30 days. See our full cancellation and weather policy for details.
What happens if it rains? Your guide assesses real-time conditions on the terrain you'll actually be climbing rather than a town forecast, because a rainy forecast in Brevard does not always mean unsafe conditions at the crag. If your guide calls the day, we reschedule and hold your tuition for a future date. If no reschedule date works for you, we refund your tuition minus a 10% administrative fee. If you decide to cancel before your guide has called it, the trip is still on from our end, so that falls to your trip insurance.
Should I tip my guide? Gratuity is never required. Twenty percent is typical in the guiding industry, and more than 25% is customary if your guide went above and beyond. Cash or Venmo is preferred.
Where do you guide? Looking Glass Rock, Linville Gorge, Moores Wall, Pilot Mountain, Cherokee Rock Village, Seneca Rocks, and other Southeast areas, plus winter ice trips to New Hampshire and alpine trips to Mount Baker.
