What You'll Get
Jump to: Reviews | Surgeon Admiral's Warning
Have you ever wondered how people climb sheer cliffs without falling? Besides the essential ropes, straps, knots, and divine blessing, the most important thing keeping them alive is experience, and with today's Groupon you can buy that experience for only $42 at Adventure Out.
Discover the exhilaration of outdoor rock climbing with this introduction class. All ages are welcome, no experience is necessary, and all equipment is provided. Class starts at 9:30 a.m. at Castle Rock State Park. Every class begins with a safety lesson to get you familiar with the equipment and give you info on basic knots, climbing commands, basic top-roping technique, rope management, and an overview of the climbing rating system (climbs are judged on degree of difficulty, pageantry, and number of dismount flips). Unlike most introductory climbing classes, this orientation concludes with lots of actual outdoor climbing. You'll be scaling the mountains Stallone-style.
Adventure Out has a perfect seven-year climbing safety record, so you can focus on the thrilling climb above you instead of whatever happens to be below you (alligator pits, raging fires, etc.). Bring flexible, comfortable clothing—the rest will be provided.
With a max class size of 12 people, Adventure Out ensures you individual attention. Other rock-climbing classes usually have at least 25 students, so you'll get the most attention you could hope for your money. Clinics are offered year-round, 2–3 times per month. For a complete list of dates, check out the activity calendar.
Buy two Groupons and learn how to climb with someone you trust. Buy three and learn to climb with someone you're highly suspicious of and someone you trust intently watching that person.
Reviews
Adventure Out has been featured in many publications, including San Francisco:
- Cliff Hodges, a charming 26-year-old surfer bro and MIT grad, may seem overqualified to teach kids how to make fire by friction. But if the man learned anything at school, it’s that he wants nothing more than to teach kids how to enjoy the great outdoors.
It's also pulling a perfect five stars Yelp and has a great review on the its website:
- I had the time of my life! I never thought that I could climb a mountain! – Dave, San Mateo, CA, Adventure out website
- Our guide Cliff was professional, knowledgeable and lots of fun. – Heidi H., Yelp
Surgeon Admiral's Warning
WARNING: When rock climbing, balance may be disrupted by normal bodily functions (breathing, massive coronary attacks, etc.). Childbirth is the most disruptive—it's also the most dangerous. Juggling a newborn at high altitudes is challenging (unless the umbilical chord is improbably tied in a belay harness at birth). Due to these risks, third-trimester pregnant women are not allowed to participate in today's amazing deal on a beginner's rock climbing lesson.
The Fine Print
Promotional value expires Jul 23, 2011. Amount paid never expires. Limit 1 per customer May purchase multiple as gifts Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services.
About Adventure Out
When Cliff Hodges, the founder and CEO of Adventure Out, graduated from MIT with a degree in electrical engineering, he knew a traditional desk job wasn't for him. According to Technology Review, he quickly gave up his engineering career for the wireless world of the great outdoors, where he began to hike, climb, and surf his way around the world, always staying true to his philosophy of environmental respect and protection.
His travels and business accomplishments have gained some measure of notoriety: he's coached on MTV's Made, consulted for ABC News, and was selected as one of four winners of the 2011 Santa Cruz County Civic Service Award: The Nextie. Adventure Out was also identified for meeting survival-skills training standards by New York Times best-selling author Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Chef.
Today, he leads excursions into the California wilderness to teach backpacking and survival skills, including the tracking of animals and wild ice-cream trucks, and they also guide novices through surfing, rock-climbing, and mountain-biking sojourns. Through fundraising, Adventure Out has helped save Castle Rock State Park from closure and a portion of their proceeds is put directly back into the park.