Originally from the flatlands of Illinois, Joey fell in love with climbing while on a high school trip to Joshua Tree. He was instantly hooked on the style of climbing and the vastness of the Mojave desert and knew he had to come back. After high school, Joey found himself attending Prescott College where he really cut his teeth in the climbing world. He was lucky enough to have incredible mentors that got him to where he is at now.  Since graduating college, Joey has worked a number of gigs in Adventure Education and the guiding world including being a mountaineering and rock guide in Mount Shasta, an adjunct instructor for Prescott College and now finds himself working in his favorite place in the world -Jtree! When Joey isn’t climbing, you can find him playing sexy riffs on his guitar, paragliding, skydiving or singing Dio songs at karaoke night. He is passionate about his work and loves to share fun facts about the flora and fauna of the desert southwest.

Around 2005 I met one Mr. Seth Heydon Zaharias – mad Greek, inspired adventurer, climber of off-widths, and hands down, the funniest person I’ve ever known. I’ve never had a better partner and we recognized in each other kindred spirits. So much so that I hauled off and married him. Now that was an adventure! We’ve spent many wonderful days together on the rock, adventuring, and causing scenes. Somewhere along the line in my checkered academic career (it took me 8 years to get my undergrad because I kept running off to the mountains), I got hired to take kids climbing. That was so much fun, I hired on with a local organization that got kids outside fooling around in dirt and climbing. Eventually, I ended up at UC Davis where I spent the next 6 years working for their highly developed outdoor program, Outdoor Adventures, while pursuing a Masters’s in Restoration Ecology. At OA, I managed the climbing program, taught classes, and trained guides. In more recent years I’ve taken courses through the Professional Climbing Guides Institute and started Cliffhanger Guides with Seth.

People have a deep-seated need for adventure in the outdoors. It allows us to refresh our minds and spirits and gets us away from the grind of our stressful lives. I have seen firsthand how transformative a fun and exciting day in the outdoors can be. We feel like it is our personal duty to get people out into nature. It feels so good to see someone’s face light up when they reach the top of a climb, the happy camaraderie of a day well-spent in the mountains, the amazing transformation that occurs as stress and the everyday concerns fall away.  We’ll make you laugh with our off-color stories and our hare-brained schemes. I’ll tell you more than you ever wanted to know about bugs and snakes and weeds and things. We will eat and be merry. I invite you to come adventuring with us.

My Name is Seth Heydon Zaharias. I have been lucky enough to call Joshua Tree my home and community since 2000. I live there with my amazing wife, partner, and best friend, Sabra Purdy at the internationally famous destination, The Sethspool. I was first introduced to the sport of rock climbing in 1990. I loved it!!!!! The adventure, the chess game of working out a sequence of moves, the exhilaration of a highly physical day in the mountains, the open community–almost immediately I was hooked.

By 21, I knew that I wanted to work in the field of outdoor education. Over the years I have worked for many different schools, programs, and guide services. 20+ years later I have approximately 2500 guide days and counting. If you think about it, that translates to almost 7 full years of working with people on the rock every single day! I have worked in a whole bunch of different climbing areas including Joshua Tree, the Eastern Sierras, Devils Tower National Monument, El Choro, Spain, Montana and beyond. In 2002 I spent a summer working for the elite Yosemite Search and Rescue team. I am also a Professional Climbing Guides Institute certified Multi-pitch Guide and Mentor. This means that I have completed the highest level of training that the PCGI offers and teach new and aspiring guides the highly challenging trade of professional rock guiding. You would have to work very hard to find a more dedicated or experienced guide than me.

I chose this profession because it is more than just a job. It is a lifestyle that I have immersed myself in completely. I love guiding because on a day-to-day basis, I never know who is going to walk into my life and what lifelong friendships may be forged. I get to introduce people to the most important thing (besides my wife) that ever happened to me and show them the wonders that an outdoor life can provide. People spend their vacations with me! I am truly thankful for this. I do my utmost to show my clients the most amazing adventure I can offer. I am not just some tour guide, I have dedicated my entire life to helping people experience the best vacations possible!

For tall tales of high adventure, you will have to ask in person and I will make you buckle over laughing and gasp in fear with absurd escapades and feats of strength and courage. When you hire me, I give you my word I will work hard to help you realize your goals. I look forward to meeting you, learning something from you and sharing my love of rock climbing!!

Certifications – P.C.G.I Multi Pitch & Mentor

Certifications – P.C.G.I Lead Guide; Wilderness First Responder