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

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

Sarah grew up right here in J Tree, running barefoot through the desert and scrambling on top of rock piles at an early age. Climbing has always been second nature to her. It’s been 6 years since she was first introduced to climbing, and was brought onto the Cliffhanger team during the 2019/2020 season. She has a background in teaching kids climbing classes and has worked with children ages 3-15. Getting them outside, connecting them with nature, and helping them explore through climbing brings her joy. She loves anything movement based that allows her to connect the mind and body, especially if it happens outside. Her aspirations of one day becoming a yoga teacher are inspired by that same practice. In the summer months, she can be found chasing cooler weather and playing in the mountains. Though Joshua Tree is her home, getting out and spending extended periods of time on unfamiliar land is really exciting. If you get the opportunity to climb with Sarah Dudley, you’ll be delighted by her gentle teaching style, patience, and love of climbing.

Certifications – P.C.G.I Single Pitch Guide; First Aid/CPR certified

Kelly was practically born trad climbing. From the tender age of two, Kelly was out exploring and scaling mountains with her family all over the country. Kelly’s real passion has always been for traditional adventure climbing and she has an impressive list of accomplishments and first ascents to her name. At 18 Kelly ran from the concrete jungle to the hills of West Virginia to begin an apprenticeship with the highly respected Seneca Rocks Mountain Guides. It was there that Kelly found her calling as a climbing guide. Kelly is the founder and owner of Athena Rock Climbing (ARC), a series of women’s only climbing events designed to help women advance their skills together on the rock. We met Kelly in the winter of 2015 when she traveled cross country to complete her continuing education through the Professional Climbing Guide Institute with Seth here in Joshua Tree. After spending the week in Joshua Tree, Kelly decided on a seasonal migration to the desert to fulfill her dream of guiding year-round. Kelly now lives the dream of guiding for half the year in Joshua Tree and the other half organizing ARC clinics. She is always seeking to advance in the field, and became the first female guide to attain the Multi-Pitch Guide certification through the PCGI in 2019. When she is not guiding, climbing, or hunting for first ascents Kelly can sometimes be found indoors working on completing her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. We love Kelly’s quick and quirky sense of humor, her most excellent technical climbing skills, and her dedication to her craft. If you’re lucky enough to climb with Ms. Fields, you’ll feel exactly the same way.

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

Avery landed in Joshua Tree and began working for Cliffhanger Guides in 2019 as the full time office admin. With over 7 years of experience working in the recreation industry and in the small business realm, she loves facilitating unforgettable experiences for people, building community, and nerding out on business logistics. An avid climber herself, working with the Cliffhanger Guides team has been a natural fit. When she’s not organizing trips behind the scenes, you can probably catch her climbing in the park. Whether she’s underneath a boulder, clipping bolts, or placing gear is of no consequence to her – she loves it all! Like all of the Cliffhanger team, Avery enjoys traveling and sampling amazing climbing areas across the country and the world. She’s climbed in Arkansas, Texas, New Mexico, California, Nevada, and most recently took a trip to Mexico. She always keeps an eye on the horizon for new places to visit, people to meet, and adventures to live out. On rainy days Avery likes to curl up in bed with her cat, Percy, and binge watch anime. She’s a music festival junkie, board/card game fanatic, and seeker of exotic foods (the spicier, the better). 

Danielle Johnson grew up between Southern California and the mountains of western North Carolina. She is proud of her Filipino roots and has dedicated much of her time to guiding and teaching for affinity programs such as Flash Foxy, Davidson College, North Carolina Outward Bound BIPOC fellowship (where she got her start as an outdoor educator), Adaptive Climbing Group and All In Ice Fest. She is also the creator of the North Carolina BIPOC Climbers and is featured by Coleman USA, 57 Hours, Rock and Ice, The Guardian and Carolina Climbers Coalition. Wow! If you get the chance to climb with Danielle, you’re a lucky one!