Our Story
Since 2017 Big River Climbing Guides has been guiding throughout the Midwest specializing in professional rock and ice instruction and guided experiences.
Big River Climbing Guides offers and teaches AMGA SPI Courses. We are the only guide service in the upper midwest that has this level of training. The AMGA is the only internationally recognized climbing training and certifying body in the United States and represents the highest standard in guide and instructor training.
To learn more about the AMGA go to: https://amga.com/
Big River Climbing Guides serves the Midwest as the leader in rock and ice guiding and instruction. We pride ourselves on being professional, experienced, and standards driven. All instructors are certified as Wilderness First Responders or higher and are trained as professional instructors and guides. We are the only guide service in the upper Midwest that is qualified to guide in multi-pitch terrain and offer trips to destinations throughout the Unites States. We are also the only guide service in the upper Midwest that teach and offer AMGA SPI courses.
We guide trips to areas such as Devils Lake State Park, WI, Winona Ice Park, MN, Taylors Fall, WI, Sandstone Ice Park, MN, as well as destination trips to South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah. We take pride in being the most experienced and highly trained guide service in the upper Midwest. We are the only guide service in the upper Midwest with guides who have completed AMGA mountain guide courses and have decades of experience climbing throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and South America. This vast experience transfers directly to our clients receiving the highest level of trainings and experiences.
Regardless of your level of experience Big River Climbing Guides can help you with your climbing goals. Wether its just to try out climbing, advancing personal skill sets, or climbing long multi-pitch routes out west, we are excited to get outside and enjoy the vertical world with you!
We live by the saying that the best climber in the world is the one having the most fun!
Big River Climbing Guides is supported by CAMP climbing equipment. Check them out at https://www.camp.it/d/us/us/outdoor
Our Team
Eric Barnard -Owner/Lead Instructor
Eric has been leading climbing experiences since 1997 in areas such as Joshua Tree, Kings Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Sequoia National Parks as well as regional locations such as Devils Lake State Park, Horseshoe Canyon, and Red River Gorge. He is an AMGA Certified Muti-Pitch Instructor, Apprentice Rock Guide with the AMGA, an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Provider, and a lead instructor for NOLS Wilderness Medicine. He has made ascents of big walls in Yosemite and Zion, multiple in-a- day ascents of the Grand Teton, multiple Desert Towers throughout Utah, numerous alpine ascents in the Sierra Nevada, Alaska Range, North Cascades, Wind River range, Big Horn Mountains, and throughout Colorado, Idaho, and Montana.
Education:
B.S. Outdoor Education; Idaho State University
M.S. Education Leadership; Winona State University
Lead Instructor: NOLS Wilderness Medicine
NOLS Wilderness EMT
AMGA Certified Multi-pitch Instructor
AMGA SPI Provider
Mike Henderson - Lead Instructor
Mike has been guiding since 2011 in numerous ranges in the Western United States and has climbed and skied peaks across North America as well as Central America including ascents of the Diamond on Longs Peak, routes in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, ski descent of the Grand Teton (as well as numerous in-a-day ascents of the Grand), ski descent of Pico De Orizaba, and numerous climbs in the San Juan Mountains.
B.S. Outdoor Recreation
AIARE Course Leader
AMGA Apprentice Ski Guide
PCIA Single Pitch Instructor
NOLS Wilderness EMT
Aaron Gustafson - Lead Instructor
Aaron has led backcountry experiences for over 25 years throughout North America and Europe. Climbing in the Alps and Canadian Rockies as well as extensively throughout the United States. Aaron has made ascents of iconic routes such as the Horni ridge on the Matterhorn, Direct Exum on the Grand Teton, and numerous world class ice climbs throughout the Canadian Rockies.
Wilderness First Responder - WMA
PCIA Single Pitch Instructor
Brad Kremers - Lead Instructor
Brad has been climbing guiding and instructing for the last 3 years. He has climbed numerous classic routes around the Midwest and has also worked as a paddling guide and a manger for a university outdoor recreation program. The last few years he has become a dedicated ice climber, logging more days than most in the Midwest the past two years, and he is passionate about sharing climbing knowledge with others.
NOLS Wilderness First Responder
PCIA Single Pitch Instructor