Devils Lake Climbing Guides

Madison, United States

5

Open now

12 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
+1 608-556-1135
Website:
www.devilslakeclimbingguides.com
Address:
2018 Jenifer St, Madison, WI, 53704
Williamson - Marquette, Schenk - Atwood
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.6 miMadison Metro East Transfer
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Bussiness info

Good for Kids
Yes

Today

Today 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Madison) 08:08 Sunday, 15 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Saturday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm
Sunday 7:00 am – 5:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Devils Lake Climbing guides offers high-​quality rock climbing instruction and leadership for climbers of all ability levels. We offer Climbing Trips for beginners, families, and groups eager to get out on the rock and try outdoor climbing for the first time. We also offer technical anchor and lead guiding courses, suitable for climbers who want to start leading their own self-​guided trips. Our instructors are certified by the Professional Climbing Guides Institute, reflective of our commitment to sounds, quality instruction. If you want to get out climbing in the Midwest, you won’t find a better option than climbing with us at Devils Lake!

History

Established in 2012.

Owner Nick Wilkes learned to climb at Devils Lake during college at UW-​Madison. After graduate school, Nick managed a successful canyoneering/​climbing guiding service in Zion National Park, Utah for six years, racking up over 800 guiding days and learning a ton about the outdoor recreation business. In 2010, Nick moved back to his home state of Wisconsin and started Devils Lake Climbing Guides in 2012.

Meet the Business Owner

Nick W.

Business Owner

A native of Mukwonago, WI, Nick now lives in Madison with his wife and son.

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12 reviews of Devils Lake Climbing Guides

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Middleton, WI
Nick and his faithful sidekick Matt helped us learn exactly what we needed to learn to get started making our own anchors using trad gear. The experience was fantastic and I would recommend this course to anyone that is interested in building trad anchors. Nick was always challenging us to be more aware and be as involved as we could in the anchor building process. By the time the first day was over I already felt like I had got my money’s worth.
Place rating: 5
Astoria, NY
I went with three friends over a weekend for the Anchors I and Anchors II courses. As others have said, Nick is knowledgeable, attentive, and personable. Another plus I’ll point out that I haven’t seen in other reviews is that he knows Devil’s Lake and the climbs really well — this is a huge plus, as it means he knows which areas are crowded, which are shaded, which are good for particular types of lessons, etc. This ends up being a massive time-​saver, allowing you to focus on the rocks!
Place rating: 5
Loves Park, IL
As new climbers, our group of four opted for the Rock 1 course offered by DLCG. Not a single aspect of the day disappointed. Nick was extremely detail oriented, patient, and truly contributed to the fun throughout the entire day. Furthermore, the communication and information received prior to our day was very thorough, so there weren’t any surprises about what to expect and preparation was a snap, as a result.
To anyone reading this and debating whether or not to schedule a day out with DLCG, I cannot recommend enough that you do so. You will have fun mentally and physically challenging yourself and will ride the high of your doing so long after your day out on the bluffs.
Adventure on!
Mary
Place rating: 5
Milwaukee, WI
Went on a rainy Memorial Day weekend. We were crossing our fingers that the rain would let up on us, but ultimately it did rain the entire day. Nick was a great sport and helped us find some decently sheltered climbs so that we wouldn’t get totally soaked in the rain. Even though it was a little wet, I always felt safe while climbing.
Our day was cut short due to the weather (were only able to do 2 different routes), but the experience was still great. I would consider going on another trip on a (hopefully) sunnier day!
Place rating: 5
Wheaton, IL
We just took the 2 day Anchoring 1 & 2 Courses with Nick and Ben. These guys are consummate professionals. They are detail oriented and relay the information in a way that is easy to grasp and implement. We had a fantastic weekend and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for climbing instruction. We will be back for the Lead Course soon!
Eric
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Nick made my 1st outdoor climb an exceptional experience. I was simply hoping for a «safe» guide and a interesting experience, but he definitely earned a «wow». 3 simple words to describe him as a guide? Perhaps intuitive, patient, encouraging. His good character sense enabled him to push us beyond our preconceived limits, but never beyond our capabilities. The experience greatly exceeded my expectations. He was a natural teacher and he demonstrated knots and anchors, etc. As a bonus, he was hilarious, and his sense of humor was free of charge. I’ve already recommended him to many friends
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Awesome day. Nick is fantastic. My wife and I spent a day with Nick in Devil’s Lake and we had a great time.
Why you should chose Devils Lake Climbing Guides for your rock climbing adventure:
— Nick did an excelled job selecting climbs that really challenged us. We were pushed to our limits which is what makes rock climbing such a rewarding experience.
— It’s clear that Nick takes safety very seriously. He spends great diligence on setting up each climb and he is happy to entertain any questions that you have.
— The personalized climbing experience is the way to go. You are able to get in as many climbs as you would like.
— Nick is just a really nice guy. Our conversations were excellent. We’ve been on a number of ‘professional’ tours/​experiences in the past and they generally are sterile with jaded guides. Not here. With Nick, it’s like spending the day hanging out with a friend who happens to know a boat-​load about climbing and takes an actual interest in you.
Overall, this was a 5 star experience all the way. If you are looking at the various rock climbing guide options in Devil’s Lake, I am confident that you can do no better than Devils Lake Climbing Guides. Climb on.
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
Nick is an excellent guide. He taught us quickly and efficiently how to belay with no confusion among the group. The routes he provided us with were great with varying difficulties and our whole group had a great time. His equipment is top of the line and I did not doubt for one second that I was completely safe. I will go again, and I would recommend him to others.
Place rating: 5
Milwaukee, WI
Wanted to give a big shout out to Nick and Dawson from Devils Lake Climbing Guides for an awesome day of climbing on Saturday.
It was my first time climbing outdoors and they were great at explaining everything, making you feel safe but still pushing you to do your best.
Thank you Nick for pushing me on that wall, so proud that I made it to the top, really didn’t think I could do it.
I will definitely be back again.
Place rating: 5
Milwaukee, WI
This was my first time rock climbing and I must say Nick made it worthwhile. Nick is a fun guy as an instructor as well as to hangout with. He is knowledgeable and very friendly. He sure does know his stuff and was extremely helpful in guiding through right practices and tips. What’s more is he took some good pictures of us too so that we had some good memories to bring back.
5 stars for arranging this to Nick and Dawson. I will definitely recommend Devils Lake Climbing Guides to anyone interested. I definitely look forward to doing this again with Nick.
Place rating: 5
Houston, TX
One of the BEST experiences of my life! I will definitely book with Nick again. Not only was the climb invigorating and confidence building, but as a first timer, it was comfortable. Nick was so friendly and re-​assuring that my fears alleviated. This is the perfect way to relieve stress and experience Devil’s Lake. I can’t comment enough on how awesome Nick was in training us and guiding us on our first ever climb! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Place rating: 5
Madison, WI
I went with owner/​guide Nick for my first rock climbing experience and have gone again a couple of times since then. I highly recommend this company for those who want to go climbing but don’t have the knowledge or equipment to do it on their own. Nick is patient, extremely knowledgeable, and – above all – meticulous about safety. My husband and I had so much fun at Devil’s Lake on our climbs, and look forward to going again sometime soon!