EMS Climbing School & Kayak School

Rock climbing — WOW!
We had a phenomenal experience!
Will, our guide, was first class all the way!
He was patient, informative, fun and supportive.
Could not have been a better experience for my whole family!

Our family spent the day climbing with guide Dustin. We booked the trip through the EMS School (Lake Placid area). Super day — highly recommend! Dustin chose an area that perfectly matched the specs we had requested (5.7 — 5.11 single pitch with short approach hike). Dustin was skilled and good-​natured. Great Beta when we asked. This was our second time booking private climbing through EMS and both times the whole experience was a pleasure. Thanks!

My son and I were up skiing at Whiteface, and decided we wanted to take a day off from the slopes to do something else and picked ice climbing. We went to EMS, and they hooked us up with one of their guide/​instructors on fairly short notice.
It was a great day. And our guide/​instructor, Derek, was terrific — patient, good sense of humor, and enthusiastic. It was fun, and I felt like we covered a lot of material.
A good experience. Highly recommended.

This was a fantastic class that delivered exactly what I was looking for. Derek G. and Dustin U. were great instructors. Patient and very knowledgeable and eager to answer my many questions — some which were probably beyond the scope of the course. Ice climbing was incredible! Did not think it was something for me before the class, though many were recommending I try it. Now I can’t wait for some more! Also gave me all the tools to know how to manage ice and other challenges on alpine climbs, which was what my initial motivation was. So much so, that the day after the class I completed a solo ascent of Mount Algonquin with sub-​zero wind chill and low visibility! Maybe not what you’ll get out of the course because I combined it with my existing knowledge and experience, but it certainly helped when it was time to strap on the crampons and scramble over some serious iced rock and climb a steep slope!
I’m going to be coming back for some more ice climbing skills and experience!

This was truly an amazing experience. My wife and I went out rock climbing for the first time with our guide Will (her hesitantly, me excitedly) and we were both blown away by the entire day.
Will was a terrific communicator, he was patient, clear and without ego – he supported my wife, who was somewhat terrified, in finding her own path and ultimately climbing the entire face – not once but twice! She was thrilled, had a blast and shattered her barriers as to what she thought was possible.
My experience was equally awesome, although I have wanted to try rock climbing for many years, and now I am hooked. I would highly recommend the EMS school and the experience to anyone – it was truly unbelievable and we will be back!

Had a great day ice climbing with Dan, Rich and Derek! Very professional, friendly knowledgeable, and skilled guides! Seriously, 3 very skilled climbers/​guides! Got us going with the basics, and peppered in a little more technique as the day went on. I would highly recommend heading out on the ice with any or all of these guys!

We had an amazing time at the ice climbing 201 class with Rich in Lake Placid! There were only two of us that day and we learned great technical skills, including how to self arrest on the Olympic ski jump, which was an unexpected bonus. Would definitely recommend this class and Rich as an instructor!