Meet Our Guides

Rick B. Picar III, M.S. - Owner and Chief Guide

A local bay area climber, certified guide and experienced Yosemite Big Wall climber. Rick has been climbing for over two decades in world class climbing destinations such as Yosemite National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Inyo National Forest, Red Rocks, Nevada, Devil’s Tower, Wyoming, El Potrero Chico, Mexico, and Tonsai, Thailand, just to name a few.


Rick has a Master’s degree in Counseling. He has been a professional counselor and educator for over 20 years. His background enables him to work extremely well with clients of various demographics and abilities. Clients have always appreciated his professionalism and outgoing demeanor. He is a lot of fun to climb with and you can be sure that having fun and your safety is his top priority.


Rick is a PCGI Certified Multi-Pitch Guide and Approved PCGI Mentor for aspirant guides. He also serves as the current President of the Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI). Rick is also a Certified Wilderness First Responder.

Beth Lim- Senior Certified Guide and Instructor

Beth hails from the East Coast, where she fell in love with climbing more than 10 years ago. She settled in the Bay Area in 2010, but not before having the opportunity to live and climb around the world, travel across the U.S. and to see some of its’ greatest climbing destinations including the Gunks, Rumney, Red River Gorge, Joshua Tree, Red Rocks, and of course Yosemite.

Beth works full time mixing climbing and finance, and guides in her free time. She is a PCGI certified Top Rope Guide, certified Wilderness First Responder, and currently serves on the Board of Directors as Treasurer of the Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI).

She has a sharp wit and enjoys clever banter. You will definitely have fun climbing with Beth!
Castle Rock Climbing School

Casey Gray - Senior Certified Guide and Instructor

Casey is a California native who grew up camping in the Sierras, including yearly trips to the Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows and Lake Tahoe. While fishing the Merced River with his dad, Casey found his eyes attracted to the small specks of life (big wall climbers) working hard up on El Capitan. This was all it took to plant the climbing seed.

After 7 years of bouldering, he has finally gave way to plugging gear and high times off the deck. For 10 years Casey has enjoyed climbing throughout the High Sierras, Joshua tree, Lake Tahoe, the Northern California coast and up to Squamish, Canada.

Casey currently works full-time for Planet Granite climbing gyms and works as a climbing guide in his free time. Casey is a PCGI certified guide in the Top Rope level and will be continuing his guide training for his Single-Pitch or Lead Guide certification this Fall. Climb with Casey and be assured a memorable adventure.

Nissa Guerrero - Senior Certified Guide and Instructor

When Nissa isn’t rock climbing or staring through binoculars at every bird that flies by, you can find her at her day job working as an EMT for the County of San Mateo, CA.

She has been an EMT since 2001. She is an avid climber and has taken all of her friends climbing in Red Rocks, Nevada, Bishop, CA, Joshua Tree National Park, Yosemite National Park and many more climbing destinations. Nissa knows the risks involved in outdoor rock climbing and as a trained EMT knows the benefit in rescue training.

Nissa started climbing 8 years ago and has taken the CRCS 2-day rescue course to prepare her for any emergency situation while climbing outdoors. She is a PCGI Certified Top Rope Guide and is currently training to become a Wilderness First Responder Instructor.

She also heads our Los Gatos/Saratoga Recreation Camps throughout the year. It doesn’t matter if it’s you’re first time climbing or you’re looking for a 3 day camping & climbing retreat, Nissa can’t wait to be you’re guide!