Bob Gaines

Bob Gaines began rock climbing at Joshua Tree in the 1970’s and since then he has pioneered over 500 first ascents at Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks, Idyllwild.

He started his career as a professional rock climbing guide in 1983, when he founded Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School, which was eventually voted #1 rock climbing school in America by Outside Magazine.

Bob's Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park was awarded "Best Outdoor Guidebook" in 2013 by the Outdoor Writers Association of California.

Bob's accomplishments in Yosemite include 5 ascents of El Capitan and three seasons as a member of the Yosemite Search and Rescue Team.

Bob has worked extensively in the film business as a climbing stunt coordinator on over forty television commercials. He was Sylvester Stallone’s climbing instructor for the movie Cliffhanger and worked as chief safety officer for the cast and crew of Cliffhanger during filming on location in the Italian Dolomites. Bob doubled for William Shatner in the movie Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, as Captain Kirk free soloing El Capitan in Yosemite.

Bob is an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified Rock Instructor and is the co-author of Rock Climbing: The AMGA Single Pitch Manual, the original textbook for the AMGA's single pitch instructor program.

He has worked extensively training US military special forces, including the elite US Navy SEAL Team 6, and is known for his technical expertise in anchoring and small team rescue techniques.

In 2025 Bob was the recipient of the AMGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. From the AMGA: “The Lifetime Achievement in Mountain Guiding Award is to honor outstanding Americans, who by their efforts over a period of years, have made contributions of significant value to the profession of mountain guiding, and have reflected credit upon America and themselves.”

Bob's rock climbing articles and photographs have appeared in Outside, Climbing, Rock and Ice, Alpinist, Mountain, Summit, Playboy, Reader's Digest, and Outdoor Retailer magazines.

Bob's other passion is fly fishing. He currently holds 13 International Game Fish Association world records. He has written over 40 feature articles for California Fly Fisher, American Fly Fishing, Southwest Fly Fishing, Northwest Fly Fishing, and Eastern Fly fishing magazines. His article "Remembering Alpers Ranch" was awarded "Best Feature Article" for 2022 by the Outdoor Writers Association of California.