"Rock climbing with Alexis Finley was an amazingly fun and challenging experience. Alexis's emphasis on safety helped make us feel comfortable with the challenging climbs. He was friendly, professional, and  made us feel like we were climbing with an old friend rather then a paid instructor.  His knowledge of climbing was immense and it was fun to hear about all the places he had climbed over the years. Being that he has many certifications and years of experience made me feel like I was in good hands the entire time. Alexis gave us great climbing tips and was a great cheerleader on the harder climbs. I would  certainly pass along rave reviews and recommendations to  anyone who wants to start climbing or get back into climbing to spend a bit of time with Alexis. I had total confidence and trust when climbing with Alexis in Acadia National Park, Maine  in the summer of 2008 and I  hope to do more climbs with him in the future. It was a pleasure and honor to climb with him."

“Late last August, I made my way to Acadia National Park in the company of two dear friends. They’d organized the trip around the schedule of a certain Alexis Finley, climbing instructor extraordinaire and guide to sheer rock walls of all shapes and sizes. Having climbed with Alexis in the cold and glorious February of Joshua Tree National Park, they informed me that summer and sea cliffs in Maine would be much more interesting from the business end of a climbing rope, and that Alexis was just the fellow to lead us. They were spot on. We had three brilliant days in breathtaking scenery learning the ins and outs of outdoor climbing. Alexis’ easy manner and clear instruction provided us a safe and warm context in which to tackle the rather daunting (if mostly exciting and fulfilling) work of scaling very high cliffs. Our successes felt earned and our errors inconsequential; our safety was never in question, and the routes we climbed were thoughtfully chosen—we were challenged but not overwhelmed. Additionally, Alexis was more than willing to launch us into the work of setting protection, tying knots, and belaying. Starting out a novice, I finished the week feeling that I’d not only tackled the thrilling work of climbing those sea cliffs, but that I’d been given a foundation on which to build what I hope will be many years of climbing up tall rocks in beautiful places. The credit goes to Alexis’ excellent teaching and unflagging good humor. He conveyed both his great knowledge of climbing and his great enthusiasm for it; I can’t recommend his instruction, or his company, enough. At the end of the week we were exhausted and happy, proud of our calluses and our sore arms, and ready for more. We three campers have since sought out local climbing opportunities and are building our strength and skills for next year’s adventure. Perhaps Mexico? Perhaps Greece? We’re hoping Alexis is game for the journeying! “

On our first trip to El Potrero Chico my wife and I were lucky enough to draw Alexis as our climbing guide.  Deb and I are pretty new to the sport and we also climb at different levels, so as a team we’re a guides worst nightmare.   Undaunted, Alexis found routes to satisfy and challenge us while maintaining a sense of professionalism, humor and sanity for a whole week.  Alexis is a great climber and teacher and a cool dude to hang with.  I look forward to climbing with him again.