Bob began his career as a professional rock climbing guide in 1983 and is the owner of Vertical Adventures Rock Climbing School, which offers classes at Joshua Tree National Park, California. In 2008, Vertical Adventures was rated as the #1 rock climbing school in America by Outside magazine.Bob Gaines began rock climbing in Southern California in the 1970s. Since the he has pioneerd over 500 first ascents at Joshua Tree, Yosemite, and Tahquitz and Suicicde Rocks, Idyllwild.Bob's accomplishements in Yosemite include 5 ascents of El Capitan, the first ascent of How The West Was Won (5.12b), a 16-pitch route up the West Face of Sentinel Rock, the first ascent of Renaissance Wall (5.9, A3), a big wall climb up the East Face of Higher Cathedral Rock, and a covetted free ascent of the Lost Arrow Tip (5.12b). Bob worked for 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. He has coordinated over forty television commercials. Bob was Sylvester Stallone’s climbing instructor for the movie Cliffhanger, and worked as chief safety officer for the cast and crew of Cliffhanger during the 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 on 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, which is the 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. Bob is also the author of Best Climbs Joshua Tree National Park, Best Climbs Tahquitz and Suicide Rocks, Toproping, Rappelling, and the co-author of Climbing Anchors and the Climbing Anchors Field Guide (with John Long). Bob's other passion is fly fishing. He currently holds 11 International Game Fish Association world records.