Client Preparation Guide
United at Devil's Lake
Four Essential Tips
arrive early
Clinics meet at 8:15 AM at the festival venue, Green Valley Campground. Please respect other clinic participants by arriving early and prepared with all your equipment for the day. If you are running late or lost, please call or text your lead instructor ASAP.
Ensure you meet your clinic prerequisites
Several of the clinics offerings have required experience and equipment. If you do not meet the prerequisites, you may feel lost and frustrated during your clinic. Please review your clinic’s prerequisites to ensure you’ve made the right selection. If you have questions, or think you need to move clinics, please contact us ASAP.
Plan for no phone service
Cell service inside and near Devil’s Lake State Park is weak to non-existent. Don’t count on it. Be sure to clarify any questions with your instructor and download directions to the venue in advance.
Read this document in its entirety
The below information is really helpful and will help set you up for a successful experience with us.
The Client Resources section is optional, but look over the headlines to see if anything catches your interest.
Logistics
Meeting Time & LOCATION
Clinics will meet at 8:15 AM at Green Valley Campground, the festival venue. Please refer to below map, or navigate to the GPS coordinates below.
Clinics will meet, organize, then depart via carpool for Devil’s Lake. We aim to leave our trailhead within the Park by 9:00 AM, and to return to the trailhead around 4:00 PM. Your instructor will share trailhead location and directions upon meeting.
43.428445, -89.774450
Parking
All vehicles within Devil’s Lake must have a valid admission sticker. See our Park Admission page for current fee information. Vehicles without a valid pass may be ticketed.
If you already have a WI State Parks pass OR a National Parks annual pass, simply display it on your vehicle dashboard. If you do not already have one of these, we recommend that you register your vehicle online in advance to save time in the morning. Within the Park, pay stations are not available at all trailheads, so you may need to drive out of the way to register your vehicle.
BATHROOMS
Public vault restrooms and potable drinking water are available at the festival venue, Green Valley Campground. Once we arrive at our trailhead within the State Park, some locations will not have access to bathrooms or water. Please plan in advance to take care of your needs before clinics meet.
During the clinic day, there will not be access to bathrooms. We'll need to use the great outdoors instead! If you've never done your business outdoors before, check out this article from REI. Holding it hurts, and going outside may just be one of the most liberating experiences you'll ever have! Instructors pack along toilet paper, menstrual products, and wag bags so be sure to ask if you need any supplies. We practice Leave No Trace principles, meaning anything we pack in we'll also pack out.
Prepare for Success
Mind & Body
Sleep and eat well the night before, so you are well-rested and you have plenty of energy during our time together.
If you are have anxiety about your clinic, reading What to Expect and Frequently Asked Questions may help you feel more informed.
If you climb in a gym or like to workout, you might take a day or two off before our trip so your muscles are well-rested and strong. Otherwise, relax and get psyched for an adventure!
WHAT TO EXPECT
After intros at the venue, we figure out what gear you have and supplement according to our needs. Then, we’ll organize carpooling and share directions to a trailhead within the state park. Once we’ve regrouped at the trailhead, we’ll hike in to our clinic location, where we will set up for our planned activity. Your instructor will customize the clinic to your group’s goals and ability levels, but you can expect a combination of demonstration, short lecture, and experiential learning.
Approach hikes can take anywhere from 10 - 30 minutes. The terrain is often steep and rocky and can ascend up to 500 feet in elevation. Anticipate large, high steps on hard, uneven, slippery rock. Close-toed hiking shoes are required. Many hikers find this hike challenging, and need to stop to catch their breath multiple times. We recommend carrying everything in your backpack, so your hands are available to provide balance.
For more details information, read What to Expect on a Guided Climbing Day.
WHAT TO BRING
Comfortable, athletic clothes work best for our adventures and courses. These can be tight-fitting, stretchy garments like tights or Under Armor, or loose, nonrestrictive clothing like sweats or t-shirts. Please avoid jeans, which tend to be restrictive and uncomfortable for climbing. If you wear shorts, make sure they are at least mid-thigh length (min. 5” inseam) so the harness won’t chafe your legs. In addition to comfortable clothing, please bring:
A minimum of 1 liter of water per person; 2 liters/person is essential during hotter days
More food and snacks than you think you’ll eat
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Sturdy and supportive close-toed shoes (not sandals or slip-ons)
One backpack per person (30L for climbing trips, 40-50L for technical courses) to carry personal and group climbing gear
Climbing equipment, if you have it. We are happy to provide climbing gear if you do not. Your instructor can provide you with an equipment list for your clinic.
*** Unless you are really fit, do not bring an ice-filled cooler. We will not return to the car for lunch and trails are steep to most climbing areas.
For more an illustrated guide, see our What to Bring Climbing.
Cancellations
While we are looking forward to climbing with you, we understand cancellations are sometimes necessary due to unplanned events. Please read our Cancellation Policies, should you need to cancel your event for any reason between now and your trip date.
We recommend purchasing trip insurance to avoid losing money in the event of an emergency or a change to your travel plans. Forbes has a great trip insurance search tool for finding the right option for your situation.
Client Resources
If you appreciate a detailed briefing, check out our hour-by-hour overview of what our typical climbing day looks like.
An illustrated guide to what to bring - and what not to bring - on your guided climbing day.
Want to show up at the cliff with some lingo in your back pocket? Rock Climbing Terms for Beginners explains some of the climbing-specific language you might hear at the crag.
We provide all equipment you’ll need for your trip or course. However, if you’d like to purchase your own kit, you may order it in advance from our Client Store.
If you’d like to order a DLCG hat or t-shirt, please order it in advance from our store and we’ll bring it to your trip for you!