David Orsbon

Guide & Instructor

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, Apprentice Rock Guide, Apprentice Alpine Guide, Ice Instructor Course

Be it trad, ice, glacier, or a big burly boulder, David absolutely loves to climb. The only thing David enjoys more than climbing himself is teaching others how to climb. Whether it’s helping others climb confidently and efficiently or teaching the principles of anchor building, David finds special joy in helping his clients experience those “a-ha” moments when everything suddenly clicks.

David’s passion for climbing and education has its roots in the Great Smokey Mountains of his home state, North Carolina, where his family nurtured a lifelong passion for education and exploring the beauty of nature, and he first cut his climbing teeth in the late 90s. Since then, David has worked as a professional sports photographer, a research analyst for the North Carolina State Senate, and earned advanced degrees and years of teaching experience from The University of Chicago.

David has climbed extensively throughout New England. He is especially familiar with the crags of Vermont and New Hampshire, where he spends every moment he can find pulling hard on crimps and honing his professional and technical skills to better serve his clients. In addition to New England and North Carolina, David has climbed across the country: in Washington, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Pennsylvania, New York, and Virginia. He especially loves the golden sandstone of Eldorado Canyon, the glaciated peaks of the North Cascades, and the morning mists that rise from the valleys around Linville Gorge.

Fun Facts About David

In addition to guiding, David is a Joint PhD candidate at The University of Chicago, where he is in the final stages of completing a dissertation on the history of the idea of nature in the ancient and medieval worlds. He graduated in 2009 from Davidson College in North Carolina, and has published scholarly articles and edited volumes on early medieval English historiography, Dante’s Divine Comedy, and medieval exegesis.

After taking croquet on a whim for his physical education credit in college, David and his teammate won back-to-back national collegiate championships in croquet in 2007 and 2008.

Join Daivd for a day of:

  • Intro to Climbing

  • Family Climbing

  • Intermediate Climbing: footwork, balance, movement

  • Intermediate Skills: Anchor Building, Rappelling, Self-Rescue, Partner Rescue

  • Intro to Sport Climbing

  • Intro to Traditional Climbing

  • Multi-Pitch Climbing for 1-2 people

  • Multi-Pitch Transitions 

And more!