Apex Ex

Booked a beginners ½ day and intermediate full day rock climbing course with APEX and got a LOT out of it. Colin was an excellent instructor-​patient, knowledgeable, and really wanted me to get the most out of our day together. He was willing to spend time working with me on things I wanted to learn and explained them in ways that were easy to understand for a beginner. I highly recommend this course for people wanting to learn how to climb. It made me excited about the next step.
I’ll be requesting Colin for any other adventures I book with APEX!

I only saw one tubing rating on here, so I thought I’d add something. My group of 6 did white water tubing this last weekend in Golden with Apex. The Apex guy gave us tips for having fun on the water (helpful). Long story short, we had a blast! We were thankful for the life vests and helmets. Yes, the tubes were fairly misshapen unlike other tubes I’ve seen. However, I think the poor shape made it easier to reach the water (but easier to hit rocks with your bum) than some of the giant & evenly round tubes I’ve seen. The tubes held up to being smushed and caught on rocks. They also had ropes on them for makeshift handles, which was VERY helpful when we fell off. Apex had various tube and helmet sizes. The Apex guy stayed out there for a few hours so I was able to exchange my helmet when I needed to. Overall, it was a great package for $ 20. I plan to do this again, and hopefully other things, with Apex.

First time in Colorado, and wanted an adventure. Booked a biking expedition through another company, and when I called to confirm, they said they didn’t have that date open. Needless to say, we needed a plan b.
A friend recommended Apex Ex, we got to talk to Colin, and our problems we’re solved. Even calling for a mountain biking tour for the next day, he was very accommodating. Set it all up over the phone, and we were good to meet the next morning.
Colin laid everything out with us morning of, took some practice laps around the parking lot and we were ready to go– or so we thought.
We had contemplated our ability level, and while Colin didn’t outwardly laugh, I’m sure he was laughing about what we two southerners were getting into.
Never mountain bikes before, and we had a great time! Plenty of appropriate breaks– all requested. The views were great, the route was amazing, the intro into mountain biking was second to none.
After my longest review ever, I’d recommend this group to anyone and everyone.

The short version:
Apex Ex is great. The staff are smart, receptive, kind, knowledgeable, extremely safe, and they all appear to love what they do. Take a class or sign up for a trip — I did both — and you will be incredibly happy with the experience.
The long version:
I took the Avi I course with ApexEx and signed up for a guided backcountry trip in Rocky Mountain National Park with some friends.
The Avi I course was well organized and I was impressed with the staff’s approach to teaching. In addition to just being incredibly nice people, they were clearly well versed in avalanche safety and all had a wealth of experience and enthusiasm. The guides in my group, Andrew and Eryka, were kind, thoughtful, and seemed genuinely interested in teaching the group about how to have fun safely in the backcountry. Moreover, they repeatedly checked to make sure that everyone was comfortable and okay with the pace we were moving at.
I would highly recommend the class to anyone who has any interest in winter backcountry travel.
The backcountry guided experience surprised me by being even better. Our guide, Colin, managed to gauge our pace perfectly, while still getting us to challenge ourselves within our limits. Along the way he explained what he was watching out for in the snow pack, the location of other backcountry skiers in the area, terrain issues, and weather, which made for an educational, as well as an incredibly fun experience. Colin was equally comfortable with silence or with chatting, making the entire trip feel natural and as though we were traveling with someone we had known for a long time. He’s also just a really great guy, so I can’t recommend him enough.
I plan to go on a guided trip again soon!

We did a full-​day snowshoeing trip to Rocky Mountain National Park’s Emerald Lake. Gavi, our guide was wonderful. We had tried this hike alone before and got lost. Gavi went ahead and scouted the tricky part of the trail and we ended up at our destination. The fondue was surprisingly good and the cider was nice and hot.

My husband and I went snowshoeing for the first time with Apexex. The location at Lily lake was beautiful and the fondue and warm cider was an added treat. The guides, Corey and Gavie, were great and I appreciated their patience as I was bringing up the rear on the uphill climbs… every single time! I’ve already referred them tonight and look forward to some other adventures with them too.

I did a private 1 on 1 rock climbing and it was great. My guide, Collin, was awesome. I felt comfortable with him and he really knew what he was doing. He was great at explaining anything or answering questions I had. ApexEx was also great with coordinating to meet my needs. I would use them again.

Back in January, my husband and I decided to take a weekend and go up to Estes Park. We found a deal through Amazon Local on a guided snow shoeing trip with fondue to cap it off with the great people at ApexEx. (It was a happy coincidence that the snow shoeing trek began at Lily Lake, where we got married!) I am kicking myself for not writing this review sooner because I cannot remember the name of one of our two guides now, but one of them was named Tyler. They were both fantastic, personable, and knowledgeable. It was the first time snow shoeing for either of us, and we had so much fun, it certainly won’t be our last. I highly recommend these folks for your outdoor adventures!

I was in the area and wanted to do mountain biking, so I looked these guys up. The trip could not have been better. Guide was awesome, trail was perfect and the equipment they brought was top notch. The trip was a bit more challenging than us sea level bikers anticipated, so the guide even gave us the rest of his water halfway through so we’d make the entire journey. If back in the area, I look these guys up in a heartbeat!

*******THIS REVIEW IS ONLY FOR THE WHITEWATER TUBING********
This was not enjoyable in any way. The tubes provided by ApexEx were huge and miss-​shapen. I am a 6 foot, 195 pound man and it was impossible for me to reach around both sides of the tube to hold on, let alone paddle with both arms at the same time. I bit it after almost every rapid because there was no way to hold on to the tube. My wife, and about 7 others in our group had an even harder time because they were even smaller. My wife is a tiny athletic woman who was flipped and dragged under the rapids after each waterfall. She had to kick on her back to get out from under the suck of the rapids while holding onto the tube because while sitting on the tube her arms and legs did not reach the water. When she said this to our «guide» he shrugged his shoulders and didn’t seem to care that there was no way she could navigate the creek on such an over sized tube.
After being tossed under several times and getting quite banged up, a group of us got out of the creek and hiked the trail that followed the creek back to the library where we started. We were glad we did. Our guide told us that the «worst» rapids were up on top where we started. This was not true. There were far worse, rocky, rapid moving steep waterfalls further down. There is no way the smaller people in our group would have been able to make it down without injury, since they couldn’t hold onto their tubes.
The only possible way this would have been remotely enjoyable were if the tubes provided were the proper size for the person riding them and if they had handles… maybe even a foot leash to prevent the run-​away tube.
Our guide told us before we entered the creek, that the people who don’t enjoy the experience are the one who didn’t listen to his tips. This wasn’t true in our group. Each and every one of us listened and followed his advice. We assumed «an athletic stance» while sitting on our tubes, leaned back, and engaged our core. Since we were incapable of growing another 2 feet of arm length we were screwed from the get-​go.
In all fairness, I will try the snow shoeing and climbing adventures with ApexEx in the future, but I have now officially crossed Whitewater Tubing off my bucket list.

Had a chance to do the basic rock climbing class over the weekend. Small group, 3 other climbers and Spencer from Apex Ex. What a great experience. ½ hour of instruction and we were belayed and climbing. Felt safe, secure and confident all afternoon. Climbed cliffs below summit of North Table Mountain. Day was great, views spectacular, instruction just enough and fellow climbers a blast to get to know. I’m 55 years old and was climbing with 20 somethings and had the absolute best time. I want to do it again!

This company has made promises that have not been kept and lies so they don’t have to make good on their commitments. Last year, I went on a climb that got snowed out. The instructor said he would reschedule the trip, however, I contacted him many times to reschedule and he never did. He finally left the company. Eventually, I got to talk to Ryan the owner who stated that he would offer me a refund or a trip credit for 2012. I choose to take the credit because I believed in the company’s purpose and I wanted to give them another opportunity to make good on their promise. When I tried to schedule this trip this year, Ryan told me he no longer worked for Apex Ex. However, Ryan is still listed as the Executive Director. No business should be run this way.

My boyfriend and I went on a beginner rock climbing trip last weekend. We were impressed! We are new to the Boulder area and had never attempted climbing. Cory was our instructor and he was amazing. Withing 20 minutes we were belaying and climbing. We were confident in Cory’s skills and felt safe the entire time (50 ft up a mountain.) The group was really small and we all learned the basics quickly. We had lots of time to climb at our own pace. Cory’s calm demeanor made the climb seem much less intimidating then it could have been. He was a great instructor. I would highly recommend Apex Ex to anyone interested in climbing for the first time. We will be planning another rock climbing adventure very soon.

One word: MAGICAL! My fiancé proposed to me on the Chautauqua Classic Hike, after we ran the famous Bolder Boulder Race in the morning. Ryan was extremely hospitable, and even took professional photos of us all along the way! We ended the hike with drinks at the St. Julien Hotel and an experience of a lifetime! Thank you Apex Ex for the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!

I did a rock climbing trip with ApexEx a few months back when I was new to the Boulder area. The trip was designed for beginners and I’m not a beginning climber, but I wanted to get to know the area and where some potential good climbing spots were as well as meet some new people. The trip with ApexEx met all of my expectations! The trip guides were knowledgeable and friendly and were great at teaching beginning climbers the skills they needed. They also gave me some great tips on good climbing spots in the Boulder area. ApexEx: mission accomplished!

Excellent trip. I did their rock climbing adventure and it was above an dbeyond what I expected. We went to a great spot where there was enough varied terrain for all skill levels. The staff was really in touch with what they were doing and helped me learn about safety and beginner climbing.
Also, I made it to the top of the «run» that I was working on, a pleasant surprise!
A great experience, these guys know what they’re doing and I’m sure you’d enjoy it. Worth the trip to Boulder-​area. I would check out their other trips next chance I get.