After guiding and working in Colorado for 10 years, Jim Ablao moved to Oregon in 1999 and immediately began guiding for First Ascent at Smith Rock State Park, the service based out of the Redpoint Climbers Supply Smith Rock's iconic local climbing shop.  Bringing his extensive, broad range guide and climbing experience in the rockies, Smith Rock, with only one other guide service at the time, proved a great place to test, hone skills and help shape the the trajectory of guiding at Smith Rock with the other local guides and climbers in our community.     After five  years as lead guide and manager, along with his wife Anne and a handful of committed climbing guides, formed Chockstone Climbing Guides with intention to expand a broad range of services to meet the growing and evolving climbing community. Chockstone continues its commitment to year round opportunities for guides and clients and maintaining the highest high standard of quality and professionalism in our industry.

First Ascent and Chockstone Climbing Guides officially merged together in 2005, when Jim purchased First Ascent Climbing Services. Carol Simpson, First Ascent’s founder and the first woman owned and operated guide service in the Pacific Northwest, was happy to pass on her company to someone she knew would carry on the quality programs that had been in place. Chockstone Climbing Guides continued to offer the women’s climbing clinics offered by female guides that Simpson had pioneered.

Jim began offering professional development AMGA SPI courses and exams that train and certify Single Pitch Instructors for many climbing programs throughout the Northwest US. As a person of color, Jim has instructed the BIPOC American Mountain Guide Association courses. Chockstone is committed to support inclusivity and representation in the continued growth of the climbing community at large and in the professional guiding industry.

Our Smith Rock Climbing Camps hold a special place in our history to mention. These overnight camps have been running for over 20 years; bringing talented, committed young climbers from all over the country, these advanced level camps focus on bridging strong indoor skills to developing experience and skills for independent climbing at the crag. They have been adapting and evolving to the changing face of indoor competitive climbers throughout the years and have become our flagship program.   We expanded our camp offerings to adults in 2013.  The Smith Rock Climbing Camps are one of the only overnight camps of its kind in the US.