Nothing can replace the simplicity of mentorship in the context of learning and nothing can overshadow the need for continuing education in climbing. For a pursuit in which ones survival literally relies on proper training it pays to get more than hard skills and a piece of paper from a course; the impact of mentors and friends in my development as a climber certainly cannot be overstated.
If not for the friendship of my first climbing mentor, Tony, I would likely still be dangling from a top-rope in a gym after making underwhelming progress on the “green” route. He invested some time, seasoned it with encouragement and guided me through a transition to climbing outside and eventually to leading. Without his guidance and mentorship I would have remained a flustered neophyte, unable to decipher any of the paths to progress.
After learning to lead, with just enough competence to justify blowing several paychecks on guidebooks, a road trip was in order. Along the course of this sojourn I stopped at Devils Tower; here I met my next mentor, Frank Sanders. I was several pitches up the Durrance Route, feeling a bit out of my league as I explored my talent for making moderate pitches of climbing seem difficult. I was climbing slowly ahead of Frank and his two clients but he was able to deliver calm encouragement nonetheless. It gave me a much needed boost in confidence and mid-route he even showed me a few techniques that turned my frustration into a success.
Read the rest of this article and see other GUIDE PROFILES on page two of the GUIDE ZONE (scroll to the bottom of the page) or click here
Climbing Magazine's Guide Zone
Denali Flightseeing Tours with K2 Aviation
Experience Alaska's wilderness with a flightseeing tour of Mt. McKinley (Denali) and the other magnificent peaks of the Alaska Range. From Talkeetna, the dramatic features of the Alaska Range - glacier filled valleys, rugged peaks, and towering mountains - can be explored with a variety of flightseeing tour options. Add a glacier landing to your Denali flight seeing tour, and experience first-hand what it's like to walk on a glacier. Flight seeing Denali is best from Talkeenta because we are so close to Mt. McKinley. We also offer charter and air taxi services to climbers and groups who would like to explore the Denali National Park.
The American Alpine Institute was founded in 1975 and since then has been dedicated to helping climbers raise their skills, protect the environments in which they climb, develop good judgment, and safely gain access to the great mountains of the world.
Though the Institute is especially well known for its advanced training and expeditions, its international reputation is based on its dedication to teaching (at all skill levels from beginners’ to masters’ levels), its high level of customer service, the outstanding skills of its staff, and its public service in the areas of environmental protection and public lands policy.
Professional Climbing Guides Institute's (PCGI) Mission: Develop, define and improve the safety, technical and educational standards of guided rock climbing and instruction in grade III and under terrain.
PCGI develops and governs nationally recognized training, assessment and certification standards for rock climbing instruction and guiding. PCGI programs are designed to serve current professional and aspiring rock climbing guides, university/college rock climbing program leaders, youth program rock climbing leaders and climbing club/association leaders. Professional Climbing Guides Institute (PCGI) is a federally registered and regulated 501c3 non-profit public charity.
"Rock climbing with Alexis Finley was an amazingly fun and challenging experience. Alexis's emphasis on safety helped make us feel comfortable with the challenging climbs. He was friendly, professional, and made us feel like we were climbing with an old friend rather then a paid instructor. His knowledge of climbing was immense and it was fun to hear about all the places he had climbed over the years. Being that he has many certifications and years of experience made me feel like I was in good hands the entire time. Alexis gave us great climbing tips and was a great cheerleader on the harder climbs. I would certainly pass along rave reviews and recommendations to anyone who wants to start climbing or get back into climbing to spend a bit of time with Alexis. I had total confidence and trust when climbing with Alexis in Acadia National Park, Maine in the summer of 2008 and I hope to do more climbs with him in the future. It was a pleasure and honor to climb with him."
Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Guides offers guided rock climbing trips to the best rock climbing destinations in Las Vegas, Nevada, Taos and Santa Fe, New Mexico, Thailand, NY, and Mexico. Whether you are a first time beginner or a seasoned veteran, come visit one of these pristine locations with Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Guides.You will be led by our professional, friendly, and experienced staff through an enjoyable experience where you can relax and climb with confidence.
We provide permitted and insured guided rock climbing tours of northern New Mexico and The Red Rocks National Conservation Area of Las Vegas, Nevada. After more than 15 years, Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Guides success rate with clients has been 100%. Mountain Skills Rock Climbing Guides have been featured in Climbing Magazine, The New York Times, Yoga Journal, New Mexico Magazine, The L.A. Times, and The Taos Mountain Film Festival.
Alpenglow Expeditions was founded by Adrian Ballinger in 2004 after he worked for nearly a decade as head guide and director of one of the largest international guide services in the USA. Alpenglow Expeditions was created to combine our guides’ passion for climbing big mountains with their desire to teach others. We focus on high altitude expeditions, technical rock and ice climbing, and ski mountaineering on five continents. Our expeditions challenge climbers to become more efficient and competent in the mountains. Every one of these expeditions is run as a partnership between an AMGA certified guide and the team members, ensuring maximum learning, enjoyment and safety.
Founded in 1995 by director, Marty Molitoris, Alpine Endeavors is comprised of experienced, passionate climbers who are also professionally trained guides and instructors. In addition to being great climbers, all of our guides are state licensed, skilled in wilderness medicine, and trained and certified by the American Mountain Guides Association. Alpine Endeavors was the first, and still the only, guide service in their area to employ and provide all AMGA certified guides for our guests.
Alpine Endeavors offers professional climbing instruction and guiding to climbers of all ability levels for rock climbing, ice climbing, alpine climbing and mountaineering. We operate throughout the year in the Gunks, Catskills, and Adirondacks, switching from rock climbing to ice climbing and winter mountaineering with the seasons and also provide guided trips to unique areas abroad. If you are interested in climbing a specific climb, or looking to improve your technical skills, climbing ability, or general outdoor wilderness skills, we can help you reach your goals.
Mountain Madness recognizes that our clients are the ones that allow us to keep doing what we love, professionally. Because of that, your business is important to us and we want to ensure that every aspect of your Mountain Madness experience is an enjoyable one. Not only does Mountain Madness have experts in the regions that our client's travel, but we also have a US contact who is here to answer all of your questions. Long before a client's trip departs, Mountain Madness' in-office Area Specialists are preparing for their arrival. All of the logistics for a smooth trip, down to the smallest of details, have been checked, double-checked and confirmed. Whether its equipment questions, training suggestions, recommendations for trip extensions or assistance with travel plans, our Area Specialists' expertise lies in knowing the activities and regions we explore.
Mountain Gurus is dedicated to exploring the earth’s highest peaks.
We lead worldwide expeditions, treks and tours and Northwest climbs and courses. Come explore with us!
"Thanks again for an awesome trip! I will never forget the experiance. This is only the beginning for me. I plan on climbing a lot more mountains" 2009 - Steve S
"Mountain Gurus, thanks again for the excellent guiding and overall organizational support on our trip." 2009 - Klaus L
Mountain Gurus, LLC
33911 SE Odell Street
Snoqualmie, WA 98065
Office: 425.749.7421
Email: info@mountaingurus.com
Our climbing expeditions maximize many years of accumulated wisdom leading trips to the highest mountains on the planet, a strong record of reaching the top of 8000ers: Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho-Oyu, Shishapangma and many other high altitude summits in all safety, along with an intimate knowledge of the officials who regulate the permit system. We have conducted countless 8000, 7000 and 6000 metre peak expeditions, and consider ourselves specialists in identifying, organizing expeditions to, and getting teams safely to the summit and back down. We have been running expeditions for over 17 years and we know all of the bureaucratic officials, liaison officers, yak drivers, and hoteliers/restaurateurs personally in the countries we visit. We must also give credit to our polite and highly experienced, hard-working climbing sherpas, high altitude guides, cooking, and office staff.
The goal of SummitClimb is to lead expeditions stressing 3 goals in the following order:
Safety at all times
Having fun, being part of a good team, making new friends
Success in reaching the summit and descending safely
Southwest Adventure Guides LLC (formerly Southwest Adventures) has been conducting domestic and international trips and courses since 1989. We are not a travel agent. We guide our own trips with our own staff and support networks. Our courses and trips run throughout the year. In the spring and summer months we conduct rock climbing, mountaineering and mountain biking trips and courses in Southwest Colorado and Southeast Utah, as well as high altitude mountaineering expeditions and courses in Peru, Bolivia, and Alaska.
In the winter months we conduct avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, ice climbing and winter mountaineering trips in Southwest Colorado, as well as international high altitude climbing and trekking expeditions in Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina.
All of our guides undergo extensive training and have many years experience in the discipline in which they work. Additionally, all of our Senior Guides are either American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified or Trained.
Spread the love:
