This is a great tour when the days get a little longer, spring conditions exist, and there is still some lingering cold snow on the higher elevation shady slopes. Options exist to add in some bonus laps depending on what the conditions are favoring for the day.

Stats: 6,500’ - 7,000’, ~12 miles

Take your climbing to new heights. Learn the fundamental skills needed to take on more committing alpine climbs and mountaineering routes in big mountains. Over the course of this 3 day program we will start with the skills already learned through cragging, sport climbing, and multi-pitch trad climbing and expand those skillsets into a more adaptable toolbox that will give you the confidence and competence to deal with the dynamic environment of alpine rock climbs.

Lone Eagle Peak is a fully bonafide alpine classic obscured amongst the more popular Front Range climbing destinations. If you’ve ever seen the Roach’s Indian Peaks guidebook, it is the stunning pinnacle shaped summit gracing the cover. It has piqued my interest for years but I myself was guilty of writing it off due to the long approach (relative to similar climbs in nearby RMNP) and lack of hype as it tops out at a mere 11,900’. That all changed last weekend when my partner and I were looking for a fun, yet moderate, climb that would give us an excuse to spend a night or two in the alpine.

So why hire a Mountain Guide?  You can likely find an AMGA trained guide, or an SPI, for a much lower rate.  Arguably, a full-cert Mountain Guide may be overkill if you are just looking to learn how to set up top-ropes or go out for a day of single-pitch cragging.  However, with the certification comes a drastically deeper degree of experience.  If you are a climber or skier, venturing out from the gym or ski resort for the first time, an SPI could be a great resource and instructor.  However, if you have aspirations to take those sports into bigger and more remote settings (alpine climbing, ski touring & ski mountaineering, expeditions, etc) you will very likely benefit from the expanded perspective that a fully certified Mountain Guide can provide.  If you are looking to improve your mountain craft, a full-cert Mountain Guide is the only way to ensure that the person you hire has been trained, mentored, and assessed in a standardized way. 

Occassionally on multi-pitch rock climbs, and more frequently in alpine terrain, finding a solid anchor requires positioning yourself out of view from your partner (for example after a vertical pitch, the climber must scramble over low angle/ledgy terrain to the next section of good rock). Here is a go-to method for extending your belay position back from the anchor in order to better communicate with your partner.

Aside from the figure-8 tie in, clove hitches and munter hitches are the most useful knots for climbing and mountaineering. Learn how to build these hitches directly onto the anchor using one or two hands in a way that quickly becomes etched into muscle memory. A little bit of practice will make these movements nearly automatic, freeing up your attention to keep the rope moving up the mountain!

This is the default set up that I teach for rappeling. In this context, we are geared up for ski mountaineering. When alpine climbing or multi-pitch rock climbing the exact gear you choose to bring might vary. The overall concept is the same… using a single piece of material to create both a tether (for attaching to the anchor) and an extension for your device off of your harness. Using a small sewn prusik loop, an auto block hitch is attached directly the harness to back up your rappel (ie ‘third hand). If you descend too far and need to climb back up, it is simple to convert your device into plaquette mode by clipping the eye back to your belay loop.

For insiders only: Grab any 23/24 ski or board and get ANY Archive ski or board for no additional charge!

Use code SUMMERWNDRFREEBIE at checkout. Code is good until the end of this month! Put in your order notes (under Comments and Special Instructions) who you got the code from! 

If you want to be extra strategic, we encourage you to go in on this offer with a friend. Or you can simply pass it on to a deserving loved one!

Over the last week of May 2023 a rare thing happened… conditions, partners, ambition, and time all lined up for a couple of lines I have dreamt of skiing for years. After nearly hanging up my skis for the season, I received some reports that conditions on Longs Peak were setting up for a ski descent of the Notch Couloir in (my opinion) good style.

Trip recap of this year’s Haute Route Ski Traverse from Chamonix to Zermatt

Because internet tech tips are dumb.

2023 Hokkaido Trip through Pro Guiding Service. Video Recap.