Guiding Notes

Guiding is more than just leading a client to an objective and back. It's a partnership. The very nature of a guide-to-client relationship suggests that my skill level far exceeds yours. However, my safety and enjoyment is dependent upon yours and vice versa; we move through the mountains together…as a team. And though I have many years of experience in some of the world’s most dangerous and inhospitable environments, and the skills and knowledge to manage them safely, I have the humility to know that there is always something to learn each and every time one steps into the alpine. Embracing this concept has given me many years of success in an occupation that is inherently fraught with danger. If we complete a tour and think it was executed flawlessly, without any missteps, then we’ve either accomplished something extremely rare in the mountaineering world, or we lacked the awareness to recognize our mistakes. The latter is almost always the case. For a client, being guided in the mountains by a seasoned and highly trained professional is an enlightening (and sometimes humbling) experience, but one in which we both should come away with more knowledge and a stronger set of skills than we had before we left the car park.


As a guide, my goals are threefold:
1. to show my clients a good time 2. to bring them home safely, and 3. to instill in them both more confidence, and a higher level of technical proficiency in the mountains.


As we gain trust in each other’s abilities, dispositions, and skill sets, we can move the goalposts farther, and higher, and tackle bigger and more challenging projects. But it is a process. One has to enjoy the process. We generally don’t jump into the deep end right away. There is much truth to the common adage that joy is in found in the journey, and less so in the completion of a specific, planned objective. Some of my best days in the mountains are ones that haven’t gone exactly according to plan. In the mountains you will have good days (almost always), and not so good days (especially when the weather doesn’t cooperate), and sometimes, when the stars align, you will have some of the best days of your life! Make sure you are in position and ready to take advantage of these moments. This includes: staying fit, tracking the weather, understanding the nuances of the snowpack, having the right mindset, being adequately prepared (gear/clothing/basic skills), and having some guided days already under your belt.


Let’s start the process together.

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Rate Schedule

Winter/Summer/Fall 2025

*accomodation, airfare, train, bus, transfers, tolls, food, beer and tips not included

**My rates are very competitive relative to other qualified guides in Chamonix valley and consistent with IFMGA standards and best practices (and as the vast majority of my previous and recurring clients can attest, worth every cent!). Secure your dates as soon as possible, as my calendar tends to fill up early and regularly. Let’s have a chat about your experiences, ideas and goals beforehand. I look forward to talking with you.