Jeremy Allyn

Jeremy moved to the Pacific Northwest from New England in 1987, discovering the amazing climbing and skiing of the North Cascades and British Columbia's "white wilderness." Jeremy turned his passion into a profession in 2002. Since then he has guided expeditions and climbs in Alaska, Canada, Red Rocks, the Sierra Nevada, and North Cascades. In the winter, Jeremy works as an AIARE Level 1 and 2 Avalanche Instructor, ski guides, and manages the Mountain Madness Avalanche Education Program. In his spare time Jeremy enjoys writing, photography and music; and continues to explore his home turf - Washington's North Cascades..

Teddy Anderson

Teddy hails from Salt Lake City where she enjoys skiing and climbing. Her mountaineering background includes trips throughout North and South America, New Zealand, and Nepal. She has spent ten years guiding expedition river trips, and loves to share her knowledge of geology and of the night sky. Teddy's love of guiding is for the simple enjoyment of meeting nice folks in beautiful places.

Vince Anderson

Vince guides our custom Alps and Colorado trips. His experience guiding includes technical rock and ice climbs, backcountry ski tours, and teaching numerous avalanche safety courses. Vince is a fully certified UIAGM/IFMGA guide. The UIAGM or the Union International des Associations de Guides de Montagne is the highest internationally recognized certification for mountain guiding. He holds a Level III Avalanche certification, and is also certified as a Wilderness First Responder. Vince has recently received the Golden Piton Award for his ascent of Nanga Parbat.

Guillermo (Willie) Benegas

Willie spent his youth climbing in Northeast Patagonia with his father and twin brother, Damian. This served as a strong background for a developing climbing career, which took off when he and Damian moved to the States at age 21. They headed straight for the big walls of Yosemite, where in the years to follow they made over 40 ascents of El Capitan. Each year Willie has returned to Argentina to guide trips on Aconcagua, a mountain which he has climbed over 50 times. These ascents include the difficult South face, and a speed record which held for five years.

In 1995 he made an impressive first ascent of the North face of Trango Tower in Pakistan. He has since led over 20 Himalayan expeditions, including seven Everest summits, Cho Oyu, Ama Dablam, an attempt on the North face of Jannu, and a new route on Nuptse, dubbed The Crystal Snake, which earned him and Damian the prestigious golden piton award. Willie has also set speed records in Africa on Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya, and with his brother has made three attempts on the highly coveted Pakistani peak Latok 1 and has done first ascents on the big walls of Baffin Island. Having also climbed dozens of Bolivian and Peruvian peaks, he has earned a place among the elite in the world of high altitude alpinism. Willie is a fully sponsored member of the North Face athlete team, and an certified AMGA rock guide. He is currently pursuing alpine and ski certifications, while spending his winters as a ski patroller in the Wasatch mountains of Utah.

Jay Bright

Jay is a northwest native and our Avalanche Program Course Director. His passion for snow has kept him in the Pacific Northwest where the snow is deep and the mountains are steep. When the snow melts off, you can find him kayaking, testing gravity. Jay has spent the last 15 years as a professional ski patroller in the Northwest and also guided for 12 years on the rivers of the Northwest. He is AIARE Avalanche Level 3 Certified, and an Outdoor Emergency Care Instructor.

Jason Broman

Jason grew up in western New York where he developed a passion for climbing in the Adirondack Mountains. He attended school at SUNY Plattsburgh where he received a bachelor's degree in Expeditionary Studies with a focus on rock climbing, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing. Jason has climbed and skied in the Chic Chocs, Cascades, Adirondacks, New River Gorge, Seneca Rocks, and in North Carolina. He holds a Wilderness First Responder Certification, Avalanche Level I, and has taken the AMGA top-rope site manager course.

Ted Callahan

Ted is an adept rock and ice climber. Ted brings along his witty, slightly caustic sense of humor to all his trips. To his credit are also first descents on the wildest rivers in Africa, Asia and South America. Ted has spent more than five years climbing and exploring the Tian Shan and Pamir regions of Central Asia. He holds a MA degree in East Asian Studies (China) from Stanford University and is currently researching his PhD dissertation in anthropology at Boston University, on the Kyrgyz nomads of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor. Ted has previously lived and worked in China, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan and speaks Dari/Tajik, Kyrgyz, and Chinese.

Raliegh Coburn

Raleigh is a favorite with our Nepal trekkers and brings enthusiasm and a spirit of adventure with every trek she leads. Raliegh speaks Nepali and holds an abundance of knowledge about the wildlife, customs and people of Nepal. Long time outward-bound instructor, Raliegh is a solid leader and has been a professional guide for years. She holds a Wilderness EMT Certification.

Phil Crampton

Phil Crampton brings a wealth of experience for those joining our expeditions in Asia. His wry British sense of humor, strong leadership skills, and passionate interest in both the mountains of Tibet and its culture ensure an unforgettable experience in high Asia. He has led 15 expeditions to 8000-meter peaks including Everest (4 times), Cho Oyu (7 times), Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II and Shishapangma (2 times), and four expeditions to Mustagh Ata and Pumori. Elsewhere, he's led trips to Denali, Aconcagua, and many other smaller peaks across the globe. He is a consultant and volunteer teacher at the Tibet Mountaineering Guide School in Lhasa and works year round training and improving the lives of many young Tibetans.

Sergio Echeverria

After extensive experience in mountains around the world, Sergio has settled in Puerto Natales, Chile, where he helps lead our Patagonia expeditions. His diverse background includes everything from ice climbing to birdwatching, and his wide range of interests lets him bring a much-appreciated diversity to our expeditions. Sergio speaks English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, and is a Wilderness First Responder, a member of the Chilean Search and Rescue team, trained in the principals of Leave No Trace, and working toward a UIAGM certification.

Erica Engle

Erica grew up skiing and climbing in Washington’s Cascades and has held a lifelong passion for mucking around in the outdoors. She attributes her commitment to the mountains to her gregarious family and her chutzpah, in particular, to her grandfather Stan. She attended Western Washington University where she earned a degree in Environmental Science and a minor in Spanish. Her interests include alpine climbing and ski mountaineering, Spanish, ecology, literature, helicopters, and avoiding the urban matrix whenever possible. Erica ski patrols at Crystal Mountain in the winter, maintains Wilderness EMT-B certification and Avalanche Level II.

Aili Farquhar

From the maple woods and granite hills of New England to the rainforests and glaciers of the West Coast Aili has cultivated a lifelong love of wild places. After interning as a ranger in Olympic National Park she said goodbye to Mount Holyoke College and moved to Jackson, Wyoming. Here she began alpine climbing and ski mountaineering. She has climbed ice, rock and snow from Mexico to Alaska while working as an expedition assistant, National Park and Forest Ranger and commercial fishing deckhand. She has a BA in Wilderness Philosophy and Environmental Science from the Evergreen State College. She is a published author, Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, and holds a Level II certification with the American Avalanche Institute.

Oswaldo provides our Ecuador trips a local's perspective. Ossy was born and raised in Ecuador and knows his country's peaks intimately. He provides outstanding service to his groups. His university degree is hotel management and he has professional guide training, including ASEGUIM certification. He has climbed Lenin peak, the difficult west face of Huayna Potosi, Aconcagua's south face, in the Dolomites, and throughout South America.

Eric was born Kansas, where he says he was able to hone his skills in the flats before taking them to the mountains. He graduated with a degree in Business Management from Colorado Christian University in Denver, Colorado, where he probably spent more time climbing and skiing than in class. He is a NOLS graduate and spent a semester in Patagonia. After college, he moved to Washington State where he has spent the last 4 years climbing and guiding professionally. Eric has led trips throughout the Cascade Range, as well as expeditions in South America and Alaska. He spends his winters as a Professional Ski Patroller at Washington’s Crystal Mountain, and enjoys as many ski tours and ice climbing adventures as possible on his days off. Eric is Level II Avalanche Certified, a Wilderness First Responder, OEC certified, and a Leave No Trace Trainer.

John Kear

John is an internationally certified mountain guide and zealous all-around climber. He is one of only a handful of Americans to become a fully certified UIAGM/IFMGA guide. Sixteen years of mountain experience has taken him all over the world for work and play. From the high Alpine peaks of Alaska, the Alps, the Andes and the Himalaya to the desert crags and towers of the American Southwest, John is equally at home seeking out beautiful and challenging ascents. Specializing in demanding and technical routes he has guided professionally for over a decade. His passion for first ascents and adventure climbing was born in the Sandia Mountains of New Mexico, an enchanting little range of granite fins, towers and walls just outside of his home in Albuquerque. When he can be home he continues to seek out challenging new routes and share the classics with friends and guided clients.

Angela Hawse

Angela has guided for more than 20 years in the North America, South America and Asia. She is an AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide and well-versed in all other disciplines of climbing. Her more than 20 high altitude expeditions, including 5 on Denali, have taken her to Nepal, Pakistan, India, Patagonia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Alaska and Canada. Angela has a Master of Arts Degree in International Mountain Conservation and serves as a Director for the American Mountain Guides Association. She is a Marmot Athlete and a member of the Montrail and Trango Climbing Teams.

Casey Henley

Casey Henley grew up and learned to climb and ski in the Canadian Rockies. He is the Head Instructor for the Climbing & Skiing Programs for Plattsburgh State University's Expeditionary Studies Degree Program. He has guided on 6 of the 7 summits, as well as Mt. Logan (w/ ski descent), Ama Dablam, Imja Tse, Cho Oyu, the Mexican Volcanoes, in Pakistan's K2 area, Patagonia, the St. Elias Range's peaks, and many others. He is known for his mellow, friendly, teaching style; and loves to share his passion for remote and wild mountain areas.

Seth Hobby

Seth is a full time mountain guide and a persistent alpinist. After growing up climbing in the North Cascades of Washington, Seth chose guiding as a career at the age of 21. Seth has guided technical ascents throughout Alaska, Canada, Cascades, Sierra, Nepal and Norway. Seth now spends his winters in Norway guiding ice climbs and skiing. He is an AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide and is working towards full IFMGA certification with his completion of the ski program. In addition, he has an AIARE Level 3 training, a Wilderness First Responder, and is a Master Educator in Leave No Trace.

Alejo Lazzati

Alejo fell in love with the mountains in his early years as a boy-scout, and became a proficient rock climber in his youth. Through these activities, he met the friends that helped him summit Ecuador's famed peak Cotopaxi at age 14. Since then, Alejo has spent countless days in the mountains and has shared this love with many aspiring climbers. He has climbed in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, Argentina and recently did some serious alpine climbing in the Alps as part of his training to obtain his UIAGM certification. Alejo is the second Ecuadorian guide to achieve full UIAGM certification, one of very few US-certified Wilderness Emergency Medical Technicians (WEMT), and a certified member of the Associacion Ecuatoriana de Guias de Montana (ASEGUIM). He also works as a climbing, rescue, and outdoor medicine instructor. And he enjoys traveling, hiking, scuba diving, running and is a pretty darned good cook.

Ben Mality

Ben has more than 100 ascents of Kilimanjaro. Ben has become our expert guide on the mountain and on safari, and one of Tanzania’s premier guides. He enjoys sharing his extensive knowledge and passion of the area’s natural history, and providing his guests with a local’s perspective on Tanzanian culture and history. Ben’s professionalism, knowledge, and warm personality make him a favorite.

Gaspar Navarrete

Born and raised in Ecuador Gaspar offers expert insight into the culture and the mountains of his home country. He has climbed in the Alps, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and in the U.S. He has first ascents in both Bolivia and Ecuador. He was trained as a mountain guide in Bolivia and Chamonix, France and holds ASEGUIM certification. He is the director of the Mountain Guides School from Ecuador when not guiding in South America.

Ian Nicholson

Ian has been climbing since his early teenage years and actively pursues all forms of the sport in a great variety of areas: from the Cascades to the Alaska Range, Patagonia toYosemite, Zion, The Tetons, Canadian Rockies, New England, and Ouray, Colorado. Ian was the 2007 recipient of the ACC Fellowship Grant to climb in the Waddington Range where he put up several first ascents. Ian is a Wilderness First Responder, and the same youthful enthusiasm and talent that got him up Mt Rainier long before he could drive, has seen him climb steadily through the IFMGA certification process - achieving both AMGA Alpine and Rock Guide status in the 2008-2009 season. His passion to be out in the mountains has been known to spur people to greater heights.

Jaime Pollitte

Having spent much of his upbringing living overseas and traveling as an adult it seems that Jaime has lived almost everywhere. With a degree in Outdoor Education/Leadership from Prescott College, Jaime has spent the last thirteen years as an outdoor professional. He has spent time working /climbing /skiing / kayaking throughout the US, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Europe. As much as he loves all aspects of the mountains he feels that fresh powder and splitter cracks are true gifts of nature.

Chad Peele

Chad has been guiding since 1996 and is an AMGA Certified Alpine and Rock Guide. Chad has guided extensively throughout North and South America guiding rock, snow and ice year-round in the Cascades, Mexico, Aconcagua, Colorado, and Alaska including Denali, the Moose's Tooth on the Ruth Gorge, Mount Sanford and Mount Bear in the Wrangell-St. Elias Range His other qualifications include; Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level III and AIARE Level I Instructor.

Hector Ponce de Leon

Hector has successfully guided climbers to the summits of Cho Oyu, Aconcagua, Alpamayo, Huascaran, Illimani, Illampu, Huayna Potosi, and the Mexican Volcanoes, to name a few. Hector has a long list of accomplishments such as ascents of the southface of Shishapangma and Aconcagua. Hector has been successful with climbing Everest, and Gasherbrum II in the Karakorum. He has a special quality of helping other people reach their goals in the mountains. His free time is spent climbing in Yosemite and biking in Mexico.

More about Hector

Pablo Puruncajas

Pablo grew up in the highlands of Ecuador, climbing and guiding clients up the local Andes peaks with his family-owned mountain guide company. In 2002 he moved to the United States to climb and experience a new culture. While in the US, he has climbed extensively from the East to the West Coast. He started as a guide with Mountain Madness in 2005. Pablo became a UIAGM Rock and Alpine Certified Guide in 2009 . He guides in Kenya, South America, on Denali and in Alaska, and throughout the United States. In his free time, he enjoys climbing at the local crags and skiing.

Shayan Rohani

Shy developed an early interest in climbing from growing up in Washington. When not climbing in the Cascades, Yosemite or Zion, Shy guides in the Northwest, South America and Mexico. Shy has a strong background in technical climbing, is an excellent teacher, and exudes a cheerful spirit in the mountain environment. His culinary background gives new meaning to the concept of “mountain food!”

Alan Rousseau

An initial passion for backcountry skiing pulled Alan into the world of climbing, and led to his current obsession of long routes in alpine environments. During the summer months, he can be found climbing the cliffs of index, or planning the next adventure to the remote big walls of the northwest. September to June he can be found in a slightly less spectacular setting, working on a master’s degree at Ohio University. Where he is currently conducting thesis research on the Judgment and decision-making processes among populations of alpine climbers. He has completed the first course in each discipline of the AMGA (Rock, Ski, Alpine), and is pursuing full IFMGA certification. His certifications include: AIARE Level III avalanche, Leave No Trace Master educator, and Wilderness first responder.

Mark Ryman

Mark is an experienced mountaineer and rock climber with fourteen years of experience climbing in various parts of the Western United States and global destinations. He guides in the Cascades, Alaska, South America and Russia. His personal climbing experience ranges from alpine climbs in the Cascades to the big walls in Yosemite and the limestone seacliffs in Thailand. Mark has recently taken on a more full-time role in managing international logistics for many of our trips, but will continue to guide and instruct when possible. Mark is also pursuing AMGA certifications in the Alpine and Rock disciplines.

Miles Smart

Miles is a fully certified UIAGM/IFMGA Guide and recipient of the 2004 AMGA “Guide of the Year Award.” He grew up climbing in the Cascades of Washington State. Climbing has since taken him to Yosemite, the Canadian Rockies, Patagonia, the French and Swiss Alps, Nepal, Thailand and Pakistan. While living in Yosemite for two years, he completed eighteen ascents of El Capitan and set speed records on a number of classic grade VI wall routes. He also established a new “A5” route on El Capitan. On expeditions Miles has climbed on peaks such as Ama Dablam, Shishapangma, Trango Towers, Cerro Torre and Fitzroy. Miles is also an accomplished skier. His main passion is ski mountaineering, but he has also guided heli skiing in Alaska, Italy and Switzerland. He has made steep, technical descents in the Chugach Range of Alaska, the Cascades of Washington, the French and Swiss Alps, and the Tibetan Himalaya. Miles has chosen La Grave, France as his winter home for the past four years due to the outrageous ski guiding there. Miles is an instructor and examiner for the American Mountain Guides Association. He is a Marmot Athlete/Design Board member and is on the Gore Mountaineering Council.

Joe Stock

Joe has been climbing and skiing around the world for 24 years. His highlights have been long alpine climbs in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, limestone rock climbing in Thailand, mixed climbs in Colorado and spring ski mountaineering in Alaska. At the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, Joe began his undergraduate degree in geology then finished in physical geography. Later he recieved a graduate degree in watershed science (snow science focus) from CSU in Fort Collins, Colorado. He became a certified alpine guide in 2003, ski mountaineering certified in 2008 and rock certified in 2009. In addition to guiding, Joe works as a writer, photographer and hydrologist. He lives in Anchorage with his wife Cathy.

Dylan Taylor

Dylan joins our team from Bellingham, Washington. Dylan guides in Washington, Alaska, Nevada, the Alps, and in the South American Andes. Dylan holds an AIARE level III avalanche certification, and he is a fully certified UIAGM/IFMGA Guide. Originally from Colorado, Dylan grew up with an obsession for rock and alpine climbing and skiing. His love for the mountains led not only exploring, but also a Masters Degree in geology. Between guiding adventures, Dylan finds time for his own personal climbing and skiing expeditions to places like India, Patagonia (establishing several first ascents), and Alaska (completing several first ski traverses). Dylan is also an avid photographer, and enjoys documenting his adventures – both guided and personal. You can occasionally spot his images in the outdoor media and in catalogs. While resting in camp after a long day in the mountains, Dylan may talk your ear off about photography, geology, or the current state of world politics.

Mario Tribeño

Mario was born and raised in Cusco, Peru. Mario guides our Inca Trail and Ausangate treks and brings a wealth of local knowledge to your trip. His enthusiasm for Inca culture is infectious. In his free time he is working on an orchid guidebook for the area near Machu Picchu and busy raising a family.

Geoff Unger

Geoff has climbed rock all over the western U.S., from the big walls of Zion and Red Rocks to Yosemite. His broad alpine experience and enthusiasim for teaching stems from a love of the mountains, especially the Cascades where we spends summers on the high peaks and glaciers. Geoff is an avid backcountry skier. His favorite haunts include the glades of Idaho and the diverse terrain in the Alps. Geoff is a fully certified UIAGM/IFMGA guide. He holds a wilderness first responder certification and American Level 3 avalanche training.

Thai Verzone

After several years working as a Physician Assistant in Native Alaskan villages and volunteering medical services around the world for African Zulu tribes, Haitian villages, and Amazonian natives, Thai has returned to the world of guiding. In 2007 he was the winter with the U.S. Antarctic program guiding various science groups around the frozen continent. He has guiding experience in Nepal, the Andes, Denali, New Zealand, and the Cascades. Fluent in Spanish and with a degree in Latin American studies, he has a wealth of knowledge to share about the Andean communities.

Tino Villanueva

Tino is a northwest native and calls the Cascade Mountain Range his home. Despite his relentless pull to the outdoors, Tino managed to find time to earn a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology from the University of Oregon. Climbing then become an avenue for adventure and exploration leading him not only throughout the West but also to Alaska and Asia. He enjoys all facets of climbing and is proficient on rock, snow, ice or skis. Tino is a professional ski patroller and you can find him throwing bombs or on the hunt for pockets of fresh powder in the most unlikely places during the winter. Tino truly enjoys sharing his knowledge of the mountains with others. He is a Wilderness First Responder, Outdoor Emergency Care provider, AIARE Level 3 avalanche trained, and a Leave No Trace Trainer.

Andrew Wexler

Andrew grew up the son of a textile salesman, far, far away from the nearest mountain. As fate would have it, he now finds himself living in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, guiding climbing and skiing year round. When not climbing or skiing, Andrew can usually be found skiing or climbing. This monotony of character may have a myriad of drawbacks, but it has also seen him to the top of classic routes and peaks including Fitzroy, Ama Dablam, El Cap, Denali’s Cassin Ridge and Huayna Potosi’s West Face. Along with Mountain Madness Co-worker Dylan Taylor, Andrew has also spent what may be considered a ridiculous amount of time skiing across various ranges in Alaska. It is a rare occurrence to catch Andrew outside without his camera, and his photos and words have appeared in numerous national and international publications.

Deana Zabaldo

Deana has traveled in more than 25 countries, and has lived and worked in Nepal for over six years. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, she worked in a remote Himalayan village for two years to start a non-profit organization that worked to provide better living standards for the poor and increase employment for the educated. She returned to San Francisco to direct international exchange programs but after 3 years found that her heart was still in the Himalayas. In recent years, she leads treks, volunteers with local social development projects, teaches yoga, and sells fine handmade goods in the US. Deana speaks fluent Nepali and is dedicated to sharing her love of Nepal by providing trips that shape people’s lives.

» Read more about Deana