Peak Mountain Guides Blog

Perhaps there is no desert tower more famous than the wildly exposed, adrenaline inducing Ancient Art Tower near Moab, UT.  The awe-inspiring corkscrew summit is a fascinating display of geology that is remarkable to behold, and even more remarkable to stand on!  With a rating of 5.8+ AO, this tower can be enjoyed by intermediate climbers with a zest for adventure.  Following are some photos from a recent climb by clients Gordon and Sonya W. and Guide Matt Wade.

Nearing the summit of Ancient Art Tower.

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Guide Matt Wade and client Larry Hall just completed a ski descent of the Lavender Couloir on 14,150′ Mt. Sneffels.  This is a classic ski mountaineering trip in the San Juans that includes an exciting roped climb to the summit, a chance to top out on a highly regarded “14′er”, and a beautiful ski descent that begins in a tight couloir and finishes on wide-open rolling terrain nearly 3000′ feet below.  Larry sent us this note after the trip: “Thank you again for the great ski day on Mt. Sneffels.  It will forever be on my list of top ski memories!”

Larry enjoying perfect turns during a ski descent of 14’150′ Mt. Sneffels.

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Our Spring 2013 Newsletter highlights some of the exciting climbing and skiing opportunities we’re offering this spring and summer. Click the image below to learn about our skill-building Intro to Alpine Climbing Course, our ski mountaineering trips in the iconic Sneffels Range, family rock climbing in Ouray, and exciting trips to world-class destinations like Mt. Rainier and Red Rocks. There is something for everyone and our first-rate staff of AMGA certified guides is ready to make your next trip educational, enjoyable, and filled with the utmost success.

Our lead guide Matt Wade recently authored an informative and interesting blog post for our long-time supporters, Backcountry Access.  In the post, which follows the activities of a recent Peak Mountain Guides Level 2 Avalanche Course, Matt describes a process for managing avalanche risk in a complex snowpack.  Click the link below to read the story.

Managing Risk in a Complex Snowpack

The 2013 Ouray Ice Festival Guide was just released and it includes a feature article on our lead guide, Matt Wade.  It describes Wade’s path to a mountain life and some of the lessons he has learned along the way.  ”To me, a lot of the value in the beauty and challenge of climbing is that I bring back gratitude for the experience and gratitude for my family and everyday life.  This is what is special about it – it goes beyond just reaching the top of a mountain for the view, although the view is usually pretty good.” To read the whole article, click the image below.

2013 Ouray Ice Festival Guide

We just sent our 2012 Early Winter Newsletter that showcases some exciting new developments at Peak Mountain Guides.  Click the link below to learn about our new shop in Ouray, expanded ice climbing opportunities in the Ouray Ice Park and nearby backcountry, and our Gear Pick of the Season.

We had a great trip to Red Rocks this year with lots of good climbing and lots of wonderful people!  Larry was back for another year (his third in a row), John was back again too (his second in a row), and Victoria, Carson, Gordon, and Sonya joined us for their first trip to this great climbing destination.  Thanks to everyone for so many terrific days on the rock!  Following are a few photos from our climbs.

A celebratory summit high above the Red Rock desert.

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We have been enjoying lots of rock climbing with kids and families this summer.  Our half-day introduction to rock climbing in Ouray has been very popular, especially since kids 10 and under climb free!  Following are a few photos from some of our recent outings on Ouray’s rock climbing crags.  Most of the images are from the Ouray Rotary Wall which is just 5 minutes from our office.

Kids love rock climbing!

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AMGA Certified Rock Guide Matt Wade describes how to use the BARK acronym to check your harness and tie-in point before climbing.

We had a fantastic Mt. Rainier climb last week with every team member making it to the summit!  We climbed the Disappointment Cleaver route from a high camp at Ingraham Flats.  During our ascent we had excellent snow conditions, good weather, and our climbing teams implemented their newly learned climbing skills with precision and finesse.  Following are a few photos from the trip.

On the summit of 14,410′ Mt. Rainier!

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