Emilie is certified by the American Mountain Guides Association as a Rock, Alpine and Ski Guide and licensed internationally by the IFMGA/ UIAGM as an American Mountain Guide.
Her resume includes climbing and skiing from the small, rugged mountains of the Northeast to the world’s biggest mountain ranges in Alaska, the Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush.
In 2015 Emilie co-guided the first team of Afghan women mountain climbers to ascents of three new 5000+m peaks in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan.
In 2018 she led an expedition for Ascend Athletics by which Hanifa Yousoufi became the first Afghan woman to summit the country's highest peak, Mt Noshoq (7,492m)
Emilie is an Instructor Team member for the American Mountain Guides Association, and trains and mentors new and aspiring guides and instructors.
Emilie is an Outdoor Research Athlete and works with Salt Lake City based WNDR Alpine and Blue Ice North America.
You can see more of what she’s been up to at: www.emiliedrinkwater.com
Jesse Williams
Jesse is certified by the American Mountain Guides Association as a Rock, Alpine & Ski Guide, and licensed internationally by the IFMGA/UIAGM as an American Mountain Guide. He has been mountain guiding and instructing in diverse venues across the country for over 27 years.
His career has been based on reliable and personable partnership, diligent risk management, progressive instruction and intuitive solutions.
His resume also includes first ascents of rock, ice and mixed routes in the Adirondacks and Alaska Range, and first ski descents in the St. Elias Range.
He graduated from Middlebury College (B.A. Environmental Studies/Biology) in 1994, and started a ‘full-time’ mountain guiding career...with three part-time jobs: as a rock & ice climbing instructor in the Adirondacks, a pro ski patroller at Jay Peak in northern Vermont, and a freelance carpenter in between.
In addition to Alaskan expeditions, pilgrimages to Canada and the Alps, and seasonal alpine guiding on Mt. Rainer, North Cascades & the Grand Teton, he spent over two decades based in the Adirondacks & Northeast: climbing, guiding and skiing 250+ days/year on traditional, multi-pitch rock, ice & mixed routes, and backcountry ski tours.
In 2015, he relocated to Salt Lake City, Utah to work for Petzl America, and gained training and experience in the industrial rope access, fall protection, and rescue markets.
Jesse owns and operates Cloudsplitter LLC- a separate business offering consulting and contracting for Managed Fall Protection Programs, and general 'work at height' training and management of commercial recreational, institutional, rope rescue and 'unconventional' programs.
Contact Jesse@cloudsplitterguides.com