Cloudsplitter Mountain Guides

Wayne and Lise, hangin' out.

 

What goes up, must come down.

After a month of travel devoted to training, professional development and the AMGA Aspirant Alpine Guides exam/course, it's nice to get back home to the Adirondacks and get on track with good old fashioned summer rock climbing in shorts and a t-shirt. And when it gets hot, there's nothing better than cooling down after climbing with dips in Chapel Pond and the Ausable River.

Wayne, Lise and Jesse getting comfy at a mid-cliff belay stance.

Over the 15 years that I've been mountain guiding, I've observed a pattern to the seasons. Winter is a frenzy of enthusiastic ice climbers, aspiring alpinists and motivated backcountry skiers- all eager to make the most of their winter holidays. In the summertime (aside from the alpine climbing trips where we have a definite summit objective) there's always a subtle shift towards more family oriented 'intro to climbing' days, scenic multi-pitch climbs w/ couples and friends, and group climbing programs contracted with youth and adventure travel camps. 

Another student discovers the beauty of recreational top-rope climbing- all the fun of climbing without the fear of falling!

This past week was a good example. On Saturday I had the chance to climb with Wayne and Lise from Ottawa. Wayne and his buddies have become regular guests for an annual winter climbing weekend here in the Adirondacks. But this time he left his teammates (and the kids) at home and instead brought his wife Lise along to see what it's all about. We had a great day- learning about rock climbing, practicing the fundamental skills and sharing the opportunities for challenge and adventure. We laid the groundwork with a full day of the basics at a great beginnner crag near here- top-roping, rappeling and a lead-follow climb. Next time we're all set to head right for a multi-pitch climb, maybe with a scenic picnic ledge up high...

Wayne refreshing his rappel skills.

On Tuesday we had a repeat visit from Jay, Brooks and the boys from Mountain Element - an outdoor adventure program for teenagers based in Baltimore, Maryland. They took a break from a full week of hiking, camping and rafting to join us for a day of rock climbing. With our low guide:climber ratios, we were able to break right into small groups and after a quick primer on technique, equipment and methods, we cut them loose on an array of top-roped climbs and belayed rappels, as well as teaching them how to belay each other and work together as a climbing team. Of course, boys will be boys, and a friendly game of speed-climbing inevitably ensued.

Top-rope day at King Philip's Spring Wall- considered by some guides to 'the best intro climbing crag in the country.'

 

After climbing all morning, a Mountain Element student practices a belayed rappel.

Ready...set...go!

That's summertime around here- a great chance to get out and work on that ticklist of classic climbs, share a fun and exciting day outside with a friend or partner, or to set up a private small group program for your friends, family or co-workers.

Now is the time to get out in Adirondacks. The summer tourist season hasn't quite kicked in yet, and our schedule still has good availability before we head out to guide alpine rock climbs in Washington's North Cascades and a Mt. Rainier summit climb at the end of July....

Kip follows the crux pitch of the Voie Rebuffat.

A party behind us on the classic Arete du Cosmiques.

The Aguille du Midi from across the Col du Midi / Vallee Blanche glacier.

For those in the know, the Adirondacks are a special place. The High Peaks and Lakes region was the first 'wilderness' Preserve in the United States. Lake Placid, NY is one of only a few towns in the world to have hosted two Winter Olympics (1932 and 1980). It was also a birthplace of mountain guiding in the US- while natives generally avoided the inhospitable terrain (except to hunt beaver), early locals found gainful employment first leading mining prospectors, speculators and later 'sports' (early mountain tourists) through the rugged terrain (the Underground Railroad also went through Indian Pass below Wallface Mountain) and on mini-expeditions to hunt, fish and camp in a region that was wisely preserved for it's wild and rugged character as the rest of the country was increasingly developed and settled. In many respects, it's a similar story to the European Alps and the Haute Savoie region- although admittedly the scale of the terrain and the history of development in the Alps is much bigger and deeper- but bear with me here- I'm on a roll... 

The Aguille du Midi.

 

Kip follows pitch 3 of the classic Voie Rebuffat on the SE Pillar of the Aguille du Midi.

Mike and Michael ahead of us on the Arete du Cosmiques.

 

One of our goals with Cloudsplitter has always been to provide a professional standard of mountain guiding on rock, ice and snow in the Adirondacks, but also beyond. While in the past apprenticeships and employment has been an accepted path to mountain guiding in the US, participation in American Mountain Guides Association training and certifications has been integral to the process of attaining a truly professional and international standard of proficiency, which means more rewarding experiences, better climbing and better risk management for our guests. Just as Lake Placid is home to world class athletes and international athletic competitions, we would also like to be on par with the standards of the International Federation of Mountain Guides (IFMGA). It's a serious commitment to be an IFMG guide, requiring a significant investment in time, energy, experience, ability and proficiency.

Better yet, we'd like to be able to take our guests that have climbed and trained with us here in the 'Daks, to international venues like the European Alps, the Canadian Rockies, the Peruvian Andes, and beyond...

A party starts up the final mixed chimney on the Arete du Cosmiques.

Which brings me here to Chamonix, where AMGA/IFMGA/UIAGM  mountain guide Michael Silitch has called home for almost a decade now. He's at the forefront of a community that has been integrating American mountain guides into the European community over the last decade. Specifically he is instructing an AMGA Aspirant Alpine Guides Course and Exam that I am participating in right now. It's an intensive program that both assesses our foundational skills in rock and ice climbing and technical rescue systems, as well as coaching us in our guiding skills on complex alpine terrain and ultimately verifying our entrance into the final Alpine Guides Exam. In the big picture, it's still only part of the process towards full international certification- which is a rigorous and lengthy investment in multiple tiers of training and exams in rock guiding, alpine guiding and ski guiding- but if there's any place in the world to build those skills- it's here in Chamonix, the birthplace of mountain guiding.

If you think this is a cool idea, and like the idea of training with us at home and eventually joining us for a trip to some of these great venues- then give us a call for some climbing this summer. It's the guiding work at home that makes this all possible. Thanks to all of our guests over the last 15 years that have helped put us on this path.

I'll be back in the Adirondacks on June 17. Emilie- who is also in pursuit of her Rock Instructor Exam this fall, is there now (and also available for guiding). Call or email us, and let's get out in the Adirondacks this summer- a birthplace of American mountain guiding, and a great place to climb!

UPDATE 6/15/09: Some more photos from the course/exam

Kip on the arete of the Petit Charmoz.

Kip livin' the dream of primo alpine granite.

 

Kip traversing the Petit Charmoz ridgeline with the N face of Grand Charmoz behind

Kip lovin' it.

 

AMGA Instructor/Examiner and IFMGA/UIAGM guide Michael Silitch- taking notes for our final scorecards during the day.