For the next couple of weeks we will introduce to you some of the most legendary peaks of the Mighty San Juan Mountain Range. No two peaks are the same and each provides a unique experience that is catered by San Juan Mountain Guides to ensure you some of the best adventures of your 2015…
Stokin’ ain’t just for the fire and keeping your average stoke-level high ain’t easy. If it was easy to be stoked on everyday life as we get stoked for our outdoor pursuits and life passion, then the very existence of “stoke” would cease to exist and life would almost be…well boring. With that being said,…
Ryan Riggins is a Durango transplant, originally from Orinda, California. He came to Colorado chasing the “white surf” as he went from a the never-ending Cali summers to the never-ending winters of the San Juans. A Fort Lewis graduate in Marketing, Ryan has been guiding since his Sophomore year in College. Ryan received his…
Classic Couloirs of the San Juans Gilpin Peak’s North Face Couloir [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” alt=”Gilpin Peak” title=”North Face Couloir ” height=”250″ width=”360″]https://dev.mtnguide.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/gilpin.blog_.1.jpg[/image_frame] The San Juan Mountains are blessed with a lifetime’s worth of climbing and mountaineering challenges in all seasons. One of the most overlooked times of year to climb in the San Juans are the…
Dave Ahrens AMGA Certified Rock & Alpine Guide [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” align=”left” alt=”Dave Ahrens” title=”AMGA Certified Rock & Alpine Guide” height=”250″ width=”320″]https://dev.mtnguide.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/dave.ahrens.featured.jpg[/image_frame] Superior Guest Review of Dave: “Phenomenal, the trip was catered to our ability level, designed to challenge but stay within our group capabilities. Skills were covered while our own personal goals and powder skiing ambitions…
Dropped Belay Device? Use the Munter Hitch! If you’re a rock climber, chances are you’ve done some multi-pitch rock climbing or are at least thinking/planning to do so in the near future. On multi-pitch climbs, you carry a lot of gear with you – cams, nuts, draws, slings, carabiners – and of course your trusted…
If you are anything like me: mid-20s, student loans, car insurance, rent- the whole 9 yards, then you’ve encountered the same monstrosity- the price for an adult season pass. You don’t get the “student discount” anymore and its not going to get any cheaper-unless you are skiing as a senior, which is novelty for anyone at that point. You’ve admire people who…
Current Snow Levels in the San Juans A few of us have been out and about in the San Juan Mountains during the last week – including Chicago Basin in the Weminuche Wilderness. Recently the area has experienced a few significant storms that had a decidedly winter component to them. Below average temperatures and above…
Trailer Video Recently a few of us headed out into the Weminuche Wilderness for a climb of the inspiring Wham Ridge on Vestal Peak. Vestal Peak is one of our most popular offerings in the San Juan Mountains during the summer in part because it qualifies as one of the most difficult of Colorado’s Centennial…
The Weminuche Ski Traverse Andrew Klotz – AMGA Certified Ski Guide On April 23rd of 2013 I set out with three friends to do a trip that we had all thought about for a long time – a ski traverse through the heart of the Weminuche Wilderness in the San Juan Mountains. In previous…
Inspiration from Imagery Labor Day Weekend We’ve had a busy weekend here in the San Juans, with fantastic weather and plenty of summits throughout the range – not to mention a few laps on the Telluride Via Ferrata. Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend!! [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” align=”left” alt=”Summit of Vestal Peak” title=”Climbing in…
The last couple weeks have flown by! Here are some of the highlights… Shawn, Nick and I climbed Sunlight(14,059′) and Windom(14,082′) in Chicago Basin. I met Ken, Daniel and Aaron in Telluride to climb Wilson Peak(14,017′). While waiting in the gas staion parking lot at 4:30am I got to see who was making a mess…
Its not super common that we hike into Vestal Basin from Molas Pass. We usually take the train which cuts off about 6 miles round trip and a 2,000 foot climb from the river back to the car on the way out. Aaron, Jacob and I left Molas on Wednesday morning and made great time…
As I was riding the coal powered steam train up to Elk Park I was checking the weather and it didn’t look good. NOAA was predicting 70% chance of precipatation and a chance of snow. Luckily NOAA doesn’t always get it right! We ended up summiting Vestal Peak and Arrow Peak with great weather the…
David and I left the Los Pinos trail head with food for ten days, not 100% sure where we were going. We knew we wanted to try to climb Mt. Oso but besides that we were going to play it by ear. We ended seeing people on day 1,2,9 and 10; but on days 3-8…
Moving Fast in the Alpine by Nate Disser – AMGA Rock & Alpine Guide [image_frame style=”framed_shadow” align=”left” alt=”Alpine Rock Climbing” title=”Pack and all……” height=”263″ width=”320″]https://dev.mtnguide.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/big.pack_.blog_.jpg[/image_frame] Managing risk and objective hazard in alpine environments is clearly a top priority for all comers – guided or not. Surely this is always the case for all outdoor activities,…
Andy and Scott recently joined me on an 8 day Alpine Leadership course. Day 1: We started out at X-rock where we rock climbed in addition to learning climbing technique, belaying, rappeling, basic anchors and traditional gear placement. Day 2: We climbed Snowdon via the West Buttress and descended the Northeast Ridge to the Northwest…
Robert just came out and joined me in some Fast and Light climbing. I had planned a standard solid itinerary but in quickly became apparent that standard was not what Robert came to Colorado for. Day 1: We drove up to Andrews Lake and hiked into Snowdon planning to climb it on day 2. We…
Keith had climbed Snowdon multipule times but had never been up the West Buttress or down the Northwest Ridge. We decided to make a day of it. Keith left Farmington early in the morning and picked me up in Durango on the way North to the mountains. The route was in great condition and the…
Julie is training to climb Nun and Kun in Kashmir this summer. Julie came up to Durango and climbed with me in January during an Intro to Mountaineering course. She just returned last week for some more. We started out with two days of ice climbing. Day one in Cascade Canyon going over the…