International Man of Mystery...

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I grew up in the Boston area and lived there until my junior year in high school when I attended the Mountain School, a semester program run by Milton Academy in Vershire, VT. I then attended Colby College in Waterville, ME. During my time at Colby I studied anthropology, spent a semester in Northeast India, and became fluent in Nepali. Before I became a guide I earned my black belt in kenpo karate and taught karate for 6 years. I began guiding in college on the rocky coast of ME with Acadia Mountain Guides and on ice at the International Mountain Climbing School in NH. After graduating I took to the highway and drove from ME to WA for the big mountains and glaciers. I spend my winters in lovely Ouray, CO guiding in the famous ice park. I am currently working towards becoming a certified guide through the American Mountain Guides Association. I live, work and play in the hills and on the rocks. On the rocks both literally and, well, with ice.

Sunday, January 13, 2013


For many people the Ouray Ice Park and front country ice climbing is the extent of their ice climbing horizons. However, for the first time this year among the many terrific seminars offered at the Ouray Ice Festival, participants had the chance to hone their skills on backcountry ice in a seminar run by athlete and super guide Angela Hawse and Me.

Climbers in the seminar learned to negotiate the varieties in character of backcountry ice. We went up to Senator's Gulch up on Camp Bird Road. We got a rope up on a steep pillar, another on some dead vertical fat blue ice, and the last on some cauliflower.

Even though the Fest is over, the backcountry ice  and skiing is great and getting better. With all the new snow and  cold weather the powder is deep and the ice is fattening. If you are looking to expand your climbing horizons, consider getting out into the backcountry with the  SJMG team.
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