Shasta Mountain Guides

I've taken three seminars from SMG :

1. Basic mountaineering - how to use ice axe / crampons effectively, self-arrest, etc.

2. Glacier travel / crevasse rescue - how to set snow anchors, self-rescue from a crevasse, various pulley systems, etc. Climbed Shasta via a glacier route.

3. Alpine ice climbing - french technique, frontpointing, placing / cleaning screws. Demoed various ice tools, practiced running belays, toproped climbing in crevasses, more advanced glacier travel / crevasse rescue techniques, climbed a six-pitch alpine ice route.

I was highly impressed with the skill of the guides on each of these seminars.

I attempted the West Face with an SMG guide in May 2005. My guide, Keith Potts, was awesome. He was competent and just a great human being to be around and spend 3 days with. In addition, the folks running SMG, Chris & Jenn Carr, are a pleasure to deal with as well. I will definitely climb with SMG again. 5 out of 5.

I have recieved training three times through SMG. Twice with groups and once individually. Chris and his group of guides are knowledgable, patient, and professional in every respect. Their passion for what they do combined with solid technical skills make them the go to guide service on Shasta.