I love snow! I love skiing, the silence a snowstorm brings, the science behind it, and so much more about it. I love it, but if you spend enough time working in the mountains, you stop thinking about snow as just something fun to ski or climb on. It becomes...
Blog Archive SWS
California Mountain Guides Blog Archive
Relaxing in Kathmandu Before Your Everest Base Camp Trek
For most trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp, the experience doesn’t really start on the trail—it starts in Kathmandu. It’s a city that hits you all at once: busy, colorful, a little chaotic, but full of life, great food, and a kind of energy that makes it clear...
Early Season Rock Climbing in California: Where to Climb When Spring Comes Early
An unusually warm early spring across California has launched rock climbing season ahead of schedule. As the snow quickly melts and the granite dries out, climbers are already flocking to the crags to seize long sunny days and perfect climbing on Sierra granite. For...
SNACKS AND MOUNTAIN CLIMBING
Climbing Mount Shasta is an incredible adventure, but it is also very physically demanding. Having the right snacks/lunch food can make or break your energy levels. The right foods will help keep you fueled, focused, and ready to push through long...
To Hire A Guide Or To Not Hire A Guide: That Is The Question
It’s a question that comes up often for Mount Shasta - “Do I really need a guide, or can I manage it on my own?” The answer depends on your background, your goals, and how comfortable you are making decisions at altitude, and when the environmental variables or...
Spring Came Early: Corn Skiing on Mt. Shasta
Spring’s arrival on the West Coast this year has caught everyone off guard. With temperatures nearly 20 degrees above average, skiers are left wondering if winter slipped away before it truly began. But on Mount Shasta, the story is different: the early warmth has...
Choosing A Backcountry Ski Boot
Having just completed a quick ski tour up to 10k in Avalanche Gulch on Mt Shasta, I thought it timely to address the issue of finding the right backcountry ski boot (the spring-like conditions were phenomenal by the way!!). Choosing the right backcountry ski boot is...
The Mountain That Moves Within Us
Caleb here - I wrote this piece over the last year, and submitted it to the American Avalanche Association’s publication, The Avalanche Review. It was published in the most recent TAR released in early February. It goes out to members throughout the year, and I...
Time, Terrain, and Change – Reflections From the Mountains
Spending time in the mountains as a guide or outdoor professional offers a kind of perspective that is hard to find elsewhere. When you are not just moving through a landscape, but having to pay close attention to it, watching the subtle shifts in a glacier, noticing...
3 Avalanche Courses, 3 Perspectives: A Road Trip About Snow, Risk, and Strategy
I’m finally home after three back-to-back avalanche courses, and the quiet feels earned. The past few weeks have been a blur of long drives, endless coffee, and a steady rotation of different snowpacks. I started with a ski patrol–specific Pro 1 at Palisades Tahoe,...