Facebook tracking pixel Welcome to the SWS Mountain Guides Blog | Climbing & Skiing Insights

Welcome to the SWS / California Mountain Guides Blog

Sep 26, 2025

Fitting a Mountaineering Boot: Boot-fitter Tips for Preventing Blisters, Dialing Sizing & Getting the Perfect Fit

All mountaineers, guides, and alpine enthusiasts know the importance of the proper footwear. Having the correct boot for the job is crucial, although the experienced climbers know all too well that the fit of the boot can spell the difference between a successful...

WEAR YOUR D$%N HELMET!

While climbing Mount Shasta is an unforgettable experience, it is also a serious alpine objective where safety should always come first. Having the proper equipment is essential and one of the most important pieces of gear every climber...

How to View Mountain Weather Like a Guide

Like in normal life, weather decides most things in the mountains. It influences whether a climb is reasonable, whether the snow has significant instabilities, and whether a day feels straightforward or like a constant problem needing to be managed. I’ve dealt with...

Summer Guide to Climbing Mt. Shasta: Best Routes for June, July, and August

Mt. Shasta, at 14,179 feet, serves as California’s premier alpine playground and offers training opportunities for summiting mountains around the world. Careful timing is crucial for a successful summit attempt. As snow melts and summer takes hold, the mountain’s...

Mexico Volcanoes Expedition Guide: Why This Trip Means So Much

Why I Wrote This:I wrote this to give an honest look into our Mexico Volcanoes Expeditions for those who may not know about them yet, and to help people more fully understand why they mean so much to us as a company. For me personally, this trip is deeply personal on...

A Gear List for Climbing Mount Shasta in May and June (2026 Edition)

Looking at what to pack in a functional way. Suggested packing list for a Shasta 2 or 3 day climb on Avalanche Gulch, West Face, or Casaval Ridge

Foundational Mountaineering Skills – Using an Ice Axe and Crampons

Quite often I hear descriptions of climbing Mt. Shasta as being a “non-technical” mountaineering objective. This could not be further from the truth. Depending upon the time of year, every route on Mt Shasta can have snow, ice, and steep terrain which demand technical...

The Economics of Snow – How Winter Disruptions Reshape Mountain Towns

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...

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...

Read our latest posts!

Mountain Shop Coming Soon

We’re excited to launch this space as a place to share stories, knowledge, and updates from the mountains we love. This blog isn’t about politics or noise—it’s about climbing, skiing, and mountaineering. Our goal here is simple: to highlight important topics that matter to the mountain community, share updates, and offer insights that might help you prepare for your own adventures.

You’ll find posts ranging from route and conditions updates, to tips and reflections from our guides, to highlights of the broader climbing and skiing community. We want this blog to serve as a connection point, for all those planning to get outside in whatever way they love most.

We’ve always believed that the mountains are the best classrooms, and this blog is simply an extension of that philosophy. We’re glad you’re here, and we look forward to sharing the journey with you.

Fitting a Mountaineering Boot: Boot-fitter Tips for Preventing Blisters, Dialing Sizing & Getting the Perfect Fit

All mountaineers, guides, and alpine enthusiasts know the importance of the proper footwear. Having the correct boot for the job is crucial, although the experienced climbers know all too well that the fit of the boot can spell the difference between a successful...

WEAR YOUR D$%N HELMET!

While climbing Mount Shasta is an unforgettable experience, it is also a serious alpine objective where safety should always come first. Having the proper equipment is essential and one of the most important pieces of gear every climber...

How to View Mountain Weather Like a Guide

Like in normal life, weather decides most things in the mountains. It influences whether a climb is reasonable, whether the snow has significant instabilities, and whether a day feels straightforward or like a constant problem needing to be managed. I’ve dealt with...

Summer Guide to Climbing Mt. Shasta: Best Routes for June, July, and August

Mt. Shasta, at 14,179 feet, serves as California’s premier alpine playground and offers training opportunities for summiting mountains around the world. Careful timing is crucial for a successful summit attempt. As snow melts and summer takes hold, the mountain’s...

Mexico Volcanoes Expedition Guide: Why This Trip Means So Much

Why I Wrote This:I wrote this to give an honest look into our Mexico Volcanoes Expeditions for those who may not know about them yet, and to help people more fully understand why they mean so much to us as a company. For me personally, this trip is deeply personal on...

A Gear List for Climbing Mount Shasta in May and June (2026 Edition)

Looking at what to pack in a functional way. Suggested packing list for a Shasta 2 or 3 day climb on Avalanche Gulch, West Face, or Casaval Ridge

Foundational Mountaineering Skills – Using an Ice Axe and Crampons

Quite often I hear descriptions of climbing Mt. Shasta as being a “non-technical” mountaineering objective. This could not be further from the truth. Depending upon the time of year, every route on Mt Shasta can have snow, ice, and steep terrain which demand technical...

The Economics of Snow – How Winter Disruptions Reshape Mountain Towns

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...

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...

Read our latest posts!