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Welcome to the SWS / California Mountain Guides Blog

Sep 26, 2025

When the Screen Goes Black: The Lost Art of Basic Map & Compass still Matters

It’s 20°F on the upper slopes of Mount Shasta. The wind is howling across the ridge, biting through your outer layers, and you pull out your phone to double-check your line. The display stutters, dims, and serves up the universal symbol of backcountry panic: a black...

Read Mountain Weather Like a Pro: Preparing for Your 14,000-Foot Climb

When preparing for a climb or ski on Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) or Mount Whitney (14,505 ft), or just hiking into the mountains, checking the standard weather app on your phone won't cut it. A sunny 75°F forecast for the town of Mount Shasta or Lone Pine often hides...

Sea Level to 14,000 Feet: How to Acclimatize for California’s Highest Peaks

Climbing California 14ers like Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) or Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) is a bucket-list achievement. However, for climbers living near sea level—whether in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or elsewhere in the country—the compressed 2- to 3-day itinerary...

Eyewear For The Mountains

When I am guiding in the mountains, I think of eyewear as essential piece of safety equipment that is non-negotiable! Once we are above tree line, bright snow, wind, and intense UV exposure can quickly turn poor visibility into a serious...

The Question Every Guide Must Answer

Here we are, as I’m finishing on this article, it’s already the beginning of August. The days are long, and the temperatures are hot, I have found myself looking toward winter, hoping it might arrive a little earlier this year. I have even started working on my skis...

Above the Tree Line: Protecting Your Eyes and Skin from Alpine Sun Exposure

At SWS Mountain Guides, we’ve been guiding clients up glaciated peaks, high-altitude passes, and technical alpine ridges since 1981. If there is one lesson four decades of mountain experience teaches you, it’s that the alpine sun is a relentless force. Whether you’re...

Choosing the right footwear for Mt Whitney’s Mountaineer’s Route in late summer

Late summer is one of the best times to climb the Mountaineers Route on Mt. Whitney, but do not let the calendar fool you. The Mountaineers route is still a demanding alpine climb! The right footwear can make the difference between a confident ascent and a long,...

From Instagram to the Mountains

There has never been a time when the mountains have felt more accessible than they do today. Every day, our phones are filled with stunning images of climbers standing on remote summits, skiers carving untouched lines through powder, and mountaineers tackling...

Summer Mountain Hiking: What to Bring

Summer is peak season for building the aerobic baseline and leg strength required for big alpine objectives. Taking your training to the high-altitude trails of California’s Sierra Nevada or Southern Cascade Range of  Mt Lassen and Mt. Shasta is an excellent way to...

Discovering the Flora of Mount Shasta One Step at a Time

There are moments on every climb of Mount Shasta when you should stop looking at what is above you and start looking down. Not at your feet necessarily, but at the remarkable tapestry of life on the ground that somehow thrives on the flanks of California's...

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.

When the Screen Goes Black: The Lost Art of Basic Map & Compass still Matters

It’s 20°F on the upper slopes of Mount Shasta. The wind is howling across the ridge, biting through your outer layers, and you pull out your phone to double-check your line. The display stutters, dims, and serves up the universal symbol of backcountry panic: a black...

Read Mountain Weather Like a Pro: Preparing for Your 14,000-Foot Climb

When preparing for a climb or ski on Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) or Mount Whitney (14,505 ft), or just hiking into the mountains, checking the standard weather app on your phone won't cut it. A sunny 75°F forecast for the town of Mount Shasta or Lone Pine often hides...

Sea Level to 14,000 Feet: How to Acclimatize for California’s Highest Peaks

Climbing California 14ers like Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) or Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) is a bucket-list achievement. However, for climbers living near sea level—whether in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or elsewhere in the country—the compressed 2- to 3-day itinerary...

Eyewear For The Mountains

When I am guiding in the mountains, I think of eyewear as essential piece of safety equipment that is non-negotiable! Once we are above tree line, bright snow, wind, and intense UV exposure can quickly turn poor visibility into a serious...

The Question Every Guide Must Answer

Here we are, as I’m finishing on this article, it’s already the beginning of August. The days are long, and the temperatures are hot, I have found myself looking toward winter, hoping it might arrive a little earlier this year. I have even started working on my skis...

Above the Tree Line: Protecting Your Eyes and Skin from Alpine Sun Exposure

At SWS Mountain Guides, we’ve been guiding clients up glaciated peaks, high-altitude passes, and technical alpine ridges since 1981. If there is one lesson four decades of mountain experience teaches you, it’s that the alpine sun is a relentless force. Whether you’re...

Choosing the right footwear for Mt Whitney’s Mountaineer’s Route in late summer

Late summer is one of the best times to climb the Mountaineers Route on Mt. Whitney, but do not let the calendar fool you. The Mountaineers route is still a demanding alpine climb! The right footwear can make the difference between a confident ascent and a long,...

From Instagram to the Mountains

There has never been a time when the mountains have felt more accessible than they do today. Every day, our phones are filled with stunning images of climbers standing on remote summits, skiers carving untouched lines through powder, and mountaineers tackling...

Summer Mountain Hiking: What to Bring

Summer is peak season for building the aerobic baseline and leg strength required for big alpine objectives. Taking your training to the high-altitude trails of California’s Sierra Nevada or Southern Cascade Range of  Mt Lassen and Mt. Shasta is an excellent way to...

Discovering the Flora of Mount Shasta One Step at a Time

There are moments on every climb of Mount Shasta when you should stop looking at what is above you and start looking down. Not at your feet necessarily, but at the remarkable tapestry of life on the ground that somehow thrives on the flanks of California's...

Read our latest posts!