Our Mountain Guides
The Professionals at California Alpine Guide
are dedicated to providing you a safe and memorable alpine
experience. We hire our mountain guides based on their outgoing
and friendly personalities and their dedication to the profession
of mountain guiding.
American Mountain Guides Association
(AMGA) Certification
When choosing a mountain guide we highly recommend you search
out mountain guides who have certifications and training
from the American Mountain Guides Association. Although
there have been recent upstart guide certification organizations,
the AMGA is considered the standard and the only organization
recognized by the International Mountain Guides Federation.
All of our technical mountain guides have
undergone training through the AMGA and some are certified
by the AMGA. Certification in the United States is a voluntary
process that involves a series of 8-10 day training courses
followed by 6-10 day certification mountain guiding exams.
It is a rigorous process that represents a higher level
of mountain guiding. In rock guiding there are three levels
of certification: single pitch, rock instructor and rock
guide, with rock guide being the highest level.
IFMGA/UIAGM Certification
The International Federation of Mountain Guides
(IFMGA, or UIAGM by it's French acronym) certification represents
the highest level of mountain guide certification in the
world. It is a process that rivals or exceeds a common graduate
degree in both time and money commitments. IFMGA/UIAGM mountain
guides have been through a 4-6 year process that involves
over 50 days of guide's training and 24 days of examination
in all three disciplines - rock, alpine and ski. Less than
60 guides in the United States have achieved the international
certified level. A fully certified IFMGA/UIAGM mountain
guide is qualified to guide any terrain, anywhere in the
world, whether on foot or skis.
At California Alpine Guides you know what
you're getting - friendly, personable & professional
mountain guides who will lead you effeciently & safely
through the mountains and on the rocks.
Dave Miller
Owner & Director
UIAGM/IFMGA Internationally Certified Mountain Guide
AMGA certified alpine guide, rock guide &
ski mountaineering guide
Dave has been climbing and exploring the mountains of
California for over thirty years. He has worked as a
mountain guide in rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering
and ski mountaineering throughout California, Mexico
and South America for the past eight years including
Mt. Shasta, Joshua Tree and the Sierra Nevada. He is
a the owner of California Alpine Guides and works full
time as a climbing guide in the field. Dave lives in
the Eastern Sierra Nevada minutes from Yosemite National
Park and the resort area of Mammoth Lakes.
Climbing Experience: Dave's
climbing adventures began back in 1980 while attending
high school in the North Lake Tahoe area of the Northern
Sierra Nevada. Twenty-five years later Dave considers
his proudest climbing achievements to be his multiple
one-day ascents of Yosemite's El Capitan and his ascents
of remote alpine rock routes in the High Sierra. Dave's
alpine climbing achievements include long ice faces
and rock climbing routes in Washington's North Cascade
range, high altitude mountaineering in Peru, Ecuador,
and Mexico and ice climbs throughout California and
Colorado. His ski mountaineering adventures include
many multi-day ski tours throughout the western United
States and glaciated ski tours in the French Alps, the
Cascades, the Coast Range of British Columbia and Alaska's
Chugach Range.
Certifications/Education:
Dave is certified mountain guide in alpine climbing
& rock climbing & ski mountaineering through
the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) as well
as a UIAGM/IFMGA internationally certified guide in
all disciplines. Dave also has a level III avalanche
training certificate and is a Wilderness First Responder.
He has a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. Dave
is known for his backcountry culinary skill and enjoys
the creative outlet of cooking a great meal while in
the field.
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Photo:
Dave on lead during a one day ascent of Wet Denim Daydream, The leaning Tower, Yosemite, CA. Summer 2005 |
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Photo:
Scott after climbing Horsetail Falls, Ouray, CO. Winter 2004 |
Scott Brown
Co-founder. Lead Rock, Ski, Alpine & International Guide
AMGA Certified
Rock Guide
For nineyears, Scott has worked
as a mountain guide, teaching rock climbing and ice climbing
in the Sierra Nevada, Joshua Tree and on Mount Shasta in California.
He is a co-owner of California Alpine Guides and guides in
the field throughout the year. He guides high altitude mountaineering
and has led 10 international climbing expeditions in Bolivia,
Mexico and Peru.
Climbing experience: Scott
has been climbing for over fifteen years througout California.
Scott has climbed throughout the Western Hemisphere including
California, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Oregon, South America,
Mexico, Alaska, Canada and Thailand. He has ten speed ascents
of Yosemite big walls climbs including The Nose, Lurking Fear,
and The Zodiac on El Capitan. He has logged over 40 nights
on Yosemite walls, has climbed Mt. Shasta more than 30 times
and spends his winters guiding ice climbing in the Eastern
Sierra Nevada.
Certifications/Education: A
certified Rock Climbing Guide through the American Mountain
Guides Association, Scott is in the proccess of becoming
an international IFMGA certified guide. Scott has a Bachelors
Degree in Recreation Administration with a minor field of
study in Business from Humboldt State University. He has three
years as an integral member of Yosemite Search And Rescue
and is currently a Wilderness First Responder & LNT Trainer.
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Doug Nidever
Lead Rock, Alpine, Ski and International Guide
IFMGA/UIAGM certified guide, AMGA certified alpine,
rock & Ski Guide
Doug has been climbing since the dawn of time. Well, not really.
But Doug has been guiding througout California for about the
last 30 years. One of the most respected guides in California,
he has served in the past as chief guide for Yosemite Mountaineering
School and run his own guiding company in the Eastern Sierra.
Doug is one of the most experienced big wall guides in the world
with countless ascents of Yosemite's El Capitan and Half Dome.
Doug has guided throughout the world, including South America,
Mexico, Canada and Europe on rock, snow and ice. Doug is one
of the foremost experts on Lee Vining ice climbing.
Climbing Experience: Doug has
been climbing since the early 1970's and has countless ascents
on the rocks and big walls of Yosemite National Park. He has
climbed extensively throughout the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Doug is known as one of the most experienced ice climbers in
California, a habit he just can't seem to break. Doug has experience
on all mediums including the long, commiting ice routes of Canada,
glaciated ski tours, big mountains as well as on the rock of
Yosemite.
Certifications/Education: Doug
is an internationally certified IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide as
well as a certified mountain guide in rock, ski and alpine climbing
through the AMGA. He is also an instructor and examinar for
the American Mountain Guide's Association rock guide certification
program. Doug holds a Wilderness First Repsonder and AIARE avalanche
instructor certification.
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Photo: Doug on Mont Blanc, Chamonix, France. |
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Mark Grundon
Lead Rock & Alpine Guide
Mark has been mountain guiding for the past four years thorughout
Colorado, Alaska and most recently on Mount Shasta. Mark is
equally at home on rock climbs as well as alpine and ice climbs.
Mark spends most of the summer season climbing and guiding
throughout the Western United States, mostly in California.
In the winter he ski patrols for Crested Butte, Co.
Climbing Experience: Mark has
been rock climbing since a young age while growing up in the
mountains of Vermont. He excells at steep desert crack climbing
as well as long Yosemite rock climbs. Mark's ice climbing
experience has revolved around the superb ice climbs of Southwestern
Colorado.
Certifications/Education: Mark
has completed the American Mountain Guides Asscociation rock
instructors & Rock Guides course and is pursuing AMGA
full rock certification. He holds an EMT-basic and Outdoor
Emergency Care Technician certificates and holds a Leave No
Trace principles trainer certificate. He also has avalanche
level II training. Mark has a degree in recreation and Environmental
studies from Western State College in Gunnison Colorado.
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Keith Spernak
Head trekking and backpacking guide
Bio Coming Soon.
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