Crystal Crag – An Introduction to Alpine Rock Climbing

Madeline splits her year between the US and Canada, traveling to work in central Idaho, northwest BC, and of course, the Eastern Sierra. Originally from the States, having spent her childhood in Michigan, South Carolina, and Colorado, she found her way north of the border as a student. She graduated from Quest University in Squamish, BC in 2018 where she studied geology. She has spent the better part of the last 10 years working in the ski industry – teaching skiing, ski patrolling, avalanche forecasting, teaching avalanche education, and now backcountry ski guiding. Since 2017, she has complemented her winter work with river guiding on the Main Salmon & Middle Fork of the Salmon. She started working with SMC in 2024 as a hiking guide and is looking forward to many more great adventures in the Sierra!

Growing up in South Dakota, Kanyon made frequent trips to Wyoming where he first ignited his passions for backpacking, climbing, skiing, and cherishing the outdoors as a whole. In college, a hunger for climbing led him out west to visit Yosemite for the first time. He was quickly obsessed with the Sierras as a whole. After college, Kanyon started guiding in and exploring the high granite expanses of the Sierra Nevadas. After three years of guiding, Kanyon retired to the quiet life as a wilderness ranger in Yosemite National Park. This will be Kanyon’s first time back to the other side of the wilderness permit, and he’s excited to be back. In his free time, Kanyon enjoys rock climbing, hiking, skiing, trail running, and reading.

After spending her childhood romping around the dense lush forests of Virginia, Raina went to George Mason University. She majored in Parks & Outdoor Recreation Management, minored in Sustainability Studies, became a Leave No Trace Trainer, and worked as a High Low Ropes Course Facilitator and Outdoor Adventure Club Guide. After hiking the John Muir Trail in 2016 and working as an Interpretive Ranger for Yosemite National Park in 2017, Raina found her heart and home in the Sierra and moved to the East Side where she has been ever since. Raina has continued to cultivate her love for and service to the land by working as a backpacking guide, ski instructor, and Visitor Services Specialist for Inyo National Forest. In her free time you’ll most likely find her climbing rocks, engaging in community events, or burning up the dance floor at our local shows.

AnnaLisa grew up immersed in the Northwoods of Vermont, where one of her first seasonal jobs was as a backcountry caretaker on the Long Trail — the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country. While completing her degree in Ecology and Environmental Humanities through Sterling College, she developed a passion for guiding people to deeper connection with place. It was also during that time that she first fell in love with backpacking in the Sierra, which she began returning to do annually. Over the past decade, she has worked in diverse ecosystems across the country, including as a naturalist, college field instructor, and wildlife guide. In 2021, she began serving as a Wilderness Education Ranger in Yosemite, and shortly thereafter officially moved to the Eastern Sierra. When not spending time in the mountains, AnnaLisa enjoys making art, gardening, and playing with her cat, Bean. 

Krystina fell in love with climbing at age 14 after joining her high school team, and she’s spent the past 15+ years sharing that passion with others. She has guided across the United States with many organizations, including NOLS, where she worked as a Wilderness Rock Tier 2 Instructor. She is now an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AIARE I certified, and a Leave No Trace Master Educator. Her experience ranges from the rugged Cirque of the Towers to the desert granite of Cochise Stronghold and the high ridgelines of the Sierra Nevada. What she loves most is helping guests build confidence and technical skills in wild places.

Outside the mountains, Krystina is also a visual artist and founder of Chalk Fox Studio, a branding and web design studio serving outdoor-focused and purpose-driven brands. She’s the creative hand behind Sierra Mountain Center’s logo and website — and brings the same thoughtful design approach to her work as she does to her guiding.

Her happiest place? The top of a multi-pitch climb, sketchbook in hand.

Caber was born and raised in the small beach city of Santa Cruz and grew up hiking and mountain biking amongst the redwoods. He made annual trips to Yosemite with his family, which nurtured his love for the Sierra Nevada. He attended California State University, Fullerton, and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Theatre. While in college, Caber worked for his school, taking his peers on backpacking, hiking, and climbing trips around southern California. After college, Caber completed a thru hike of the Pacific Crest Trail and fell in love with backpacking in the High Sierra. In his free time, Caber enjoys hiking, mountain biking, climbing, paddleboarding, skiing, snowboarding, lounging by alpine lakes, and playing mandolin. This is Caber’s sixth season backpack guiding in the Sierra and his first year with SMC. Caber also enjoys making delicious backcountry cuisine.

Colin grew up hiking and camping via family vacations and the Boy Scouts across 15+ national parks. He still remembers the nervous exhilaration he had when his parents let him and his brothers do the exposed hike up Angels Landing in Zion National Park by themselves. When he joined the military after high school, he thought he would need to largely leave the outdoors behind. He was wrong. As part of his training, he got the opportunity to take part in two month-long NOLS courses mountaineering in Alaska and instead discovered a passion for big adventure and challenge in the mountains. After eight years on active duty and multiple deployments as a Marine Infantry Officer, Colin transitioned to reserve status in 2022 to pursue a career in mountain guiding and moved to Bishop after unintentionally falling head over heels for the Eastern Sierra during a weekend trip. He improved his skill sets as a client of fellow SMC guides Tyler Logan and Louie Allen before earning professional certification from the AMGA and NOLS to begin working as a guide/instructor in 2023. He is proud to now be in the position to call them both colleagues and also help others achieve their goals or experience the outdoors in more meaningful ways. His first love is to climb in the alpine regardless of the medium (rock, snow, or ice), though be assured, he isn’t picky and believes strongly that any day spent outside, no matter the activity or difficulty, is better than a day spent indoors.

Beyond the Eastern Sierra, he teaches three to four multi-week NOLS backpacking and rock climbing courses per year across various locations in Alaska, Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. When not guiding/instructing anywhere, he works as the Online Sales Manager for Eastside Sports in Bishop, CA; actively serves on the Inyo County Search & Rescue team which covers missions everywhere from Death Valley to Mt Whitney; and, conducts ~6 weeks of reserve duty with the Marine Corps each year.

Allen Giernet grew up in San Diego and always had a thirst for the outdoors. Whether in the mountains, the ocean, or the desert – he had to be outside. After several years running the youth snowboard competition team at Mountain High, his longing to get into the peaks beyond the resorts took him into splitboarding. This in turn took him into the Sierras, The Rockies, The Cascades, and more. In 2010, he began teaching rock climbing as an AMGA Single Pitch Instructor in Joshua Tree and other So Cal Areas. In 2012, he founded So Cal Snow Avalanche Center, began teaching avalanche courses with the National Ski Patrol, and began to guide on splitboard. 

  He has traveled all over the west and beyond in search of great climbing and big snow covered mountains to find powder filled descents. But the magical Eastern Sierra will always hold a special place in his heart. 

  Allen currently calls Methow, Washington home in the North Cascades and still spends time in So Cal. He ski guides and teaches avalanche courses in The Eastern Sierra, Colorado, and the North Cascades. That thirst for the outdoors remains unquenched and Allen loves to share this enthusiasm with anyone and everyone out there. When not out in the mountains searching for the next descent, hiking, biking or paddling, he may be found running The Methow Store with his partner in the Methow Valley. Serving up cold beer and great food next to the best put in on the Methow River.

An enthusiasm for backpacking was Ian’s gateway into the mountains and soon led to a love of climbing. After cutting his teeth on the rock and ice crags of New England he traveled all over the country making ascents of everything from short roadside rock climbs to big peaks in remote areas. Over a decade ago he discovered that the Eastern Sierra hold a magical mix of amazing mountains and climbing, easy access, and good weather. Now this place is home for him and his family.

Though he loves all kinds of climbing, big walls and winter routes hold a special place in Ian’s heart. He rounds out the year with forays to Alaska, Red Rocks, Joshua Tree, Moab, the North Cascades, and Canada.

Mike is originally from Pennsylvania where he learned to ski on the icy mountains of the Northeast. He moved to Northern California soon after high school and received degrees in Outdoor Adventure Education from Feather River College and later Southern Oregon university. He has worked in outdoor education for over 15 years, leading wilderness education expeditions all across the world and the American west. Mike currently ski guides and teaches avalanche education courses in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He loves to ski steep narrow couloirs on warm sunny days in the Sierras! When not guiding on skis, Mike can be found kayaking the rivers in the Pacific Northwest. 

Heather grew up in the Bay Area and has many fond memories of backpacking and camping in the Sierra as a kid. She moved up to Oregon to attend Lewis & Clark College and obtained a degree in Environmental Studies focusing on education and food systems. While living up in Oregon Heather fell in love with the Cascades and began guiding her peers on backpacking trips, cross-country skiing and even local mushroom foregoing. Following her passion for guiding and the outdoors she spent the summers guiding children on backpacking trips and adults in sea kayaking. Heather enjoyed living in the Portland area, skiing on Mount Hood and doing lots of cycling but eventually she decided it was time to come back to sunny California. For the past couple of years she has been spending summers and fall in California guiding students in backpacking, river trips and day hikes. She is excited about guiding backpacking trips in the Eastern Sierra this summer. Heather is a Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace Trainer.

Robert “SP” Parker, hails from the picturesque landscapes of New Zealand. His journey into the realm of mountaineering began during his days at the University of Auckland, where he delved into the world of climbing alongside the university tramping club (akin to “backpacking” for our American counterparts).

He relocated to Yosemite Valley in 1979. He traveled the US climbing in all the great places: Yosemite, Tuolumne, Colorado, Joshua Tree, Devils Tower, Canada. In 1996, he joined forces with Todd Vogel to found Sierra Mountain Center. SP has over 40 years of full-time professional mountain guiding experience. He has earned IFMGA certification in Rock, Ski, and Alpine disciplines and has served as a past director of the AMGA.

As the torch of ownership at SMC passes into the capable hands of Emma, his passion for guiding in the breathtaking Sierra region continues to burn bright, and he eagerly supports Emma in her new role.

Larry is a native of the New Jersey shore. Raised as an ocean lover, Larry spent his early days surfing and being in the water as much as he could. Through an active involvement in scouting, as well as an adventurous friend group, Larry found a passion for the mountains. Naturally, this passion had him trade his surfboard for a snowboard, and he went west! Larry graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with degrees in Environmental Studies as well as Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation. In Colorado, he fell more in love with the mountains. After graduating, Larry moved to Alaska to explore the wilderness of the last frontier through backpack and canoe guiding. When COVID struck and found Larry abroad in Central America, he came back to the states hoping to get back to Alaska, but discovered the Sierra along the way. And the high peaks and the fairer climate of California was as far as he made it. Larry now resides here in Bishop, where he spends his time exploring the mountains via roped climbing, splitboarding, and hiking. When not guiding, Larry enjoys traveling and climbing the high, glaciated peaks of Central and South America. Larry’s favorite trip to lead in the Sierra is the Bishop to Mammoth backpack as the variety of the terrain offers tremendous opportunities for natural and human history studies! Larry holds a certification as a Wilderness First Responder, a Leave No Trace Trainer, and a AIARE Level I.

Louie began guiding with Sierra Mountain Center in 2015 after falling in love with the people and places of Bishop, CA, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.  He grew up climbing and backpacking in the southeastern US and moved West to pursue bigger mountainous terrain.  He is a passionate and dedicated climber in all of its forms and has backpacked extensively across the Sierra.  It is a joy for him to share his favorite peaks and trails with visitors.  Louie is an equal-opportunity cookie lover and die-hard Cincinnati Bengals football fan.  He travels to the eastern US often in order to pursue world-class rock and ice climbs, but always finds his way back to the Sierra.

Louie is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and is pursuing Alpine Guide certification.  He holds an MS in Recreation and Sport Sciences and a Graduate Certificate in Sport Coaching.  He works as a guide, strength trainer, and climbing coach to help developing climbers and hikers achieve meaningful goals in the mountains.

Anouk grew up on the glaciers and peaks of Switzerland where her family is from and currently resides. Anouk has had an appreciation for the elevated outdoors from an early age. She has lived in Europe, America’s east coast, and finally, she came to the west coast in her teens, and never left. Even though she calls the Eastern Sierra her home, she began her guiding career in the Pacific Northwest, where she worked on glaciated peaks such as Mt Rainier and Mt Baker, and rock guided during the summers. However, having learned to rock climb in California and frequenting the Eastern Sierra during her years living in Los Angeles, she ultimately returned to California eight years ago and has been guiding here year round. In the summers, Anouk guides rock and alpine trips, and during the winter seasons, she ski guides and teaches avalanche courses. She sees her guide work as a way to increase and infuse passion and knowledge into the outdoor community – her way of giving back after having been fortunate enough to receive solid mentorship during her initial years climbing in California.

Anouk became a Certified IFMGA Mountain Guide through the AMGA in 2025. She is also an AIARE avalanche course leader and AAI course leader.

Dave still remembers being 10 years old and seeing the face of Mt Yamnuska– a mile long rock face in the Canadian Rockies– and knowing that climbing would one day become his passion! A dual US-Canada citizen, he was born in Halifax, NS and moved to Calgary, AB in his formative years. He went to University in Calgary, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Ecotourism & Outdoor Leadership in 2007. It was a fateful day in 2013, on a road trip to Yosemite, that he drove over Tioga Pass and descended into the Eastern Sierra, discovering this special place. He was hired by the original owner, SP, in 2015, and has been guiding the trails and mountains of the Sierra Nevada ever since.

Dave continues to spend his winters in Canada, where he works as a Lead Guide and Guiding Manager at a heli-ski operation. In 2025, he became the Guide Manager at SMC. While he still loves to share the Range of Light with SMC guests, his career has expanded to supporting and mentoring new guides in both of his jobs.

Dave became a Certified IFMGA Mountain Guide through the AMGA in 2019. He has a Canadian Avalanche Association Pro 2 and maintains a Wilderness First Responder certification.

Emma joined the Sierra Mountain Center team in early 2021 as the Program Director. Fast forward almost three years, and she has now taken the reins, becoming the proud owner of the company previously helmed by the legendary Robert “SP” Parker. Emma is passionate about making the marvels of the mountains accessible to individuals of all skill levels. Emma grew up backpacking and skiing in the western Sierra Nevada, where her personal connection to these majestic landscapes began. While attending college in Oregon she discovered rock climbing and skiing touring, which ultimately led her to the Eastern Sierra. Emma is ready to carry forward the rich legacy established by SP back in the 1990s, eager to nurture and expand upon the successes of the company.

Barb began working for SMC in the summer of 2016 as a backpacking and climbing guide. After 4 summers, she began working as an adaptive sports instructor and program coordinator with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra in Mammoth Lakes. Fast forward to 2024 and Barb is back in the office at SMC. She enjoys organizing all the trip details and other behind-the-scenes tasks to help guests get outside and enjoy the Eastern Sierra. She has always been involved in the outdoors in a variety of ways: hiking, climbing, mountain biking, running, and more. Moving to the Eastern Sierra was a great choice!