Descubre Estados Unidos: Los mejores programas al aire libre te esperan

We had such a great time summiting Whitney! Our guide Ben was very knowledgeable and respectful. We almost didn’t trek Mt. Russell due to too much smoke in the air and bad air quality, but the smoke cleared by early morning and we were able to make it out. Thanks again Ben for the memories!

Overall, the fair evaluation for the SWS Mountain Guides and the guide assigned to me is 3 stars. Reasons: 1. The guide did not seem to remember or respect the fact that I was new to mountaineering and that the name of program is called “introduction to mountaineering...”. For example, the guide set his own time for walking and resting without any concern to my physical ability for that timing. The guide walked ahead many times and didn’t even notice when I fell a few times. I understand the guide is not the insurer of safety or a hand holder, but a complete abrasive approach to the service is not right, especially when it’s a paid service. Perhaps, the guide is not a right choice for introduction tours. 2. There was a miscommunication with timing of the summit day. I thought we would start summiting around 5am the next day; however, I was told less than 15 hours before that we would start hiking at 1am the next day from base camp. We arrived at base camp early afternoon, and I’m wired up, hot, and not prepared to fall asleep between 5pm-12am, thus, I didn’t sleep at all. I attempted the summit hike but around 12k feet the sleep deprivation was killing me and I was catching myself falling asleep and my body trying to lay down while waking. The guide didn’t seem to concerned about this. Lack of empathy. Eventually, I had to insist we turn around because I didn’t want to go beyond 30 hours of no sleep and still have to descend from the summit. 3. The guide did help set up the tent and food. The guide did explain layers of clothes on and off and why. The guide did help instruct how to pack and why. 4. Overall, I feel this guide is best suited for advanced climbers not introduction courses as he seems to be more of a “ill walk ahead of you” not “ill walk with you” type of guide.

I went on the northbound John Muir Trail trip in 2023, and all I can say is that my first trip with SYMG greatly exceeded my expectations. Our guide Riley did an amazing job on the trip, and the logistics were taken care of so smoothly and seamlessly that it made it very easy to relax and really enjoy the amazing scenery around us.

We had an absolutely spectacular trip with Nick. It was everything we were hoping for in experiencing the JMT. Nick was outstanding – he had us well organized, picked the best sites for camping, and kept us well fed!! Our thanks to you and to Nick for a great experience.

This was an amazing trip and overall super positive experience with SWS Mountain Guides. I had a great guide with lots of mountain experience and many cool stories to share!