MEET THE TEAM

A woman hiking in a rocky mountain landscape with snow and ice in a small lake behind her, under a clear blue sky.

AMGA APPRENTICE ROCk GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Jo grew up on the east coast and began climbing in The Shawangunk Mountains (aka “The Gunks”) as a teenager. She has been hiking and rock climbing for over 20 years all around the United States, Canada, and Europe. Her favorite place to climb and go on hiking adventures is the Eastern Sierra, where she lives most of the year.
Joann is a certified Wilderness First Responder, holds an AIARE Avalanche Level 1 certificate, and has been trained by the AMGA as an Apprentice Rock Guide. Jo loves guiding clients and sharing her love of the outdoors with them.

A man outdoors in a snowy forest, wearing a gray cap with a patch, a blue jacket, and a black hoodie.

aiaire course leader // AMGA CERTIFIED Ski Guide // WFR // GSG LEAD WINTER Guide
Jan grew up in New Jersey and attended college in northern Vermont. After years of exploring the green mountains, out west was naturally the next step. Tahoe was instantly home. After 6 years of adventures in the Sierra, sharing and teaching these skills and experiences with others felt right. Jan is a certified AIARE course leader, wilderness first responder, on the Tahoe Nordic SAR ski team and is an AMGA Assistant Ski Guide.

A man dressed in outdoor gear, smiling, standing on a rocky snow-covered mountain trail with snow-capped peaks in the background.

AMGA APPRENTICE Splitboard, ALPINE & Rock GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Larry's passion for the outdoors began with surfing and the ocean growing up on the New Jersey shore. His involvement in scouting and a close group of adventurous friends soon introduced him to the mountains of the West, sparking a lifelong pursuit of exploration and adventure.
He attended the University of Colorado Boulder, earning degrees in Environmental Studies and Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences while immersing himself in the Rocky Mountains. After graduation, Larry moved to Alaska, where he guided backpacking, mountaineering, and canoe expeditions in some of North America’s most rugged and remote wilderness.
In 2020, while returning from Central America, Larry discovered the Sierra Nevada. Captivated by the range’s rugged peaks and year-round access to alpine adventure, he made Bishop, California his home. Today, he spends his time exploring the Eastern Sierra through mountaineering, splitboarding, alpine ice skating, and trail running, while also sharing these experiences with clients as a professional mountain guide.
Beyond the Sierra, Larry enjoys traveling to South America to surf as well as climb the high glaciated volcanoes of the Andes.
Larry is a certified Wilderness First Responder, has completed an AIARE Professional level 1 Avalanche course and Avalanche Rescue Course, is a Leave-No-Trace Trainer, holds educator status with Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park, and has completed the AMGA Rock Guide Course, Alpine Guide Course, and Ski Guide Course.

Man rock climbing outdoors, holding a yellow safety rope, smiling, wearing a helmet and a blue shirt.

AMGA APPERNTICE ROCK GUIDE // SPI // WFR // GSG Guide
Matt began climbing at the local gym but quickly discovered the powerful and transformative experience afforded by climbing outdoors in venues like Tahquitz Rock, El Potrero Chico, and Joshua Tree. For Matt, guiding provides an opportunity to share the growth and joy he’s experienced through climbing with others in a safe and positive environment. Whatever you’re looking for from your climbing experience, Matt is here to help!
Matt is an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide, certified Single Pitch Instructor, and a Wilderness First Responder with a goal to become an AMGA certified Rock Guide.

A man in climbing gear, including a helmet and harness, smiling while rock climbing on a steep granite cliff.

AMGA ASSISTANT ROCK GUIDE & AMGA APPRENTICE ALPINE GUIDE // WFR // GSG GUIDE
Joshua is an AMGA Assistant Rock Guide & Apprentice Alpine Guide and holds W.M.I, Wilderness First Responder, C.P.R airway management cert. and has been on the AMGA guide track program since 2008. Having grown up between the coasts of Southern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains, Joshua has spent the better part of the last two decades in pursuit of mastering the Art of Rock craft. Joshua is passionate about sharing his love for the outdoors with others and has become his life’s mantra.
Joshua’s passion for sharing adventure and the spirit of these experiences reaches beyond just guiding alone. Josh has dedicated the better part of his life to educating others by working in gear shops for over 10 years, working as a rep and ambassador for Petzl and Scarpa, pioneering routes and establishing climbing areas with friends for future generations to enjoy and helping contribute to guide books and being a leading contributor on Mountain Project.
These are just a few examples of not only being able to further share his love for the mountains but also find the balance between family, life, being a father, and a life long pursuit of adventure.
To see a tick lists of Joshua’s biggest accomplishments in our local mountains click the link below to view his mountain project profile.
Rock climbing profile for Joshua Reinig at Mountain Project

A young man with brown hair wearing a gray hat with a pink patch, a blue winter jacket with a red inner lining, standing outdoors in a snowy, wooded area.

AMGA SPI // ASSISTANT ROCK & APPRENTICE ALPINE GUIDE // AIARE Instructor // WFR // GSG Guide
Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nick found the outdoors and the mountains at an early age. He excels in the rock discipline, but has a love for skiing and alpine climbing. Nick is currently living the van life in Mammoth Lakes with his dog Lola, and can be found at a plethora of crags in and around the Sierra on his days off. Nick is a Single Pitch Instructor, Apprentice Rock and Alpine Guide, AIARE Instructor, and Wilderness First Responder.

A woman climber on a rocky mountain, wearing a helmet, sunglasses, and climbing gear, with a bright sky and sun above.

AMGA CERTIFIED ROCK GUIDE, ASSISTANT ALPINE GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Paloma grew up in Seattle, Washington where she discovered her passion for the mountains through family backpacking and climbing trips in the Cascades. In 2017 she traveled to South America and fell in love with the granite towers of Patagonia. Since then she has split her time between Patagonia, Chile and the US. Paloma spends as much time as possible climbing and some of her favorite areas are Patagonia, the Peruvian Andes, the Cascades, Indian Creek, the Wind River Range, and the High Sierra. Her favorite type of climbing is big wall alpine climbing but Paloma also enjoys single pitch trad and sport climbing, bouldering and ice climbing. When Paloma isn’t pursuing her own climbing goals she finds fulfillment in sharing her passion with others and teaching the skills necessary to be self-sufficient in the mountains. Paloma is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, Assistant Alpine Guide, AIARE Pro 1 course graduate, Wilderness First Responder, and Leave No Trace Trainer.

Man wearing a blue jacket, a yellow and blue cap, sunglasses, and a neck gaiter in a snowy outdoor setting.

AMGA APPRENTICE SPLItbOARD GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Andy grew up in the Golden State and spent his summers in southeast Alaska. He started skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain where he grew passionate about outdoor education and making the winter a more safe and accessible space. Split between Lake Tahoe, Wyoming and Alaska, Andy has a passion for avalanche education, long expeditions, winter camping and getting students and clients off the beaten path to test and grow their winter skills.
Andy is an AIARE Instructor, NOLS Mountaineering Course Leader+Senior Instructor and Alaska Program Supervisor, AMGA Apprentice Splitboard Guide, and WEMT.

A woman outdoors in winter, wearing a blue beanie hat and a Patagonia jacket, smiling with trees and snow in the background.

AMGA APPRENTICE ALPINE & ROCK GUIDE & SPI // WEMT // GSG GUIDE
Jessica Olson (aka JO) was born and raised in San Diego, where her love for climbing took off. She was introduced to the sport by some friends who took her out to climb at Mt. Lemmon while attending University of Arizona. It wasn’t until she came back to the states after traveling abroad for 8 months, that she truly started to shape her life around climbing. Moving back to San Diego, JO started working at the local climbing gym in 2014 and over the course of 3 years learned the ins and outs of the climbing lifestyle.
Having found a passion for teaching youth, JO wanted to take the classroom outside, to where her dreams continued to grow. After acquiring her SPI in 2016, she started to seek outlets that would allow her to develop as a guide. She built out her small SUV and hit the road, making her way to Alaska for a summer of guiding. While living on the road, Jo has traveled across the country in the pursuit of adventure, finding joy in the Eastern Sierra, Washington Pass, Squamish, Deserts of Utah, and out east in Tennessee and Kentucky. Since moving away from San Diego, she has been guiding primarily in the Pacific Northwest, furthering her love for teaching others how to become self sufficient climbers.

JO is an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, and Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician.

A woman with light brown hair smiling outdoors in bright sunlight, with rocky desert landscape and mountains in the background.

AMGA CERTIFIED ROCK GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Krystina fell in love with climbing after joining the high school team at age 14. She would spend the bulk of the next 15 years in pursuit of sharing her newfound passion. Working with NOLS as a Wilderness Rock Tier 2 Instructor, Krystina seized the opportunity to work across the western United States. Krystina is now an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AIARE I Certified, and a Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator. She has guided people in places such as Cirque of the Towers, Cochise Stronghold, Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, and the high alpine ridges of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her favorite part of guiding is watching her guests safely expand their skill set and adventure in the outdoors.
Krystina is also a graphic designer and teaches watercolor and oil painting. Her happiest place is at the summit of a multi-pitch climb, sketchbook in hand.

AMGA APPRENTICE ALPINE & ROCK GUIDE // SINGLE PITCH INSTRUCTOR // WFR // GSG Guide
After graduating from the Naval Academy in 2006, Knight went to flight school where he earned his Wings of Gold and went on to lead Sailors on three deployments to the Western Pacific conducting theater security and counter piracy operations as a helicopter pilot on Cruisers and Destroyers. Looking for a change of pace, he went back to the Naval Academy and earned master’s degrees in leadership from UMD and the Naval War College in preparation to teach Midshipmen. On that tour Knight fell in love with teaching leadership and guiding in the mountains while taking groups on winter ascents of Mt Washington in NH while teaching leadership fundamentals to future combat leaders.
Having a goal to climb the highest point in every state- only 10 left now- Knight finds deep satisfaction and wisdom in climbing mountains. In 2015 he started teaching rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking for REI Outdoor School. Knight then did a 30-day expedition in Alaska with NOLS to certify as a mountaineering instructor. He now leads climbing, skiing, mountaineering, and canyoneering expeditions for NOLS. He is also an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, LNT Master Educator, and certified Executive Coach through Georgetown University. In 2018 he founded Cairn Leadership Strategies, a professional development and coaching firm that leads weekend adventures all over the United States for business professionals.
Knight is passionate about using outdoor adventure as a catalyst for personal and professional growth, building a community of business professionals who would rather be outdoors and spending time with his wife and daughters in the wilderness.

Man smiling wearing a red Patagonia jacket, sunglasses, a gray cap, and a neck gaiter outdoors with snow-covered mountains in the background.

AMGA APPRENTICE ALPINE & ROCK GUIDE // AIARE PRO 1 // WFR // GSG Guide
Ben has had a long time passion for the outdoors, starting at an early age hiking and hunting through the forests of Wisconsin. The Navy brought Ben out West where the mountains captivated his imagination. Guiding for Ben has allowed him to combine his passion for teaching with his love for the mountains. Over the last few years he has began to build his skills in the rock, alpine, and splitboard realm with an emphasis on big mountain exploration from the High Sierra, Cascades and into Squamish, British Columbia. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder, has completed his AIARE Pro 1 course, as well as taken the AMGA Alpine & Rock Guide Courses and is a certified SPI Instructor. Ben is working towards his full certification as an AMGA Alpine, Rock, & Splitboard Guide. You can find Ben guiding all throughout the Eastern Sierra, Southern California, and up on Mount Shasta.

A man with a beard wearing a green puffer jacket and a blue cap with an animal patch, outdoors with mountains in the background.

AMGA APPRENTICE ROCK & ALPINE GUIDE // SPI // WFR // GSG Guide
Chad was born and raised in Southern California. At 18, he moved to Oregon for a BS in psychology, and during that time found amazing outdoor places and activities in the Pacific Northwest. From there Chad worked in the zipline industry living in Alaska, upstate New York, and then in North Carolina. After that, he worked as an arborist in Colorado until returning to California in 2017. For the past 15 years, Chad has been fortunate to climb and explore all around the places he has lived. He is passionate about climbing, sharing in the adventure of it, and plans on chasing peaks well into his 80’s.
When Chad is not out climbing you might find him running up Mount San Jacinto, playing with his nieces and nephews, training, splitboarding, or working on his property in Virginia Lakes.

A man dressed in outdoor climbing gear, including a helmet and a puffy jacket, kneeling on a rocky surface in a desert landscape with rocky formations and sparse vegetation, smiling at the camera.

AMGA CERTIFIED ROCK GUIDE // SINGLE PITCH INSTRUCTOR // WFR // GSG Guide
Daniel Johnson was born in Virginia but calls North Carolina home. He began rock climbing in college but has always had a passion for outdoor adventure, whether that looked like his roaming through the densely forested countryside of Virginia’s Piedmont or pulling heavy loads up Denali. Daniel’s career in the Navy took him to Washington State for a few years where he fell in love with rock climbing and shows no signs of divorce any time soon.
Gaining his SPI in 2017, Daniel guided part-time in Washington and Southern California. Separating from the Navy in April of 2021, Daniel has guided full-time since then and absolutely loves the connections it inspires, the teaching moments, and the outdoor classroom that it provides.
Daniel loves sharing his passion with others and facilitating the space for them to achieve their goals — both on the rock and off.
Daniel is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and IRATA/SPRAT Level I Rope Access Technician.

A man smiling, wearing a beanie hat, sunglasses on top, a scarf, and a puffy jacket outdoors in a park with trees in the background.

AMGA CERTIFIED SKI & SPLITBOARD GUIDE // APPRENTICE ALPINE GUIDE // AIARE LEADER // WFR // GSG Guide
Hailing from the Pacific Northwest Trevor began his ski/snowboard journey as a young lad navigating the chunder and heavy snow of the Cascade Mountain range. Over the years, through travel and exploration he was able to gain appreciation for what the world and different cultures had to offer which led to a career in guiding and education. He has called the Sierra Nevada his home for the past decade and works as an Avalanche Educator, a ski/spliboard guide and a freelance writer in the winter and tackles the west coast volcanoes, and the shores of Lake Tahoe and the Pacific Ocean in the summer and fall.
Trevor is an AMGA Certified Splitboard and Ski Guide, Apprentice Alpine Guide, AIARE Course Leader, and Wilderness First Responder.

AMGA APPRENTICE ALPINE & ROCK GUIDE // wFR // GSG GUIDE
Samie found her love for climbing after college back east in Virginia. Her mentors took her to places like the Red River Gorge, the New River Gorge and Seneca Rocks. She knew immediately that this was the path for her and moved to Washington state to be closer to the big mountains. Since then she has climbed all over the US. Her favorite spots include the North Cascades, Red Rock and Rocky Mountain National Park. She gravitates towards trad and alpine climbing, but you can find her sport climbing, bouldering and ice climbing too!
Samie is an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide, pursuing both Rock and Alpine disciplines. Her passion lies in mentoring and teaching; empowering others through skills and efficiencies. She is also a WFR and LNT Trainer. She is currently located in Estes Park, CO, but lives part time in her van so she can guide all over the West!

A man in climbing gear, including a helmet, harness, and gloves, standing on a rock ledge on a mountain, with a scenic view of rugged mountains, a lake, and a rock formation in the background.

AMGA CERTIFIED ROCK GUIDE & APPRENTICE ALPINE GUIDE // WFR // GSG Guide
Spencer's interest in climbing started in 2010 while attending Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO. He cut his teeth climbing sandstone splitters in the southern regions of Utah, and drew inspiration from classic venues in the Western US and internationally, in countries like Argentina and Spain. His passion for sharing the natural world with others took him to Western North Carolina where he managed the Climbing Program for the North Carolina Outward Bound School.
Having held a PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor certification, completed the AMGA Rock Guide Exam, and maintained a Wilderness First Responder, Spencer brings his educational background to renowned climbing locales across Southern California.

A man with light skin, a beard, and a mustache smiling outdoors in a snowy forest, wearing a red cap, a hooded sweatshirt under a black puffer jacket, with snow on his clothing and face.

AMGA ASSISTANT SPLITBOARD, APPRENTICE ROCK, & ALPINE GUIDE // AIARE INSTRUCTOR// WFR // GSG Guide
Michael grew up on Long Island, New York and has been exploring the outdoors for most of his life. He developed a deep love for being outside after spending countless hours in the Catskill Mountain Range as a kid snowboarding and fishing. After college, Michael began snowboard instructing at the mountain he grew up going to, Windham Mountain. A few years later he decided to move out west and began exploring the many mountain ranges all over the Western United States. He took up rock climbing, alpinism, and backcountry snowboarding and quickly found his true passions. Years later, Michael started guiding in the Sierra mountain range and began sharing his passions by teaching others the thrill of exploring the outdoors.

Michael is an AMGA Apprentice Rock, Ski/Splitboard, and Alpine Guide. As well as an AIARE instructor, and Wilderness First Responder.

A man smiling outdoors in snowy weather, wearing a blue Patagonia jacket and a gray hat.

AMGA APPRENTICE SPLITBOARD & ALPINE GUIDE // SINGLE PITCH INSTRUCTOR // WFR // GSG FOUNDER
Golden State Guiding founder Ryan Hartegan has an affinity for climbing, the places it takes you, and the memories created along the way. Ryan has been climbing for 15 years all over California from the tough quartz monzonite desert granite of Joshua Tree, to the lichen streaked granite of the High Sierra and Yosemite, to the pumping sport routes in Owen's River Gorge, to splitter days up on Tahquitz and in the canyon’s on Red Rock. Ryan enjoys all disciplines of climbing but his heart lies with alpine starts, long approaches and high elevation gains mixed with grueling days out and long routes, to put it shortly, the Sierra. Ryan is an AMGA Apprentice Splitboard and Alpine Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and an AIARE Pro 1 course graduate.