Every week, we take the reader into the interesting and ever-changing life of an American Alpine Institute guide. Every AAI guide is very experienced in alpine and rock climbing, and all have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid, avalanche, and Leave No Trace training among the world’s international guide services. For profiles on all AAI guides, please click here.
This week, we interview Mike Powers.
Who were some of your climbing partners that had an impact upon you?
Mark Houston, Ave Kvale, and Steve House probably shaped my outcome as much as most anyone else. I’ve learned so much from them, but still continue to curse them when appropriate.
Some other places on my list are: Dolomites, Norway, Cody, Banks Lake, Little Switzerland, Trout Creek, Adirondacks, Hawaii, and especially those places that I never heard of but people tell me that I should go.
Describe your climbing style.
Comfortable. Usually that means having a small pack and being in reasonable shape, but that doesn’t happen nearly enough.
Is there anything you know now that you’d wish you’d known when you were just beginning to climb?
I really wish I wasn’t such a cheapskate when I started to climb. I learned from my friends who didn’t know what they were doing either. If I had a professional guide for a few days at the start, I would have learned some good habits right away and would have progressed much faster and more safely. But I don’t know if it would have been as fun…
There are a few concepts that I think are important when learning to alpine climb:
I also like the idea of managing only the risk and hazards you are exposed to and can effectively manage at a certain time. It’s easy to turn back for some perceived risk up above that may or may not come true.
To get a better sense of this please come do guides training with me this May!
When you guide, what piece of advice do you find you give most often to climbers?Stop fussing with your gear and keep moving. In a nice way.
Of course, none of those trips compares to a certain Red Rocks climbing trip I did in 1997. However, I don’t think the director of AAI (Dunham Gooding) will allow me to divulge the details. [Editor’s note: since more than ten years have passed, the AAI statute of limitations is in effect. There was romance with a client which evolved to a marriage. In truth, the transgression was forgiven and the marriage was greatly celebrated.]
What are your must-haves (e.g. favorite foods, equipment)?
Absolutely none. Should I have some?
Immediate family:
Wife Carla, six year-old son Sameer, and five year-old dog Shuksan