My first exposure to guiding and outdoor education was a three- week wilderness orientation course with an instructor who rocked my world. His savvy instruction in campcraft, map reading, route finding, mountaineering and the wonders of nature lit a fire deep within that still burns hot and has led to a lifetime of climbing and skiing in some of most remarkable places on Earth.

My instructor’s technical skills were impressive, but his wizardry as an educator and walking the talk of our school’s motto, “education is a journey not a destination” made life-long learners out of all of us. His leadership, curiosity and humility made learning fun. He pushed us beyond our comfort zones and coached us to work together as a team. Through our shared experience we became steadfast friends and a tight-knit community throughout our college years and beyond.

Similar adventures are being had on every day of any given season. A thirty-thousand foot zoomed-out view of our thriving outdoor recreation and education industry would scope mountain guides leading guests up and down the flanks of mountains, summits and crags throughout the world alongside an ever-growing number of climbers and skiers venturing deep in the mountains.

Most folks adventuring in the outdoors have either shared a rope or deep powder turns with a mountain guide, hired one for their first climb or backcountry ski, taken an avalanche course or benefited from helpful beta. Many have hired guides to summit iconic peaks or even pull off ambitious objectives like the Nose on El Capitan.

Many exceptionally talented climbers have worked as guides at some point in their career. Legends such as Alex Lowe, Jim Donini, Yvon Chouinard, Lynn Hill, Rolando Garibotti and Jack Tackle to name a few, have mentored aspiring climbers cutting their teeth in the mountains.

But being responsible for others in the mountains isn’t for everyone. A career as a mountain guide isn’t the climbing and skiing “dream job” it appears on the surface. Guiding professionally is essentially managing risk, navigating uncertainty and climbing or skiing for your clients. There’s no doubt that the intangible job benefits and view from the office can’t be beat, but a deep love of workingwith people and an unwavering focus on their experience is key for career longevity and success. Meaningful friendships and partnerships often develop from shared efforts and great days out in the mountains.

I’ve had the good fortune of taking many such treasured guests to the tops of technical peaks in the Himalaya and Andes, to the Alaska Range, Alps, Pamirs and beyond. But hands down the places that make my heart sing now are the high latitudes of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Svalbard at 78o North is one such place that has captured my imagination and held a magnetic attraction. Over the course of five expeditions to this remote wilderness archipelago, I’ve experienced remarkable wildlife encounters, awe-inspiring glacial landscapes, stunning alpine terrain and extreme weather that rapidly changes the severity, mood and conditions across the region so heavily influenced by the Arctic Ocean and the presence or lack of sea ice.

Taking people to Svalbard is serious business. Access by sailboat, sled or human-powered endeavors all require preparedness for enduring potentially extreme arctic conditions and the ever-present threat and real danger of encountering a polar bear. All guides are required to have a polar bear protection permit, competence using a large firearm and to carry it in the field at all times to deter a polar bear in the event of a close encounter.

An altimeter is also a crucial tool of the trade to detect significant drops in barometric pressure signaling deteriorating weather. As frequent fliers in the mountains I’ve often thought that we ourselves are barometers of change as witness to deteriorating conditions at an unprecedented rate, due to the climate crisis. Particularly in the high mountains, mountain guides are on the front lines, often climbing in the same range and repeating routes over seasons and many years. Glacial loss and permafrost degradation have resulted in classic routes being out of condition or no longer climbable at all. Seasons are shorter, there’s more uncertainty with conditions and extreme weather is increasingly dangerous. Moving people through mountains with ever tightening margins on a realistic time plan has become complex.

There is no denying that we are loving our mountains to death, and they are rapidly changing from impacts of the climate crisis. Every year I heavily weigh the benefits vs. consequences of going to places far away and sharing environments like Svalbard with my guests. The impact of flying halfway around the world in the midst of the climate crisis to a place that is heating seven times faster than any place else on the planet is hard to justify.

My only solace is knowing from experience that when we witness these places firsthand—we care more. Experiencing mountain regions and communities directly impacted by global heating and engaging in uncomfortable conversations moves many if not most to action. Although I can’t justify my imperfect advocacy, I know that our work as mountain guides, educators, and champions of the environment helps grow the network of supporters and ambassadors for the places in which we fall deeply in love.

—Angela Hawse

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