I've spent the past thirty plus years skiing resorts but over the last three days, the SWS trainers, Nathan and Caleb, prepared me for my beginning of backcountry adventure, with the avalanche class. I wish I had taken this class sooner and will get more of my family trained with these knowledgeable and friendly outfitters. read more

SWS Mountain Guides - Avalanche class field work route - Climbing Near Me - Mount Shasta, California

I booked their Whitney trip for the summer ascent and boy did I underestimate it. While the route description is very straightfoward online, it has a lot of potential to be overlooked by heart. I rated 4 stars because this is definitely a passion project and you really have to be on your A-game if you book with these guides. The guides are professionals and they expect you to be just as prepared as they are -- especially on a physical level. If you can't stay on their pace due to timing, expect not to summit. I cannot emphasize this enough. DO NOT TAKE THE TRAINING EXPECTATIONS LIGHTLY. Coming from someone who did not train as vigorously as I had originally planned, I did not make it very far on my own accord. Secondly, make sure you are aware of every element of the trip. I booked for the summer and expected there to be snow. Snow = cold, but I did not brace myself for the extreme heat conditions at the base of the mountain and start of the ascent. We had a late start at around 11 AM, so you will not be starting early if that's what your expectations were. Most people I talked to in the lot started at 1:30 AM to beat the heat. Drink the required amount of water before your trip so you stay hydrated. If you feel thirsty at the start, you're already behind on hydration. While I did not summit, I have been inspired to definitely try this again when I'm more prepared. Thank you to my guides! You guys were amazing! read more

SWS Mountain Guides - Climbing Near Me - Mount Shasta, California

SWS Mountain Guides is the most reliable and knowledgeable team for mountaineering on such challenging peaks. I could never have successfully and safely reached the summit of Mount Shasta without a professional tour guide. read more

Taking the time to leave a review for Caleb. I was blessed to have such a great personality and professional individual like Caleb with me up the mountain. His life vision was inline with mine. It's the journey, not always the goal. I greatly appreciated the thoughtfulness in him asking why I was at his doorstep. I recommend any person looking for a guide to ask for Caleb. I think SWS is well served with people like him in their service. Technical experience and humanity to the service was on display at all times with him. While my personal experience on the mountain stretched over many years, Caleb's input on what I took and more importantly didn't take was huge. Made the experience that much better and successful. I look to go back at 60 yrs old, in a couple years and take him back with me. Keep going strong sir! I'll never lose your contact information. Peace! read more

SWS Mountain Guides - Climbing Near Me - Mount Shasta, California

On our recent trip to Mt Shasta via Avalanche Gulch some of our team members had hired SWS only to carry part of our tents and set them up at Lake Helen. On day 2 when SWS came to pack and pick the tents for the way down - there was an issue coming down with one of our team members who had made it to the summit, but stuck at Red Banks Afternoon hot weather conditions made it impossible to land a helicopter even with a 911 call made - 4-6 hrs at least or next day was the "official response". A sincere request of help was made to the small crew of "porters" who were actually trained guides who swung into action. Tyler, Eric, Ben and Liz were awesome in getting the rescue gear up from a lower camp, setting a rescue route and get themselves moving quickly. Yes, they went above and beyond their call of duty to do the rescue while avoiding afternoon rock fall routes. It was an action movie scrip running. The complete operation was over within 3-4 hours or so - with all climbers down safely. What I learnt of SWS from this experience: 1 They are real heroes who do the best for a given situation 2 Their snow, ice, rope and harness climbing and rescue skills are second to none. 3 They planned the route interactively taking inputs, their attention to detail, safety and keeping everyone informed was excellent 4 They are down to earth - no show - all action folks. They can be porters, guides, coaches and rescuers all bundled in one. 5 They possibly know the mountain better than anyone else as they make more trips than the ranger there. 6 Bottom-line reliable Heck yes, they are the best in their business and when I do go Shasta again, they will be at my side! read more

Best place to go for first mountaineering experience ! My friends and I had a mountaineering course following Mt Shasta Avalanche gulch route. Our guides Mat and Richard were very knowledgeable and helpful from the beginning when we came to the HQ for equipment check till the descent. Even though we did not summit because of the altitude sickness symptoms knocked out most members of our team, it was an unforgettable experience and we learnt a lot ! Definitely will be back ! Be sure that you are physically and mentally ready for this kind of physical activity. And feel free to contact them beforehand if you not sure what kind of clothes layers to bring with you. read more

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Thanks Tim Mincey - Appreciate everything! Whole wonderful experience and education. In spite of 45 mph winds, -20F managed to build this wonderful shelter, stay comfortable and really enjoy the experience and environment. Lot of great little tips for creature comforts too! read more

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I was searching for a company that lead trips in winter on Shasta and I chose SWS because they were the only company guiding people in winter. The other competitor had a website that looked much more professional, attractive and up to date, but they were more expensive and did not have any winter ascents. In addition to that, speaking with the owner on the phone gave me more courage to pursue this trip. He was nonjudgemental but even cautiously encouraging. One of the most discouraging thing is dealing with experts that make the client feel weak and incapable of achieving extraordinary accomplishments. But the owner and every single one of his guides were the opposite. They made us believe in ourselves, and the guides simplified the impossible and gave us enough confidence to tackle any summit with correct preparation. On day one, we met the guides and they were serious and very technical. It made us feel relaxed that we are in the hands of pure professionals. We can not explain how lucky we felt that we got these guides. We formed friendships with them and thank God they were down to earth and were able to connect with us on every level. Each one of us teamed up with a guide and the bond was magical. My friend Sarah went on the mountain with her brother, but I feel she came down with 2 brothers (hers and the guide Stephen). I personally would not have been able to summit if it weren't for my guide Spencer. Just before reaching the summit, Altitude Sickness hit me hard, but he carried my bag and didn't allow me to quit. He walked patiently and slowly with me to gather my strength in order to reach the summit. My friend Abed also had an amazing guide, Ben. Ben doesn't talk much and Abed does a lot. They were like a married couple. But also when Abed was exhausted and ready to quit, Ben was there to push him forward and give him the right amount of encouragement to reach the top. Matt is not a human being, he is superhuman. He was dancing on the mountain from one cliff to the other just to talk amazing photos of us. All the guides were heavily invested in us and in our success to summit. They could have easily said that we were not ready, or that we will not make it and it is better if we turned back. But they put so much emotional effort into convincing most of us that we are capable of reaching the summit, and they were right. I think at the top the other guides were a bit shocked by the warm relationship we had with our guides, as we were taking photos together hugging each other as if we were friends for a long time. The last thing I would like to add is that all the guides showed a huge emphasis on safety. There were many sections that I felt I had my own personal bodyguard, my own personal professional assistant. On the way down, each guide tried to protect his client by walking next to them like their shadows. And whenever we needed assistance with putting gear on or taking it off, they jumped to help each one of us. Thank you SWS for having these wonderful guides, we honestly would never think of using any other company. read more

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Took the basic mountaineer course at Bear Valley this past weekend and I learned so much! Our instructor was Lani and she taught various climbing knots before we went out. Lani taught us strategies on rope travel, snow anchors, snow bollard, T slot anchor and I'll never forget the acronym SERENE! I have taken WFA classes prior and this class gave me the necessary skills for my next snow trek. Thank you Lani for making this wonderful learning experience, looking forward to crevasse rescue next! read more

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Professional, excellent, safe. One of the best mountaineering outfits around. Will go with them again.

Took the basic mountaineering course in Lassen national park and JB our guide (+Liz our guide-in-training) were excellent. JB brings with him a wealth of experience from climbing all over the world whether it's on ice, rock, or both. He was able to keep the mood fun especially when it was tough on newbies like me to deal with winter cold. read more

It was my goal to try and summit Shasta with nearly zero mountaineering experience (although I backpacked and hiked plenty times before and consider myself in great shape). Having never used crampons or an ice ax before, it was a no brainer to take their intro to Ice Ax and Crampon clinic. $150 per person was steep but it was well worth it considering how much I learned and the peace of mind knowing how to self arrest and glissade properly. It was just my boyfriend and I for the class, which was awesome because we got one on one attention, and instead of a 7-8 hour class, we learned everything in about 4.5 hours. Our instructor was Tyler? (not 100% sure) but he was super cool, funny, patient, and knowledgeable. He was able to answer all our questions and give us some tips and advice on our Shasta trip that we would be attempting the next day. We told him we planned to camp near Horse Camp after our class, and conveniently he offered to have the class take place near there so we wouldn't have to hike back to our car and get back on trail again. If you are nervous about attempting to hike Shasta without having any mountaineering experience, I highly recommend to take their Intro to Ice Ax and Crampon class. Although I didn't use all their techniques and thankfully didn't have to self arrest during my actual climb, I'm glad to have the knowledge and practice for any future snow hikes/climbs. read more

I used SWS mountain guides twice recently. In December of last year to climb Mt Lassen and in February of this year to attempt Mt Shasta. I enjoyed both trips immensely. The trips were well organised and the guides were competent, professional and highly experienced. I plan on using their services again and recommend them to others. read more

SWS Mountain Guides - Summitt of Mt Lassen with Mt Shasta in the distant background - Climbing Near Me - Mount Shasta, California

Thinking about climbing Shasta? These are the guys to climb with. I've climbed with them 3 times, via Avalanche Gulch, "Hotoon", and Hotlum/Bolum - 2 successful summits, and I survived 1 storm that I honestly thought I was going to go home with 9 fingers and 9 toes aftewards. (But didn't! Whew!) These guys are legit. They know their stuff and are not afraid to show you/teach you/and answer all your ridiculous questions. The camp food is, bar none, the best alpine food I've ever had. Who cooks chicken and dumplings at 10,000ft? These guys. They also lend you helmet and ice axe when you climb with them, which saves a little $ if you don't personally own one. Tents are superior quality, and very sturdy. These are definitely the guys to chose for your trip up the mountain. They also offer ice climbing courses, avalance/rescue classes, trips up Whitney and Lassen, back country ski, and rock climbing. read more

I did a Mt. Shasta Ice Axe, Crampon and Beginner Snow Climbing Clinic. This was WAY more fun and way more informative than I expected it to be. Our guide showed us a lot of survival techniques and gave a lot of tips on climbing Shasta as well as higher altitude mountains. I'm climbing Kilimanjaro in September and feel that the class even helped me prepare for that trip. When I climb Shasta, will definitely go with these guys! read more

I worked with Tim from SWS to organize a private 3-day trip to climb Mt Shasta and learn basic mountaineering technics. I am going to be very direct, this was one of the most amazing things I have done in my life and I would highly recommend. Of course, things like weather or other people on the mountain or in your group (in case of a group tour), are out of your control but here are things that went particularly well with SWS: - Tim is extremely helpful in redirecting you to the right course/trip for what you need - He was very available to answer any questions about equipment prior to the trip (I even called him while at REI and we chatted as I was going through the ailes) - Our guide Kique, was extremely knowledgeable, capable, insightful and caring - The program was entirely tailored to what we wanted, how we felt, how quick we were learning, etc. - The equipment was in great condition All in all, we ended up reaching the summit, with no one else on the mountain, under the most beautiful sunrise after a terribly tiring but rewarding experience. Reach your limits, learn about yourself and be amazed by the natural beauty. I can only talk about my experience but it was absolutely magical and the SWS team delivered way beyond what we expected. read more

Had an amazing time climbing at box canyon near Bear Valley with my 2 girls. We went with two different guides at two different times and the experiences were both amazing!! Would highly recommend this group of professional climbers. They're knowledgeable and helpful with all aspects of climbing. read more

Four family members (age 35-45) and I (age 63) attempted to climb Mt. Whitney via the Mountaineer's Route beginning July 11. We are all fit, experienced backpackers, but quickly found the route to be much more difficult than the SWS website described. Because our guide was slow getting us to the trailhead, we got a late start (11 a.m.), and he had no patience to teach us the climbing skills we needed, as the description of the trip had promised. Within an hour, he had insulted my abilities several times, and finally urged me to turn back, so my slow pace wouldn't put the rest of the group in danger. I did that, while the others continued up the mountain. They were successful at reaching the summit the next day, but all said it was the hardest, most dangerous hike they had ever done. They all agreed that while the guide had good climbing credentials and experience, his teaching and encouraging skills were non-existent. The assistant guide was much more helpful, but she could not make up for the poor attitude of the head guide. I hope to try the Mt. Whitney ascent again someday, by the regular trail route. But I would not book SWS Mountain Guides again! read more

This was my second guided climb of a Cascade peak and while this company is smaller than the one I used in my first trip (RMI), they did an outstanding job. My son and I were signed up for a 2-day summit attempt on Shasta in June of 2017 and our guides were Caleb and Alex. What I witnessed was each guide working with a diverse age group (18 - 50yrs) in a group of 7, diverse backgrounds, diverse abilities. They each carefully gave their attention to each client for their specific needs or desires. They calmly assessed weather situations and mountain safety, had all clients working together as a team, eased off the "leash" when safe and appropriate, and flexibility to change the plan at different times of the climb (a side-tour to Horse Camp was accommodated!). Before we even arrived in Mt Shasta, CA the lead guide Caleb left a few messages with me asking if we had any questions, etc. Upon arrival at their offices the afternoon of the day before, any guide who was free were able to give a few words of help and direction. The day of the climb was organized to get us safely equipped to the mountain. Pack checks, rental gear, food, etc. All but two of our party summited Mt. Shasta and the guides dealt with those who stayed behind or had to turn back with professional tact. I'm proud that SWS helped my son and I reach the summit on Father's Day! I'll put a little plug in here for the SWS Guest house as well. If you like hostels, you'll fit right in. Jim is a friendly host, beds and common areas are roomy and comfortable, and the front door is literally 30 feet away from the SWS Guides office. One thing I could wish for is another bathroom, as a line can form pretty easily. read more

Be very careful, they may be experienced climbers (who knows), but I cancelled my trip 24 days before and SWS acknowledged the cancellation and issued a letter or credit for the balance. They still have yet to pay up! Don't pay ahead of time, you will not get your money back; choose a firm with BBB accreditation to protect yourself. SWS continues to sit on my money (in excess of $1,000 collecting interest) Beware of the website, all the disclaimers will be sent to you AFTER you pay, there are no "terms and conditions" listed on the website, another trick. read more

My husband and I did the two day Shasta summit course with SWS and had a great time! Our guides were absolutely fantastic, very friendly and helpful. They were very attentive to safety and fun to be around. The dinner food was great and the group tents were comfy. We felt like we made a good decision to go with SWS since we didn't have mountaineering experience. We'll definitely think about doing some other trips with them in the future. read more

Yes of course, mountaineering is risky. That's why we read their course description very carefully and specifically took the one meant for beginners. Hopefully, nothing should happen on a trip. However, would you really want to go with a company where if something does happen, they will just say "oh it's not for everyone"? It's like driving a dangerously defective car and if there is an accident, they just say "oh driving is not for everyone". There are other companies that also guide you to Shasta, you can search on Yelp. I notice that this company actually has other negative reviews from previous years, while other companies seem to have all positive reviews. We chose this company only because they were the only company that had open dates when we were available. In fact, there were supposed to be two other clients who already paid, who were supposed to be on our trip. For some reason, they actually never showed up. We should've checked out the other companies as well, we will never make the same mistake again. read more

I did the 2 day Avalanche Gulch trip with SWS and it was a great experience. As we were planning the trip, Tim Keating was terrific about answering all our questions about what to pack, etc. When we arrived, our guides did a thorough gear check to make sure we had everything we needed (and not a lot of unnecessary additional things). The youngest in our group was 12 and the oldest was 78, so we hired a porter to carry the group gear up to camp. This trip was an excellent introduction to using ice axes and crampons. Our guides, Tim Peterson and Perry Freund were terrific. Summit day was a long day (2am to 9:30pm), but we made it to the summit. It was a challenging climb, but a lot of fun. I would definitely recommend SWS to anyone looking to climb Mount Shasta and learn more about snow climbing. read more

SWS Guides have been a great resource for helping me (and my teammates) develop the skills and experience needed for wilderness travel, especially mountaineering. I have signed up for numerous courses and have had multiple instructors/guides. I have taken a 5 day Crevasse Rescue and Glacier Course on the north side of Mt. Shasta(and did not fall upside down as a few reviewers mention), Ice Climbing 101 in Lee Vining which was absolutely amazing, and the last coarse I took was Avalanche Level 1 in Mt. Shasta as well which consisted of 3 days of class work and field work. This coarse was extremely beneficial. I have WFR next on my list!! The most beneficial aspect of this guiding company is the ability for them to understand their clients needs and restrictions and work around them. A prime example would be our availability to do a 5 day course that SWS would be able to work out in ways other guiding companies would not do. We wanted 3 full days of instruction but SWS could not stay over night the 1st day so they simply met us at base camp rather than requiring us to ascend with them. In my experience, any reviewers stating their experience with SWS was not what was expected is because they lack the essential skills and common sense in the outdoor climbing world that is needed. So far, SWS has been on point in delivering what you originally agreed to. read more

Outstanding guide service. We climbed May 19-21 taking the Casaval Ridge route with Adam leading our private climb. Although we got stuck just short of 10000 feet for two days as a result of a winter storm, Adam was very professional and always added to the climb with instruction and fun. We have climbed other mountains in the Cascades and on the East coast and SWS ranks among the top guide services we have used thanks, in no small measure, to Adam. We will be back to tag Shasta's summit and look forward to him leading the way. read more

SWS Mountain Guides - Our high camp on the Casaval Ridge - Climbing Near Me - Mount Shasta, California

The experience and the guide we had were fantastic and in terms of the climb, we were successfull and we enjoyed the mini expedition. Essentially the guide and the climb were 5 star experiences. The reason for 3 stars is this: Prior to signing the contract we specifically ask if SWS could provide a guide with experience on Denali as we would be climbing Denali a couple month following Shasta. They answered our email and said yes they could and would and even named the guide with Denali experience that would lead us on a " Denali prep course".Much to our surprise and with no notice we met our guide the evening before the climb. SWS did not provide a guide they said they would. The guide provided had not been to Denali. While very pleased with our guide with respect to the Shasta climb, we thought we would inquire as to why we were not informed of the change as we booked on the criteria of a Denali experienced guide.. I sent an email to sws and received no response. In addition I also received an email asking for feedback. I sent the same inquiry with nothing other than an automated "thanks for your feedback" While we understand unforeseen circumstances can cause changes,the lack of notification and acknowledgment of their unfulfilled pledge was disappointing. read more

I did the basic 5 day glacier travel and crevasse rescue class on Mt. Shasta which ended in an accident. On the third day I was supposed to learn self-rescue from a crevasse fall. The guide had me on belay and I rappelled backwards into the crevasse. This specific setup created slack in the rope once I went over the edge of the crevasse and I fell with no hold. Somehow I was able to recover in a stable position. At this point I thought I made something wrong and caused this free fall. The next participant was lowered, following the guide's instruction. The situation was the same, i.e. slack in the rope and a free fall. This time the participant fell backwards, flipped over and crashed with the back of her head into the ice wall. We recovered her from the crevasse and were able to bring her down to base camp although she was under shock and suffered from pretty bad pain and light headiness. Of course the summit bid on the next morning was not an option anymore and we decided to end the class at this point. I rappelled before in a rock climbing classes, but there was no slack in the rope at any point. So after coming back, I did some research and learned that this accident could have been prevented: 1. Do not start to rappel backwards from a low anchor point. 2. Use an (improvised) chest harness if there is the risk of falling and flipping over. I found these instructions in basic mountaineering books and I am really surprised that a company which is in business for more than 30 years is not able to apply these simple precautions in a beginner class. I understand that mountaineering can be dangerous. That is the reason why we pay guides: to reduce the risks to a controllable level. My impression of SWS is that they are not able to provide this service. read more

We had no mountaineering experience, so my wife and I signed up for the Basic Mountaineering and the Ice Ax and Crampon to get ready to climb Shasta via Avalanche Gulch. Our guide was JB and we was very helpful and knowledgeable! After the class we were confident enough to summit Shasta the following days. read more

I did the Basic Mountaineering and the Ice Ax and Crampon clinic over a weekend on Mt Shasta. The instructor was "JB." He was a total pro, plus a good teacher. I now feel very confident about my trip to summit of Stok Kangri (6,153 meters) in India later this year. read more

Did the Clear Creek route up Mt. Shasta, which should not have taken as long as it did (13 hours of hiking on the day of the summit). The guide did get us to the top, but it would have been much faster had we not had to carry so much extra water and equipment at his suggestion, hiked at a faster pace, and been able to use day packs. Considering the price, the food was very disappointing as well, especially just the packets of hot chocolate and oatmeal for "breakfast." read more