SWS Mountain Guides
Mt Shasta, Mt Whitney & Beyond
Guiding the world’s mountains since 1981
We’re one of California’s original guiding services for climbing, skiing, and avalanche education
Adventure, Education, & Experience you can trust
Featured Climbs & Courses
Mt Whitney Mountaineer’s Route
Mt Shasta Hotlum Bolam Ridge
August through September
Glacier Skills & Climbs
August through September
November & December
2026 – 2027
Mexico Volcanoes Expedition
SPRING & FALL Departures
2026 – 2027
California Mountain Guides Blog
Your Winter Is Being Decided Right Now
Caleb brings an honest look at the most overlooked month in avalanche safety: October. There’s no snow on the ground, but the weak layers that will matter in February are forming right now — in the snowpack, and in us.
A good headlamp is a critical piece of safety equipment.
A reliable headlamp allows a person to navigate, manage ropes, assess terrain, and respond to problems when daylight is gone. On alpine climbs, we start hours before sunrise, and delays, changing weather, or an emergency can easily extend the descent into darkness....
Sea Level to 14,000 Feet: How to Acclimatize for California’s Highest Peaks
Climbing California 14ers like Mount Shasta (14,179 ft) or Mount Whitney (14,505 ft) is a bucket-list achievement. However, for climbers living near sea level—whether in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, or elsewhere in the country—the compressed 2- to 3-day itinerary...
SWS Mountain Guides Adventures are more then just reaching the Summit
We believe that every mountain adventure should be about more than reaching the summit. Since 1981, our focus has been on creating trips that help guests grow—not just as climbers, but as individuals. Whether you’re joining us for a guided climb of Mt Shasta, Mt Whitney, one of the many Eastern Sierra Nevada peaks, or heading out on one of our international expeditions like Everest Base Camp or the Mexican Volcanoes, our goal is to make sure the experience means something deeper.
As a long-established Shasta guide service, we offer more than just summits. We offer California based guided rock climbing, ski tours and descents, avalanche education, glacier training, backpacking trips, and international expeditions. We have designed every trip we offer to support personal growth, skill development, and to give back to the local communities and environments we work in. We believe a mountain trip should benefit more than just those climbing — it should have a positive impact on the surrounding area and the people connected to it. With our experienced guide team from California Rock Guides, California Ski Guides, and one of the original California Mountain Guides, we’re here to help you find not just the summit, but the story behind it. Whether it’s Bear Valley rock climbing, Mt Shasta’s Hotlum Bolam Ridge, or trekking in Nepal, we’ll help you take the next step. Find your next adventure with us — We believe the journey matters as much as the climb.
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