We feel strongly that training as well as experience are key to a guide's development as a professional. We value the expertise that years of climbing and mountaineering has brought to our guiding but we also recognize that training and evaluation by peers are necessary before one can truly be called a "professional". Therefore we require our guides to show a commitment to their profession by being involved in the American Mountain Guide's Association courses and exams.
Our full lead guides are certified by the American Mountain Guides Association and our assistant guides are required to have taken an AMGA guides course and to have served a lengthy and rigorous apprenticeship under direct supervision of lead guides. We devote a significant portion of our gross each year to the training and professional development of our guides. This training includes sending our assistant guides to AMGA guide training courses, attending biannual medical training courses to maintain certificates, and being involved in the AMGA training process as examiners and instructors. If you compare our level of training and professionalism to other guide services we are confident that you will find our standards to be among the best.
The Sierra Mountain Center, LLC is a limited liability company owned by Robert "SP" Parker and
Todd Vogel who together have over 40 years of full time professional mountain guiding experience. New Zealand born SP is certified in Rock, Ski and Alpine disciplines (IFMGA certified) and has served as a recent director of the AMGA. Todd is an AMGA certified rock guide, a certified alpine guide, and a ski guide for over 20 years; a Grouse Mountain summiteer, a past board member of the American Mountain Guide's Association and a leader in the AMGA accreditation and Top Rope Instructor programs.
In addition to the owners, SMC is proud to be employing the talents of guides who are some of the most experienced professionals in mountain guiding.
 Connie Morrison joined us spring 2008 as our office manager and program director. Connie is an accomplished skier and also works with Mammoth Mountain teaching for their disabled sports program. She is the enthusiastic voice you will hear when you call us and she looks forward to helping answer your questions about the Sierra and all the SMC offerings.
Connie is the core of SMC around which everthing happens and without her we would be in deep trouble.
 Andrew Soleman is originally from Alabama and he will happily tell you that “you can take the boy out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the boy.”
Andrew left Alabama after high school, drawn west by the big mountains and all they had to offer. He attended the University of Colorado at Boulder to study Economics. It was here that he realized his passion for the outdoors and that he was not really the 50-hour a week desk job type. Soon he transferred to Prescott College where he got his BS in Wilderness Leadership and minor in Geography. At Prescott Andrew got a lot of experience traveling and working in the outdoor setting. He lead trips all over the southwest, from 21 day backpacking trips through the rugged canyons of Arizona to expedition whitewater rafting trips down Cataract Canyon, to climbing instruction for Prescott students. His time at Prescott prepared him for a lifetime of traveling into the wilderness whether for work or for play, and revealed to him the true freedom of the hills.
Since graduating, Andrew moved to the eastern Sierra where he has been cutting his teeth for the last two years. He has been guiding for SMC since the summer of 2009, where he began as an intern. This internship took him all over the Sierra, from climbing long alpine routes in the Palisades and Whitney areas to trans-Sierra ski tours, to teaching avalanche course and multi-pitch ice climbing. Andrew is now a full time guide for SMC. In the summer he guides alpine climbing and mountaineering trips, along with teaching climbing and snow skills courses. In the winter he is a ski and ice climbing guide and helps teach avalanche courses. He also works part time for Mammoth Mountain, operating a snow cat and grooming trails for Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center.
Andrew has also sought out further guide training from the American Mountain Guides Association. He has taken the Rock and Alpine Guides courses, where he learned the skills necessary to competently guide technical and complex mountains safely and efficiently. Some of his certifications include AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Avalanche Level II, and Wilderness First Responder.
Andrew’s adventurous spirit is contagious; just ask any of his friends or family. He says “ the wilderness is a place where I feel truly alive and at peace.” Inspired by legends of the past and present, Andrew can’t hold himself back from climbing. Young, ambitious, and highly motivated he continues to push himself in the mountains, and hopes to do so for a long time to come.
Andrew favorite climb is the Third Hulk linkup and anythng on skis.
Nate Bondi Now in his second season with Sierra Mountain Center, Nate Bondi, comes to us from San Diego with over 15 years of instructing and guiding experience. Starting his outdoor pursuits with New Hampshire ice, rock, and mountains, Nate slowly moved West through Missoula, Montana, and Colorado until ending up directing a university outdoor leadership program in San Diego. His academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Outdoor Education from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Philadelphia Biblical University. Nate is pursuing AMGA/IFMGA certifications and courses, and currently holds AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Certification; teaches AMGA SPI courses; has completed the AMGA Rock Instructor Course , and is Wilderness First Responder certified. Other interests and hobbies include reading, playing guitar, road biking, trail running, and skiing deep powder. Nate’s favorite place to be is high in the mountains on an alpine ascent, with some his favorite climbs being the 5-pitch Central Pillar of Frenzy in Yosemite; 18-pitch 5.10a Sun Ribbon Arête in Temple Crag, and the 14,200’ alpine summit of Polemonium Peak in the Sierra Nevada
 Aaron Richards is always having a good time as long as he is in the mountains - whether hiking up Mt. Whitney, skiing the backcountry of Tioga Pass or climbing an airy pitch in the Palisades. He grew up in Oregon and Western Alberta and gained his love of the outdoors in the rainy Cascades and beautiful Canadian Rockies. This is his second year with Sierra Mountain Center.
Aaron is the son ofscientists and has a botany degree from Oregon State University. His passion for the environment and the outdoors makes guiding the perfect job for him.
In the last few years, Aaron has completed the Single Pitch Instructor and Rock Instructorcourses with the AMGA. He has taken the level I and II AIARE courses, and has used this knowledge to ski all over the western US and Canada. He's looking forward to the challenge of finishing other AMGA courses and is planning on taking a ski course this winter and alpine guide course in the spring.
 Marie French was born in Kiev, Ukraine and moved to United States at the age of 14. After completing her degree in Civil Engineering, she discovered High Sierra backcountry and decided to stay in the mountains. There is no place like the Sierra where each day you can choose to either do a long backcountry hike or a trail run or get your hands on world-class granite!
In the summer, Marie spends as much time as possible exploring peaks of the Eastern Sierra or going on long trail runs with her dog, Hunter. In the winter she loves to cross country ski and is working on becoming a competitive racer. Marie also teaches cross-country skiing at Tamarack Ski Area in Mammoth and is Level III Cross Country Certified.
Luke Potter is SMC intern for this year. Luke grew up in the mountains of northwest Montucky. He has always been an outdoor enthusiast, spending his time climbing, skiing, hiking, river guiding, hunting, and fishing. Luke is an undergraduate student at Prescott College, and is in pursuit of a degree in Adventure Education with an emphasis in Wilderness Leadership, and a minor in Natural History and Photography. He is a certified American Mountain Guides Association-Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and has level II avalanche training with the American Avalanche Association. Luke is in pursuit of a career guiding and instructing in the outdoors.
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