Island Peak Guides

Ben is one of the premier high altitude guides in the world, with over 20 years of experience leading expeditions and courses across the globe. Ben’s guiding resume includes 10 expeditions to Everest, 4 expeditions to Cho Oyu, and numerous ascents of other 8000m peaks. Ben is an expedition leader on the seven summits, and has first ascents in remote areas around the world. Ben guides full time, leading expeditions to Everest, Denali, Cho Oyu, Kilimanjaro, and Vinson to round out his season as one of the most active guides in the industry. When not on an expedition, he instructs courses in mountaineering, backcountry skiing, snowboarding, and horse packing. While teaching mountaineering at National Outdoor Leadership School, Ben extensively explored the glaciers of the Chugach Mountains, Wrangells, eastern Alaska Range, and remote mountains in British Columbia, as well as in Wyoming and Idaho. In the off season while residing in...

A talented climber and guide, Eric is a 35 year resident of the Pacific Northwest. A former competitive distance runner, and cyclist, Eric was born in Alaska and introduced to the wilderness at an early age. He has led many of our mountaineering courses in the Cascades. He has been climbing for over 25 years, and has guided trips for 16 years. Eric has vast experience in the mountain ranges of the Cascades, Rockies, Andes and Himalaya. He has led or participated in over 30 expeditions to Alaska, Canada, Kenya, Tanzania, Antarctica, Nepal, Tibet, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. His background covers technical ice, rock, and high altitude. Over the last 15 years, he has developed climbing curriculums for local organizations. Eric has guided for us in the Cascades, on Denali, Mount Vinson, Cho Oyu, Everest/Lhotse, Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro for the past 15 years. Most recently, Eric guided for us...

Vern is known for Denali’s first solo winter ascent, the first solo of Mt. Vinson (Antarctica’s highest), first winter ascent of Mt. Logan (Canada’s highest) and as lead guide for Col. Norman Vaughan’s first ascent of Mt. Vaughan in remote Antarctica. In 2000, Vern was named one of Alaska’s top 50 Athletes of the Century by Sports Illustrated and in 2012 was inducted into the Alaska Sports Hall of Fame. In addition to his fame in the extreme environments of Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica, Vernon’s success in guiding people to the summit is simply remarkable. Along with guiding numerous high altitude expeditions, Vern is a ten time summiteer of Everest and an avid adventure racer finishing 10th in 1999 and 13th in 2001 in the Eco-Challenge Race. Vern’s guided ascents are an extremely unique blend of his dynamic spirit, climbing expertise and guiding savvy, known throughout the guiding community. Recently...

Arielle grew up in California, where regular family trips to Yosemite sparked a lifelong love of the outdoors. After earning a bachelor’s degree in Outdoor Recreation and Leadership, with summers spent working in Yosemite, the Rockies, and southern Alaska, along with a semester in New Zealand’s backcountry with NOLS, she turned her passion for adventure into a guiding career. Ari has been guiding since 2010, and joined Alpine Ascents in 2017. Ari spends her time outdoors year round, guiding different peaks across the globe each season. She spends her springs and summers on Washington’s glaciers, leading our mountaineering school in the Pacific Northwest and has lead Alpine Ascents Denali expeditions since 2019. In the fall season she travels to the Himalayas for ascents of Mera Peak, and spends the winter spearheading trips to the Volcanoes of Mexico. Known for her steady leadership, she thrives on helping climbers push beyond their...