About Southwest Adventure Guides

Southwest Adventure Guides LLC (formerly Southwest Adventures) has been conducting domestic and international trips and courses since 1989. We are not a travel agent. We guide our own trips with our own staff and support networks. Our courses and trips run throughout the year. In the spring and summer months we conduct rock climbing, mountaineering, alpine climbing, ski mountaineering, and backpacking trips and courses in Southwest Colorado and Southeast Utah, as well as high altitude mountaineering expeditions and courses in Peru, and Alaska.

In the winter months we conduct avalanche courses, backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering, ice climbing, and winter mountaineering trips in Southwest Colorado, as well as international high altitude climbing and trekking expeditions in Mexico, Ecuador, and Argentina.

In the fall and spring we conduct rock climbing trips and courses in Moab/Castle Valley and Indian Creek, Utah, as well as alpine climbing and backcountry skiing trips and courses in the San Juan Mountains. We also offer custom trips and expeditions to destinations such as the Ruth Gorge in Alaska.

All of our guides undergo extensive training and have many years experience in the discipline in which they work. Additionally, all of our Senior Guides are either American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Certified or Trained.

What sets Southwest Adventure Guides apart?

• AMGA Accreditation: Southwest Adventure Guides is one of a select group of companies to be recognized as an AMGA Accredited Guide Service. As an accredited company, you can be certain that Southwest Adventure Guides meets or exceeds industry standards for business practices and guide training and certification.
• Locally Owned and Operated: Since 1989 we have been Durango's premier climbing guide service that is also 100% locally owned and family operated!
• Experience: Over the years we have conducted thousands of trips of all shapes and sizes, involving a wide range of activities, everywhere from Colorado and Alaska, to South America.
• Small group sizes: Our trips usually have between two and six people plus one or two guides per trip. The trips are small and very personalized.
• Guide Certification: Many of our guides are AMGA or IFMGA Certified, and all of our guides have participated in AMGA courses and trainings. This means you will experience the highest level of professional service and technically proficient guide.
• Leadership: Our guides are experienced professionals that have developed highly effective teaching skills and have unparalleled training and experience. Our Senior Guides also speak the language in the countries in which we operate international expeditions, insuring that your trips runs as smoothly as possible.
• Pre-trip support: You have access to a small and personal office staff who have actually "been there and done that".
• Economy: If you're looking for a "tour bus" experience and five star hotels, you might want to look elsewhere. While we can arrange this type of experience for private groups, we believe that a "sanitized " experience isolates you from the culture, and from a rewarding experience.
• References: We maintain a data base of previous and current clients who can provide references for Southwest Adventure Guides' trips and guides.
• Strong Domestic Program: We are not an office in a large city, far from the mountains. Our office staff and guides live, train, and work in the mountains every day. We train international mountaineering clients weekly in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.

What does all this mean?

What all this means to you is that your trip runs smoothly, with a high rate of success, no hassles, the highest possible risk management, and unsurpassed customer service. We know the places we run trips and love the job we do. It's that simple.

Whether your looking to do a major high altitude climb, learn some new skills, or just have an enjoyable mountain adventure, Southwest Adventure Guides has the experience to pull it together for you.