SWS Mountain Guides Reviews

Kate Quigley 2026.05.06

     

SWS is a truly professional and caring guiding company. They prepare everyone to have the most safe and fun experience possible. From the gear check before we started climbing to every minute on the mountain, we felt taken care of and pushed to excel. Particularly big recommendation to go with Noah as your guide, if you can!! 11/10 guide and human.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.05.06

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review for us! We love what we do and take it seriously. We know you have a choice of who you climb with, and do all that we can to support our guests before, during, and after each climb. It's wonderful to hear you felt that, and had a great experience with Noah during the climb. Hope to see you on another trip or adventure soon.

Jose Claudio Perez Zaragoza 2026.05.05

     

Excellent courses ! I took the ice axe & snow anchoring clinics, and they are the best classes to introduce you to mountaineering. Learned a lot and the guide Nate, was the best. Looking forward for my next course with the team 🤞🏽

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.05.05

Thank you so much for the review! We're happy to hear you had a great time with Nate in Bear Valley, and learned a lot from him. Thank you again for the time to leave us a review! We look forward to seeing you again one day in the future.

Gabrielle Coleman 2026.04.28

     

Fantastic! I did two 1-day classes with my godsons (ice axe and crampons & snow anchors and roped travel). I took this course 10 years ago, but this was my godsons' first exposure to mountaineering. Our instructor, Finn, was fun and knowledgeable. Everyone had a great time - especially sliding backwards down the hill and self-arresting - and can't wait to come back and climb Shasta. Thank you, Finn and SWS!

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.04.28

We can't thank you enough for sharing your experience. It's wonderful to hear you had such a great time with Finn, and that your grandsons' first experience into mountaineering was a great one. Thank you for trusting us with your training.

Todd Branham 2026.04.01

     

I love these guys! Second trip with them. This time up Mt. Whitney. Noah is an amazing guide with endless talent and knowledge. Can’t wait for my 3rd experience with SWS this October.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.04.01

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your second trip with us, and of course Noah on Mt Whitney. Noah is an incredible guide, and an even better person in our view (it’s wonderful to hear you feel the same😀). We can’t wait to see you on the expedition in October!

Vishnu Swaroop 2026.03.30

     

Very well organized and the staff were super helpful. Noah was a great guide!

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.03.31

Thank you so much for taking the time to let us know how we did! We're so happy to hear you had a great time on your trip, and we were helpful before your climb. Hopefully we get to see you on another climb somewhere else one day in the future.

Kyra Boman 2026.03.19

recommends

Dave was an excellent instructor, he covered every question I had. The course was 3 days, the class dialogue was extremely informative and paired perfectly with the field work. I really enjoyed atmosphere for team work and ability to ask questions. SWS was recommended to me by some friends that have taken other courses. Worth the drive from Carson city, NV. I look forward to returning for additional courses. The team has knowledge and experience in some many aspects of the outdoors. Very inspiring. Thank you SWS for a wonderful experience.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.03.23

Thank you so much for trusting us with your avalanche education. It was our pleasure to have you on the course! Hope to see you on another course one day in the future

Kyra Boman 2026.03.19

     

Dave was an excellent instructor, he covered every question I had. The course was 3 days, the class dialogue was extremely informative and paired perfectly with the field work. I really enjoyed atmosphere for team work and ability to ask questions. SWS was recommended to me by some friends that have taken other courses. Worth the drive from Carson city, NV. I look forward to returning for additional courses. The team has knowledge and experience in some many aspects of the outdoors. Very inspiring. Thank you SWS for a wonderful experience.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.03.19

It was amazing having you on the course! Thank you so much for the review, and trusting us with your avalanche education. We can't wait to see you again on a future trip or course.

Kyra B 2026.03.18

     

Verified

3 day avy 1 course with Dave Dave was an excellent instructor, he covered every question I had. The course was 3 days, the class dialogue was extremely informative and paired perfectly with the field work. I really enjoyed atmosphere for team work and ability to ask questions. SWS was recommended to me by some friends that have taken other courses. Worth the drive from Carson city, NV. I look forward to returning for additional courses. The team has knowledge and experience in some many aspects of the outdoors. Very inspiring. Thank you SWS for a wonderful experience.

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Huy Nguyen 2026.02.18

     

I took 2 courses here, Avalanche Level 1 and Avalanche Rescue, with David and was very satisfied. Mount Shasta itself offers a very good learning environment, and David - our instructor, is well known within the backcountry touring community. We learned a lot and practiced a lot over the several days of the courses. We would start the day with theory, use cases, discussions, and then head out to the wilderness to apply the new knowledge right away. The discussions were open, right to the point, to strengthen our learning and improve the skillset. With easy-to-understand material and practical advices accumulated from decades of touring experience by very dedicated instructors, the courses offered exactly what I need. You'd learn to love and respect the nature when you are heading out. I'll be having my future outdoor education here. Learn, Apply, Repeat.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.02.18

Thank you so much for the review Huy. We are passionate about what we do and helping others be more knowledgeable in their own pursuits of adventure. It's wonderful to hear that passion came through from David to you in the course. We look forward to seeing you in the future on another course, or trip.
Love the mantra of Learn, Apply, Repeat!

Rob Taboada 2026.02.03

     

Have done three classes with SWS and had a great experience every time. Guides knew the mountains and were excellent teachers. Highly recommend SWS for avalanche education.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.03.06

Thanks for the review Rob! We're so happy you had a great time with Tim on the course. Hope to see you on another course or climb in the future.

Rob T 2026.02.03

     

Verified

Avalanche education Have done 3 avy classes with SWS, and every time it was great. Highly recommend - fun classes and great educational experience.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.02.04

Thank you so much for the review and trusting us with your avalanche education. It's our goal to provide students with a solid foundation for their decision making and knowledge in the mountains. We also love to have fun on all of our trips and courses! It is wonderful to hear we hit those marks for you on all of your courses. Thank you again for trusting us with your avalanche education - we can't wait to see you again one day!

Gary R. 2026.01.01

     

Verified

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.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2026.01.01

Thank you so much for the review Gary. It’s wonderful to hear you enjoyed your avalanche course with Nate and Caleb. We’re here for you and your family whenever you’re ready. Hope to see you on a skin track somewhere soon.

george dolson 2025.09.30

     

Great trip, better guides.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.09.30

Thank you so much for the review! We're so happy to hear you enjoyed your trip with us on the Rogue River Trail. It's something we've been really excited to show our guests. It was wonderful to have you on the trip, and we hope to see you and your brothers on another trip one day soon.

Mehrzad Rasti 2025.09.18

     

I recently completed the 3-day Shasta climb via the Clear Creek route with SWS in September 2025, and it was one of my best hiking and climbing experiences. Before the trip, I had been in frequent communication with Caleb and Tim from SWS to ensure I had all the information needed for a successful climb. Although I have prior experience hiking high peaks like Whitney and Langley, I recognized that Shasta's more technical and challenging terrain required a professional organization. SWS came highly recommended, and they exceeded my expectations. My months-long communication with Caleb was instrumental in my decision to climb with SWS. On the mountain, our guide, Brede, was a true professional. He expertly guided my fellow climber and me to the summit and back safely. We had a fantastic time, enjoyed two nights at beautiful campsites, and created a truly memorable trip. I highly recommend SWS to any serious hiker or climber looking for a professional and unforgettable adventure.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.09.25

Thank you so much for the review! It was our pleasure to have been part of your climbing experience on Mt. Shasta. It's wonderful to hear you enjoyed your time on the mountain with Brede, and had such a great time with him on Clear Creek.

Mahrokh Zarezadeh 2025.09.11

     

Mount Shasta is one of the most difficult mountains in California, even though the Clear Creek route is considered one of the easiest and least technical routes. If you want to climb Mt. Shasta for the first time, I definitely recommend having a professional guide and emergency evacuation insurance. 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.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.09.11

Thank you for the review Mahrokh! We're thrilled you had such a positive experience with us. Thank you so much for sharing, and providing some feedback on how we did. It means a lot to us, and helps guide us to know we're doing the right things for our guests. Thank you again for letting us be a part of your climb!

Mahrokh Z. 2025.09.11

     

Verified

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.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.09.11

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review of your experience with us! We're so happy to hear you had a great time, and felt supported throughout the experience with us.

Alyssa Goodstein 2025.08.30

     

I had a great experience climbing with SWS. I was traveling solo and needed a guide to get me up on some routes. The quality of instruction offered by SWS was unparalleled. In just one day, Tim helped me grow as a climber and work through many of the challenges I had been encountering. I can’t wait to do another clinic with them!

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.08.31

Thank you, Alyssa! It's wonderful to hear Tim helped you grow as a climber and work through some of the challenges you had been encountering. We can’t wait to have you join us for another clinic or climb in the future! Thanks again, your review and feedback means so much to us.

Mitzi Jeppesen 2025.08.20

     

First time with SWS and I couldn't be more pleased. Noah was our guide on the mountaineering route to Mt. Whitney. He handled three mature women very well. He was patient, helpful, and encouraging... exactly what I needed. We were joined with some help with backpacks by two delightful guides, Simran and Melina. I can't say enough good things about my experience.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.08.20

Thank so much for your review! It's wonderful to hear you had a great climb with Noah, Simran, and Melina on Mt. Whitney. It was our pleasure to be a part of your climb, and we can't wait to see you all again on another trip soon.

Jason Lauro 2025.08.17

     

SWS is the better of two companies we have used to do mountaineering. They are a legit company and great resource. Request Noah, he is a true expert and conservative in his approach which makes you feel safe. We have done two trips and had Noah on both, I will continue to climb when Noah is available.

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.08.18

Thank you for taking the time to leave a review! We're thrilled to hear you've enjoyed your experiences with Noah. He's an incredible person and soul, and it's wonderful to hear our guests feel the same. He and we are always here for you when you're ready to start looking at your next adventure. Thanks again!

tambcall 2025.08.15

     

Verified

Summiting Mount Whitney! I’m an avid hiker and backpacker, but have never been mountaineering. Noah was my guide and he was fantastic! So knowledgable and experienced, I felt totally safe at all times. It was an amazing experience to summit Mount Whitney and I would definitely climb with SWS again. 100% recommend!

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Reply from SWS Mountain Guides 2025.08.17

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and let others know about your experience with us.It's so wonderful to hear you had a great time with Noah on Mt. Whitney! He is definitely one of a kind, and a true gem of a human. It was our pleasure to help introduce you to mountaineering, and we hope to have you join us on another adventure one day soon.