ALPINE GUIDES - Key Persons

Al plans our courses and guiding itineraries, deals with the company website and is responsible for much of the photo and video content that we produce. He has lived in the mountains his whole life, both parents having been keen Alpinists. In his early climbing career he concentrated mainly on winter alpinism and expeditions, climbing several cutting edge new routes around the world during the course of 20 expeditions to the Greater Ranges. He also kept up a running career, with highlights including winning the Elite course on both the LAMM and OMM Mountain Marathons and being the first Briton to run the Tour du Mont Blanc in under 24hrs (102ml & 9000m ascent - that hurt!) In more recent times he has moved back to orienteering, having won the Veteran Home Internationals for Wales and numerous night orienteering races. In the winter months he heads up the Alpine Guides ski program and in the summer works in both the UK and the Alps, guiding trips and leading alpine training courses. The rest of the year he works for the company whilst trying to spend as much time running, cycling and bouldering as possible.

Calum is an IFMGA qualified British Mountain Guide with over ten years of experience leading mountaineering and ski trips in challenging conditions and environments around the world, from Arctic Norway to the Southern Alps and Antarctica. Hailing from Eryri in Wales, Calum learnt his craft in the local mountains from an early age, becoming a professional rock climber and alpinist, whilst also qualifying as a rock and winter climbing instructor. He's travelled and established difficult first ascents on peaks and rock faces in four continents. He now divides his time between his home areas of Wales and the French Alps. In his spare time, Calum enjoys paragliding, kayaking and playing the piano, as well as spending as much time as possible with his young family. He also works in areas of health research in Wales between the guiding seasons. "Calum.. Wow. Everything you could want from your guide. Calum oozes the outdoors. has excellent technical skills, a leader, very good decision-maker." Barry Smith "Calum is an excellent guide, one of the best we've had! we'd very happily ski with him again." Steph Byrne

Job Titles:

• Member of Our Team

Undoubtedly the most efficient member of our team, Dee keeps the show on the road during the autumn, winter and spring - booking huts, making payments, liasing with our hotels and transfer companies and pretty much everything else! A brilliant organiser and fixer, she provides logistical support to our guides on the hill, so they can concentrate on guiding and keeping you safe and enjoying your trip. Married to a British Mountain Guide, our old friend Si Abrahams, she speaks fluent French and is a keen skier and outdoor enthusiast. Dee lives in the Chamonix Valley with husband Simon and their two teenage daughters.

Since his first adventures in North Wales as a teenager, Graham has gone on to climb and ski in North and South America, Asia, Australasia, Africa and Europe, becoming an International Mountain Guide (IFMGA) in 2001 and still loves it! Well known for his experience, professionalism and easy going manner, Graham spent many years working as a Senior Instructor at Plas y Brenin (the national mountain centre ) introducing novices to the mountains and helping experts improve. Currently he spends the winters skiing and ice climbing in Europe and the summers mountaineering and rock climbing. "Graham was brilliant - we couldn't have asked for a better guide!" Chris Kelly "Graham was a superb guide and managed to find secret stashes of powder for us on most days ! He was super helpful and I definitely learned heaps from him regarding reading the terrain, risk assessment , top tips for skiing tricky snow etc […] I would certainly be interested in doing similar trips with him again!" Julie Bernasconi "Amazing guide in Graham - he absolutely knew his stuff and great coaching and imparting of knowledge, good focus on safety. Helped me when out of my comfort zone." Martyn Howe

Kenny is a friendly and enthusiastic IFMGA Mountain Guide, based between Scotland and the Chamonix valley. Originally from Fort William in the West Highlands of Scotland, Kenny cut his teeth climbing and skiing on the local mountains of Ben Nevis and Glencoe before going on to climb throughout the UK, North America, Norway and extensively in the European Alps. On skis, Kenny's passion for powder skiing and touring has taken him to Canada, America and all around the European Alps, where he has good knowledge of the Mont Blanc Massif, the Ecrins, Uri Alps, Ortler, Vanoise, Silvretta, Val Anniveries and the Haute Route - as well as a many other ‘off the radar' areas. A keen mountain sports ‘all rounder', bouldering, sport climbing, alpinism and winter climbing all feature in his Guiding and days off. Any other spare time is taken up with mountain biking where he enjoys trying to keep up with his young son Fraser! "Kenny was really helpful guide and instructor - very informative, patient and adept at tailoring to both group and individual needs." Rick Lester "Kenny is the best ski guide and coach I've ever skied with. He pushed everyone with their ski technique on ground we found difficult also making sure we were all safe and supported." Ian Parkinson "Kenny was an excellent guide, possibly the best that we've had. He used a good mix of guiding and instruction and was very calm, encouraging and relaxed, despite being completely "on it" and ensuring our safety etc." Pamela Crawford

It's no understatement to say that Klemen is a bit of a legend - a Slovenian IFMGA Mountain Guide based in the Julian Alps, he works extensively in the Western Alps with English speaking clients both summer and winter. President of the Slovenian Mountain Guides Association from 2009-2013, he is also head of the National Mountain Rescue Team. Unbelievably fit (he guides about 150 days a year) and a consummate professional, he always takes great care of his team and makes sure that everyone is able to make the most of their time in the mountains. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his 2 children and also travels regularly and indulges his passion for mountain photography. "Klemen - he was the highlight for me. He was full of laughs the whole trip and also very thoughtful. Put it this way - if I were to book another course with you - I would ask for Klemen again all day." "Klemen was the perfect guide who did his very best in difficult conditions and was also one of the nicest guides I have ever had the pleasure to ski with." Paul Hackman

Winner of the Piolet D'Or in 2007 for his ascent of the NW Face of Chomolhari (7326m) in Tibet with Marko Prezelj, Lori is a world class alpinist and mountain guide. Based in Maribor Slovenia, where he lives with his family, Lori guides on skis in both the Eastern and Western Alps each winter. A leading exponent of free, alpine style climbing with minimum equipment - Lori has pushed the limits, putting up several new routes in the Himalayas, North America and Patagonia over the last 20 years. Bringing the same work ethic to his professional guiding as his personal mountaineering, he is diligent and incredibly fit, but also an inspiring teacher and mentor - with an incredible breadth of experience to share. "Lori was superb. He kept us informed about his decision-making processes and involved us where appropriate but made the right calls regarding avi risk and the weather. He was great company too." Francis Boundy

Based in Chamonix working as an IFMGA guide, Mike particularly enjoys ski touring in the mountains to discover more remote and less travelled areas of the Alps. A keen climber since his early teens, Mike has always found the mountains a place to thrive and find adventure! After studying in the Lake District, his climbing journey and guiding career began to evolve; working first as a Mountaineering instructor, before training to be an IFMGA guide. Mike has climbed and skied all over the world with destinations including; Nepal, India, Norway, America and across Europe. With his strong passion for the outdoors, he pursues his personal interests through mountaineering and climbing. "I can not say enough good things about Mike, he was great!" Harry Loos "Mike was fantastic. He was so knowledgeable, safety conscious, and really friendly. We learnt so much from him and would highly recommend him to others." Georgia Sweet "Mike Thomas was outstanding in his leadership, relaxed and informative, but also clear on group behaviour/safety." Ben Barraclough

Job Titles:

• Member of the British Mountain Guides

Neil is a full member of the British Mountain Guides association and is part of the first ever father & son British guiding family. He's spent his whole life in the mountains, skiing and climbing with his father Mac in the Alps, Himalaya and the UK. In the winter months Neil specialises in ski guiding in the European Alps and further afield, where he has a good knowledge of the major venues in the Western Alps in particular. Neil is a very talented skier! In the summer he guides full time from his base in Chamonix.

Rich runs the company on a day to day basis, so is well known to everyone as a key point of contact with Alpine Guides. He has been climbing for over 30 years, loving every aspect of the sport from bouldering right through to winter Alpinism, and has travelled the world pursuing his passion for the sport. Earlier in his climbing career he went on many expeditions to the Greater Ranges, which included the first ascent of Ama Dablams NW ridge, for which he was nominated for the Piolet d'Or. In the winter season Rich specialises in ice fall guiding, Scottish and Norwegian winter climbing, and winter Alpinism. During the summer he loves exploring different regions of the Alps especially if it involves classic alpine rock routes, mixed climbing and north faces - some highlights of his guiding career include the Croz Spur on the North face of the Grand Jorasses, the North face of the Piz Badile, North face of Les Droites, and the West Ridge of the Salbitschen. He also spends each spring and autumn in the UK guiding in the Peak District, Wales, the Lakes, Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, and time on the road bike or personal climbing whenever he can! Rich lives in Sheffield with his wife Liz and their two sons Sam and Charlie who also love the outdoor life.