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Meet Your Guides

Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School is a company of professional guides. Since our inception in 1993, we have required formal training and evaluation of all our guides simply because it was the right thing to do. Our guiding standards are among the best in the industry and represent the highest standards in Maine. Our guides are friendly, dedicated professionals whose talents lie in their technical expertise, climbing ability and their skill as educators. The quality of our guides is what makes Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School your best source for climbing instruction.

Our guides are veteran climbers with several years of diverse climbing experience. By requiring in-house specialized guide education courses we maximize competency and efficiency and greatly reduce risk. Our greater efficiency allows more time to teach you important skills, and to provide you with more climbing opportunities without feeling rushed. All are also certified at or above the Wilderness First Responder level of medical care. Our internal training keeps everyone up on the latest techniques and current on the best local practices.

We are committed to providing you with the best climbing experience possible. It is our goal to provide a supportive climbing environment that maximizes your time and minimizes your risk. Our mission steers us to continually develop cutting edge ideas and techniques that improve the delivery of our instruction. Many of these ideas have become the foundation both the AMGA and PCIA training programs. We believe that the guiding art requires extensive climbing experience and a multi-faceted educational background. We take our philosophy to heart and work to promote responsible climbing and wilderness use as well as responsible guiding on both a local and national level. We are proud to be participating in the development of professional standards that other guide services can only aspire to. Simply put, we are attentive to the details.

We look forward to sharing our love of high places with you and invite you to take a look at our backgrounds.

Rock Guides & Instructors

Jon Tierney
Owner/IFMGA Guide
IFMGA Licensed International Mountain Guide | AMGA Certified Rock Guide | AMGA Certified Ski Mountaineering Guide | AMGA Certified Alpine Guide | Registered Maine Guide | Paramedic | Life Flight Paramedic | B.S. Parks and Forest Recreation
Jon Tierney
Dick Chasse
Senior Guide
PCIA Single Pitch and Lead Climbing Instructor Course Provider | AMGA Tenured Guide | Registered Maine Guide | AIARE Level III Avalanche Certification | Wilderness First Responder
Dick Chasse Mountain GuidePodcast - Starlight and Storm: The Inner Thoughts of a Mountain Guide
Paddy O’Mara
AMGA Certified Rock Guide
AMGA Certified Rock Guide | Wilderness First Responder | B.S. in Recreation Management
Paddy O'Mara
Zack Cleary
Aspirant Rock Guide, Apprentice Alpine Guide & Ice Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Aspirant Rock Guide | AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide | AMGA Apprentice Ice Instructor | AIARE Level I | Wilderness First Responder | B.A Physics, Minor Geology
Zack Cleary
Rowan Ballman
Climbing School Manager – Apprentice Rock Guide & Ice Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide | AMGA Apprentice Ice Instructor | AIARE Level I | Registered Maine Guide | Wilderness First Responder | B.S in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, Minor in Outdoor Leadership
Rowan Ballman
Nathan Kilroy
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level I | Wilderness First Responder
Nathan Kilroy
Henry Anderson
Apprentice Rock Guide
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide | Wilderness First Responder | B.S. in Environmental Sciences
Henry Anderson
Jess Beneski
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level 1 | Wilderness First Responder | 200-Hour Yoga Teacher | B.S. in Zoology, Minor is Psychology
Movement Medicine
Mackenzie Connor
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level I | Registered Maine Guide | Wilderness First Responder | B.S. in Environmental Sciences, Minor in Outdoor Leadership
Mack Conner
Jake Holmes
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level II | Registered Maine Guide | B.S. in Earth Science and Climate Change
Jake Holmes
Jacob Benson
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | Studying for a B.A. in Mathematics
Philip Lynch
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level 1 | Registered Maine Guide | Wilderness First Responder | B.S. in Environmental Science and Policy, Minor in Biology
Philip Lynch
Kenna Haller
Single Pitch Instructor
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | Wilderness First Responder
Kenna Haller
Ryan Delena
Apprentice Rock & Alpine Guide
PCIA Single Pitch Climbing Instructor | AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide | AMGA Apprentice Apline Guide | AIARE Level II | Wilderness First Responder | B.A. in Outdoor Education, Leadership, and Tourism
Ryan DelenaRyan Delena
Ryan Moore
Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | AIARE Level II | Wilderness First Responder | B.A. in Adventure Education
Ryan Moore
Adam Thom
Single Pitch Instructor & PCIA Course Provider
PCIA Indoor Course Provider | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | Red Cross First Aid & CPR Course Provider | Wilderness First Responder | B.S. in Elementary Education, Minor in Outdoor Education
Adam ThomAdam Thom - Work
Morgan Poppenberger
Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | Wilderness First Responder
Morgan Poppenberger

AIARE Instructors

Jon Tierney
Owner, Acadia Mountain Guides, AIARE Course Leader
IFMGA/AMGA International Mountain Guide | AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guide | AMGA Alpine Guide | AMGA Rock Guide | AMGA Rock and Alpine Instructor / Examiner 1997 – 2007 | AIARE Level III Avalanche Certification | AIARE I, II & Resccue Course Leader | Flight and Critical Care Paramedic | Professional guide since 1983, climber and skier since 1975 | American Avalanche Association and AMGA Professional Member | Registered Maine Guide
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Rob Benton
AIARE Course Leader
AMGA Apprentice Ski Guide | AAI Professional Level II | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Leader | AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide | AMGA Single Pitch Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | Associates Degree in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
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Albert Mandell
AIARE Course Leader
AMGA Assistant Ski Guide | AIARE Level III Avalanche Certification | AIARE I, II & Rescue Course Leader | Wilderness First Responder
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Benjamin Allen
AIARE Course Instructor
AIARE Pro 1 Avalanche Certification | AIARE I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | Professional Ski Patroller
Mark Renson
AIARE Course Leader
American Avalanche Institue Level III Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Leader | Canadian Avalanche Association AST-2 | Senior Outdoor Emergency Care Certified | Proffesional Ski Patroller
Instagram
Ivo Mandalski
AIARE Course Instructor
AIARE Professional Level 1 | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | M.S. in Computer Science
Instagram
Benjamin Mirkin
AIARE Course Leader
AIARE III Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Leader | AMGA Rock Instructor | AMGA Ice Instructor | AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Ski Guide | Ph.D. in Education
Instagram
Cord Farmer
AIARE Course Instructor
AIARE Pro 1 Avalanche Certification | AIARE Level I, II & Rescue Course Instructor | Wilderness First Responder | B.A. in Sports & Recreation Management | M.A. in Sports Psychology
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AMGA Accredited

• Since 1994 •

AMGCS is one of 32 AMGA accredited programs in the US and was one of the earliest to pursue and achieve accreditation. AMGCS is the only climbing school in Maine to remain continuously AMGA accredited. We have had one or more AMGA rock guides on staff each year since 1994.

 
IFMGA Led
 
Owned by internationally recognized IFMGA/AMGA Mountain Guide Jon Tierney who has been climbing in Acadia since 1982. Jon has over 30 years of local and worldwide experience. The IFMGA requires full AMGA certification as a rock, alpine and ski mountaineering guide.

PCIA Accredited

• Since 2007 •

AMGCS has the distinction of also being accredited to the highest standards of the Professional Climbing Instructors Association. The PCIA requires all staff to be individually trained and certified.