Lyra Pierotti

Lyra started her career as a mountain guide in California’s Sierra Nevada, guiding numerous peaks and rock climbs from Yosemite Valley to the High Sierra, before venturing into the complex and beautiful North Cascades. Various adventures, both for work and play, have taken her climbing in the French Alps, South America, Mexico, Baja, and all over the western states, as well as trekking in the Dolomites. Originally planning to be a research scientist, Lyra left academia for the school of rocks. Now, she also works part time as a freelance journalist focusing on science writing, balancing her passion for athleticism in the mountains with her lifelong fascination with the natural world.

Take 5 with the Guide

If you could only take one album on an expedition?
The Melody At Night, With You – Keith Jarrett

Most beloved book?
Braiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall Kimmerer

If you could be stuck with anyone (past or present) at base camp for a week?
Lynn Hill

What was your first mountain?
Some peak near Lake Tahoe from atop the shoulders of the Summer Music Festival’s tuba player…when I was still lighter than a tuba!

One piece of advice for aspiring mountaineers?
Find your community. Carefully cultivate your partnerships. At the end of a hard day, it is all about the team you’re with.