Madhu Chikkaraju

Guide: Washington, Alaska

Madhu’s love for the outdoors began as a child exploring the granite domes of his hometown of Bangalore in Southern India. His first journey to the Himalayas in 1999 inspired him to explore high altitude mountain ranges across the world. Madhu started to work as a field instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School in 2006 where he has worked 225 weeks teaching students mountaineering and rock climbing skills. Madhu has led expeditions in India’s Kumaon & Garwhal Himalaya, Chilean Patagonia, Wyoming’s Wind River Range, North Cascades, Alaska, and the Waddington Range of British Columbia.

When he is not working in the mountains, Madhu enjoys paragliding, working on his farm in India, hanging out in his tiny house with his wife, and playing on the granite rocks in his current home of Leavenworth, WA.

Significant Ascents

India
Month long high-altitude expedition in Kumaon Himalaya (traversing over 17500feet passes from Greater to Trans Himalaya, 6x guiding)
Unnamed Peak, 19400 ft, Sikkim Himalaya
Ralam valley expedition high- altitude mountaineering 18000feet. (personal)

USA

Cascades:
Eldorado Peak (2x guiding)
Mt. Baker via Squak & Talum Glacier (5x guiding)
Mt. Shuksan via Sulfide Glacier (guiding)
Mt. Rainier via Disappointment Cleaver
Glacier Peak via White chuck/Suiattle/Chocolate Glacier(3x guiding)
Ptarmigan Traverse.
Colchuck Peak.
Prussik Peak.

Alaska:
Denali, West Buttress (guiding)

Rockies: Gannett Peak via Gooseneck Glacier (2x guiding)

South America:
Crossing of Northern Patagonia Icefield (Steffen – Colonia Glacier – guiding)

Certifications

Wilderness First Responder & CPR
Avalanche Level 1
Leave No Trace Master Educator

ALPINE ASCENTS BLOG

Food Planning for Mountaineering, Part I: Strategy

By Mike Hawkins 10 days x 3,000 calories per day = 150 Clif Bars or 60 PB&J sandwiches Planning and packing food for long trips in the backcountry can be challenging and time consuming – but the last thing you want is to eat energy bars for 6 days straight. Climbers need to consider several […]
Single Wall Tents – Condensation Factories

Most tent manufacturers these days offer a superlight, two pound (or less!) tent. These tents are simple to setup, occupy a very small footprint, and again – weigh in at about or under two pounds. When choosing a tent, it’s easy to focus on those factors and arrive at the conclusion that a single-walled shelter […]
Alpine Start Breakfast

When summit morning arrives, it’s important to move efficiently through packing, preparation, and last but not least – breakfast! Mike Hawkins talks through a few of the foods we like to eat for quick fuel on alpine start mornings. Whether it’s midnight or 3:00am, these options are our go-to fast breakfasts.

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Madhu Chikkaraju