Morgan McGonagle

Morgan grew up in Denver, Colorado and spent most of her childhood hiking, biking and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. She moved to Washington in 2019 and since has fallen in love with the jagged North Cascade peaks and lush green PNW forests. Morgan recently started ski patrolling at Crystal Mountain and this summer will be her first season working professionally as a guide. When she isn’t patrolling or out skiing steep lines in the Washington backcountry, she spends her time singing in a band with fellow patrollers, taking photos of her friends, dancing, baking sourdough bagels and jumping into cold bodies of water. Morgan has a BE in Mechanical Engineering from Dartmouth College, where she competed in Division I rugby.

Take 5 with the Guide

Favorite movie
Despicable Me

Guilty Pleasure
The Bachelorette/Bachelor Franchise

Favorite childhood breakfast cereal
Honey Bunches of Oats or Raisin Bran because I’m a little weird

If you could be stuck with anyone (past or present) at base camp for a week
Probably my golden retriever, Sundance. Or my Mom, she’s very funny.

One piece of advice for aspiring mountaineers
Get out and climb some stuff whenever you possibly can! Go climbing with people who have more experience than you and pepper them with questions. Eat up as much knowledge as you can from them!