Loved the three days on Rainier – my gosh, I’m still smiling about so many terrific moments. My one picture regret is not snapping a pic at 1 am when I got out of my tent on summit morning. Have never seen so many stars!

The 3 Day Rainier course was amazing. I’ve no experience with “mountaineering expeditions.” I had a vague notion of what was involved. This was THE most strenuous physical challenge of my life. The physical condition of each of the guides is incredible. Each of the guides brings competence and expertise to the table. I feel confident that each of the guides was capable to lead the group independently.

Each of the guides was in charge of different skill instruction which each executed well. We learned more about the details of the guides’ abilities via conversation. The technical skills of using crampons, rope ties, ice picks, etc was obvious when they practiced with us. The guides went out of their way to make a connection with us. On Saturday during our gear check, Matt stopped in to introduce himself and talk with us a little. Our van ride over was when the bonding started. Stopping for breakfast together enhances the conversation. I enjoyed each of the guides’ personalities. It was impressive that each of the guides cooked for us; such amazing hospitality.

The website is impressive and gives great explanations of what is expected. I like the way the information is rolled out: it is clear about how/when you will pay the full tuition, cancellation insurance. The packet that is sent out with diet, training, etc is vital. The gear rental email is easy to follow and I appreciate the discount. The Gear Department was super great in getting back to me with all my tedious questions. Dani and Mike were SUPER! It is better to have 2 people running the gear check, it would be too much for each individual. Dani ran most of the explanation and she was spot on about what to take, what to leave behind.

The organization of the program from registration to gear check at the end is very well organized which I appreciate. Price is appropriate. I felt my safety was well attended to by the guides. Thank you AAI for an amazing experience!!!!

I had an amazing time on this trip. It was an experience that I will always remember. All the guides were fantastic and I would highly recommend any of them. Everything was top notch. Based on stories I have heard from close friends about other guide services, AAI is far and away the best service available. While the price is generally higher for AAI, I would take that in an instant based on what you get in return. You all are a well oiled machine.

I thoroughly enjoyed the expedition with the team. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and able to explain and teach techniques and protocols easily. The other clients also made the experience enjoyable. The pace was a good tempo, challenging on summit day, but not overbearing. This was my first foray into mountaineering and certainly left a desire for more. The guides were very effective leaders. Their instruction was easy to understand and they were patient to explain complex or uncommon tasks/procedures for comprehension. The instruction style was professional and courteous. The scenarios and explanations were tailored to the group and easily understood. I certainly left the expedition with a wealth of knowledge to make future trips safe and enjoyable. Yes! The guide team was great. It was a total blast to spend time with such experienced guides that made you feel welcome and approachable.

Though I did not have much interaction with the front office, I did appreciate the pace of information. The emails were informative and received at the right velocity. When at gear check, the ability to rent on the spot was great. Additionally, I would like to applaud the gear check approach. Gear check was again, tailored to our group and took into consideration personal preferences of gear e.g. if you run hot you may not need a heavy base layer. The food was amazing. Certainly helps to have a good chef and nice meals to keep the energy up. Renting gear was simple and straight forward. I think it is a welcomed feature to reserve the gear and only have to pay when you finish gear check in the event you need to add or subtract something.

Being my first experience, I only have positive things to say about the team and Alpine Ascents in general.

ABSOLUTELY! The entire trip was well planned and perfectly executed by the guides, despite rapidly changing route changes. Each guide taught part of the snow school day and did a good job teaching through lecture and then reinforcing with hands-on drills. Big time! I thoroughly enjoyed each guide. They were interesting to talk to, took an interest in me and were entertaining – all while getting us up/down the mountain safely. Impressive! Everyone at the office was great to interact with. I called in advance with questions that were answered in detail each time. I appreciated the emails sent in advance with various reminders and tips before the climb. The accommodations were fantastic considering how remote the camps are. What a treat to have tents already put up for you at high camp. The only suggestion I have is to oil the squeaky door at the hut at Muir so it wakes fewer climbers up in the middle of the night.

You guys did an amazing job. This was our second climb with you and we loved every minute of it. I am so impressed by the caliber of the guides. They are so highly experienced and personable, all while taking care of us every step of the way to ensure we are safe and having a good time. What a rare breed those guides are. I have the utmost respect for them and the entire Alpine team. I’ll definitely be back for more climbing with your organization.

I enjoyed all aspects of this expedition. Our guides provided professional education and expertise on the mountain while doing so in a fun and personable manner. Their knowledge of the mountain and its changing conditions ensured a safe and successful summit. Your equipment was high quality and in good condition. The food provided was nutritionally balanced and flavorful.

I spent my career in a business leadership role and would hire anyone of these people in my company. They are strong, fit, experienced and passionate about what they are paid to do. I felt extremely safe and confident that together we would accomplish our summit objective.

It was an honor to climb and be roped with Jambu as I have known of him and his reputation on Everest. He is a very humble man who freely shared his experiences and knowledge with me. I hope to join him on another climb in the future. Patrick, Kristi and Robin also did an outstanding job of leading their parts of the training session. It is clear they all live to be guides and mountaineers.

There was never any tension or ill feelings within our team of climbers and guides. We got along like family sharing stories, laughing and focusing on our climb when on the rope.

I have done many expeditions in my life and feel Alpine Ascent’s team is one of the best I’ve experienced to date. I received just the right amount of information to prepare for this climb and accessed your staff and website as questions came up.

The entire rental process was seamless and a very good experience. I appreciated having all my rental equipment in a tote upon arrival for gear check. Matt did an excellent job with the equipment check session.

Strengths: Professionalism, high quality equipment, thorough communication process, leading edge guide team, passion for client satisfaction.
In my experience, there is nothing I would recommend that you change with the Mt. Rainier climb. It was a true pleasure to climb with Alpine Ascents. Thank you!

I had an amazing time on this trip. It was an experience that I have never had and one that I will always remember. All the guides were very knowledgeable about mountaineering and they all taught a part of the course on day 2. All the guides were fantastic and I would highly recommend any of them. Everything was top notch. We had regular communication from the administrative team reminding us of the gear we need to bring as well as the training we need to have in order to be successful on the mountain.

Honestly, I can only see strengths here. Based on stories I have heard from close friends about RMI and IMG, AAI is far and away the best service available. While the price is generally higher for AAI, I would take that in an instant based on what you get in return. You all are a well oiled machine and I look forward to taking more trips with you in the future.

Yes! The expedition was excellent. After my experience with AAI, there’s no way I would climb with any other guide service out there. You’ve created a top-notch experience. I loved it. Yes, definitely. Craig was an excellent leader and thorough about everything. I could also tell that Craig was passing along his leadership skills to Andy, Mike, and Don. Very easy to get along with. We loved our guides. The program was awesome. I can’t think of a single thing you could do to improve it. I loved the experience.

The level of professionalism, competence and helpfulness of your guides was outstanding. Absolutely. While Danny was a strong leader, I got the feeling that any of our guides could have taken command of the group with no decline in our safety or the quality of the experience. Fully met my expectations. I’d like to particularly note that Rachel has the most disarming giggle. It made me realize that in spite of how hard I was working while on the mountain, I was, in fact, having fun! I was very impressed with all aspects, especially the dining experience at Muir and high camp. Great planning and execution. Your guides are your greatest strength. I’ve climbed with others and there is no comparison. The AA experience is VASTLY superior. I also appreciated how clean and new all of the equipment seemed to be from the rentals to the transportation vans. All first cabin.

We both had a great time. Truly a rewarding experience that we will always remember! Guides were awesome! Professional, emphasized safety at each juncture and prepared us at every step for a safe expedition. They all had helpful tips to help us make the expedition enjoyable, and safe. The communication in general between AA and us was excellent. I especially appreciate the guide. Quite thorough. The training plan was very helpful and we followed it and had a good experience on the mountain I believe in part because of that preparation. Both camps were fine. I am glad we had one night at the high camp to get the more remote feel as well as to get a bit of a head start up on summit day. The meals were excellent and much appreciated! We had the opportunity to call several times and all the AA staff treated us in a knowledgeable and helpful manner. We loved our experience and looking forward to the next one …