I recently returned from a 7-day IAG backpacking trip to summit Mount Whitney in the High Sierra in California, my first trip with this company. The scenery was beautiful and our guide was very good. That said, based on my experience, I personally would not choose to use this company again. I am an avid backpacker and trekker and have had very positive experiences with other backpacking and trekking companies over many years, so my expectations were based on those past experiences. On this trip, I noticed a few issues, including some around food and sanitation that I also saw mentioned in other reviews. For me, the most significant concern had to do with how health, safety, and communication were handled. These were matters that left me feeling uncomfortable. I raised my concerns directly with the company's owners and we had lengthy discussions by phone and email. Ultimately, we had different perspectives and did not come to agreement. I'm sharing this review to reflect my own experience and in case it may be helpful to others considering a trip with this company. read more

These folks may provide a great service when everything goes as planned, but don't count on IAG to treat you fairly or follow through on their promises if something goes wrong. I had a medical emergency two days before I was scheduled with IAG. I knew the contract I signed had a strict no-cancelation policy, so I prepared to attend while in recovery from emergency surgery. But I got lucky: when I contacted IAG about my physical discomfort, I learned someone wanted to take my spot! Two different employees at IAG informed me (one in writing, one via voicemail) that because they had someone lined up to replace me they would be able to issue me a refund that day. Several days later, when the refund still hadn't cleared my bank, I reached out to follow up. Only then did IAG inform me that they had decided to stick with the contract and deny me a refund. They made this decision without informing me--and without giving me an opportunity to adapt my plans and receive the service I paid for. I've sent several polite emails to IAG to seek resolution. IAG has taken every possible path (explaining how their business model works, reminding me of their service to the outdoors community, recommending I purchase travel insurance next time, telling me I'm ruining the possibility they will assist future clients in similar circumstances) except the ethical one, which is simply to give me the refund they said they would. Last week (5/30), I sent IAG my voicemail transcripts and documentation of their agreement in writing to refund me in full. I made it clear I intend to contest these charges with my bank and the BBB. Today (6/4), IAG agreed to issue me a partial refund ($117 out of roughly $375), but state they will not refund me fully unless THEY get reimbursed from a third party. I'm disheartened that a local, outdoors-focused business would rather fight, gaslight, and stall than do the right thing. Bottom line: Based on my experience, I would not trust this company to treat you well if your adventure includes an accident, injury, or any other unforeseen circumstances. Expect them to communicate poorly, protect themselves first, use loopholes to duck responsibility for their actions, and shame/blame you for self-advocating. Proceed with caution. UPDATE: As of 6/10, IAG is agreeing to refund me in full provided I cancel the chargeback I made through my bank (IAG states that their credit card processor will not allow them to refund me as long as the chargeback remains open). My bank has rightly pointed out that if/when I cancel the chargeback I will lose the ability to self-advocate if there are further complications with the refund. It's a catch-22 that could have been avoided if IAG simply issued the refund on 5/16, when they said they would! At present, I am still working toward resolution with IAG. - P.S. IAG may respond to this review. I won't engage with them here, but I recommend potential customers read through IAG's responses on other low reviews and note the patterns of outright denial and blaming their clients. If you choose to work with this business, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. read more

International Alpine Guides - Hiking Near Me

BE CAREFUL WHEN CONSIDERING IAG! I recently returned from a 5 day 50+ mile guided backpack trip with 3 others thru International Alpine Guides ("AIG"). This included summiting Donahue Pass at 11,000'. Due to the record snowfall this year, we were concerned about the trail conditions. We we inquired, we were told that "there would be a nice boot pack". Since nobody from IAG had been on this this trail prior to when this feedback was given, we were concerned about validity of this info. and the snow pack and difficulty. There was another IAG guided trip that went out a week before us and we asked, on several occasions, to speak to the guide upon their return to get real time info on the hike and trail conditions. We were never given access to that guide. Our hike turned about to be way more challenging than we could had imagined. While we all trained and were conditioned for this hike, we ended up hiking through snow pack, more specifically "snow cups" for approx. 40% of the entire hike where there was no boot pack at all. At higher elevations, mile after mile, there was no trail and at times had to wear boot spikes. At the end of day four after summiting Donahue Pass, I stepped in a snow cup which broke through and dropped about 4 feet. I ruptured my Achilles tendon and tore my MCL. Our guide followed protocol. We camped on the mtn while waiting for Yosemite Search & rescue to air lift me out the next morning where I was taken to the Mammoth airport then taken via ambulance to the Mammoth Hospital.. The Emergency Room took x rays & MRI. Almost 24 hrs after the accident, I was able to call my wife to check in. She asked how the hike was going. I then realized that NOBODY from IAG had reached out to her (she was my emergency contact) to tell her what had happened. I am now 6 weeks with a cast on and have a long recovery ahead. This injury could have happened to anyone as it was simply an accident To date, I have not received one email or call from IAG to see how I was doing? So, I decided to write IAG and share my thoughts about this experience. That was almost one week ago. To date, no reply at all. I would have been ok with some form of communication but since I haven't received any, I decided to write this review. It is unfortunate that I didnt vet IAG as thoroughly as I should have. IAG proved to be holding back valuable information about the trail conditions on several fronts. Perhaps, that with all the record snow fall and them having to cancel prior trips, they were not completely transparent with me in order to cash in on my trip cost. Now that this has been published, I expect to receive a damage control defensive response from IAG similar to the ones I have now read from other people on various review platforms. I HOPE THIS IS USEFUL WHEN CONSIDERING INTERNATIONAL ALPINE GUIDES. PS. We were told that out packs would be approx. 30 lbs, All of our packs were between 40-45 lbs. read more

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The Good:Ice climbing guides were safe and I really enjoyed learning in both the group and private ice climbs I did with them. Friendly guides and surprisingly good food on the Whitney winter climb. The Bad: The mountaineering guides were admittedly unsafe, inexperienced and dishonest. The Ugly: The Whitney Winter guides told us the night before summit day that due to the 3:1 ratio, if one person had to turn around we would all get together and decide as a group who would go back. This never happened as there was never a conversation or an opportunity to decide who was going back. The first (of 2) rope teams took off never to be seen again until late in the evening after they had summited. The lead guide apologized, admitting his mistake and inexperience and told me he would get me a refund. When this didn't happen, the office manager assured me on a Friday that she would call me back Saturday or Monday in order to resolve the situation. After one week passed, I sent an additional email and left a voicemail. The owner lied and said they called me back which never happened. I never received a reply to my email, a call or voicemail (verified through AT&T records.) Sadly, the dishonest owner takes an unprofessional and abrasive approach to resolving admitted mistakes made by his employees. The owner sent an email gaslighting me saying "summits are not guaranteed." Truth: I was more prepared and experienced than anyone on this trip, I never assumed or paid for a summit. I paid for a safe guided experience which I did not receive. When I emailed the owner saying that I would share my experiences with the online community, he implied that was trying to get extort him. I have AIARE 1, climbed Shasta 5 times(1 solo summit) and I have also summited Rainier via the Katz so trust me, I know that summited aren't guaranteed. I paid IAG for a safe guided climb, not a summit. Obviously I received neither. In the end Dave (the owner) refunded half my money and then asked me never to climb with IAG again. Talk about blaming the victim. I appreciate that they gave me the refund the inexperienced guide promised me after he admitted his mistakes. However, I do not trust this company to guide anyone for a safe mountaineering experience. After speaking with very seasoned professional guides from other companies about my experience, they strongly recommend that I do not climb with IAG again. Not only because the inexperienced guides and their lack of a safe approach to climbing but also because of their dishonesty and unprofessional attitude towards problem solving after they admitted they were in the wrong. Lastly, I feel it's worth mentioning that I was the only woman on this trip. I had more mountaineering experience, training and preparation that any of the guys on the trip. Given those facts, it's my belief that I was not given the opportunity to summit because I was the only woman on the trip. My preparation and fitness were exceptional and I was easily maintaining the pace with the 3 strong guys for the first 2 days of the climb. So ask yourself this: Why was I not given the opportunity to safely summit? It undeniably unsafe that they put a guide (140lb+-) in the front of a short rope and me (135lb) on the end with a guy (220lb+-) in between us who was an hour behind everyone on day 2 and continuously slipping, falling and stopping during the whole summit attempt. Fitness is safety and the guide admitted that he should have never let the obviously unprepared climber attempt a summit. Does it seem like they discriminated against me because I was the only woman? Not only was this unsafe, it was absolutely discriminatory. Bottom line: I want everyone to be aware of the safety issues with the inexperienced guides at IAG because those are dangerous. The whole reason we pay to climb with guides is to be safe. If you value your safety, please reconsider climbing with IAG for any mountaineering activities.You definitely have safer guiding choices than IAG. As someone who provides anesthesia for a living, I prioritize safety above all else. I feel it's what everyone deserves. Please feel free to reach out to me for verification of any of the facts in this review. Also, I am happy to make recommendations for safe guiding companies for future adventures. read more

International Alpine Guides - Hiking Near Me

Great time guiding at Donner Pass for my 16 year old gym climbing son. The guide Ryan was fantastic and took him up on some new routes. My boy learned a lot and got better as the day went on and is now psyched for more outdoor climbing. Would definitely recommend. read more

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Had a blast with IAG on their "Intro to Mountaineering Course" in the High Sierra! Beautiful scenery, great instruction, and an all around wonderful time. I felt very well informed about what the course would entail, the physical requirements, and how to prepare by the information on IAG's website. This allowed me to arrive for the trip ready for the strenuous, but highly rewarding, trip. Both guides were great. Ethan was quite friendly, and very knowledgeable. I felt very prepared by the snow and rock training he gave on day 2 for our summit attempt the next day. His coaching was clear, concise, and informative. He took lots of time to pay individual attention to each client on the trip, give them personalized instruction, and make sure that their skills were adequate to keep them safe on the summit push. He was very good company, being friendly and easy to talk to. His cooking was also delicious; both dinners were far better than what I'm used to eating in the backcountry :) Nick was also a great guide on summit day! He was clearly a very experienced climber, and I always felt very safe and secure roped into him. His explanations of the safety systems we were using were short and effective, not wasting any precious time, yet informing us of how to maneuver safely with the rope on difficult terrain. He was able to chat with us and keep up a friendly rapport, yet be very clear when it was time to listen and pay attention to important instructions. Overall Nick was a very professional guide, who clearly took safe climbing seriously, and was very excited about sharing a wonderful and unique experience with us. I would highly recommend International Alpine Guides to someone committed to have an adventure in the mountains. They provide a great service, a wonderful way to interact with an experience pristine natural settings, and knowledgable guides to make sure that you learn a lot and have a safe experience. read more

I went on the 3-day Mount Shasta trip (May 5-7). Very well organized and professional - Dave, Ben and Ethan were a fantastic group of guides! Michelle is a great trip coordinator and put up with all my pre-trip questions! This winter has been unique, and unfortunately a late season snow fall created avalanche risks that kept us from the summit. I still can't say enough great things about the trip though from the care and attention to detail taken at gear check (making sure everyone was prepared, especially for the temps and snow forecast overnight) through the decision to keep everyone safe and waive off on the summit attempt. Food was great, and not just because it was warm and 20 degrees outside / snowing! I will certainly be back with this company to finish Shasta and explore their other trips in the Sierras (and hopefully some day international). read more

I recently completed an Introduction to Winter Mountaineering course with IAG. Our guides were Kimberly Sieradzki and David Court. Both Kim and David were fantastic. We ran into some inclement weather but David and Kim made sure that everyone was taken care of during the entire trip. I also learned a lot of valuable skills about winter backcountry camping, snowshoeing, crampons, belays, and more. I would highly recommend this course to anyone, especially if David and Kim are leading the group. read more

My friends joined me on the 23-day John Muir Trail (JMT) in Aug 2021. FOOD: The meals were the worst backpacking meals I have ever had (I am 73 and do about 5-8 overnight guided trips per year). I was not able to eat most of the meals but forced myself to eat what I could for energy. On our long hike up to Mount Whitney @ 14,500 ft. we had a small breakfast and then no snacks all the way up and back down. Our lunch consisted of about 600 calories. We were starved by the time our 14-hour trek was over. When confronted with our complaint about the food, Dave Miller, the owner of IAG said it was not possible to deliver good food on the 23-day John Muir Trail. We received an inadequate 5% discount. The food was not good - it was awful. Examples: Lunch of poorly reconstituted dried hummus on pita bread. Dinner of instant mashed potatoes with powdered cheese and some pieces of sausage. These were not the four-course gourmet meals as advertised. SANITATION: IAG's procedure is to rinse the dishes and cooking gear off with unfiltered water and then use filtered water to rinse them - no soap or bleach for the three weeks! Unlike IAG, both Wildland Trekking and REI have their guides obtain a "Food Handler's Certificate". This requires the dishes to be washed in a four-part process: Clean the residual food off the dish, clean the dish in a soap bowl, rinse the dish in a clean bowl with a bit of bleach, then rinse the dish in clean filtered water and air dry. Dave Miller responded that IAG was subscribing to the "leave no trace policy" of not using any soap to clean dishes. The actual NPS and CA Food Handlers policies state "to wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater". For a large group of six and for a trip of three weeks, IAG's procedure was not only disgusting but unhealthy. GUIDE: Ted Lenzie, the guide, complained about IAG constantly mainly by blaming the poor food and sanitation on their rules. He frequently lost his sense of direction and was unable to navigate to reserved premiere campsites, forcing the group to settle for lesser makeshift campsites. He was unable to estimate distance on hikes, telling the group the destination was in 5 miles only to discover it was really 8 miles. Eventually, people in the group started using their own maps and GPS to assist him. He said he did not enjoy guiding anymore, got minimum pay, and thought this would probably be his last guiding trip. Dave Miller at IAG replied that he has hiked with Ted for years and that Ted is one of his best guides. That was not our experience. We left the trip early as we were fed up with the whole mess. If you want to hike, go with a good hiking company, not IAG. read more

I was registered for an Intro to Mountaineering course in March of 2020. IAG canceled the trip about a week before it's date due to Covid-19 and unknown county closures happening throughout the state as cases numbers rose. I was issued a credit. I applied that credit to a different course, similarly the county mandates had not been lifted and travel was unadvised particularly in the county the course was held in. My credit was issued back to me. I have since reached out to IAG to ask for my initial payment refunded, as I have not been able to travel, take time off, or afford any additional expenses, also due to the pandemic and my own personal employment issues due to Covid. IAG is refusing to give me my money back. I don't have the means to use the credit, so I'll call it them stealing my initial payment as I received no services and the initial trip was canceled by them. I don't recommend this company at all. I'd give them zero stars if I could. There is zero effort being done on their part to even try and work with me, or simply be a stand up business in these times that left so many in different states than they started. To add to this, when I finally spoke to someone and asked questions they didn't have answers to (like what happens to my money if I never use the credit?) I was called "hun" and "sweetie" multiple times by the owner, Jessica, and I repeatedly ask that she stop calling me that but she refused. She also gaslighted me multiple times, when I explained I was not going to be in a financial position to go on one of their trips, she yelled over me "you won't be poor forever!" and told me to be less fearful. What type of business owner speaks to someone like that even if you don't want to talk to them? Repeatedly patronizing. Repeatedly condescending when I challenged her continued response of "you can use it when you're 90!" and repeatedly disrespectful. She hung up on me and blocked my number so I couldn't ask further questions about contact for my bank. I wrote an email expressing how appalling their ability to answer simply questions and handle a customer without gaslighting or being patronizing and she attempted to turn it back around on me, I assume once she realized she had said all of those things that no one should say, especially in an international pandemic. I recorded the conversation. Don't give this woman or company your business. There are dozens of others in the area that are better suited for human interaction and connection. read more

My partner and I just wrapped up a one-day Snow Travel Skills course with Dave, owner of IAG, and couldn't be happier with the experience. With this year's record snowpack, we wanted a bit of professional instruction on how to safely climb and descend snow and ice covered terrain while off-trail backpacking in the high sierra. We both have extensive backpacking experience, some gym climbing experience, and I've done some outdoor sport climbing, but neither of us have any real experience on snow. Dave did a great job of modifying the curriculum to better suit our needs - focusing instruction on self arrest and proper technique for climbing moderate terrain, with some quick and dirty snowpack evaluation and building of emergency snow anchors, just for good measure. There was a great balance between instruction, practicing skills, and opportunities to ask clarifying questions. The approach to instruction was welcoming, supportive, and acutely aware that each student comes to the table with different set of skills, experiences, and expectations. I'll definitely look to IAG for more in-depth training on winter mountaineering and refresher courses for trad climbing down the road. read more

I decided to do the Traditional Rock Climbing course through IAG at Donner Summit and I do not regret it. It was one of the best times I've had in a long time. Chris Baumann was an amazing instructor who was super knowledgeable and friendly. I learned a lot of important fundamental skills and climbing technique that I will definitely carry with me into my climbing career. read more

Myself and my two boys (21 and 16) set up a half day guided rock climbing trip near Donner Summit through International Alpine Guides. IAG were responsive and helpful in setting up the guided trip. We were guided by Chris Baumann. I couldn't have asked for a better guide. Chris was very enjoyable to be with, kept safety as a priority, and effortlessly coordinated his instruction and guidance to each climber. We climbed 6 routes. Chris exceeded my expectations and created a very memorable experience. He has my highest recommendation and I will be requesting him again. read more

A group of friends and I have been going on at least one trip a year for the past four years with Dave Miller and IAG. Together with IAG, we have summited volcanos in Mexico, mountains in the Swiss and French Alps, a 20k-foot mountains in Ecuador, and, most recently, the Eastern Sierras. IAG is extremely professional and will make sure that whatever your goals are that you reach them safely while having enormous fun and learning tons in the process. Again, we could not recommend Dave and his crew more highly! read more

Great time with International Alpine Guides! Our guide, Kevin, was very enjoyable and knowledgeable about the terrain. Dave, the owner, was very accommodating and helpful. Looking forward to another touring day with them. read more

We took our family of six on a five day backpacking adventure to Mt. Whitney. When we first began planning our trip, Sarah was great to work with making sure we had all the proper gear and information to be fully prepared for our trip. She answered all of our questions promptly and professionally. Then when our trip started we were also impressed with both of our guides -- Joe Crawford and John Holt. From the moment we met them we knew it was going to be everything we wanted for our family adventure. They were both extremely organized, professional, and even served delicious food on the trail. What a surprise that was for us! Throughout the entire trip, we were continually impressed with both Joe and John. Joe's love of the outdoors was freely shared with each member of our family and his ability to motivate everyone to continue when it was difficult was incredible. John's positive can-do attitude and strong work ethic really made for a very pleasant experience. Both of these gentlemen went out of their way to make sure our family had a memorable trip. When one of our family members got severely ill the last night, Joe's quick actions and training allowed us to make it safely off the mountain even in the most awful situation - in the middle of the night. We are aware that if Joe and John had not acted as quickly as they did the situation could have turned fatal. While Joe was tending to our sick member, John kept everyone motivated to continue with his positive attitude. He even carried two packs down the mountain in the middle of the night! Choosing a high quality guide company is critical because when something doesn't go right that's when you really need them to be able to step forward. International Alpine Guides provides highly qualified guides that have not only experience, but are well trained and personable. Thanks again for a memorable trip and we look forward to our next family adventure! read more

Sometimes there just aren't enough stars. This is one of those times. Here's the straight - up truth about International Mountain Guides (IAG): it is an outstanding organization, professionally run, with beyond competent instructors who are commutative in that 'it feels like we've known each other forever despite the fact that we just met' way. Look, credentials and certifications stand on their own merit. IAG has them, AMGA and IFMGA/UIAGM. But, those nifty acronyms, and the supporting expertise, are only part of a guiding company's story. The other part is how the guides put accreditation into practice. Here IAG shines so bright you're going to need shades. Before you even rope-up, you're more than part of a team; you're mates! Plus, and perhaps even foremost, IAG remembers what many companies have forgotten: that climbing is fun - capital F, U,N - FUN, safe, adventurous FUN. (This reviewer just finished a multi-day class with Dave Miller, and is counting the days until he can get back out with IAG.) read more

I just finished an 8 day hike in the high Sierra with a small group of hikers led by guide John Holt. We all immediately developed complete confidence in John's abilities, knowledge, and wisdom. Due to unusual snow and snow-melt conditions, there were complex decisions to be made, and John guided us safely and expertly through it all. He was also delightful company and a great cook. We had a fantastic time, and I highly recommend IAG. read more