Zack first started climbing and developing his passions for the outdoors during his time at Colgate University’s Outdoor Education program. He found he had a passion for teaching people the skills to navigate the mountains and continued onto year-round guiding after graduation. This passion has continued to grow after college as Zack has since traveled throughout the states to explore different cliffs, meet the as-expected wonderful people of climbing, and bring folks into the mountains. Whether piecing together a new skill or realizing an objective, Zack finds that the most rewarding thing about guiding is creating opportunity for self discovery.
Zack has a soft spot for the climbing of the northeast but can also be found jamming cracks in the southwest desert during the shoulder seasons or breathing thinner air in central-mountain-country during summer trips. He enjoys all forms of climbing but will most likely be found reminiscing about granite crack climbing. Zack’s excitement to climb rarely wanes!
Zack’s guiding career began at Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School in 2017 and he’s spent every summer since getting people climbing high above the ocean in Acadia National Park. There’s a high chance he will regale you for hours about the pristine granite climbing on that far flung island. During the winters, Zack has spent time guiding ice throughout the northeast and is now based in the Mount Washington Valley, the heart of northeast ice climbing!
In 2021, Zack took his AMGA Advanced Rock Guide Course in Red Rock, NV to become an Assistant Rock Guide, allowing him to rock guide on any terrain in the northeast. Early this winter, he will be taking his AMGA Ice Instructor Course in Ouray, CO. Zack hopes to become a fully certified Rock Guide in the coming seasons.
