Mountain Skills prioritizes continuous education for its guides and considers it essential. Our team consists of American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) certified instructors, New York State licensed guides, and certified First Aid, CPR, and Leave No Trace trainers. To ensure our guides provide a remarkable and enjoyable experience, we conduct regular training sessions for them to stay updated on company policies, client care, coordination, and new methods.

We are also dedicated to our community and actively support efforts to expand climbing opportunities in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Our instructors participate in rare plant and animal studies and assist in invasive species removal. Additionally, we train with NYS DEC and Mohonk Preserve rangers yearly on High Angle Rescue to maintain the highest level of safety for our clients.

Mountain Skills Climbing Guides are true Gunkies: most of us live locally and climb daily in our beloved Gunks, Adirondacks, Delaware Water Gap, and Catskill Mountains.

Doug Ferguson

Doug, a Michigan native, developed a passion for the mountains and the outdoors during his high school competitive skiing career. His interest in climbing began in 1997 while he lived in Boulder, Colorado, and he has owned and operated Mountain Skills Climbing Guides since 2008. Doug has climbed extensively across the United States, spending warmer months guiding rock in the Gunks, winter months guiding ice in the Northeast, and shoulder seasons in sunny Red Rock, Nevada.

Mark Folsom

Mark has lived in the Hudson Valley and climbed in the Gunks since 1999. While living in New Hampshire, he climbed many peaks in the White Mountains, Catskills, and Adirondacks. Mark has climbed in Joshua Tree in California, many routes at Red Rocks in Nevada, and Red River Gorge in Kentucky. In winter, Mark enjoys back-country skiing, snowshoeing, and trips to warmer destinations. He is also an avid caver who has explored and mapped caves throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Mark studies natural sciences, including geography, ecology, and geology. A volunteer with several regional, non-profit, and state climbing-related agencies, Mark supports the protection of nature and climbing resources.

Mark’s training includes certified AMGA Rock Instructor, certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, licensed New York State Rock Guide, Wilderness First Responder, Hudson Valley Mountain Rescue member, Cave Rescue Certified and a Leave No Trace Trainer.

Teddy Dondanville

Despite growing up in Southern California and going to college in Boulder, Colorado, Teddy did not start rock climbing until he moved to the flatlands of Central Illinois for graduate school. After joining an indoor rock gym and climbing outside for the first time, Teddy fell in love with the sport.

After graduate school, Teddy moved to Peru to volunteer with the Peace Corps. On the weekends, he climbed in the world-famous Cordillera Blanca. Once Teddy got home from Peru, his career pivoted toward rock climbing and outdoor adventure education. Since then, Teddy has climbed all over the United States, from the Gunks of New York to the Cochise Stronghold in Southern Arizona. One of his favorite, lesser-known areas is the City of Rocks in Idaho.

Currently, Teddy is an Assistant Rock Guide with the American Mountain Guides Association. He is a licensed New York State Tier I climbing guide with additional licenses for hiking and camping. Teddy is also a certified Wilderness First Responder.

During the offseason, he works as a freelance writer focusing on the outdoor industry. In addition, Teddy is a dog father of a lunatic Australian cattle dog named Dottie and questions daily his ability to tucker out his pup properly. Teddy speaks fluent Spanish and loves bridging language gaps between climbers from different cultures.

Jeremy Haas

Though well-traveled in the western climbing arenas, Jeremy is happiest when clinging to the side of a cliff in New York State. A Gunks climber and Catskill ice climber since 1989, Jeremy grew up in the gorges of Ithaca and recently co-wrote and published Adirondack Rock: A Rock Climber’s Guide. He has been guiding rock, ice, alpine ascents, and backcountry skiing since 2002 and finds that personalized instruction guiding is the best way for a client to get immediate feedback and quickly improve their skill set.

Jeremy is a certified AMGA Rock Instructor, AMGA Single-Pitch Instructor, AMGA Rock Guide Course graduate, NYS licensed Rock and Ice Climbing Guide, former Emergency Medical Technician, and is Level II Avalanche certified. He credits his enormous patience to his job as a high school science teacher.

 

 

 

Tim Lyons

Tim began climbing at an indoor bouldering gym in upstate New York in 2011. Later that year, he began climbing outside; trad climbing quickly became an obsession.  He began climbing on slab and cracks that are prevalent in the Adirondack Park as often as possible.  Now, Tim enjoys pushing his physical and mental abilities in the Gunks.  In his spare time, Tim enjoys cycling in New York City, where he teaches a high school engineering course.  Tim is a certified American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor as well as a licensed New York State Rock Climbing Guide.  Most of all, Tim enjoys sharing his love of rock climbing with others.

 

 

 

 

Matt Murphy

Matt developed an appreciation and love for the outdoors during his years as a Boy Scout. He conveniently blames his passion for climbing as the reason he never earned his Eagle Scout award.

Spending his college years in New England exposed him to a variety of climbing styles. From bouldering in Lincoln Woods, bolted routes in Rumney, traditionally protected crags of Franconia, and the higher alpine terrain of the White Mountains. Matt is a well-rounded climber who takes full advantage of the time he’s afforded to climb and adventure. He considers the Gunks home, has and continues to travel to notable points West, but loves winter ascents of Wallface in the Adirondacks the most.

Matt works full-time as a New York City firefighter and is a regular instructor at the FDNY Technical Rescue School. He is an AMGA Assistant Rock Guide and a graduate of the AMGA Ice Instructor Course. He is also AAIRE Level I Avalanche Course Trained, NYS Certified Rock and Ice Guide, and SPRAT Level 1 Certified.

Matt also holds a B.A. in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University and loses his mind when hot food turns cold.

Chris Karcz

Chris had just finished his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail when he was invited to top-rope outside, immediately getting hooked. He dived right in, learning everything he could about climbing. Having fallen in love with the Gunks and the community here, he now feels blessed to be able to live here full-time.

Chris is a licensed New York State Guide for camping, hiking, and climbing and a certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor. He also holds certifications in scuba, sailing, and many more. He values safety and learning in a fun and friendly environment.

Ed Schell

Ed’s love of climbing has taken him from coast to coast, country to country. He’s climbed in many destinations, including Yosemite, Indian Creek, Red Rocks, Squamish, and El Potrero Chico, among others. However, his home crag, The Gunks, gets the most visits each season and remains his favorite.

After many years working as an engineer and helping to raise a family, including two children, Ed discovered a passion for climbing when he hired a rock guide in Acadia National Park to have a new adventure with his children.  A back injury requiring surgery soon led to climbing becoming his primary activity.  Since then, Ed has been determined to visit and climb as many destinations as life will allow and, more importantly, spread the joy of climbing to others! In addition to climbing, Ed also enjoys several outdoor activities, including golf, snowboarding, wakeboarding, and Scuba diving.

Ed is a Tier I/II NY state-licensed Rock Guide, AMGA certified Single Pitch Instructor and has successfully completed the AMGA Rock Guide Course. He is also a Wilderness First Responder and has a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification.

Bobby O’Connor

Bobby started rock climbing at 16 in the Gunks and the Adirondacks. Following his passion for adventure sports, he attended SUNY Plattsburgh, where he received an M.S. in Expeditionary Studies. Bobby is now Paul Smith’s College’s Outdoor/Adventure Education Coordinator. His passion for the outdoors expands beyond climbing. He loves to spend time in a boat, coastal or whitewater paddling, and on skis in the mountains. The aspects he enjoys most about the outdoor industry are the people he meets and the areas he travels to. Bobby lives in the heart of the Adirondacks with his wife, dog, and hedgehog, whose name is, of course, Sonic.