Who is Mountain Leader?

I’m Michael Abbey, an IFMGA certified American Mountain Guide living in San Diego, CA and Chamonix, France. More about me.

My goal is to share my passion for climbing and help you realize your own goals in the mountains.

People climb for a lot of different reasons. The rewards are many and can be intense. It’s pointless to write down on this page what climbing means to me, and equally as cliché to try and offer the same experience to you. It's more about what YOU are searching for. I’m here to help you find it.

So what can I offer you that others may not be able to? 

When I reflect back over 33 years of climbing for the most rewarding moments, it is the friends and partnerships that I've made along the way that stand out by far. My best climbs were often just the byproducts of my favorite partnerships, especially when guiding professionally. Those partnerships were almost always built over time and based on trust and shared experience.

Being internationally certified means that I am licensed to guide almost anywhere in the world. That is what allows me to build those lasting partnerships with my clients. Climbing already offers plenty of adventure. You don't need the uncertainty of meeting a new guide every time you want to climb somewhere else. Go with the guide you trust.