Art Mooney

UIAGM-AMGA Certified Mountain Guide

Since 1978 my passion has been to climb and ski throughout New Hampshire and the northeast. I have also participated in climbing trips, ski tours, and expeditions in the western United States, Alaska, Canada, South America, Mexico and Europe.

Mountain guiding became my year round profession in 1995. Since that time I have completed exams for certification in rock, alpine and ski mountaineering with the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). In September 2001, I became internationally certified with the UIAGM.

In addition to Mooney Mountain Guides I work with the American Mountain Guides Association teaching guide training courses and examining guides for certification. Other training includes Wilderness First Responder and AIARE Level III Avalanche course. My past employment includes the Taos Ski Patrol, the Angel Fire Ski Patrol, H2O HeliSki Guides in Valdez, the EMS Climbing School, and Aventuras Patagonicas Expeditions.

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Terry Mooney

AMGA Rock Instructor Course

I've had a love for the outdoors for as long as I can remember. Life experiences have continuously motivated me to travel, meet new people, and explore the beauty the world has to offer. Teaching and sharing outdoor adventure pursuits with people is one of life's pleasures. I am friendly and flexible and strive to encourage clients to achieve their individual goals, leaving them with a feeling of satisfaction and self confidence.

Guiding has become a profession along side my husband Art. I am able to contribute to Mooney Mountain Guides by offering programs such as Rumney sport climbing clinics, guided alpine hikes, backcountry ski and snow shoe clinics, and multi-day guided camping trips. While on the trail I cover map reading, trail selection, food preparation, gear selection, weather awareness, basic survival, and minimal impact techniques. My goal is always to provide a fun, safe, and memorable experience. "The physical enjoyment in the outdoors is consistent, but it's the people that make the time together unique."

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R.J. Monton

AMGA Certified Rock Instructor

Adventures in outdoor pursuits with a focus on climbing have consumed my life for the past 10 years. It has consumed me so much that I went to college and received a degree in Outdoor Recreation from Plymouth State College.

Guiding and Teaching became my passion about the time of my graduation in 2002. In 2004 I began taking courses towards Rock Guiding Certification with the American Mountain Guides Association. (AMGA) I also began pursuing certifications in other various outdoor fields.

In addition to working with Mooney Mountain Guides I work for the Spaulding Youth Center in Tilton, teaching outdoor education. Other training includes Wilderness First Responder, American Canoe Association (ACA) Canoeing Instructor, and American Red Cross Lifeguard.

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Lisa Farmer

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Growing up in Seattle under the shadow of Mt Rainer has imprinted upon me a desire to explore in the mountains. Sharing those experiences and helping others achieve their outdoor dreams has led me to guiding. Coming from a strong education background I am passionate about utilizing the wilderness and mountains as a worthy classroom.

I have spent several years working for wilderness based therapy programs, which included many extended multi-day backcountry trips in all seasons. Using the wilderness classroom has afforded me with experiences that I feel have brought great value to my traditional classroom.

In addition to my recent work with Mooney Mountain Guides, I work for Voices Against Violence in Plymouth, NH. I work and teach under the Empowerment Model helping people reclaim and get to those places that are most important to them.

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Steve Golden

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

I have been fortunate to have found the mountains at a very young age and have been climbing and adventuring ever since. I have been actively seeking out the vertical world for 23 of my 36 years. I have climbed all over the United States and Canada on ice on walls and on Mountains. I find a great deal of pleasure form mixing medians so I have been on many journeys that involve climbing and other forms of local motion. I have extensive experience in the Tetons, and the Wind River Range as well as New England and the South East. I have been on journeys to New Found land and to Maritime Canada in search of Ice walls and waves.

Currently I am an Instructor in the Adventure Education Department at Plymouth State University where I teach Basic Rock/ Lead Climbing and Alpine Mountaineering. I have also guided Rock/ Ice/ Mountain Climbing on a part time basis with Eastern Mountain Sports since 2001. I have also worked as an Outdoor Education Teacher for Spaulding youth Center a residential treatment Center for boys' ages 6-14 years old. Some of my other positions have been a corporate facilitator for Outward Bound and a Mountain Bike Guide for Dirt Camp based in Waterville Valley NH.

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Majka Burhardt

AMGA Certified Rock Guide

I started working as a climbing guide in 1996, when I was 19 years old. Back then, my primary goal was to have a life in the mountains, and a life sharing the mountains. In the thirteen years since, I have consistently integrated guiding and teaching into my lifestyle and they have run the gamut from my full time profession to my part-time passion.

I currently split my time between personal climbing expeditions, writing, and guiding. When asked what I enjoy most about the guiding, I usually tell people that I find balance through the diverse group of people with whom I’ve been fortunate enough to meet in my life outside. It’s one of my ways of staying grounded and learning new perspectives about the world.

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Jim Gagne

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Jim began his climbing career in the White Mountains of New Hampshire over twenty-five years ago. As a kid he grew up exploring and hiking around his home in the White Mountains. Hiking, soon lead to technical rock and ice climbing and eventually to mountaineering around the world.

On May 24, 2006 Jim fulfilled a lifelong dream and became the first New Hampshire Native to climb The Seven Summits and Mount Everest. Jim contributes his success in the mountains to his training in the harshest weather in the world at home on Mount Washington.

Jim works as a professional firefighter/paramedic, a registered nurse and a mountain guide with Mooney Mountain Guides. His professionalism, mountaineering skills and versatility have served many climbers around the world. He is a successful and modest climber. Teamwork and leadership in his personal, professional and adventure career are guiding forces in the life of Jim Gagne.

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Richard Parker

AMGA Certified Rock Instructor

At 55 years of age I have been climbing for 36 years and guiding and instructing for 32, although one of my earliest memories is climbing behind my house on some boulders at about age 4! Needless to say, I love the mountains, all sizes and shapes, and I have enjoy climbing, hiking, running, mountain biking and skiing in them for my entire life.

My career has been dedicated to helping others grow, and I spent 31 years as an educator in independent schools. English teacher, Dean of Students, English Department Head, Rock Climbing Program Director and Headmaster have been some of my roles. Two years ago I left full time employment in schools to devote my time to guiding and instructing rock and ice climbing; I guess that I am still in education!

My guiding has been mostly in the northeast, but I also have considerable experience with the Skinner Brothers in the Wind River Mountains, and I also worked for Eric Jones (UK) in Zermatt, Switzerland for two summers in the 70's, guiding 4,000 meter peaks. Until recently I was a part time guide for the EMS Climbing School in North Conway for three years.

In addition to my work for Art at Mooney Mountain Guides, I guide for the Holderness School rock climbing program three days a week in the fall and spring. I also have been guiding for the Kismet Rock Foundation in North Conway for the last five summers.

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Matt Ritter

AMGA Rock Instructor Course

I started backpacking, mountainbiking, and fishing with my family in the northeast at a young age. These early adventures instilled in me a deep passion for the mountains. When I was 16 my brother took me climbing in the Shawangunks and I was instantly hooked. Not long after that I went on my first ice climb with my father.

Since then climbing has consumed my life. I started learning as much as I could about winter camping, navigation, training, etc. in hopes that these skills would bring me to the highest mountain ranges. As I grew older I found that I enjoyed teaching and sharing my passion for adventure with others, so I moved to Plymouth NH to study Adventure Education at Plymouth State University. Adventure Education taught me how to be an effective leader and teacher in wilderness settings. \

I am WFR certified and have completed the AMGA Rock Instuctor Course and AIARE Avalanche I to begin my guiding career. I greatly enjoy all facets of climbing throughout the northeast, constantly evolving as a climber and teacher, and dreaming about all the places my adventures will take me.

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Eric Marshall

I grew up hiking and skiing with my parents in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. I did not truly feel the pull of the mountains until the age of 16 when I decided to hike the forty six 4000 foot or higher elevation peaks in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. I completed the forty six peaks in two years and during that time I developed a great passion for adventuring in the mountains.

After high school I attended Plymouth State College due to its close proximity to the White Mountain region. In three semesters at Plymouth I completed the forty eight 4000 foot peaks or higher in the Whites. During my time at Plymouth I began technical rock and ice climbing. I've really taken to technical climbing due to the challenge, the amazing and beautiful places it takes you and most of all because of the personal self-control one develops through climbing.

My passion for climbing and mountains has brought me all over New England and I have completed mountaineering trips to the Cascades, Alaska, and Mexico. I also work full time with troubled boys at the Becket Family of Services and enjoy running and living a healthy and positive life.

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Derek Doucet

AMGA Certified Rock Instructor

Derek holds a Master's Degree in Adventure Education from Prescott College and has held outdoor education faculty and staff positions at numerous colleges and universities. Since 2003, he has worked as the Outdoor Programs Director at Middlebury College. Derek strives to bring his experience as an outdoor educator to his guiding work, and most enjoys helping aspiring climbers work toward self sufficiency on rock and ice. His many years of mountain adventure have involved numerous first ascents on rock and ice, and ranged over 7 countries and 3 continents. He lives in Vermont with his wife and three daughters.

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Phil Thalheimer

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

I have been adventuring since I was a child when my family took annual summer vacations backpacking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. My love for the outdoors grew from that seed. I added winter mountaineering to my list of outdoor passions while in college and started rock climbing in the late 1980s. My adventures have taken me to Washington'Â’s Mt Rainier, Nevada'Â’s Red Rock Canyon, Montana'Â’s Tobacco Root Mountains, the Wisconsin Dells, the Shawangunks in New York and throughout New England. I have been a professional mountain guide since 1998. My current certifications and adventure education include AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, AMGA Certificate of Completion Rock Instructor course, American Red Cross Small Craft Safety Canoeing, Wilderness First Responder medical training and American Heart Association CPR. In addition to my work for Art at Mooney Mountain Guides I am an Adventure Guide for the YMCA working with the Outdoor Adventure Program, the indoor Climbing Gym and Challenge course. I have also have been guiding for the Kismet Rock Foundation in North Conway since the summer of 2000. I have extensive experience working with adolescents and have a passion to support youth.

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Derrek Anderson

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Derrek discovered the sport of rock climbing while studying at the University of Vermont in late 1990. In the following years he spent time traveling and sampling the rock and ice in many areas of the country, including North Carolina, California, Washington, Nevada, and Wyoming. After living down south and out west, he moved back to Vermont and decided to couple his love for traditional education with outdoor wilderness education. Working with organizations such as the National Outdoor Leadership School, the Middlebury College Outdoor Program, and most recently Mooney Mountain Guides, he has been able to combine his passion with his profession. Along with climbing, Derrek finds balance by making time to work as a carpenter and timber framer, and school teacher. The rest of his time is spent with his wife, dogs and cat living and exploring the hills of Vermont.

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Alex Teixeira

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Teaching and climbing are my two passions. Early in college I knew I wanted to combine my two passions as a guide. As soon as I could drive myself I began exploring the wild places of the northeast in search powder turns and new crack climbs. This eventually developed into exploring other ranges in the U.S. and abroad.

In addition to working for Mooney Mountain Guides I work as a special education teacher in northern Massachusetts. Within that school I am a part of the Mountain Classroom curriculum and ski instruction. I have also guided for summer rock climbing programs and as an instructor in other adventure sports.

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Todd Goodman

AMGA Rock Instructor Course Graduate

One of my first climbing experiences, following a friend of mine up Cathedral Ledge, greatly impacted my life and sparked in me a passion that has stayed with me. As a full-time academic teacher, I have been fortunate enough to spend numerous summers in Plymouth, heading to the White Mountains as frequently as possible. In addition to pursuing my own personal climbing goals, I enjoy the chance to hone my teaching skills in a venue other than the traditional classroom.

During the academic year, I teach English at a boarding school in Massachusetts and periodically assist the school€™s outdoor program.

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