Chris Simmons-Solomon is a climber, a skier, a veteran, and an IFMGA Mountain Guide.

And a coffee addict.

My father’s work required the family to move, so I grew up in California, Texas, and North Carolina. I enlisted in the Navy, became a Hospital Corpsman and served with the Marine Corps, before arriving in Jackson Hole in 1998. My guiding career launched with a move to Washington in 2000, and I’ve called the Pacific Northwest home ever since. I love to travel, and I’ve skied and climbed around the world, from the Western United States to Alaska, Antarctica, Argentina, Canada, Chile, China, France, Ecuador, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nepal, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and Slovenia.

I have first ascents on multi-pitch rock routes in California, alpine routes in Antarctica, and first ski descents in Washington and Antarctica too. I have guided classic alpine challenges like the Palisade Traverse in California and the Torment-Forbidden Traverse in the North Cascades. I’ve also guided multiple ski tours of the Sierra High Route and difficult tours in the Cascades like the Forbidden Tour, Mt Shuksan’s North Face and Mt Baker’s North Ridge. Abroad, I’ve guided the Matterhorn in Switzerland; multiple tours in the Alps like the original Chamonix-Zermatt Haute Route; powder skiing in Japan and heliskiing in Iceland; and rock climbing in the Italian Dolomite.

I spend 3-4 months of the year as a Field Guide in the US Antarctic Program, providing logistical support and technical terrain safety for science teams in the most remote and challenging environment on Earth. I’m also an Examiner, Course Director, and Instructor for the AMGA National Instructor Team.

Inspired by the machine and iron work shops that surrounded my home and their custom order culture, I wanted to offer custom mountain adventures to my guests and their friends. I started Simmons Mountain Works in 2017.

I offer climbing and skiing trips around the world. Mountaineering, alpine climbing, alpine treks, rock climbing, multi-pitch climbing, backcountry skiing, and ski mountaineering. Expedition preparation, glacier travel and crevasse rescue, and rock rescue.

I admit to a weakness for good bakeries, strong coffee, Irish whiskey, and Italy.

about AMGA certification & IFMGA licensure

The IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations, or UIAGM or IVBV) License is The Standard. It is the only standard that +25 countries and their respective associations train and examine to meet. The AMGA (American Mountain Guide Association) conducts this training and certification in the United States, and has broken the profession into “disciplines”: Alpine, Rock and Ski.

An AMGA certified, IFMGA licensed Mountain Guide has more than 300 days of prerequisite climbing and skiing documented, 60 days of formal guiding instruction, and a further 30 days of examination. All this can be accomplished in no less than 4.5 years - the typical candidate takes 7 years.

When you book to climb with a certified guide, you will be climbing with someone whose mountain sense and technical skills have been carefully examined. When you climb or ski with an IFMGA Licensed Mountain Guide, you’ll be in the mountains with a true professional. Your time and safety deserves nothing less.