About Mountain Professionals

History

Mountain Professionals was nothing more than an idea in 2000. This was the year that Ryan Waters and Dave Elmore met in South America, where both were working in the industry and both had the idea to start their own guiding company. As the guiding season progressed, so did the business plan. Culminating on an Aconcagua climb, which they call the "highest business meeting ever."

Over the course of the guiding season, Dave and Ryan spoke of their vision for an international guiding company which embraced their educational background, risk mangement skills, client care awareness and desire to deliver safe high-quality expeditions. Mountain Professionals stands alone with regard to the quality of each expedition...due to the professional background of the guides and the desire to guide people to the most beautiful and remote corners of the world...with safety and quality at the forefront.

Ryan Waters was raised in the Southeast U.S. and while attending college Ryan found himself daydreaming about climbing an unknown peak which was printed on the back of his Physics text book...Pumori. This one photo is credited for sparking Ryan"s imagination and motivating him to start climbing locally. Soon, Ryan gave up a full time career as a Geologist and joined the outdoor industry. These formative years allowed him to develop his skills and eventually provided Ryan with the opportunity to go and climb Pumori! Since then Ryan has not looked back. He is now an accomplished mountaineer, guide and senior instructor for the Outward Bound Patagonia Program and has guided for a number of industry leading guide services. He has gone on to lead 10 Himalayan and over 30 Andean expeditions and has sumitted Mt. Everest from both the Tibet and Nepal routes.

Dave Elmore was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. While attending college, he was involved in the Outdoor Leadership Program. With this program Dave found himself exploring and working in mountains of the Western U.S. After graduation he began working in the outdoor education field and expanded his adventure travel and climbing experience to many countries throughout the world allowing him to develop his technical climbing and leadership skills. By 2000 he had completed difficult rock and ice routes throughout the world and turned his interest to high altitude peaks. For the past twelve years Dave has worked as a guide, mountain course director, staff trainer, and as patagonia program director.

Ryan and Dave bring with them a wealth of personal and professional experience, which has allowed them to develop and deliver safe, high-quality, professional experiences for their clients with Mountain Professionals.