Dave Elmore
Director of Operations

As Director of Operations, Dave splits his time between managing the business of Mountain Professionals and guiding. Dave has climbed & guided in the U.S., Asia, Europe, Nepal, Pakistan, Argentina & Chile. He has completed difficult big-wall and ice ascents, numerous alpine rock routes throughout the world and has paddled all over the U.S and South America. He has led multiple expeditions to the Himalayas of Nepal and Pakistan, South America, Mexico and Alaska. Dave was recognized by the Pakistan Military for his role in a rescue from high on Gasherbrum II in 2007. He is a member of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and has completed his Alpine Guides Course with the AMGA. He is certified with his Wilderness Medical Training first responder certificate, and the American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level II. Dave holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and Psychology. 

Ryan Waters
Director of Asia and South America Programs

Ryan is responsible for the development and delivery of expeditions in South America and the Himalayas. Working in the professional guiding and outdoor education field for nine years has taken him to Mexico, Nepal, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Tibet, Pakistan and all over the U.S. Ryan is a senior guide on Mt. Rainier and his climbing resume includes well over 25 expeditions in the Andes Range and 10 expeditions to the Himalayas. He has led three expeditions to Everest, guiding clients to the summit via both the Tibet and Nepal side of the mountain, three expeditions to Cho Oyu, K2, Broad Peak, Gasherbrum II, and 7,200 meter Pumo Ri. He has led expeditions that have placed 60 climbers on the summits of 8,000 meter peaks. Ryan has a Wilderness First Responder certification, the American Institute of Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Level II, and is an environmental geologist with a B.S. in Geology.

Phil Crampton
Guide

Phil has been working in Asia for many years, working with various international companies guiding and doing logistical work. He has extensive experience organizing and guiding expeditions in the Himalayas and Alaska including six expeditions to Mt. Everest, he has summited from both the Tibet and Nepal sides of Everest, nine expeditions to Cho Oyu, two expeditions to Mustagh Ata, Mt. McKinley, Aconcagua, and two Shishapangma expeditions. He is a consultant to the Tibet Guide School in Lhasa and works year round training and improving the lives of many young Tibetans.

Cristina Prieto
Guide

Cristina was born in Santiago, Chile and is an accomplished guide and outdoor educator. She has worked extensively for Mountain Professionals, NOLS, and Outward Bound delivering Sea Kayaking and Mountaineering courses in Alaska and Patagonia. Cristina became the first South American woman to climb an 8,000 meter peak when she climbed Cho Oyu in Tibet, without oxygen at age 24. She is also the first Chilean woman to climb Mt. Everest and has climbed and guided extensively in Peru, Chile, Argentina and in Mexico. She brings her enthusiastic personality and laughs along on Mountain Professionals South American and Himalayan Expeditions. Cristina lives in Pirque, Chile with her daughter Itzel. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Doug Sandok
Guide

Doug is an accomplished guide, program director, instructor, and former relief worker. He has climbed and skied extensively in North America, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, France, Switzerland, Thailand, Kenya, Tanzania, and the Himalayas of Nepal and India, including Kilimanjaro, Mt. Kenya, three expeditions to Ama Dablam and several unclimbed peaks. Doug has worked for over 15 years for in the professional guiding industry. He guides for Mountain Professionals on our Himalayan and Patagonia programs and in Africa. He has spent a large amount of time working for organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and the International Rescue Committee in Bosnia and various African Countries. Doug is a certified Wilderness First Responder and has a B.A. in Sociology.

Ted Alexander
Guide

Ted has been professionally guiding high altitude mountains for eight years, prior to which he worked as an instructor and manager for various outdoor education organizations in the U.S. including the Wilderness School and Outward Bound. Ted comes to Mountain Professionals with a depth of experience and an unbridled enthusiasm for the mountains. Ted works on our Aconcagua expeditions as a head guide. His professional guiding standards are among the best you will find anywhere in the world and he may be the strongest mountaineer we know of! During the off season Ted can be found in Huaraz, Peru climbing extensively in the Cordillera Blanca and spending time with his family. Ted holds his level II (AIARE) Avalanche certification, Wilderness First Responder Certification, and is a member of the American Mountain Guides Association working towards his alpine certification.

Argentina Based Staff

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Lucila Gandulfo
South America Logistical Coordinator/Guide

Born and raised in Argentina, Lucila brings a wealth of experience to her positions. She has worked with many international companies, both guiding and working as a logistical coordinator, including Patagonia Outward Bound School & Meridies. Lucila also runs her own horse guiding company based out of Bariloche. She is knowledgeable and greatly valued for her ability to multi-task. She has climbed, paddled and adventured extensively in the U.S., Europe, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Argentina. Lucila takes her job seriously, delivering the logistical and guiding needs with a professional and friendly touch. She lives near our Argentina office in Bariloche, and is a guide on our mountaineering and sea kayak expeditions. Lucila has a Physical Education degree and is a certified Wilderness First Responder and a member of Avalanche Rescue Team.

Diego Migaldi
Guide

Diego was a senior instructor and educator for Outward Bound Wilderness and in Patagonia and has directed more than 50 courses in the Sierra Nevada of California since 1991. He has led mountaineering, guide’s workshops, rescue techniques, wilderness first aid and facilitation of Management Development programs for Outward Bound Professional in California. As a professional mountaineer, Diego has led several expeditions to the Fitz Roy range, Southern Patagonian Ice Field, Central Andes, Cordillera Real of Bolivia, the Austrian Alps, Canadian Rockies and the Mexican volcanoes, including over 35 ascents of Aconcagua. His accomplishments include several ascents of big walls in Yosemite National Park and the granite spires of Catedral in Bariloche. He was honored by the Department of Interior of the USA and by the "Cóndor Dorado" Honoris Causa of the Argentine Army, acknowledging the rescues he performed in the mountains. Diego is a Wilderness First Responder Instructor, a Leave No Trace Trainer and a mountain guide member of the Asociación Argentina de Guías de Montañas. He is a co-founder of Ecomed (www.ecomed.org.ar), a non-profit organization dedicated to promote and deliver wilderness medicine trainings in Argentina and Co-Owner of Meridies.

Craig Ross
Guide

Craig is a professional AAGM (Associacion Argentina Guias de Montana) fully certified guide. He has climbed extensively around the world, with many difficult big-wall ascents to his credit including The Nose, Washington Column, the Prow, Middle Cathedral, Central Pillar of Frenzy, The Rostrum, Serenity Crack, Sons of Yesterday, Separate Reality, Half Dome and a solo ascent of Snack Dike. He has visited the granite of the Kain Route in the Bugaboos and several routes in the Plan del Auguille-Chamonix, France. His Focus on Patagonia has included the Fitz Roy range, with ascents of Guillamet and the S spire, and attempts on Fitz Roy and Mermoz. Craig has climbed difficult rock routes in the Frey area of Bariloche and has visited Peru and Bolivia, climbing Alpamayo, Pisco, the Paramide de Garcilazo, and the southwest face of Illampu. Craig followed his Scottish family tradition and attended the Saint Andrews School in Buenos Aires, balancing his studies with his passion for climbing. He has worked for several adventure travel companies and in the outdoor education field. Craig has run several long distance marathons, climbed Aconcagua and competed in the 2001 New Zealand Eco Challenge. Craig is a Physical Education Instructor, a certified Wilderness First Responder, and a fully certified UIAGM Mountain Guide.