Mountain Madness

I took an AIARE level 1 class with Mountain Madness at Mt. Rainier. It was super fun and I felt like I gained a good understanding of navigating avalanche terrain. Thank you to our guides Joe and Sharon!

I took the AIARE 1 course with Mountain Madness and would highly recommend! Joe and Woody were great instructors, answering my many questions and checking in on us throughout the day. We had an interesting weekend where it stormed overnight and Rainier was closed, but Joe and Woody were great about having a backup plan and making sure we all made it to White Pass safely.

This really was a dream come true, never before have I felt it a privilege to visit a country and its people and we even got to meet the king. The vista's at every pass was simply breath taking. The weather was amazing as we had wall to wall sunshine for three weeks. Walking through some of the most remote villages in the world (watch the movie Luana, Yak in the classroom), after the villages we saw no one for 10 days. We didn't see any other trekkers over the entire trek. I can't rate Mountain Madness high enough as we really trekked in some style. It was like a moving village, 76 ponies (very well cared for) carrying our gear. Sleeping mats, hot water bottles at night, morning tea in bed, hot showers on the rest day. Simply the best food I've ever had on any trek, ramon noodles and chips waiting for you as you finish a tough day at 5000m, what more could you ask for. The American leader, Shy, was fantastic, so supportive and caring, who along with his partner looked after us so well and adapted the trek as we went according to our needs. The Bhutanese guides were awesome, with their knowledge and love of their country, guiding and encouraging us all the way. They were a very spiritual with prayers at the top of each pass, including for my recently deceased mother, which was very touching. A very special mention for Tsetim, Jigme, lapsang and kimili, who were our guides. The trek runs through October/November, which is the best time of year for weather and simply offers the very best value for money. Look out for the film of the trip that will be released in 2025.

I had the privilege of trekking through Bhutan along its famed "Snowman" from Oct 19 - Nov 10, 2024. First class service all the way... The local guides were kind-hearted, knowledgeable and showed Bhutan's legendary GNH values in action every day on the trail. Shout-out to all of them: Kinley, Jigme, Tsetum, and Lapsang! This wasn't just a hike, either. The cultural experiences were plentiful and I was most touched with our time spent in the home of a local Lhedi family. I was equally blown away with the food! As if they made fresh-cut French fries at 4,900M?! Our support team was essentially a moving village and we'd not have been successful without their efforts. Our North American guide, Shayan, went above and beyond, as well. I wound up with two bouts of gruelling tummy troubles, and his care meant the world. All in all, one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

I completed the Snowman Trek in Bhutan from mid-Oct to Early Nov 2024. It was the most incredible experience. The travel logistics were organized extremely well. Our Mountain Madness guide ('Shy') was extremely experienced, having travelled to many remote places around the globe and has lots of experience at high altitude. I learned a lot from him and always felt I could rely on him. He was very supportive, in appropriate ways, to those of us who struggled with fatigue, injury, illness or homesickness. The support crew from Bhutan (23 people in all, including 4 guides, cooks, camp managers and horsemen) were wonderful. They seemingly had thought of every detail and attended to our every need. The food was a particular highlight: it was plentiful, fresh and of high quality. No small feat when you are away from civilization for 16 days! They skillfully managed multiple people with dietary restrictions, including gluten, dairy and egg allergies. We were blessed with great weather and enjoyed breathtaking views every day. As beautiful as the scenery was, the highlights were the cultural experiences. Bhutan and it's people will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm not sure I would call this trip 'expensive', as I felt I was very well cared for and felt I received good value. By way of constructive feedback, I think Mountain Madness would agree that our group was too large (18 ppl) and they will likely take steps to make smaller groups the next time. I was on the same trip as the person who posted the 1-star review below and can say that there was one person who was a disruptive problem in the group, but it certainly was not the Mountain Madness guide she references! He had a very challenging job managing all the drama she caused. My tentmate was on his 4th trip with MM. I certainly would not hesitate to travel with them again. JB