The mission of MountainGeist is to provide immersive adventure experiences off the beaten path through the capable hands of expert local guides. Our ultimate goal is to instill a sense of ‘awe’ in each of our adventurers through “the spirit of the mountains”.
We also hold true that all worthwhile experiences must be earned! All of our experiences will involve some degree of physical effort which will culminate in a unique, fulfilling and memorable adventure experience.
“MountainGeist” Inspiration
“Geist” is the spirit or essence of a thing, and hence, “MountainGeist” expresses and encapsulates “the spirit of the mountains” which we infuse in all of our experiences.
The Company and Its Unique Location
MountainGeist is an adventure tourism company located in the historic Gold County town of Murphys, CA. Murphys is situated in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range along the Highway 4 corridor with perhaps the easiest and least crowded access to the majestic High Sierras! Murphys lies in the heart of the Mother Lode Region which offers an unrivalled combination of history, culture and adventure. Murphys, the “Queen of the Sierra”, has been listed amongst the best small towns in America to visit and offers many festivals, events and a wide range of entertainment including over 20 wine tasting rooms on its historic Main Street. Come to Murphys for the wine, but stay for the adventure!
MountainGeist offer a wide range of activities, tours, and events that provides unique and active experiences tailored to families, adventure seekers, mature travelers and groups. We can ratchet the level of adventure according to what you seek, from an easy hike to a spectacular overlook to an integrated wilderness adventure!
In collaboration with our affiliate partners, MountainGeist also offers full-service corporate offsite planning which provides a combination of active team bonding, time for strategic discussions integrated with an intimate Murphys’ experience with local winemakers and local entertainment.
The Founder
MountainGeist owner and founder, Steve Shields, is a long-time local resident of Murphys, CA with an immense and contagious passion for the outdoors. Steve has over twenty-five years of experience in leading outdoors activities and instructing outdoor skills to first responders such as search and rescue, law enforcement and ski patrol. Specialty areas of his instruction include mountain travel, wilderness first aid, avalanche safety, mountain rescue, rope access, orienteering, snow camping, survival and more. Steve is an active member of the search and rescue (SAR) community and has spent 20-years as a senior ski patroller. Steve is also a passionate outdoor enthusiast with a long resume of climbing Yosemite big walls, technical rock climbing, alpine mountaineering and trans-Sierra ski tours under his belt.
Steve is passionate about personal growth through the challenge of outdoor endeavors. All of MountainGeist activities attempt to provide our Adventurers with a degree of personal growth and learning through the spirit of the mountains!
