Cathedral Mountain Guides

Cathedral Mountain Guides www.cathedralmountainguides.com From your first day to your best day, we're here to help.

Cathedral Mountain Guides is a year round rock climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering guides service based out of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Our namesake, Cathedral Ledge, is the epicenter of New Hampshire's long history of traditional climbing, whether its summer rock routes on perfect granite, or some of the countries best ice and mixed climbing. With many years of experience and days out in the mountains we're here to take you climbing.

While our custom, private-style guiding and coaching remain at the heart of what we do, we’re excited to expand our seas...
04/08/2026

While our custom, private-style guiding and coaching remain at the heart of what we do, we’re excited to expand our seasonal offerings to include public instructional courses. Our goal is to create opportunities for people to connect, offer a more accessible price point, and take part in a wicked fun, engaging, and collaborative learning environment.

Inspired by the low-ratio model we value so highly, each program will be capped at just four participants. This small group size allows us to provide plenty of hands-on instruction, deliver high-quality coaching and personalized feedback, and still share the crag with other members of the climbing community.

The Trad Leader Course & Sport Climbing Seminar are $415/person.
Intro to Rock days are $205/person.

Get in touch and let’s get out!

My kit is packed to go rock climbing but it’s currently snowing outside. The forecast promises sunshine for the day ahe...
04/06/2026

My kit is packed to go rock climbing but it’s currently snowing outside. The forecast promises sunshine for the day ahead but the dusting of fresh snow lays down a little nostalgia for the days behind. Both the snow and the memories will disappear as soon as the sun hits, but it’s nice to be reminded of just how beautiful it all was.

While we certainly aren’t people to wish the fall away, we know that things are changing. Winter comes and goes in the ...
10/30/2025

While we certainly aren’t people to wish the fall away, we know that things are changing. Winter comes and goes in the blink of an eye and so we’re here going the extra mile to be ready for it. Once it arrives, we want to be able to hit the ground running!

While this season will still mostly be focused on our classic private guiding style, we are also putting together a handful of group options for folks. Some will be more educational while others will be more experiential. All will be awesome! Check them out and get in touch if you’d like to register or ask any questions.

Steep Ice Seminar: January 24th & 25th; February 17th & 18th.
Ice Leader Course: January 9th & 10th.
Intro to Ice Days: December 28th, January 18th, February 15th, March 7.

Amazing photo by .

It’s been a great October. Filled with beautiful weather and amazing folks, we climbed stacks of classic routes, coached...
10/24/2025

It’s been a great October. Filled with beautiful weather and amazing folks, we climbed stacks of classic routes, coached movement and technical skills, and worked with an impressive group of candidates on an Single Pitch Instructor Exam.

We’re lucky to live and work in such an incredible climbing area that boasts such phenomenal rock, such a variety of climbing styles, and such a great climbing community.

If you can keep chasing the sun, there’ll be plenty to do here in New Hampshire for a few more weeks. But for us, canyon country beckons. We’re headed to Utah for a few weeks of guiding and personal time. We’ll see you when there’s ice to climb!

Our version of leaf peeping.The Flatiron and The Eaglet, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire.
10/07/2025

Our version of leaf peeping.

The Flatiron and The Eaglet, Franconia Notch, New Hampshire.

Netanis Perch, Chain of Ponds, NW Maine. We found no cell phone signal, very few people, some chalky holds, lots of loo...
10/02/2025

Netanis Perch, Chain of Ponds, NW Maine. We found no cell phone signal, very few people, some chalky holds, lots of loon calls, and tons of lakes and ponds and mountains. Gritty rock, dreamy natural lines, and an absolutely gorgeous setting that offers great camping nearby. If you like 5.9 - 5.11 crack climbing, this place is a true gem of New England climbing.

Huge shout out to from the for bringing this place into the modern era and to the local crew who is doing an awesome job of taking care of the place today.

The area is very sunny and sheltered, so these cooler fall days are perfect. Pack up your car and go!



Armed with pitons from Great Pacific Ironworks, a hammer, and a carabiner full of new-to-the-scene nuts, Seth climbed ex...
06/07/2025

Armed with pitons from Great Pacific Ironworks, a hammer, and a carabiner full of new-to-the-scene nuts, Seth climbed extensively in California as a teenager. He received formal instruction through the Sierra Club and then ventured out on his own, spending summers in Yosemite’s famed Camp 4 and climbing some of the more impressive walls of the era, such as the NW Face of Half Dome and Lost Arrow Spire. He then took a 40 year break from climbing. A few years ago, he picked it back up - with one of his original partners, nonetheless! These days, the two of them return to the Sierra Nevada for summer climbing trips and the arc of his climbing has come full circle. Last year, while climbing Surrealistic Pillar and Corrugation Corner at Lover’s Leap, he realized that maybe he should put a little more effort into understanding these fancy cam things and decided to reach out to us for a couple of days of instruction.

This year, Seth and his partner and aiming for the South Face of Charlotte Dome - a massive, remote 5.8 in the Sierra backcountry that is said to be “one of the world’s finest rock climbs”. With that in mind, CMG put together a two-day, customized Rock Leader Course that focused on modern trad climbing skills, updated multipitch strategies, and - of course - those fancy cam things!






The desert isn’t on the docket this spring. We’re excited for everything else that we’re doing this April but we’re also...
04/09/2025

The desert isn’t on the docket this spring. We’re excited for everything else that we’re doing this April but we’re also missing times like these: mind-blowing moments of simple and profound beauty.

It’s a silly thing - this pursuit - but damn is it incredible! Fortunately, we don’t have to stay away for too long. We’ll be back in the fall.

In the meantime, we better all keep a watchful eye out. It’s not only people that they’re going after, it’s the land too.

Style matters.A couple of youngsters, .grant.simmons and , looking less wrecked than they feel after climbing a route bi...
03/31/2025

Style matters.

A couple of youngsters, .grant.simmons and , looking less wrecked than they feel after climbing a route bigger than anything they had ever seen before.

No one knows how, but somehow they did actually did pretty darn okay that day.

2011, Valle Cochamó.

We have been having a ball of a winter! Cold days, blue ice, deep snow…. So good!But as we roll into the second half of...
02/18/2025

We have been having a ball of a winter! Cold days, blue ice, deep snow…. So good!

But as we roll into the second half of February, we know that the sun is starting to set on the ice climbing season. It’s always amazing how fast it goes by. In recent years, we have really only been climbing ice in the lower elevations for the first week or so of March. Fortunately, this year the ice is so healthy in many places that it is likely to be quite resilient and hang on for a little while longer. However, there really isn’t that much time left and we’ll all be rock climbing here in no time. Don’t forget to get out and experience winter while you can!

While you’re out there, keep in mind that winter, public lands, and peoples’ rights and abilities to live fully are all under attack right now. We believe that winter climbing can be a productive part of the resistance. We strive to engage with and love deeply those things that some are attempting to de-value and take away from us. We aim to stand up for them, to celebrate them, and share the joy that they provide.
Damn good photos by the great !

Address

2686 White Mountain Highway. Norcross Place/Lower Level
North Conway, NH
03860

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 7am - 8pm
Thursday 7am - 8pm
Friday 7am - 8pm
Saturday 9am - 8pm
Sunday 7am - 8pm

Telephone

+16037309007

Website

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