Jessica Olson (aka JO) was born and raised in San Diego, where her love for climbing took off. She was introduced to the sport by some friends who took her out to climb at Mt. Lemmon while attending University of Arizona. It wasn’t until she came back to the states after traveling abroad for 8 months, that she truly started to shape her life around climbing. Moving back to San Diego, JO started working at the local climbing gym in 2014 and over the course of 3 years learned the ins and outs of the climbing lifestyle.

Having found a passion for teaching youth, JO wanted to take the classroom outside, to where her dreams continued to grow. After acquiring her SPI in 2016, she started to seek outlets that would allow her to develop as a guide. She built out her small SUV and hit the road, making her way to Alaska for a summer of guiding. While living on the road, Jo has traveled across the country in the pursuit of adventure, finding joy in the Eastern Sierra, Washington Pass, Squamish, Deserts of Utah, and out east in Tennessee and Kentucky. Since moving away from San Diego, she has been guiding primarily in the Pacific Northwest and throughout California, furthering her love for teaching others how to become self sufficient climbers. Jo is currently based in the heart of the Eastern Sierra, in the small mountain town of Bishop, CA.

JO is our Ladies Weekend Out Lead Guide and Programs Manager, an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide, Single Pitch Instructor, and Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician.

Ladies Weekend Out Lead Guide & Programs Manager

AMGA Apprentice Alpine & Rock Guide

AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician

Samie found her love for climbing after college back east in Virginia. Her mentors took her to places like the Red River Gorge, the New River Gorge and Seneca Rocks. She knew immediately that this was the path for her and moved to Washington state to be closer to the big mountains. Since then she has climbed all over the US. Her favorite spots include the North Cascades, Red Rock and Rocky Mountain National Park. She gravitates towards trad and alpine climbing, but you can find her sport climbing, bouldering and ice climbing too!

Samie is an AMGA Apprentice Alpine, Rock and Ice Climbing Guide, pursuing both Rock and Alpine disciplines. Her passion lies in mentoring and teaching; empowering others through skills and efficiencies. She is also a WFR and LNT Trainer. She is currently located in Estes Park, CO, but lives part time in her van so she can guide all over the West!

Ladies Weekend Out Rock, Alpine, & Ice Climbing Guide

AMGA Apprentice Alpine, Rock, & Ice Climbing Guide

Certified Single Pitch Instructor

Wilderness First Responder

Emma Norton (she/her) grew up along the New Hampshire seacoast, where she was able to explore the sandy beaches and unassumingly rugged mountains of the Northeast. As a teenager, Emma found a love for climbing, hiking, and cycling, but it wasn’t until her time as student at Middlebury College in Vermont that she discovered a real love for the backcountry. While earning a degree in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Emma made sure to explore alternative learning styles and opportunities for outdoor education. Finding that these types of experiences were the most personally fulfilling and valuable, Emma decided to pursue outdoor leadership as a career path and made use of her skills to guide backpacking trips in the White Mountains, Green Mountains, Olympic Mountains, and North Cascades. Ultimately, it was the Sierra Nevada that really captivated Emma. She now splits her time between Mammoth Lakes, CA and the Yosemite Area, where she spends her time skiing, climbing, backpacking, cycling, and being outside as often as possible! Aside from spending time outdoors, Emma enjoys cooking, moving mindfully, collecting fun hats, and reading anything she can get her hands on.

Emma holds the belief that that the outdoors should be an accessible, inspirational, and educational space for everyone. She carries this belief with her as a guide, utilizing it to forge meaningful connections with guests, to share love for the natural and cultural history of the land, and to create safe, fun, and worthwhile trips for all!

Ladies Weekend Out Backpacking Guide

Wilderness First Responder

Paloma grew up in Seattle, Washington where she discovered her passion for the mountains through family backpacking and climbing trips in the Cascades. In 2017 she traveled to South America and fell in love with the granite towers of Patagonia. Since then she has split her time between Patagonia, Chile and the US. Paloma spends as much time as possible climbing and some of her favorite areas are Patagonia, the Peruvian Andes, the Cascades, Indian Creek, the Wind River Range, and the High Sierra. Her favorite type of climbing is big wall alpine climbing but Paloma also enjoys single pitch trad and sport climbing, bouldering and ice climbing. When Paloma isn’t pursuing her own climbing goals she finds fulfillment in sharing her passion with others and teaching the skills necessary to be self-sufficient in the mountains. She is a certified AMGA Rock Guide, Apprentice Alpine Guide, Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Avalanche Level 1, and Leave No Trace Trainer.

Ladies Weekend Out Rock & Alpine Guide

AMGA Certified Rock Guide

Wilderness First Responder

Born in the French Alps, raised in the Southern Sierras, my infatuation with the outdoors began at an early age. My grandparents used to take me for long adventures in the alps with my cousins and since then I have always felt the call to escape into the mountains.

Since 2007, I have been teaching yoga, acroyoga, and Thai massage. As well as an abundance in community and human connection, my path has been enriched by teaching and learning from various disciplines with many master teachers around the world. I love to travel and speak English, French and Spanish. In parallel to these stunts abroad, in 2013 I began organizing outdoor campout retreats under the name of Yoga Squirrels. In 2015 after discovering Tuolumne with an AAC stewardship event, I began climbing and incorporating this practice into our retreats, forging a community of like minded individuals who like to play outside, enjoy the simple life, and revel in the magic of our human nature and pacha mama.

Now as I build a home in Bishop, I have focused more on these yoga, climbing and adventure retreats as well as teaching and sharing Thai massage. Acrobatics and rock climbing feed my playful nature and desire to connect to others and feel strong in my body and mind. Thai massage and yoga feed my meditative soul and the profound need for healing, softness, and slowing down.

If you’ve ever met me you may have noticed I love to get up high and go upside down. My favorite days are when I'm on a multi day adventure in the alpine. And though I seek out variety in my work as well as my personal life, what I love most is to gather people in nature, inspire them to move and play through diverse practices and to include an element of introspection and connection with one another in everything I do.

SPI and Apprentice Rock Guide

Yoga & AcroYoga Teacher

Thai massage

Krystina fell in love with climbing after joining the high school team at age 14. She would spend the bulk of the next 15 years in pursuit of sharing her newfound passion. Working with NOLS as a Wilderness Rock Tier 2 Instructor, Krystina seized the opportunity to work across the western United States. Krystina is now an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AIARE I Certified, and a Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator. She has guided people in places such as Cirque of the Towers, Cochise Stronghold, Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, and the high alpine ridges of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Her favorite part of guiding is watching her guests safely expand their skill set and adventure in the outdoors.

Krystina is also a graphic designer and teaches watercolor and oil painting. Her happiest place is at the summit of a multi-pitch climb, sketchbook in hand.

Ladies Weekend Out Rock Guide

AMGA Certified Rock Guide

Wilderness First Responder

Jo grew up on the east coast and began climbing in The Shawangunk Mountains (aka “The Gunks”) as a teenager. She has been hiking and rock climbing for over 20 years all around the United States, Canada, and Europe. Her favorite place to climb and go on hiking adventures is the Eastern Sierra, where she lives most of the year. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder, holds an AIARE Avalanche Level 1 certificate, and has been trained by the AMGA as an Apprentice Rock Guide. Jo loves guiding clients and sharing her love of the outdoors with them.

Ladies Weekend Out Rock Guide

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide

Wilderness First Responder