About Your Guides

Alpine Endeavors is proud to work with some of the most experienced and well rounded guides in the area. They are all alpinists at heart, enjoying and respecting the environment and climbing through all its seasons.

 

Marty Molitoris; Director
AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AMGA Advanced Alpine Guide Course Graduate, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician, AIARE Level II Avalanche Graduate, Leave No Trace Master Educator, General Class Amateur Radio Operator -KC2IZD, Eagle Scout

Marty began climbing in 1988, and guiding in 1991. His first visit to the Gunks was during Columbus Day weekend in 1990. After a good number of return visits, he began guiding here in the fall of 1995 commuting (from his hometown in PA) for work until moving here in 1997. During the season of 1997, he worked part time at Rock and Snow until becoming a Level One Certified Rock Guide in October. From then on, he has guided full-time and considers himself lucky to be able to make a career out of guiding. He has shared the experience of climbing with many guests at many different locations throughout the country - some guests have climbed with him regularly for over 14 years. Over that time they have swapped leads, shared experiences, grown friendships, and set future climbing goals. While he enjoys all types of climbing, he prefers the solitude, self-reliance, and commitment you gain from climbing traditional multi-pitch routes.

Marty strives to offer the most professional services possible, and continually works on improving his standards. He has been involved with the AMGA since 1993; participated in the Basic and Advanced Rock Guides courses, took two rock exams - Level One and Rock Guide, participated in both the Alpine and Advanced Alpine Guides courses, and continues to work toward his alpine and ski certifications. He is a member of the AMGA Accreditation Committee, and an instructor for their Top Rope Site Management Course. He is currently the only exam-certified rock guide residing and operating in New York State.

 

Ryan Stefiuk
AMGA Certified Rock Instructor, New York State Licensed Guide,
Wilderness First Responder

Ryan began climbing nine years ago while he was still in high school. He had no idea then that later on he would shape his entire life around climbing. He enjoys all types of climbing; rock, ice, aid, and mountaineering. He has climbed all over the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and looks forward to climbing at other locations around the world.

He became a guide three years ago because he wanted to share his love of climbing with others, and he wanted to make sure that people were learning to climb safely. He is an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor and is currently working towards his Alpine certification. He loves to climb and loves being a member of the small climbing community. He hopes to see you at the cliffs or in the mountains!

 

Mike Rawdon
AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Aid

Mike grew up in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains and began hiking with his father at an early age. As he grew up, he enjoyed the peace that the woods offered and often found relief from life's challenges there. By age 18, he climbed the 46 highest peaks in the Adirondacks. While in college, rock climbing supplemented backpacking as his favorite pastime. After graduation he moved to the Hudson Valley (over 26 years ago) and the Gunks became his "home crag". A chemist by training, with both industrial and academic experience, he appreciates the problem-solving nature of the sport as well as the technical nature of the various gear systems employed. His motto is, "A lousy day ice or rock climbing beats a good day behind a desk."

 

Joe Vitti
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, AMGA Rock Instructor Course Graduate, New York State Licensed Guide, New York State Emergency Medical Technician, Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Master Educator
 
Joe has been climbing for over twenty years. He started on the crags near his folks' house in central Connecticut as a teenager. The physical and mental challenges and camaraderie of the sport provided a positive outlet for the abundant and often wild energy of his youth.

Joe has climbed all over the country. He has done routes in twenty states from Texas to Wyoming and California to Maine. He has climbed extensively in Colorado where he lived for ten years including routes on The Diamond on Longs Peak and climbs throughout Rocky Mountain National Park. He enjoys all aspects of climbing; bouldering, sport, trad, snow, ice and especially long alpine free climbs.  He is also an avid snowboarder, trail runner and  swimming hole aficionado.

Joe feels fortunate to have had strong mentors who stressed safety, friendship and respect for the environment.  He is happy to return that favor by working hard to provide a positive experience for all of his guests. 

 

Peter Doucette
AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AMGA Advanced Alpine Course Graduate, AMGA Ski Guide Course Graduate, Wilderness First Responder, Mountain Instructor for The National Outdoor Leadership School, Leave No Trace Master Educator, AIARE (avalanche training) Level I and II. Licensed New York State Guide. B.S. Degree in Education from the University of Maine, Orono.

Peter began his career in the outdoors as a mountaineering instructor in Wyoming’s Wind River Range for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in the summer of ’98. Alternately working for NOLS and as a lead instructor in the Maine Bound Program at the University of Maine, he developed his skills and depth of experience on rock, ice, and snow. Since then he has worked for Acadia Mountain Guides in Maine, International Mountain Climbing School in North Conway, NH and Sierra Mountain Guides based in CA.

Personal climbing has included lengthy trips all over the western United States Italian Dolomites, Canadian Rockies, Coast Range in British Columbia, Swiss Alps including first ascents of ice routes in the Sichuan Province of China, and most recently, Alaska where he, Ben Gilmore, and Freddie Wilkinson climbed the first ascent of Mount Foraker’s Fin Wall.

“Climbing, for me, is as much about who I’m climbing with as what or where I’m climbing. Though I find it inspiring to travel and “explore steepness” the most influential element in any climbing experience is who it’s shared with.”

 

Silas Rossi
AMGA Certified Rock Guide, AMGA Advanced Alpine Course Graduate, AMGA Ski Guide Course Graduate, Wilderness First Responder, Leave No Trace Trainer, AIARE (avalanche training) Level I and II. Licensed New York State Guide. B.S. Degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Maine, Orono.

Silas began guiding in 2000 while a student at the University of Maine. Since then, he has focused much of his energy on the pursuit of IFMGA Certification, and is currently working through the AMGA guide training program. He has guided for Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School, where he also served as Climbing Manager, International Mountain Climbing School, and has now joined Alpine Endeavors for both the rock and ice seasons.

Silas has guided extensively in many of the rock and ice climbing areas in New York, Maine and New Hampshire, has guided several high altitude peaks in Ecuador, mountaineering trips in the Northern Cascades, alpine rock routes in the High Sierra, and has logged over 60 days of guiding on Maine’s highest point, Katahdin.

Personal trips have taken Silas throughout North America, exploring the miles of white granite in the High Sierra, the glaciated peaks of the Northern Cascades, endless vertical ice of the Canadian Rockies, and the rugged beauty of the Tetons and Rockies.

Some of Silas' favorite adventures include Mount Rainier's Liberty Ridge, a single push up the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome, Dark Star of Temple Crag, Resolution Arete in Red Rock, and the infamous Terminator of Alberta, Canada. This January, a little closer to home, a 10 hr effort at Lake Willoughby, including Who's Who in Outer Space, The Last Gentleman, The Promenade, and Twenty Below Zero Gully helped satisfy, at least temporarily, a craving for vertical ice.

 

Kevin Johnson
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, AMGA Rock Instructor Course Graduate, Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician, Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician. New York State DEC Licensed Guide,

In 1995, Kevin was introduced to rock climbing, in the Adirondack State Park. Kevin’s love for the outdoors began long before he discovered his passion for climbing. Rock climbing added a new dimension to Kevin’s relationship with the natural world. In 2002, Kevin began instructing rock climbing courses for The University of New Hampshire’s Outdoor Education program where he received his B.S. in Outdoor Education. Kevin loves teaching others how to rock climb and designed the curriculum and currently teaches a top rope rock climbing course offered at SUNY Oneonta. Kevin spent three years as the Assistant Director of The Clark Sport Center Adventure Programs in Cooperstown, NY, where he developed as both a teacher and a climber. He spent the summer of 2007 as a Rock Climbing Specialist and Instructor for the North Carolina Outward Bound School. Although he enjoyed spending time in North Carolina, climbing on beautiful granite, he is excited to be back in a place that feels so familiar.

Kevin took his AMGA Rock Instructor course in the spring of 2007, and plans to continue his education with the AMGA in the near future. He is excited to be guiding and instructing rock climbing courses in the Gunks.

“When we tug at a single thing in nature; we find it attached to the rest of the world.” John Muir (edited)

 

Paavo Thabit
AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, New York State Paramedic

Paavo started climbing in 1993 while between jobs working as a journalist in Brooklyn, NY. He was playing ultimate frisbee in Prospect Park and mentioned to a friend that he'd really like to learn to rock climb. That weekend he followed that person up Madame G, a classic in the Gunks, and has been hooked ever since.

He was born in Brooklyn, and grew up there, before spending four years in the US Navy. He attended Brooklyn College and studied Journalism and Philosophy. He worked as a journalist for five years, until in 1995, he quit the field to take the summer off to climb out west. He has climbed in a bunch of great areas on the east coast and in Canada, including Cannon cliffs, Cathedral and Whitehorse, Seneca, New River and Red River Gorge, West Virginia and Kentucky, Squamish and the Bugaboos.

These days he works as a paramedic and climbs as much as possible. He also enjoys taking pictures of the area, especially since he switched to a digital camera.

 

Taino Grosjean
AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Aid

Taino (or Tai, as he prefers) began climbing December 26, 2002 after promising an injured friend and longtime climber to partner up when he was back in shape; he had no idea that making the promise would change his life in such a dramatic fashion.  He was enthralled with the puzzle-like feeling of climbing. Figuring out how to get up the rock under his own power was (and still is) one of the greatest feelings ever, and he decided to learn as much as he could about climbing.  In the process, Tai has earned AMGA Top Rope Site Manager certification, a New York State Rock Guide license, and holds Red Cross certification in First Aid.

Tai grew up in the country and spends the majority of his free time outdoors, usually climbing.  A natural teacher, few things are more satisfying to him than introducing someone to something he loves so much, and watching them share the joy. Tai has climbed in six states, on three continents, and in four countries, but views the Gunks as his "home crag."

 

Bob Elsinger
AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, New York State Emergency Medical Technician

Bob started in the early 60’s backpacking and climbing all of the Northeast’s highest summits. These activities naturally led to him discover rock climbing in the Tetons and Gunks in the summer of 1969. Since then, he has enjoyed rock, ice, and alpine climbing in over 20 states and Canada.

Bob is a retired physical education teacher and coach from Long Island were he worked for 32 years. Since his retirement, he has been fortunate enough to move to the New Paltz area and work as a seasonal ranger at the Mohonk Preserve, guide for Alpine Endeavors, and volunteer as an EMT for the New Paltz Rescue Squad.

While guiding, Bob loves to share his experience, in-depth knowledge of the history of the area, and enthusiasm for rock and ice climbing with his guests.

 

Russ Clune
AMGA Certified Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, First Aid

Russ started climbing in 1977 while attending the University of Vermont, and has been a leading figure in Gunks climbing over the years. He’s done dozens of first ascents on the cliffs here, including many at Sky Top. He enjoys all aspects of rock climbing, from bouldering to big walls, and has climbed at a world-class level. Russ was the first American climber to participate in an international competition at Bardonecchia, Italy in 1985. He also competed in the former Soviet Union in 1986 in their speed climbing competition.

Russ is one of the most well-traveled rock climbers around, having climbed virtually everywhere throughout the States, as well as having done thousands of routes at hundreds of crags in over 35 countries on every continent except Antarctica.

After getting his Masters degree from Columbia University, Russ moved to California to work for Chouinard Equipment, and was a member of the buyout team that created Black Diamond Equipment. He moved back to this area in 1991, and he continues to work for Black Diamond as a sales representative.

 

Ian Guertin
AMGA Certified Top-Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Responder, Level 1 Avalanche Training, British Canoe Union Level 2 Kayak Coach

Ian grew up in Sutton, Massachusetts and graduated from Saint Michael's College in Vermont in 2007. An active participant in the Wilderness Program at St. Mike's, he was introduced to both rock and ice climbing early on and quickly fell in love with both. Ian enjoys all types of climbing and is also highly interested in the technical systems involved. He is thrilled to be able to use the skills he developed in college to guide in the Gunks.

 

Conor Driscoll
AMGA Certified Top-Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Responder

Conor started climbing in 1998 when his brother dragged him up his first climb at Crow Hill in Leominster MA. Conor was immediately hooked.

Conor currently attends Saint Michael's College in Vermont, and is an education and political science double major. Conor is also a student leader in the Saint Michael's Wilderness Program - were he leads rock climbing and ice climbing trips - which has afforded him the opportunity to get certified within the AMGA standards and expand his guiding opportunities. Conor loves the challenge, feel, and beauty of rock climbing, and enjoys sharing this experience with others.

Conor has climbed in Joshua Tree California, Mexico and the German and Austrian Alps, but considers the Northeast crags to be his home.

 

Joshua Cantor
AMGA Top Rope Site Manager, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Responder, Level I Avalanche Graduate, American Red Cross Lifeguard

Josh is a full-time student at Williams College (majoring in biology/environmental studies) who, away from classes, spends most of his time climbing and teaching climbing. He is the Williams Outing Club board president and runs the club’s rock and ice climbing programs.

As a former gymnast, pole-vaulter and diver, Josh enjoys the melding of the mental and physical aspects of all types of climbing. Coming from a family of educators, he became a guide in order to share his passion for climbing and the outdoors. Josh learned to climb in the ‘Gunks and is grateful to be able to work and play near his home in Orange County, NY. When not climbing around New Paltz, you can often find him enjoying the mountains in the Berkshires, Adirondacks, New Hampshire and the Red River Gorge, KY. He looks forward to enjoying a safe, exciting and educational day with you!

Myriam Bouchard
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, New York State Licensed Guide, Wilderness First Aid

A Montreal native, Myriam has been an outdoors enthusiast, hiking and backpacking mostly solo, for over 20 years. Some time after she moved to the Gunks, an area she immediately called home, she could see the cliffs from her living room window and wondered, despite her fear of heights, if she should try rock climbing, “just to see if she would like it”. That was in 1996 and she has been an avid climber since then, enjoying the physical challenge it entails, the emotional connection it brings with others and nature, and the mental peace she finds akin to Zen.

She has hiked, backpacked, and climbed in a dozen other areas in the east and west coasts of the US and Canada, including Nepal and Tibet, enjoying the beauty and the diversity of the landscape in each location.

The outdoors nurtures the physical and mental rejuvenation necessary to keep up with the pace of raising her two teens (both climbers), while also working as a business adviser and as a travel consultant. Consequently, she feels enthused in sharing this experience with others, who may, like her, make it a lifelong and enduring passion.

Myriam parle parfaitement le français.

 

Jon Crefeld
AMGA Certified Single Pitch Instructor, New York State Licensed Guide, First Aid

Info coming soon.....

 

 

For overnight reservations at Mohonk Mountain House , please call 1-800-772-6646 and specify your interest in rock climbing.