Guides

The Guide Staff at SMG is a diverse, skilled, and fun group of individuals. Their common bond is a pure passion for being in the mountains and sharing that desire with friends, both old and new. Our first priority is always safety, yours and ours. We strongly believe in providing the highest level of service and quality of experience while climbing Mt. Shasta. We are local professionals and are committed to your safety and enjoyment. SMG is the original guide service on Mt. Shasta and we are on the mountain daily. We specialize in Mt. Shasta and the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Join us for a trip of your lifetime!

Chris Carr

Chris Carr SMG Director. Chris has lived in and climbed on Mt. Shasta since 1995. In 2003 Chris and Jennifer became owners of SMG. As a climber and guide he is inspired by the beauty and scale of Mt. Shasta.  ”The greatest joy of my role at SMG is the remarkable people I get to meet; both our climbers and our guides, I am surrounded by amazing people doing amazing things.” With over 145 summits, countless ski descents, an AIARE Avalanche Educator, AMGA trained, WFR, LNT certified; no one has more experience on Mt. Shasta. Chris’ role is in the general operations of Shasta Mountain Guides. Going strong after 17 seasons on the mountain Chris is still immeasurably stoked for the next powder day, and now sharing it with his 3 year old daughter.

Jennifer Carr

Jennifer Carr SMG Director. Jenn, a California native, began climbing in the early 90′s in the Sierra Nevada and Yosemite Valley with her brother. Her love of the mountains led to guiding on Mt. Shasta in 1998.  In 2003 she became owner and is involved in the daily operations of the company. “I am drawn to the Mountains for the sheer joy I experience in wild terrain. Sharing that joy with others is why I started guiding.” Having summited Mt. Shasta 50+ times Jenn is  an EMT, WFR, LNT certified and has completed the AIARE I-III course work.

Rich Meyer

Rich Meyer Special Operations/Senior Guide. Rich started guiding on Mt. Shasta in 2000 and has over a dozen years of experience guiding clients to mountain peaks around the world. His specialties include Skiing, Climbing and Avalanche Education. Rich can be found leading trips from the summit of Denali to the volcanoes of Ecuador and runs a professional program in everything he does. He has over 100 summits of Mt. Shasta and facilitates SMG’s Guide Training, Special Events and Avalanche Seminars. A dedicated backcountry skier and Avalanche educator he is AIARE, WFR, LNT certified, AMGA trained.

Dave Miller

Dave Miller Technical Director/Senior Guide. Dave is a certified mountain guide in alpine climbing, rock climbing & ski mountaineering through the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) as well as a UIAGM/IFMGA internationally certified mountain guide in all disciplines.  Dave has been climbing and exploring the mountains of California for over thirty five years. He has worked as a mountain guide in rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering and ski mountaineering throughout California, Europe, Mexico and South America for the past ten years. Dave is the owner of California Alpine Guides as well as SMG’s Technical Director and works full time as a climbing guide in the field. Dave is known for his backcountry culinary skill and enjoys the creative outlet of cooking a great meal while in the field. He believes flexibility is key to any mountain adventure and is always willing to change objectives to suit your goals and abilities.

Keith Potts

Keith Potts Senior Guide, Office Manager. Keith has been guiding since 2002 and has been climbing and skiing its slopes since 1989. With over 100 summits, he has intimate knowledge of the mountain and its surrounding backcountry. He has traveled extensively; climbing, skiing, cycling in close to 40 countries in search of beauty, solitude and good food. Keith is the director of the Friends of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center, a professional telemark ski instructor, Avalanche Level 2 certified, WFR, and is a weather nerd in his spare time. But mostly, he just loves to ski.

Dane Brinkley

Dane Brinkley Senior Guide, Winter Program Manager. Dane’s been guiding for SMG since 2003. He works extensively on Mt Shasta in the spring and summer teaching glacier seminars and guiding summit climbs on every major route. Dane’s been to the summit of Shasta over 70 times and has skied from the summit more than 20 times. He’s also guided on North America’s highest peak, Denali, in Alaska where he’s served on three expeditions. His life is a reflection of his love of skiing. Dane is an experienced skier who’s resume’ includes ski descents throughout the Sierra Nevada Mountains, as well as the Cascades in Washington, Oregon, and California. He guides because to him there’s nothing better than sharing beauty and adventure with friends.

Eric Layton

Eric Layton Senior Guide. Eric grew up loving the mountains . Originally from Southern California, he soon moved to Lake Tahoe were he started to pursue climbing & snowboarding. During the summer months you can find him guiding on Mt. Shasta and mountaineering throughout the Sierra Nevada. In the winter Eric heads to Canada with his splitboard, guiding powder skiing and pursuing his Canadian Guide Certification. Eric started guiding professionally in 2007. His passion and expertise for mountaineering and backcountry snowboarding has led him to work as a ski guide for Shasta Mountain Guides,  H2o Heli Guides in Alaska, California Alpine Guides, and Baldface Guides in the Kootenays.

Rich Graziano

Rich Graziano. The mountains and wild places have always been an important part of Rich’s life. This led him to begin working as a guide in 2005.  He has spent many years climbing and exploring the high and wild places in such locales as the Grand Tetons, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, the east Sierra Nevada, Colorado and Scotland.  In addition to his work for Shasta Mountain Guides, Rich is a lead climbing and trekking guide for California Alpine Guides as well as a full-time philosophy professor at Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA.  He is an American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) certified Single Pitch Instructor, is WFR and AIARE I certified and working toward the AMGA’s full certification as an Alpine Guide.