Michael Gardner

A lifelong climber, Michael spent his childhood in the Teton Range of Wyoming, the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, and the Himalayas. He came to AMS in 2014 and currently guides Denali expeditions and instructs mountaineering courses for the school. He holds an impressive resume of big mountain and technical climbs, including the fourth ascent of the Fathers and Son’s Wall on Denali, the Goat’s Beard Grade 5 ice climb in Washington State, and Mera Peak in Nepal, where at 10 years old he accomplished a complete snowboard descent. Along with his work for AMS, Michael guided in Grand Teton National Park and has taught at the Khumbu Climbing Center in Nepal as a lead mountaineering instructor. A professional mountain skier and avid skateboarder, Michael travels extensively as a professional athlete with Arc’teryx.