“I have been fortunate to have spent the last 23 years of my life climbing at one of the Northeasts most pristine climbing areas, The Shawangunks mountain range.

For the last 14 of those 23 years I have had the privilege of working as a guide for the longest running guide service on the Mohonk Preserve, HighXposure Adventures Inc., formerly High Angle, founded by Jon Ross in 1974. We are proud to say that we're celebrating our 45th year of business. The last 19 years that I have spent guiding here have been some of the most rewarding years of my life.

As your ambassador to the "Gunks" it's my aim to make sure that every HighXposure client has the best possible climbing experience of their life. I truly enjoy meeting new people, sharing my climbing knowledge, and showing you all the beauty this wonderful area has to offer. I look forward to climbing and guiding here for many more years to come.”

“Back in the day, I used to teach public high school in Philadelphia. During the summers I was part of an Adventure Based Counseling team that worked with inner-city High School students. Rock Climbing was one of the many venues we used to mentor and develop these young teens. I became obsessed with the sport.

I was so infatuated, that I left my job, got rid of all my positions, packed up my little car, and headed to New York, specifically the Gunks. I moved into my tent and began living the dream! I started guiding fulltime in 1998. For the next 6 years I spent my winters guiding in El Potrero, Mexico and the rest of the season guiding at the gunks. I have guided and climbed all over the country and have had the opportunity to spend a month in France on two separate occasions.

I love teaching and I love climbing. How fortunate I am to share my passion with others! I love taking out beginners. Sharing the experience of someone's first time on rock, first time doing multipitch, first rappel is completely gratifying and exciting. My delight at other people's discovery of Rock Climbing confirms that I am leading the life I was meant to live. Alright, I know it sounds corny but it is true. My philosophy on guiding is to teach technique and skills that allow the climber to work their way up a route making their own decisions and solving their own puzzles.

In 2005 I began working fulltime at The United States Military Academy. I work in the Department of Physical Education teaching Rock Climbing and Military Movement. I am also the assistant coach of the USMA Competitive Climbing Team, and the coach of the West Point Recreational Climbing Team.

I am passionate about my job. I am blessed that every single day, I have the opportunity to teach, inspire and interact with the future leaders of this great country.”

Education

• MA, Curriculum and Instruction, University of Phoenix, 2006-2007
• BS, Health and Physical Education, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, 1989-1991

Project Adventure

• Adventure Programming
• Adventure Based Counseling (ABC)
• Train the Trainer (advanced ABC)
• Executive Reach - the course focused on creating adventure workshops for business populations.

Certifications

• AMGA certified Rock Instructor
• AMGA certified Single Pitch (SPI) Instructor/Provider
• AMGA certified Climbing Wall (CWI) Instructor/Provider
• Wilderness First Responder
• United States Army
• Air borne and Air assault: GO ARMY!

Olivier has been climbing since 2003 and in the Gunks since 2005, where he learned to trad climb as a client of …High-Xposure! He is AMGA SPI certified, is NY DEC licensed for Rock Guiding and completed his AMGA rock guide course.

While the Gunks is the “home crag”, Olivier enjoys all things mountain including ice climbing and skiing, though rock climbing is certainly the main sport having climbed on four continents. He resides in PA with his family

Simeon is a licensed rock climbing guide, and a certified Wilderness First Responder who has been technical rock climbing since 1995 and has taught people how to climb and stay safe in the vertical world for the better part of twenty years. Simeon is active in several climbing coalitions throughout the northern continent and believes in protecting open space for future generations. You can find Simeon's name in guidebooks within the Red River Gorge, Kentucky, Mount Charleston, Nevada, Ralph Stover State Park in Bucks County Pennsylvania, the New River Gorge, West Virginia, and throughout Mexico including; El Potrero Chico, Peña de Bernal, and Aculco de Espinosa. Simeon learned to climb on traditional gear in the Delaware Water Gap, then moved onto the Gunks in 1996 which propelled him into a life as a climbing guide. Simeon considers himself firstly as a traditional climber even though the the majority of his route development is largely comprised in sport climbing areas.

My first outdoor climbing experience was guided by High Xposure’s own Sue Kligerman in 2000.

19 years later, my wife and I are avid rock and ice climbers and Gunks residents. Climbing has taken me around the country and around the world (Alaska, France, Switzerland, Sardinia, Malta, Canada) and allowed me to meet many amazing people.

I am active in the Adaptive climbing space and helped people of very different abilities to access the great sport of climbing.

Michael is a NY State Certified Tier 1 Rock and Ice Guide.