At New River Mountain Guides, our guides are accomplished climbers who are chosen based on their expertise, knowledge of the area, friendliness and the ability to teach. They take their profession seriously, are committed to excellence and proud of the line of work they have chosen. You'll find that their professional approach and warm personalities makes for a rewarding experience. Simply stated, our guides truly set us apart from the rest.
All trip leaders are at minimum certified American Mountain Guide Association-Single Pitch Instructors. To learn more about this certification and why you should expect this from your guide, please check the Top 10 Reasons to hire an AMGA Climbing Guide.
Elaina Arenz-Smith, Owner NRMG
Elaina Arenz-Smith
--AMGA Certified Rock Instructor 2011 --Warrior's Way Certified Instructor 2011 --AMGA Single Pitch Instructor 2006-2011 --AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Provider Training Course 2009 --Outdoor Emergency Care Technician 2008
Elaina is the owner of New River Mountain Guides and has pursued climbing as a career for 17 years. She's traveled all over the North America and Europe, and was instrumental in establishing El Potrero Chico, Mexico as a premiere climbing destination in northern Mexico. She's competed in national climbing competitions, established numerous first female ascents across North America, and is sponsored by Evolv Climbing Shoes and Sterling Rope.
Elaina believes strongly in the importance of being a well rounded climber and it shows in her climbing technique and footwork. She loves all forms of rock climbing...sport, trad, and bouldering and has recently developed an affinity for ice climbing but we won't hold that against her.
She is an ACCESS FUND ATHLETE AMBASSADOR, a core of professional climbers who publicly represent The Access Fund and reinforce it's mission of keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment. In 2001 she was awarded the Sharp End Award by The Access Fund for her outstanding contribution to climbers’ advocacy. Today she serves on the Board of Directors of her local climbing organization the New River Alliance of Climbers and is one of the main organizing members of the New River Rendezvous, one of the most highly touted climbing events in the country 9 years running.
Married to Kurt Smith in 2001, their love of climbing and travel which has taken them all over North America, Mexico, and Europe. When not on the rock Elaina also enjoys snowboarding, trail running with her dogs, mountain biking and yoga.
Born: 1974 Hometown: Fayetteville, WV Occupation: Owner New River Mountain Guides & Graphic Designer Education: BS in Advertising-The University of Texas at Austin 1997 Recommended Routes at the New: The Spectre, Burning Calves, Under the Milkyway, Springboard, Toxic Hueco, Disturbance Favorite Climbing Areas: "The New, Red, Joshua Tree, Hueco Tanks and whichever crag I happen to be climbing at"
Jeffrey and his girlfriend Bonnie, the dynamic duo
Jeffrey Hearn
--AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, 2010-present --Wilderness First Responder, CPR
Jeff Hearn is an American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor and Wilderness First Responder who hails from Cleveland, Ohio. Jeff has been climbing for over ten years and his favorite style of climbing is crack climbing. When he was younger he was active with the Boys Scouts of America and has worked their summer camps and other functions through the years. While obtaining a degree in Mechanical Engineering at Toledo, Ohio, he led climbing trips for the outdoor club to climbing areas in the surrounding states. Even though he has climbed in many other states and New Zealand, the New River Is still his favorite. 2012 is Jeff's second season working for New River Mountain Guides, and he has already impressed us with his patient teaching approach and his ability to relate to people of all ages. When he is not spending his summer in West Virginia, he works with his family operating their Plumbing and HVAC company.
Born: 1986 Homestate: Ohio Occupation: Head Guide Education: BS in Mechanical Engineering
Recommended Routes at the New: Jeff loves cracks of all sizes, the more spiders the better.
Tracy Martin
--AMGA Certified Rock Instructor, 2011 --Wilderness First Responder, CPR --Certified Warrior's Way Trainer 2011
Tracy has been climbing since 1990 and enjoys learning, teaching and sharing skills and experiences with others. She enjoys traditional climbing foremost, but doesn’t mind clipping a bolt every now and then. She believes the challenges and rewards climbing offers have enhanced her life with improved self confidence, appreciation for simplicity, and a desire for growth.
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Tracy is an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor. She divides her time guiding at the New River Gorge, WV and Brevard, NC, has a BFA from UNC Greensboro, and operates her own business in Asheville as a Graphic Designer and Pet Portrait Artist.
She enjoys bacon and grits for breakfast everyday, with a weekly Dr Pepper fix. When she's not climbing bold trad lines, and sharing her love of climbing with others, you can find her hanging out with Calico, her kitty cat, and creating cool pieces of artwork.
Born: Not Sayin!
Homestate: North Carolina
Occupation: Head Guide and Graphic Artist
Education: Bachelor of Fine Arts
Recommended Routes at the New: Stuck in Another Dimension, Leave it to Jesus
Stephen Hedgecock our Native Son, Photo by Dan Brayack
Steve Hedgecock --AMGA Single Pitch Instructor --First Aid, CPR Steve
is a local standout who will keep you in stitches while out at
the crag. He's been with NRMG for the past four years and is a patient instructor who always gets rave reviews and
will make you want to come back for more. He's constantly fueled on RedBull and his energy and psych level for climbing is infectious. On his days off you can usually find him climbing out at Whipperwill on Summersville Lake.
Born:1978 Homestate:West Virginia Occupation:Head Guide Recommended Routes at the New:Technarete, The Diddler, Two Bag Face, Promised, First Strike, Smooth Operator, Flyin Hawaiian, Bible Belt
Mike Williams working the FA of another project
Mike Williams --AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, 2007-present --Wilderness First Responder --Author of New River Gorge Rock Climbs, Wolverine Press 2010 --Editor Dead Point Magazine 2010-present
"Mikey" has been with New River Mountain Guides for the past five seasons and
has developed a loyal following of clients. Not only is he the strongest climber at the New River Gorge, (though you'd never hear it from him), he's low-key, witty, and way down to earth. Mike just finished writing a comprehensive climbing guide to the New River Gorge, published by Wolverine Press. There's nobody that knows the area better than this guy.Buy Guidebook
Last year Mike
quietly ticked off some of the hardest routes in the Gorge including the fourth ascent of Mango Tango 5.14a, and sent Proper Soul 5.14a and is currently making progress on his "Super-Proj" which he hopes to send before Sharma comes back to town and scoops him on it. He's sponsored by Black Diamond, Scarpa Shoes and is on the product testing team for Outdoor Research.
Born: 1978 Homestate: South Carolina Occupation: Head Guide Education: Wilderness Leadership & Experiential Education--Brevard College 2001 Recommended Routes at the New: The Sportster, Dissonance, Slash & Burn, Thieves in the Temple, The Shining, White Lightning, Thunderstruck, Sacrilege
Arno Ilgner-Warriors Way
Arno Ilgner
--Warriors Way Founder, Guest NRMG Guide -AMGA Single Pitch Instructor 2010
Arno Ilgner distinguished himself as a pioneering rock climber in the 1970s and 80s, when the top climbs were bold and dangerous first ascents. These personal exploits are the foundation for Ilgners unique physical and mental training program The Warrior’s Way. In 1995, after a thorough search of the literature and practice of mental training and the great warrior traditions, Ilgner formalized his methods, founded the Desiderata Institute, and began teaching his program full time. Since then, he has helped hundreds of students sharpen their awareness, focus attention, and understand their athletic (and life) challenges within a coherent, learning-based philosophy of intelligent risk-taking. Ilgner considers the joy and satisfaction in the effort, the journey, intimately linked to successful attainment of goals, the destination. Alumni of his courses now include some of the nation’s most prominent climbers.
Ilgner has run clinics in the north- and southeastern U.S, to California, Canada, Australia and the U.K. He has worked with young competition climbers and written national magazine articles based on his methods. He holds a BA in geology, spent several years operating his own geological consulting firm in the Wyoming oil fields, acted as Chief Financial Officer for an industrial tool distribution company, attended the Army Ranger School, and served a non-combat tour of duty in Korea. He currently resides with his family near Nashville, Tennessee.
