MEET OUR GUIDES
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.
Owner/Operator New River Mountain Guides and Chicks Climbing & Skiing
Testimonial:
Superb. She is knowledgeable, professional, organized, and very approachable. All perfect qualities for an instructor. --Rich S.
ELAINA
ARENZ
AMGA Certified Rock Guide
AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide
AMGA SPI Provider Trainer
Warriors Way Trainer
Wilderness First Responder
NRMG Owner-Operator
Elaina has been the owner/operator of New River Mountain Guides since 2002 when she bought the guide service which was established in 1994. She's an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, has 27 years of climbing experience, and has been working as a full-time climbing guide for 20 years. She spends half the year living and guiding in Red Rock, NV and her summers are spent at the New.
She's well versed in all forms of climbing, having redpointed 5.13 sport and 5.12 trad, climbed El Capitan, and ice climbs at the WI5/M9. She's also established numerous first ascents at areas such as El Potrero Chico, the New, Joshua Tree, and various crags around Las Vegas. All that said, sunny sport climbing is by far her favorite discipline.
Elaina serves on the Board of Directors of the American Mountain Guide Association, is a member of the Technical and Risk Management Committees, and is a Single Pitch Instructor Provider Trainer. She's the former owner of Chicks with Picks and enjoys working with women and mentoring aspiring female climbing instructors and guides.
When she's not on the rocks, she loves exploring the countryside on her dirtbike looking for new crags to develop and giving belly scratches to her lazy pup, Mr Atticus Bocephus Finch aka the Ground Sloth.
Jeff on Team Machine 12a
Photo by Fixed Line Media
JEFFERY
HEARN
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide
Warrior's Way Trainer
Wilderness First Responder
NRMG Operations Manager
Years with NRMG: 12 years
Jeff hails from Cleveland, Ohio, and has over 22 years of climbing experience. He's a crack climbing wizard with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Jeff runs our day-to-day operations in the office and out in the field. Jeff has developed a strong following of return clients who are taken by his patient teaching approach and his ability to relate to people of all ages.
Hearn also is our head counselor for our Teen Rock Camp Program.
Testimonial:
Jeffrey was a terrific guide. Professional, knowledgeable, and fun in one- what more can you ask for!!
-Patricia V.
JORDAN
REDING
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Assistant Rock Guide
Wilderness First Responder
Years with NRMG: 3
Jordan is from Columbus, OH, and attended OSU where he studied environmental sciences. He's a former North Carolina Outward Bound Climbing Instructor, who loves to teach and share his knowledge with others.
"I love teaching new and experienced climbers alike, and find great fulfillment in both the “aha” moments and general enjoyment clients and students receive from climbing achievements."
TESTIMONIAL
I just want to write to say that Jordan was a fantastic teacher, guide, and motivator today. He was so thoughtful and responsive and intuitive. We had an amazing time with him, learned so much, and felt so well taken care of. -Karen S.
MARY
KEEGAN
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
Years with NRMG: 2
Mary hails from Virginia by way of California. She started her climbing journey in the New River Gorge and earned her Single Pitch Instructor certification in Joshua Tree. She’s delighted to return to the New and share this amazing climbing destination with her clients.
TESTIMONIAL
Mary is an amazing instructor! It was my first time climbing outdoors and she helped me progress quickly and have a great time. Highly recommend! -Camy P.
TIM
LOWRY
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
Wilderness First Responder
Years with NRMG: 2
Tim hails from Ohio and has quickly become an integral team member. He fell in love with climbing outdoors after a guided trip with Jordan and quickly realized he wanted to share that stoke with others.
He crushes 5.13 for breakfast and is an Assistant Manager at Water
Stone Outdoors. He's got a great eye for photography and was once a competitive jump roper. He has all kinds of rope skills to share with you and if you ask him nicely he might show you his moves.
TESTIMONIAL
I had virtually a perfect day climbing with Tim and am so glad we got a guide to help us start transitioning to some trad climbing after doing sport climbs together. He did a superb job getting us warmed up and figuring out just how much to challenge us and what we needed to get going with gear selection and proper placement. I highly recommend using him, and we want to hire him again!
CLAIRE
MURPHY
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor
AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide
Wilderness First Responder
Years with NRMG: 2
Claire is a lawyer on her climbing rest days and a crusher on both rock and ice. She spent her formative climbing years at Seneca Rocks, WV where she honed her trad climbing skills.
She now spends her summers at the New, and her winters in Ouray, CO chasing down snowy slopes and scratching her way up frozen waterfalls.
