Angela Hawse

Angela was the 6th female IFMGA mountain guide pinned in the U.S. and has led a inspiring career spanning over three decades. She’s led over 30 high altitude expeditions to the Himalaya, Karakoram, Caucasus, Andes, Alaska Range and Alps. She’s guided in most of those ranges and recently found a passion for remote ski mountaineering trips to the Antarctic Peninsular and Arctic Svalbard on ski and sail expeditions. Ages ago, Angela skied for 28 days from Sweden to Norway across Lapland. n 1998, she turned back in high winds on the South Summit of Mt. Everest, where she was the deputy leader of the successful First Disabled Ascent of Everest. Angela’s led many technical all-women’s ascents throughout Nepal, South America, Russia and the U.S. She was one of the first guides and eventual owners of Chicks with Picks, widely known as the first of its kind, all-women’s technical climbing programs. Angela was the president of the American Mountain Guides Association and for over 20 years has trained and examined guides in rock, alpine, ice and ski mountaineering for the AMGA. She has a Master’s Degree in International Mountain Conservation, serves on the IFMGA board and is the first woman to join the IFMGA Technical Commission. Angela’s is on the POW Athlete Alliance, actively raising awareness about the increased risks to her profession due to accelerating impacts of climate change. She has been a life-long champion for inclusivity, a mentor and an advocate for women in outdoor professions. Angela was the recipient of the AMGA Guide of the Year Award in 2011 and the Lifetime Achievement in Guiding Award in 2022. Currently, Angela guides primarily abroad with client’s she’s worked with for years on their dream trips or referrals.