Mountaineer Alan Arnette has made a couple of nice additions to his already great website by adding links to some of the best mountain guides anywhere in the world, along with a brief description of the services they offer and thoughts on his personal experiences with them.
Alan has climbed a number of top peaks around the world, including Shisha Pangma and Everest, and he always has very insightful and interesting things to say about those experiences. He notes on his "Guides" page that he only comments on the ones that he has had personal experience with or has gotten recommendations from very trusted sources.
So, if you're planning a climb in the near future, Alan's page should definitely be amongst your "Favorites" for further study. And while you're reading about those guides, check out his Mountain FAQ for information on hills such as K2/Broad Peak, Shisha, Denali, and more.
I even found his most recent "Climbing Question" to be a good one as well. In that one, Alan explains the difference between a $65,000 Everest climb and a $25,000 one. His answer is below:
Often it is simply how much is bundled into one single price versus services offered as options. Sometimes it is the availability of resources: western guides, back up supplies (ropes, oxygen bottles, etc) medical facilities, communications and profit for the operator. But this is difficult to compare. When you look at the "what's included and what's not included on a companies' web site they read almost identical. This is why you must do more research. As for price, the best advice is to shop around. Prices range widely but be very careful when comparing services. The larger companies include everything in one fee. On low cost offers understand if oxygen and food is included. Ask about in-country flights and meals. Understand tips and how much is expected. You will get what you pay for but be careful not to pay too much!
Great stuff Alan, as always. Keep up the great work, and I hope the knees are on the mend. ;)
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