Instagram story viewer> @benharclerode> Posts

Ben Harclerode

@benharclerode

17.5K

followers

1627

following

Mountain Human
@valhallamountainguides
@alpenglowexpeditions

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

I rarely post on here anymore, but when I am compelled to do so, rest assured it is of the utmost importance. Anyway here’s Cumbre attending winter guides training with @alpenglowexpeditions_tahoe @alpenglowexpeditions by @benharclerode

253

17

a year ago

Setting tracks on Mt Aggie during a recent @amga1979 ski guide course.

Weeeeeeee!!!

📷: @oppenheimera by @benharclerode

102

9

2 years ago

I’ve had a solid summer alpine guiding season, filled with awesome guests, fun climbing and early starts. It’s been great getting back to my roots of alpine rock and getting to share it with people, some of them for their first time. Also this song has been my wake up alarm in the tent all season. by @benharclerode

144

6

2 years ago

Any day spent guiding clients on the endlessly classic Corrugation Corner is always a good day! @international_alpine_guides taken in Lover's Leap by @benharclerode

159

5

2 years ago

Just wrapped a super successful 3 trad trad climbing course up at Donner! We started the course with some equipment basics, protection fundamentals, and anchor/belay systems before giving the students some hands on practice. Next we moved into mock trad leading, rock rescue practice and some classic multipitch climbing above Donner Lake. A full gamut of skills to take your trad game from zero to hero in a weekend. Big shout to my wonderful guests @schroeder_b @alixbakke for showing up ready to learn and putting in a full effort (and Jimmy with no IG 😂).

Want to learn the skills to lead traditional rock climbs? Hit me up today and let’s go climbing!!
@international_alpine_guides by @benharclerode

124

6

2 years ago

After what has likely been the most challenging couple months of my adult life and a month off work, it sure feels good to get back to it. I love this job. Cup is actively refilling.

So here’s a sweet photo of my guest Kathy on Haystack at Lover’s Leap today. K bye. by @benharclerode

487

17

2 years ago

Very psyched to be guiding in one of my favorite zones this weekend, on a peak that holds quite a few of my formative early experiences in the mountains. It’s so cool to get to revisit these climbs through a different lens now, providing for other people those same experiences I had early on in my mountaineering career. I still geek out about this part of the job a little bit. 🤓 by @benharclerode

182

4

3 years ago

Here’s a photo of @mikepondclimbs properly displaying the sexier side of guiding 😂😂. I took this photo a couple years ago, it kills me every time I see it and it’s bordering on criminal that I haven’t posted it yet. That is all, ok bye. by @benharclerode

158

2

3 years ago

Let me tell you about my job real quick…

When I left music I felt like I may never find another gig that gave me that same sense of purpose and passion. Every job since really just felt like a job, and although I didn’t dislike any of them, they never gave me that sense of “this is it” that I got from playing in the band.

When I found the mountains things shifted for me. I no longer felt lost and hopeless. The experiences breathed a new life into me and I was suddenly full of direction and inspiration. I knew I wanted to share what I had found with others, and the profound effect it had had on my existence. So I put my head down and started grinding out the skills needed to do this for a living.

Fast forward several years and I finally started my path into mountain guiding to help facilitate these experiences for other people. This is the first job I’ve had with the feeling of “this is it” since music, and every day I come home knowing I empowered somebody with new skills, or blew their mind with an exciting activity, my sense of purpose is massively regained. It’s the element of service in guiding that really does it for me.

📷: @warpdoc by @benharclerode

586

76

3 years ago

Ever want to learn the skills to climb mountains like Mt. Whitney, Mt. Shasta, Mt. Rainier and many others? How about winter camping, navigation and basic avalanche awareness? If you’ve ever looked at the sport of winter mountaineering in awe and wonder but figured you’d never be able to do it, this is for you!

I’m working an Intro to mountaineering course Dec 15-18 with @international_alpine_guides in Mammoth/Bridgeport and we have one space open! Now’s your chance to start your journey into the world of mountaineering, learning the basic skills of the sport the correct way safely, and under the supervision of experienced professional mountain guides.

The trip starts with a day of skills in Mammoth, then moves onto 3 more in Bridgeport wrapping up with a summit attempt on Matterhorn Peak. Come hang with me and learn the fundamental skillset that will open the door to the big mountains for you!

Photos are from a Denali expedition in 2022 ⛷️🏔️ by @benharclerode

302

14

3 years ago

Now that I have the bandwidth to think about anything other than my rock guide course, CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CHILCOTTS!!!!!

I spent the immediate week before my course in Santorini, Greece with Krissy celebrating the union of two of my absolute favorite people in the world.

I feel so honored to have watched you guys grow together, snap the most epic engagement photos the world has ever known and be there with you to celebrate your love in such a special setting. You two are some real deal complimentary Pb&J type sauce and we’re all that much richer to get to watch you blast into the next chapter together. I love you guys vvvvvvvv ok bye @connorclimbing @amber.chilcott

(Also I’m sorry Amber, this song is for Connor. I find it both incredibly endearing and hilarious 😂🤣😂) by @benharclerode

645

10

3 years ago

Stoke and gratitude have been pretty high lately. Thanks everybody over the last couple months who has given me a belay, a pep talk, coached my climbing, put up with my whining/excuses/lack of punctuality, made me go for lots of runs or even stayed married to me for 5 years.

Woooooooooooooo by @benharclerode

353

2

3 years ago