Michael Gardner was raised by mountains. As a second-generation mountain guide who spent his childhood in the Teton Range in Wyoming, the San Juans in Southwest Colorado, and the Himalaya, Michael’s life has been shaped by time spent in the mountains. His guiding apprenticeship began, informally, at age eight under the tutelage of his father and led him to become one of the youngest guides in the US. In addition to his lifelong relationship with guiding and climbing, Michael was a professional skier on the World Tour circuit for many years. In 2014, he received his bachelor’s degree in Education.

Michael is continually drawn to the wildest reaches of the planet – from Antarctica to Alaska and the Himalaya. Being in the mountains is much more than a profession for Gardner. When not guiding, he finds inspiration in pursuing his own alpine objectives on some of the wildest peaks in the world. At 28, Michael has put up new climbing routes and first ski descents in Alaska, the Himalaya, and the Western U.S. He is at home in any medium of mountain travel and is always looking forward to sharing his love for the mountains with others.