Pemba Serves

Petzl is an Official Headlamp Sponsor and a Diamond Sponsor of the AMGA.  This elite status allows the opportunity each year to provide two lucky individuals with scholarships.  Each Scholarship gives the lucky guide an opportunity to waive the fee for either one Alpine, Rock or Ski Exam.  In 2009 Petzl first awarded Caroline George (a regional Petzl athlete) and she passed her Ski exam.  The second recipient for the year is Nate Disser, Director and Head Guide of Southwest Adventure Guides (SWAG) in Durango, CO.

Nate is currently an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and is set to take his Alpine Exam September 15 – 26 of this year ( The arrival of his 1 year old delayed the exam almost exactly one year)  Some of his personal guiding highlights include successful ascents of the Moose’s Tooth via the Ham n’ Eggs Couloir, the complete West Rib on Denali, and Artesonraju in Peru with blind climber Erik Weihenmeyer.

Since 1989,  SWAG has been Durango’s premier source for mountain adventure in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado as well as select destinations worldwide.  They offer everything from AIARE Avalanche Courses and Ice Climbing throughout the San Juans (including the Ouray Ice Park where they are 1 of only a few guide services that are permitted to operate in the park and surrounding areas), as well as expeditions to Alaska, Alpine Climbing in the San Juans, and Rock Climbing in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and the Utah Desert.