Athlete Ambassadors

We give our athletes one simple mission: test our gear in some of the harshest and most inhospitable conditions on the planet. By using their advice and feedback, we’ve managed to create a durable and detailed collection of gear and equipment. This year, we’re excited to have expanded our athlete core to include not only some of the toughest outdoor adventurers around but also some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.

Eric Larsen

Polar adventurer, mountaineer and expedition guide, Eric Larsen has a passion for the world’s coldest places. He has completed more successful polar expeditions than any other American in history. In 2006, he completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole. Last year, Eric finished his world record Save the Poles expedition - journey’s to the South Pole, North Pole and summit of Mt. Everest all in one year. Read more about Eric's adventures

Vanessa Pierce

Vanessa Pierce is a writer, editor, an athlete, and an advocate of women getting outside and playing sports. While writing about skiing, she created SheJumps.org to showcase the community of women she help build. Vanessa is an accomplished skier, pilot and all around outdoors woman. Vanessa has been recognized by Outdoor Industries Women¹s Coalition as 2008 Snowsports Pioneering Woman of the Year.

Ryan Waters 

Ryan grew up exploring the hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern U.S. At 18, he discovered climbing and a passion for travel that would eventually lead him to the great mountain ranges of the world. As a veteran Himalayan leader on twelve 8,000 meter (24,000 ft) expeditions including summits of Everest from both the Tibet and Nepal sides. He has guided over 35 expeditions in the Andes Range, all of the Seven Summits, and completed the first evert ski traverse of Antarctica without resupplies of kites over 70 days via the South Pole. Read more about Ryan on his website Mountain Professionals.  

     

Monika Bunting 

After spending years as a competitive swimmer, Monika fell in love with the outdoors and embarked on an Outward Bound course in Colorado. In addition to teaching in Boulder, she has completed several Ironmans and the X-terra World Championships in Maui. She continues to race mountain bikes at an elite level, and pursues her love of adventure film, working for Boulder Adventure Film Festival and on the board for a non-profit in the Boulder community, FLIC. 

Chris Warner

An American Mountain Guides Association certified Alpine Guide, Chris Warner has been teaching climbing since 1983 and has guided throughout the United States, Alps, Africa, the Andes, Ecuador and Argentina, and the Himalayas (including Everest). Chris has summited over one hundred times on peaks over 19,000 feet. He is also the founder and director of Earth Treks, Inc, which operates three full service climbing centers.

Anna Pfaff

In a relatively short span, Anna Pfaff has amassed an impressive climbing resume completing 10 expeditions in total to the Indian Himalaya, the Peruvian Andes, and Patagonia. Anna also has several first ascents to her name. She loves all forms of climbing from bouldering and sport, to traditional crack climbing, and swinging tools on ice and mixed routes. Read more on Anna's Blog.    

Camillo Lopez 

Climber and Photographer, Camillo Lopez is always on the move. He has completed high Altitude expeditions to K-2, Broad Peak, Shishapangma, Cho-Oyu, and Dhaulagiri. He’s logged multiple first ascents in the Indian Himalayas in the Chilean Patagonia. Camillo’s images have been has been published in the American Alpine Journal as well. He is currently attempting a daring Cho-Oyu North Ridge summit in Nepal. Read more on Camillo's Blog.

Partnerships

Sierra Designs is proud to partner with these incredible organizations in an effort to help promote the great outdoors. Find out more about how Sierra Designs helps – and other event details – by clicking on the logo or Partner name.

Save the Poles Renowned explorer Eric Larsen recently completed an unprecedented journey to both North and South poles and the summit of Mount Everest in one 365-day period. The goal of the Save the Poles expedition focused on documenting the impact of global warming in these extreme environments while testing Sierra Designs' equipment and apparel in the most extreme environments on the planet. Eric is currently working on a book and documentary about this expedition as well as planning his next adventure!
The Women's Wilderness Institute The Women’s Wilderness Institute is a non-profit organization offering high quality outdoor adventures for women and teen girls in the Rocky Mountains and southwestern deserts and rivers since 1998. Women’s courses in rock climbing, mountain biking, backpacking, canoeing, backcountry yoga, fly-fishing, and wilderness writing teach outdoor skills through fun, inspiring, real-life expeditions. The Girls’ Wilderness Program, for teen girls of all economic backgrounds, builds courage, confidence, and leadership through ‘girl-positive’ outdoor adventures.
Shared Summits 2008 Nanga Parbat Expedition Chris Warner and the Shared Summits team will head back to the Himalaya’s to face another of the world’s highest peaks. The 2007 teams successfully conquered the savage mountain K2. This year a new team will head back to Pakistan for another of the world’s highest. Nanga Parbat, located in a remote corner of the country at 26,660 feet tall, has only been summited 274 times, with only six of those ascents by Americans. Warner, one of the most experienced American mountaineers, will lead the team of six climbers to Nanga Parbat. If the team is successful, it will be the first ascent of Nanga Parbat by an American woman. The team will attempt the reach the summit via the dangerous Diamir Face.
Mountain Professionals Ryan Waters grew up exploring the hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern U.S. At the age of 18 he discovered rock climbing and a passion for travel that would eventually lead him to the great mountain ranges of the world. Ryan is a veteran of nine 8000 meter peak expeditions and completed the first ever unsupported crossing of Antarctica. He also owns and operates the expedition company Mountain Professionals. Ryan's high altitude experience provides critical feedback and testing for Sierra Designs
Alaska Mountain Guides For over 20 years, Alaska Mountain Guides and Climbing School (AMG) has been the premier outdoor adventure guide service and climbing school with guided trips in Alaska. Programs include, exceptional climbing, trekking, skiing, and sea kayaking adventures that visit some of Alaska’s and the Yukon’s most unique and intriguing places. Leading remote wilderness expeditions and treks is our specialty and we employ the best guides and instructors in the business. They are exceptional at helping individuals learn the best ways to approach a first glacier trek, an initial kayaking trip, or excel on more advanced expeditions. In addition to these programs we also work closely with the International Wilderness Leadership School (IWLS) and Mountain Guides International Inc. (MGI)
Colorado Fourteeners Initiative In 1994, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative (CFI) was established in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and five founding organizations: Colorado Mountain Club, Outward Bound West, Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Rocky Mountain Field Institute, and Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. The mission of CFI is to protect and preserve the natural integrity of Colorado's 14,000-foot through active stewardship and public education.
Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA) The Continental Divide Trail was established by Congress as a National Scenic Trail in 1978. When complete, the “King of Trails” will be the most significant trail system in the world. Stretching 3,100 miles along the backbone of America from Canada to Mexico, it accesses some of the most wild and scenic places left in the world while conserving the environment and promoting personal well being. Since 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance has played a central role toward the completion, management and protection of the Trail and it is the voice for unity in the diverse story of the Trail.
The Conservation Alliance The Conservation Alliance is a group of outdoor industry companies – including Sierra Designs – that donate their collective annual membership dues to nonprofit organizations working to protect wildlands and waterways for their habitat and recreational values. Since its founding in 1989, The Conservation Alliance has donated more than $5 million to conservation organizations. Alliance support has helped protect 35 million acres of wildlands, stop or remove 26 dams, and preserve access to thousands of miles of rivers and several climbing areas.
American Alpine Club For American Alpine Club members, climbing is a way of life. Together we share our passion, promote local and global conservation, protect and restore the alpine environment and celebrate the vertical world.
Jackson Hole Mountain Guides Jackson Hole Mountain Guides offer day classes, guided ascents and longer wilderness journeys to people of all ages who seek outdoor adventure. Since 1968, they have taken pride in their commitment to protecting the environment. As proof of this commitment, they keep their guide-to-climber ratio low with no more than three climbers per guide on any technical routes. And their wilderness camping and travel practices are based on Leave No Trace principles.
American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is the national, 501 c-3 non-profit organization dedicated to the excellence in training, preservation of culture and raising the standards of professional mountain guides in America. The AMGA is the nation’s sole representative to the twenty-one country International Federation of Mountain Guides Association (IFMGA), the international governing body responsible for guiding standards and education around the world.
Student Expedition Program (STEP) STEP’s mission is to provide high-quality leadership expeditions and experiences to promising low-income high school students in order to direct their lives towards college and a life of unlimited opportunity. As such, our broader mission is to identify and build young leaders and scholars from a population that continues to be underrepresented in positions of leadership throughout our country.