Sierra Nevada Backcountry Guides was founded by Mike Henry, a deeply passionate mountain guide and educator with several years of experience guiding & instructing across the Sierra, Cascades, and beyond. Mike’s philosophy is simple: the mountains are both a classroom and a mirror — they teach resilience, humility, and a deeper sense of belonging. His approach combines technical precision with a grounded, approachable teaching style that welcomes all levels of experience.

We are for simple reasons. To provide meaningful, educational, and transformative experiences in the mountains. Based in the heart of the Sierra Nevada, we specialize in backcountry skiing, splitboarding, mountaineering and alpine climbing programs that emphasize safety, skill development and a deep respect for the natural world.

Our mission is to make mountain travel enjoyable for all our guests — to help people move confidently through the backcountry while cultivating awareness, competence, and connection. Whether you’re taking your first intro to backcountry ski course, preparing for an expedition, or refining technical rope skills, our programs are built around experiential learning and small group mentorship.