Show Notes
Episode Intro:
Dear listeners of the Female Guides Requested podcast, welcome back, this is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. In today's episode, we sit down with Theresa Silveyra, a Portland-based mountain guide whose journey into the outdoors is as disciplined as it is inspiring. Originally a professional music teacher with a master’s degree in piano performance, Theresa transitioned into the world of guiding after seeking a fresh start away from the burnout of academia. Today, she is a trailblazer in the Pacific Northwest, serving as one of only two female rescue leaders with Portland Mountain Rescue and working with elite guide services like Alpine Ascents. Join us as we discuss her incredible feat of climbing Mount Hood over 100 times, her work in creating the 'Color the Cascades' gear scholarship, and her powerful perspective on why every climber—regardless of their background—already belongs in the mountains.
About Theresa: Theresa grew up in Southwest Washington with the Cascade volcanoes in her backyard, but it wasn’t until after grad school that she began recreating outdoors and eventually fellin love with climbing. She had the incredible privilege of starting her guiding career in 2021 with the non-profit organization Climbers of Color, co-leading mountain and alpine rock leadership courses for BIPOC participants. In 2022, she stepped into the role of Assistant Mountaineering Director, helping lead CoC's program development through 2024.
For the first few years, Theresa balanced guiding with her career as a music teacher. In 2023, she transitioned away from the classroom to become a full-time guide and dedicate herself to pursuing AMGA certification; she is currently an AMGA Apprentice Alpine and Rock Guide. Thesedays, she can be found guiding her favorite peak, Mount Hood, with Timberline Mountain Guides, or teaching ice climbing in Ouray with San Juan MountainGuides during the winter. She also joined the Alpine Ascents team in summer 2025.
Outside of professional guiding, Theresa is a dedicated volunteer with Portland Mountain Rescue, serving as a RescueLeader, Training Committee co-chair, and Board Member. Since 2020, she has also directed Color the Cascades, ascholarship program providing mountaineering gear to women and genderqueer people of color in the Pacific Northwest. Links: Theresa's instagram Color the Cascades instagram Portland Mountain Rescue instagram Timberline Mountain Guides profile Alpine Ascents profile San Juan Mountain Guides profile Quotes: Enter the climbing and mountaineering space knowing that you already belong and just not questioning that. I've always enjoyed just being invisible... but it's really important to be able to be that person that maybe I needed when I was first getting started. Everything’s developed over time and making sure that I’m practicing and playing consistently over a long period of time to really make sure that I know something. The level of discipline required to sit down and get better at this craft... has really played out well for me in developing the technical skills I need in guiding. I just like being able to share something that brings me a lot of enjoyment and happiness and hoping that it does the same for somebody else. I decided that I needed to step into those traditional guiding spaces so that I could have a job... I was definitely nervous stepping into a space outside of my bubble. It was the first time in my adult life where I had no idea what I was going to do for work... I finally threw away the crutch. I feel like it’s really valuable to have people from underrepresented communities in thosetraditional guiding spaces.
More from Female Guides Requested
Episode Intro: Welcome to another episode of the Female Guides Requested Podcast. This is Ting Ting, you host from Las Vegas. In this episode, we sit down with Krystina Maixner, an AMGA-certified rock guide, talented painter, and the owner of Chalkfox Studio.Based in Bishop, California, Krystina shares her inspiring journey from living out of her car in San Francisco to discovering her inner power and independence through climbing and guiding. We dive into her experiences working for NOLS, her decision to transition into a balanced lifestyle of graphic design and guiding, and her passion for educating and empowering other women in the outdoors. Tune in to hear how Krystina combines her creative artistry with herlove for the mountains to build a fulfilling, dual-career life!
Welcome back to theFemale Guides Requested Podcast. I’m your host, Ting Ting, from Las Vegas. Today, I am absolutely thrilled to welcome Nikki Smith to the show. Nikki is a true powerhouse who wears many hats in the outdoor industry—she is a sponsored climber, an athlete, a remarkable photographer, and a guide. Nikki has been guiding since 1999, but in this episode, we dive deep into how she found her true niche around 2018 by shifting her focus to affinity spaces. We discuss herincredible work co-creating the successful LGBTQ+ Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) course and how she integrates outdoor activities with a group therapy style to better support specific communities. Nikki also generously shares her personal experiences navigating the outdoor industry as a trans person, the financial realities of this often low-paying profession, andher inspiring work with the Open Aperture photography program, which provides scholarships and mentorship for underrepresented storytellers. We even talk about her current journey to get her Master's degree in clinical mental health counseling to merge trauma-informed practices with outdoor instruction. I enjoyed tremendously chatting with Nikki during our interview, and when I was editing this episode I thought "wow I could listen to the conversation over and over." Warm, honest, professional Nikki provided many thought-provokinginsights naturally brought me to reflect on my guiding and life. Without further ado, please enjoy my conversation with Nikki Smith.
Episode Intro: Hello listeners, and welcome back to the Female Guides Requested Podcast. This is your host, Ting Ting, coming to you from Las Vegas. I apologize that it took me a little while to publish this episode; I broke my tib/fib in a climbing accident six weeks ago. However, when I relistened to my interview with today’s guest, Patty Lankhorst—a woman who has faced multiple setbacks and always bounced back stronger through sheer grit—I gained the courage and faith to do the same.
Welcome to another empowering episode of the Female Guides Requested Podcast! This is your host Ting Ting from Las Vegas. Today we sit down with the incredibly inspiring Carol Simpson, a trailblazing climber and guide who is proving that age and societal expectations are meant to be challenged. Raised in the 1950s South where athleticism in women was heavily discouraged, Carol didn’t embrace her inner athlete until her late 20s. But once she did, there was no looking back.
Show Notes: Resources for Candidates and Providers: Scenario overview video Scoring rubric + guidance Updated SPI Program Handbook New textbook release (May 5): Rock Climbing: The Official AMGA Single Pitch Manual Related Links: AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Page EP 20 – Everything SPI 01 – Professionalism and Risk Management EP 29 – Everything SPI 02 – Site Selection & Group Management EP 34 – Everything SPI 03 – Current SPI Eval System EP 38 – Everything SPI 04 – Teaching & Curriculum Design I Andrew Megas-Russell Instagram https://www.instagram.com/megas_sends/