About Jon

Jon Tierney

Jon Tierney

Jon Tierney is the owner of Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School and Alpenglow Adventure Sports. He is one of eighty americans to achieve the international mountain guide certification from the International Federation of Mountain Guides (IFMGA). He is also a flight paramedic with Lifeflight of Maine and lead instructor for Wilderness Medical Associates International.

Jon’ passion for the mountains began at an early age. As a teenager growing up in the 70s, he learned to climb with a “book in one hand and a rope in the other.” After attending college in Colorado he came to Maine in 1982 to complete his degree in Recreation and Park Management. He soon fell in love with the pink granite of Acadia. In 1984 he helped establish Maine Bound, the University of Maine outdoor program which he subsequently directed until 2001. During the summers in the late eighties and early nineties Jon traveled west to Colorado and Alaska to work for the National Park Service as a backcountry climbing ranger and paramedic where he was involved in many high mountain rescues. In 1994 he gave up the annual migration westward to establish Acadia Mountain Guides as a summer climbing school and guide service. In 2001 Acadia Mountain Guides became a year round guide service a full complement of rock climbing, ice climbing and mountaineering instruction and guiding. With a passion for rock, snow, and ice, Jon’s accomplishments as a climber and guide include over 75 high altitude peaks as well as first ascent rock, ice and alpine routes around the world.

For over three decades Jon has strived to synthesize good concepts, challenge common paradigms and develop new ideas to raise both guiding and wilderness medical standards. He was instrumental in the creation of the climbing instructor training programs for both the American Mountain Guides Association and the Professional Climbing Instructors Association – an organization he co-founded and currently sits on the Board of Directors. He has served several terms on the AMGA BOD and chaired the accreditation program for many years.

He especially enjoys the exploring new climbing areas whether they be local little crags or big peaks across the ocean. Through this blog he hopes to share thoughts on why people pursue mountains dreams; provide tips on healthy risk taking, outdoor travel and wilderness medicine; and shares glimpses into the experiences that have helped shape his life.