Mia Tucholke is an established climber and professional guide in all disciplines of climbing. She is based in Colorado and has spent her life developing the skills to lead folks through their mountaineering and climbing goals and hitting many winners along her journey.
Dave Barnes from Common Climber spent some time with Mia discussing what makes her tick, the journey she has been on and where it finds her today. It should be noted that to obtain the highest level of Mountaineering Instruction is no fools game. Countless hours, many assessments, and a bus load of personal development and climbing craft, makes this profession a daunting one for many. You can count on two hands the women who have persevered to achieve this accreditation throughout the United States. This is Mia’s story in her words.
Dave Barnes from Common Climber spent some time with Mia discussing what makes her tick, the journey she has been on and where it finds her today. It should be noted that to obtain the highest level of Mountaineering Instruction is no fools game. Countless hours, many assessments, and a bus load of personal development and climbing craft, makes this profession a daunting one for many. You can count on two hands the women who have persevered to achieve this accreditation throughout the United States. This is Mia’s story in her words.
Share that boating experience and your dad’s advice. When you became aware of adventure.
When I was nine years of age my parents gave me a one-person sailboat. After a brief instruction, my mom told me to give it a go in the local bay. Now this was not on a lake somewhere, but on the West Coast of Sweden in the North Sea. After some trial and error, I figured out how to manage my little boat. I named it Queen Mary after the famous big cruise liner.
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Tell me about your first forays to the mountains. What experience did you have that reinforced that the mountains were your jam.
The first time I went to real mountains I was thirteen. My sister, who is several years older than I, decided to introduce me to real skiing in Norway. Prior to this I had just skied in our backyard in Sweden, something I started when I was a child. After returning from that ski trip with my sister I knew I needed to get back to the big mountains - this started an annual ski trip to the Alps.
When I was eighteen I secured a weekend job at a ski lodge in Sweden, thus allowing me to ski all the time. However, I couldn’t wait to leave Sweden and explore the amazing ski resorts in Colorado and beyond. Shortly after moving to Colorado, I started backcountry skiing. This led to many wild adventures and permanently sealed the deal that in the mountains - that’s where I belonged. I quickly realized that I needed to climb to get to wild and extreme ski descents, so that was how mountain climbing entered into my life. Eventually I became more interested in the climbing aspect than the skiing aspect. I took an ice climbing class at our local college and quickly realized that this was meant for me. In fact, I prefer to ice climb in the winter over skiing, unless the powder is amazingly dry and deep. |
Mia Tucholke in Longs Peak in Colorado (Credit: Kahlil Glenn)
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What is climbing to you? I know it’s many things, but for you, when you think of climbing, what do you look forward to?
Climbing is touching rock. I love how different textures feel and how different rock looks. I am so intrigued by how different rock climbs, how it fractures or not, and the wild shapes formed in nature. I have always been interested in geology. (I have a B.S. in Environmental Science and a M.S. in Hydrologic Science and Engineering).
Climbing is ascending frozen waterfalls. Swinging ice tools into frozen water is extremely satisfying. Knowing the ice is ephemeral, here today and perhaps gone tomorrow. Changing every day. Climbing is going places, exploring new areas and getting humbled. Every place has its own feel and one has to learn how to climb there.
Climbing is ascending frozen waterfalls. Swinging ice tools into frozen water is extremely satisfying. Knowing the ice is ephemeral, here today and perhaps gone tomorrow. Changing every day. Climbing is going places, exploring new areas and getting humbled. Every place has its own feel and one has to learn how to climb there.
Are there any mentors on your journey you would like to acknowledge? Who are they, what did they teach you and in what time of your climbing life were they?
My biggest mentor is my husband. He has taught me so much as he is an excellent climber and skier. Together we have travelled and explored around the world. He has been my biggest supporter in the journey to become the 15th American woman to become a IFMGA licensed guide. He has endured countless days supporting me and being my client as I have worked on refining my guiding skills.
The guide I see in her: she is a developer of skills for success. She recognizes what people need and is great at customizing her guiding for each individual. She is humble and compassionate and connects with people. |
Mia and Dave Tucholke
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Another person who has been extremely influential in my teaching and guiding path is Bruce Kime. He was a professor at our local college and he supported me and encouraged me to expand my knowledge. I was so very fortunate to be teaching Outdoor Education with him for over 10 years.
Mia Tucholke climbing in Red Rock Canyon, Nevada (Photo Credit: Abigail Reeder)
Name three climbing crossroads you have had. Times you had to make a decision between safety and risk, refining your skills, or moving to follow your passion?
1. Conquering fear – I have always had a healthy respect for traverse pitches. One of the climbs I always wanted to do was Fiddler on The Roof in Red Rock Canyon (7 pitches, 5.10d), but the thought of it has always deterred me as pitch 3 is a full traverse pitch over a huge roof and there is very little gear. I finally got the guts up and guided my husband up the route. I was super stoked to get across without any issues.
2. Believing I could become a certified guide – I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could become a IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations) certified guide. But in 2012 I took the first step and I took an AMGA SPI (American Mountain Guides Association Single Pitch Instructor) course and exam. My examiner encouraged me to keep moving forward and the rest is history.
3. Following my intuition and speaking up – it is so very easy for guides to fall into a routine, to act differently when amongst peers versus guiding and to be influenced by others. Three years ago, I was out on a training trip with other guides. I was in “client” role at the time. We were about to cross a small hanging snow field when my inner voice told me we should have a rope out even if it was super easy. I did not voice my thoughts and as I crossed over the snow it collapsed and I took a pretty significant fall down the mountain. I have since then committed to myself to always speak up.
2. Believing I could become a certified guide – I never thought in my wildest dreams that I could become a IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations) certified guide. But in 2012 I took the first step and I took an AMGA SPI (American Mountain Guides Association Single Pitch Instructor) course and exam. My examiner encouraged me to keep moving forward and the rest is history.
3. Following my intuition and speaking up – it is so very easy for guides to fall into a routine, to act differently when amongst peers versus guiding and to be influenced by others. Three years ago, I was out on a training trip with other guides. I was in “client” role at the time. We were about to cross a small hanging snow field when my inner voice told me we should have a rope out even if it was super easy. I did not voice my thoughts and as I crossed over the snow it collapsed and I took a pretty significant fall down the mountain. I have since then committed to myself to always speak up.
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Mia Tucholke at Indian Creek, Utah (Credit: Dave Tucholke)
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Name your greatest climbing achievements.
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Mia Tucholke on Phantom Spire in Escalante Canyon, Colorado. (Photo Credit: Dave Tucholke)
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What is your most crazy climbing adventure?
There are so many crazy climbing adventures with my husband, but climbing the Keeler Needle (5.10c, 2000 ft, 15 pitches, grade V) in California is one of the top ones. This route is amazing, one of Peter Croft’s “Big Four Free Climbs." It tops out at 14,260 feet and it is pure high-quality granite climbing all the way. The climb took all day and we topped out right at sunset. To get back to camp one must descend into the saddle between the needle and Mt. Whitney, hike to the top of Mt. Whitney (14,500 feet), find the Mountaineer's route and descend this down to camp. We summited Mt. Whitney at dark and had absolutely no idea where the Mountaineer's route was so we opted to sleep on the summit and descend in the morning. We had two skinny ropes that we put under us and we each had a tiny silver emergency blanket. These are totally useless but we managed to stay warm enough during a very long night. First sunlight was very welcomed. We found the descent and knew we had made the right decision to stay on the summit as finding the descent in the dark would have proven impossible.
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Who is Mia? What would you like others to acknowledge?
Mia is a very humble yet energetic and positive person. Mia doesn’t thrive on being rad, climbing hard or seeking out crazy adventures. Mia enjoys sharing the beauty of the natural environment. Mia is a mentor, teacher and guide. Mia enjoys helping others improve, develop skills in people who seek them and assist them become confident in mountain craft. Mia is MTNMIA.
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Mia Tucholke with two clients Lisa and Julie.
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Mia Tucholke ice climbing on "Designator" in Vail, Colorado. (Photo Credit: Dave Tucholke)
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Tell me about your guiding progression and the difficulties you faced making this professional journey?
I have been teaching and guiding various outdoor activities since my early twenties including teaching skiing, raft guiding, scuba diving, winter survival, and teaching rock and ice climbing, but the thought of pursuing guiding as a profession was daunting. I thought this was for super humans only. But when I was in my 40s, I started the journey with the support of many. I was one of very few women in the program. In fact, in most of the courses I took I was the only woman. Traditionally guiding has been a profession by young white men with lungs that go down into their legs. Furthermore, the crowd has been a bit rough and as a woman I needed some tough skin on my nose. Getting offended would not have gotten me anywhere. Over the years things have changed quite a bit and now the guiding community is much more diverse and welcoming. I found that although I was older than most in the program, my life experience and the many years of guiding helped me immensely and I gained respect even if I wasn’t as fast and as strong as the younger male guides.
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You are a woman who can inspire other women. Share the difficulties but just as importantly, your resolve.
My advice to all women is to find mentors, join outdoor communities and groups, and find a supportive network of women. Historically the outdoor industry has primarily catered to men. For example, for every one style of women’s backpacks there are many men’s styles. The same goes for boots, rock climbing shoes, clothing, sleeping bags etc. Some say there are not enough women to warrant making more gear. That is the wrong attitude, make more gear and more women will join the industry. I am only 5’3” and have always struggled to find a pack that fits my short torso. If we stand up for the need to have performance gear, write reviews and become a voice we will see more gear choices. Fortunately, several companies have now realized that women need the same high-quality gear as men and not the dumbed down version. I support these companies and promote their products.
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Mia Tucholke with the "Girls Gone Wide" group at Vedawoo, Wyoming. (Photo Credit: Dave Tucholke)
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What is the magic you experience in your guiding life?
Watching people grow and embrace nature. I feel extreme gratitude when I guide people and they radiate joy afterwards. When I hear words like “life changing," “incredible," “best experience ever.” It is then that I feel I have done my job. A responsibility of my guiding is also to teach people about the land, how to respect it, Leave No Trace practices, and how to be good land stewards.
Mia Tuchulke and I became friends many years ago when we were both living in the Vail Valley. I was aspiring to be a rock guide and she had just finished taking her AMGA SPI Exam. She let me know that this was the first step into becoming a legit certified guide and that was to take a professional AMGA course/exam. A few years later she is now an IFMGA mountain guide and I have completed a course in each discipline. I would say one of the only reasons I have come this far in my guiding career is because of her encouragement to continue onward and to complete the track. I have always enjoyed her humor and sass, as well as her mental and physical strength to get to where she is now. She gives me inspiration not only as a female guide but as an older female guide who starting their journey into the guiding world.
--Sarah Janin
What more would you like to achieve?
I would like to be an influencer to increase diversity in the industry. I want to help provide a comfortable place for all people where they feel welcomed, whether old or young, women or men, BIPOC, or identifies as queer. There are still some hurdles out there but I feel we are moving in the right direction. This fall I am providing two scholarships to two young women who wants to learn how to rock climb but have not been able to hire a guide or take a course for financial reasons.
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ABOVE TWO IMAGES: Mia Tucholke climbing in Escalante Canyon, Colorado. Photos taken by Zach Mahone.
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What message and or wisdom would you like to provide to young women wanting to become guides?
My advice to women pursuing guiding is to go for it. Dare to speak up when needed and be the best you can be. At times it may be challenging but we are gaining momentum and we are getting more powerful. I tell women that many people prefer female guides as they often have more compassion, are more supportive and have less ego than many male guides. We desperately need more female guides.
My goal as a IFMGA guide is to be a role model to the new guides, to be a mentor where I can share my knowledge and help those who start doubting by giving them encouragement. I aim to inspire through confidence and show that one does not need to be a super human to become a guide. Who is the key person in your life?
My husband.
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Mia Tucholke in the North Cascades National Park (Photo Credit: Dave Tucholke)
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