We were lucky to catch up with Max Lurie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Max thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One deeply underappreciated facet of entrepreneurship is the kind of crazy stuff we have to deal with as business owners. Sometimes it’s crazy positive sometimes it’s crazy negative, but crazy experiences unite entrepreneurs regardless of industry. Can you share a crazy story with our readers?
Before I became a guide in Colorado, I cut my teeth as a guide and mountain rescuer in New Hampshire. Amidst the howling winter storms and treacherous mountains, I learned what it truly meant to save lives. Or at least attempt to. One rescue mission, in particular, left an indelible impression on me.
We arrived at the trailhead to meet with the forest rangers, other rescuers, and the fiancee of the missing woman who sounded the alarm of her being overdue. While we were preparing, the fiancee thanked us profusely for braving the storm to look for her. The overdue mountaineer had a high profile on Wall Street and later a book was actually written about this specific rescue. But it wasn’t the high-profile nature of the mission that has stayed with me all these years. It was the incredible bravery and strength of the lost mountaineer, who had attempted a treacherous section of the Presidential Range in winter, in the midst of a storm, as preparation for Denali.
We battled against winds gusting above 80 mph, and the ambient air temperature plunged well into negative double digits. Even with my warmest down jacket, I couldn’t stave off the cold. And though we searched tirelessly all night, we were unable to find her. Our replacements found her body the following morning.
Years later, I was teaching an expedition prep course in Colorado, and a student approached me after our course had ended. He asked if I remembered the rescue from all those years ago, and I knew instantly who he was. We sat down together, and I shared what it was like searching for his fiancée amidst the raging storm. The reason he had taken the course was so he could climb Denali and spread her ashes at the summit as a way of saying goodbye.
As fate would have it, I was also planning a climb on Denali that season, and I knew he would already be there, preparing for his summit attempt. We met at 14k Camp, where he was already on his way down from a successful climb, and I was on my way up. We embraced and cried together, and I could see the weight lifting off his shoulders. He had found peace, and he could finally move forward.
As a mountain rescue professional, I’ve rarely had the chance to follow up with families after a tragic event. But through teaching and guiding, I was given the chance to join this man on his journey of healing. It was an incredible honor, and it reminded me of the profound impact we can have on each other’s lives.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
It’s great to have this opportunity to share a bit about myself and my business with you all! My name is Max Lurie, and I am a certified rock and alpine guide with Alpine to the Max. I’ve been in the guiding industry for more than a decade now, and I absolutely love what I do. I founded my business, Alpine to the Max, with the goal of providing a unique and personalized experience for those looking to explore the mountains.
As a guide, I operate mainly in the Front Range of Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park, Eldorado Canyon, Flatirons, White Mountains of New Hampshire, and Mount Baker in Washington. I offer a variety of services, from rock climbing and alpine climbing to backcountry skiing and mountaineering. Whatever your level of experience, I’m confident that I can help you achieve your goals.
At Alpine to the Max, we have four main tenets that guide our approach to guiding: safety, education, stewardship, and exploration. For us, safety is always the number one priority. We believe that learning happens best when people feel safe, and we’re committed to creating a safe and supportive environment for all of our clients. Education is also incredibly important to us. We believe that the pedagogy is just as important as the content itself, and we pride ourselves on being exceptional educators. We want to make sure that you gain all the skills you need to climb independently and confidently.
Stewardship is another key value for us. We’re dedicated to the fragile mountain landscapes in which we travel, as well as the mountain communities surrounding them. We do everything we can to minimize our impact on the environment and to give back to the communities we visit. Finally, exploration is a core part of what we do. By seeking out the mountains to explore the world, we often end up discovering our own internal landscapes. We’re passionate about helping you confidently explore world-class mountain ranges under expert supervision.
What I’m most proud of are the relationships I’ve formed with my clients over the years. Climbing has a long tradition of knowledge being passed down through mentorship, and I’m honored to be a part of that tradition. My goal is to form a relationship with each of my clients that benefits their climbing career for a lifetime.
So, if you’re looking for a personalized and unique mountain experience, come climb with Alpine to the Max! We’re dedicated to sharing and inspiring mountaincraft through experiential education, and we’d love to help you achieve your goals.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
The world of outdoor guiding is a passion-driven career for many, including myself. Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with several guide services, and these experiences have inspired me to create Alpine to the Max and pursue a career as an independent guide. One issue that often plagues the guiding industry is the employer-employee relationship. Too often, managers fail to adequately compensate their guides for their time and expertise, leading to resentment and dissatisfaction among their teams.
Guiding is a profession that attracts individuals who are passionate about the outdoors and the specific activity they guide. Unfortunately, this can make guides vulnerable to being taken advantage of by employers who exploit their enthusiasm for the job. As a guide, words like “family” from an employer should raise a red flag. While it’s natural to want to feel appreciated and in control of your career, frequent changes to employment rules can create unnecessary anxiety in the workplace.
As a leader in the guiding industry, it’s crucial to surround yourself with people who are smarter than you and be open to feedback. Setting realistic goals and expectations for your team without using vague language surrounding deliverables can help foster a sense of trust and respect among team members.
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
Many of the guests I’ve worked with over the years have become close friends. When we climb together, they stay at my house and we eat dinner together. One of the biggest things that foster brand loyalty is just being damn good at your job. In my profession, offering a fully customized experience as a certified guide definitely gives me an edge. But it isn’t always enough to get folks to come back. Really listening to your client’s goals and aspirations. How can you help them achieve them? If you can answer that then you have a good chance of getting them to come back.
Contact Info:
- Website: alpinetothemax.com
- Instagram: @alpinetothemax