When Emilie Drinkwater graduated from college in the early 2000s, she didn’t yet know she’d become one of the most accomplished mountain guides in the country. “I just did not know what to do with myself,” she laughs. “I grew up skiing, and in college I learned to rock climb—I got really into it. So I thought, maybe I could become a rock climbing guide.”
At the time, she had no formal training. “Looking back, I had no business doing that—just because I liked climbing didn’t mean I knew how to teach it. But I basically begged my way into a guiding job,” she admits. That persistence launched a career that would eventually take her from the rugged Adirondacks to the high peaks of the Karakoram and the icy expanses of Iceland and Alaska. She would go on to become the ninth American woman to earn the prestigious IFMGA certification, the highest international standard for professional mountain guiding.
Originally from New Hampshire, Emilie credits her New England upbringing with shaping her love for wild places. “The Northeast is this cold, rugged place where a lot of people spend time outdoors—it’s part of the culture. I grew up skiing and exploring the woods. I just always loved being outside.”
After years guiding in the East, Emilie and her husband moved west when he accepted a job in West Valley City. “We’d been on the East Coast a long time, and I was already spending a lot of time guiding in the West. Utah has great skiing and climbing—it’s a good base.”
Emilie guides year-round—rock climbing in the warmer months, skiing and alpine mountaineering in winter. Her home base in Salt Lake City allows easy access to the Wasatch Range, but her work has taken her all over the world. “Being able to operate in a wide variety of terrain really makes you a better, more well-rounded guide. Every environment teaches you something new—weather patterns, mountain types, technical challenges. You have to be adaptable.”
That adaptability extends to her work as a member of the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) Instructor Team, where she helps mentor the next generation of guides—especially women entering a male-dominated field. “Part of my job is just to be visible, to show people—women and men—that this career path is possible,” she says. “There aren’t a lot of women in this field, so I look for opportunities to be a role model and a mentor.”
But Emilie is quick to clarify that guiding isn’t just about athleticism or chasing summits. “To do this work, you really have to love climbing or skiing for yourself first. But once you become a guide, it’s not about you anymore,” she says. “We always say, ‘you’re living someone else’s dream every day.’ You’re out there to help people reach their goals.”
That philosophy came to life on one unforgettable day in the Tetons. Emilie was assigned a client—a man in his early 70s—who had been passed off by another guide who deemed him “too slow.” But Emilie was undeterred. “He told me it had been his childhood dream to climb this peak. He said, ‘I don’t expect I’ll ever do this again.’ So we talked a lot about expectations and turnaround times.”
The two set off at 4 a.m. and reached the summit within the timeframe Emilie had outlined. “It was amazing—he did it. But descending is often the hardest part. His knees were hurting, and it became a really long, painful walk out. We didn’t get back to the trailhead until 1 a.m.”
Still, Emilie sees it as one of the most rewarding days of her career. “All I could do was encourage him—positivity, little breaks, one foot in front of the other. That’s really what guiding is about—helping people live their dreams, even when it’s tough. I stayed in touch with him for years afterward.”
Despite the allure of adventure, Emilie emphasizes that mountain guiding is not glamorous. “You’re not going to get rich doing this,” she says frankly. “It can be a hard lifestyle if you want to support a family or find a consistent work-life balance. But it’s a great lifestyle if you love being outside and staying physically active.”
Her “typical day” varies—some start at 2 a.m. and stretch into the evening, especially for big alpine objectives. “I’m usually in the field all day, away from phones and emails. Afterward, I reflect on the day, take notes, think about how I can do better. It’s mentally and physically demanding.”
Still, for Emilie, the reward lies in the connection—to people and to place. “Every day is different. Every client is different. And I love that I get to be a part of helping people experience the outdoors in a meaningful way.”
For those inspired by her path, she offers this advice: “You need passion, patience, and the willingness to work with people. And you have to be okay with the fact that this isn’t about your dream—it’s about theirs.”
"You need passion, patience, and willingness to work with people."
"That’s really what guiding is about—helping people live their dreams, even when it’s tough."