The core of our climbing school, or of any business, is its staff. All of our guides are individually certified by the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) as either Rock Guides, Rock Instructors, or Single Pitch Instructors, and we are proud to be the only guide service in Maine to have this distinction.  At ACS our staff are expert climbers, dedicated teachers, and talented and friendly guides. As trained professionals, our guides are masters of matching a client's needs with our local terrain in order to create courses that consistently exceed our client's expectations. 

At ACS, we pride ourselves on our sterling reputation. With 29 years of outstanding performance, innovation and professionalism we strive every day to continue to be Maine's premier climbing school.

In fun, in professional commitment, in everything we do — at Atlantic Climbing School, WE CLIMB HIGHER.

Ryan Scott (ACS Owner) (he/him) is originally a Florida boy who grew up with a passion for finding joy in the outside, mostly through surfing, skating and whatever adventure he could stir up in the mangroves. He ended up in Ohio at Hocking College where he was first exposed to climbing via school trips to West Virginia and dove into outdoor adventure leadership and emergency medicine. Ryan’s love of climbing was born and he began managing an outdoor pursuits program and helped co-teach advanced climbing classes. In 2011, his deep curiosity towards sea cliff climbing brought him to Maine and he began guiding for the Atlantic Climbing School. Over the years, he split most of his year between Joshua Tree, CA and Acadia National Park while additionally slipping in climbs and guiding at top climbing destinations all over the US, including Seneca Rocks and New River Gorge in West Virginia, Red River Gorge in Kentucky, Yosemite, and the T-wall in Tennessee. He is a certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, an AMGA apprentice Rock Guide, and is a Nationally certified wilderness EMT.

In 2021 he decided to buy the climbing school from his best-friend Eli and settle into living in Maine full-time with his wife and strong community of chosen family. Ryan feels privileged to live in such a beautiful place and inspire a loving respect of nature in others, to witness people’s climbing development and is honored to be a professional climbing guide. When he is not climbing, Ryan can be found surfing, dancing, building creative projects and feeding his insatiable love of music. On or off the rock, Ryan’s primary intention is to cultivate in other’s a sense of safety, curiosity and joy.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide · Wilderness EMT

James Murphy (he/him) (known as Murph around here) is a AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness first responder, and completed his AMGA Rock Guide Course. He is originally from Washington but he has spent the last decade climbing in New Hampshire and Maine, and guides in Joshua Tree in the winter. Like many others today his first climbing experience was in the gym, however, he was lucky enough to have a traditional climbing veteran take him under his wing and outside right away. After several years as a bartender with a climbing habit, he let his passion take over and dove head first into guiding. He’s had the opportunity to climb all over the country, some favorites include Utah, Wyoming, Nevada, and Maine, and California. Climbing has even taken him internationally to locations like Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. 

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide · Wilderness First Responder

 

Max Jackson (he/him) was born in Paraguay and raised in Somerville, MA. He climbed for the first time in Zion National Park when he was 12 and fell in love with the outdoors. Whether climbing in the US, backpacking in Chile, or mountain biking in Moab, spending time outside helps remind him what’s most important in life. When he’s not guiding in New England, he works as a traveling route-setter, creating climbs for people to enjoy. He received his Single Pitch Instructor in Acadia National Park, and got his Wilderness First Responder in Conway, NH. Down to earth and constantly making jokes, he’s ready to help people connect / reconnect with the outdoors!

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Mike Farthing (he/him) is a proud local Mainer who hails from Bangor (yeah, that's where Stephen King is from)! He has been climbing since 2014 and  guiding since 2021. He’s a certified AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and has his certification in Wilderness First Aid. Aside from Maine, he has also guided in beautiful southern California. Mike's favorite part about guiding is seeing clients improve their climbing movement and body awareness as the day progresses. He also loves teaching technical systems in climbing.  When Mike isn’t on rock, he likes to light up the local golf course in the summer, go on snowboarding trips to the American west or Japan in the winter, or just play the drums as loud as he can!

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Aid

Ryan Caldwell is a Connecticut native and graduate of Western Connecticut State University. Ryan began climbing in New England and has since spent most of his time climbing throughout the western part of the US. He discovered a passion for teaching abroad while teaching English, and became a certified single pitch instructor to be able to share his love for climbing with others.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Tom Haas grew up outside of Pittsburgh, PA and has been climbing since he was 8 years old. His first summit experience was when he was 11 at Seneca Rocks in West Virginia and has been climbing ever since. Tom has guided full time for 7 seasons and has worked in West Virginia, Red Rocks, and Joshua Tree.

Tom took his AMGA Rock Guide course in 2017 and is a certified SOLO Wildness First Responder.

AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide · Wilderness First Responder

Reed Tyson first heard the murmurations of his native Tennessee Sandstone when he was 17, during his first semester in college. While enrolled in a class called “Walking the Land”, Reed soon came face to face with the source of all the geological blabbering. As he stood beneath the wriggling contours of the kaleidoscopic sandstone, gazing up at dead vertical slabs, sickeningly steep overhangs and rock roofs that put Architectural Digest to shame, Reed decided to live a bit differently; he became a climber. 

Since that time, Reed has climbed all over the SE, lived and climbed in California, Michigan, and Maine, and has spent many beautiful days in the American West and a few on the limestone walls of El Potrero, in Mexico. Somewhere along the way, he became a Single Pitch Instructor through the American Mountain Guide Association and has spent time as a climbing instructor in Acadia National Park and Vermont.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Kincaid MacCulloch (He/Him) grew up right here in our local town of Bar Harbor, Maine. Born and raised on Mount Desert Island, he knows it better than most. From biking around Eagle Lake to sunrise hikes up Cadillac, the island taught him a great appreciation for the outdoors and an immense passion for sharing the beauty of Acadia with others. His younger life consisted mostly of sailing and hiking, along with snowboarding in the winters. His first time climbing was in Acadia when he was 17 and ever since then he’s been hooked, obtaining his Single Pitch Instructor certification through the AMGA 5 years later in Acadia. It’s safe to say this is his favorite place, though he has climbed in many other areas of the country including: Colorado, California, New Hampshire, and many others. While not climbing, he still loves to go for hikes in the Park, as well as paddle his canoe in many of the nearby lakes and ponds. He’s always excited to open the door to fun, safe, and challenging experiences in the National Park with people from all over the world.

The first challenge is getting up our staircase!

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Aid

Born and raised in small-town Wisconsin, Mason Henke (he/him) first rock climbed as a step in earning his Eagle Scout with BSA, naturally. However, he did not really get into climbing until he started working at a wilderness adventure camp in Virginia. As a camp instructor, he led groups of both adults and kids on up to three-week adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains, including wilderness backpacking, kayaking, mountain biking, and of course, rock climbing. He spent his winter in Joshua Tree as a rock climbing guide.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Mike Ricard (he/him) grew up in Lincoln, Rhode Island. He fell in love with the outdoors at an early age through boy scouts, and eventually attained the rank of Eagle Scout when he was seventeen. He was first introduced to rock climbing at the age of eleven on a trip to Acadia with scouts, his troop was guided by ACS! Mike has come full circle since that trip. In May, he graduated from Vermont State University with a Bachelors in Outdoor Education and a minor in Photography. His experience in college helped introduce him to guiding where he was able to take his AMGA Single Pitch Instructor and AIARE 1 courses. He recently received his AMGA Single Pitch Instructor certification, and also has a Wilderness First Responder. When he isn’t climbing, Mike enjoys his photography, playing guitar, snowboarding, scuba diving, trail running, and most other outdoor activities.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Jay (he/him) grew up in central Massachusetts, and spent many of his formative years going out of his way to find natural spaces to explore. His love of the outdoors and passion for community led him to  Green Mountain College and then to Prescott College, pursuing to get degrees in both Adventure Education and Wilderness/Outdoor Therapy. Jay first climbed in the Adirondacks, where he fell in love with climbing as a recreational sport. He spent two years working as a guide for a wilderness therapy company, before transitioning to work in the vertical world. Jay has been a wilderness first responder since 2016, and has been involved with Leave No Trace as a master educator since 2018. When he isn’t climbing, Jay can be found enjoying a walk with his dog, laying in the sun with a book, sharing a laugh and food with friends, or getting after a variety of outdoor activities.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder · Leave No Trace Master Educator

Calvin Coffin (he/him) is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast, NOLS alum, and current AMGA Single Pitch Instructor. Since he started climbing in 2014 for a college orientation trip, Calvin has climbed all over New England and has often migrated south for the winter to chase warm rock and avoid the cold like some sort of large, flightless bird. Calvin is thrilled to start his guiding career in Acadia, on a magical island that has long held a special place in his heart.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Sam Deacon (he/him) was born in Boston, MA, and spent his formative years hiking and exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire. This lead him to attend college at Plymouth State University to obtain a degree in Adventure Education. Having started climbing in highschool, the idea of being able to combine his two favorite things, climbing and teaching, seemed like a dream come true. After finishing up at college in May, getting his AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and AIARE 1, he promptly came back to Acadia for another season of guiding! When he is not climbing, Sam likes to ski, play guitar, hike, and explore the ocean any way possible.

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder

Ted Teegarden's (he/him) passion is to share climbing with his guests. He has traveled and climbed all over the US spending significant time in the world-class locations our country has to offer but he finds his home nestled in the superb White Mountains of New Hampshire. Here Ted loves to climb and instruct on the steep waterfall ice and sunny rock cliffs that climbers have been cutting their teeth and training on for over a century. Ted started guiding and working in the outdoor education field in 2003 and has only deviated from the industry to spend one season working as a sternman for his lobsterman father-in-law in Bar Harbor.

Ted splits his time as the Accreditation and Scope of Practice Manager for the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) and guides for both the Atlantic Climbing School and Mooney Mountain Guides in NH. He guides both rock and ice climbing and teaches AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Programs, training the next generation of climbing instructors. When not guiding, Ted can be found trying to keep up with his daughter on their mountain bikes or hiking with his two Icelandic Sheepdogs.

AMGA Rock Instructor · AMGA Ice Instructor · AMGA Apprentice Alpine Guide · AMGA SPI Program Provider/Examiner · Wilderness First Responder and CPR

Annie (she/her) is a Southern California native, but has been living in the east coast since 2010. She has been traveling and climbing around the US in her van, splitting time between the west and east coast. Her favorite climbing location is Spain (mostly because of the chocolate croissants). Climbing has been a source of joy and therapy in her life — the supportive community, unique movement, and connection to the outdoors is what she loves the most. She believes that climbing is for everyone and hopes to continue sharing her passion for this sport with others, especially in a beautiful place like Acadia!

AMGA Single Pitch Instructor · Wilderness First Responder and CPR

Greta is the office greeter at Atlantic Climbing School. She loves meeting new people, playing fetch and swimming, and hanging out while her human friends climb rocks. This is her second year in Acadia, and she loves it! If you see her, don’t be afraid to say hi, she’ll expect lots of scratches and belly rubs.

Will do tricks for treats · Downeast Deli’s biggest fan

Tipping your guide:

Many of our clients ask us whether or not to tip there guide, and if so how much. Tipping is never expected but always appreciated. Tips usually range anywhere from $20 to $100.