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Mount Shasta Climbing Rangers

Nick Meyers, Climbing Ranger

A Northern California native who grew up in Graeagle, CA, Nick Meyers started as a seasonal climbing ranger when he was 19 years old in 2002. He applied for and received the Lead Climbing Ranger and Director of the Mount Shasta Avalanche Center position in 2010.  As of 2023, Nick will have worked for 20 years with the US Forest Service on Mount Shasta. His career on the mountain began as a summer internship in 2002 while attending Feather River and Western State College for a degree in Recreation Leadership and Business. Rick Stock, Matt Hill and Eric White were some of his early mentors.  Nick’s mountain sense and technical skills have developed and evolved much from his own personal lust for adventure. Whatever the season, Nick's got something in the adventure quiver. Climb, bike, moto, ski, paddle, surf, sail...Nick is in.  His fearless spirit for adventure and democratic leadership style commands a team of rangers in the high stress and high risk operations on Mount Shasta. And randomly, Nick somehow landed the front cover of Popular Mechanics a few years ago. From that, a couple articles ensued... and a lot of teasing from his friends. Click on the links below to check them out and learn more about Nick!

http://www.fs.fed.us/faces-of-the-forest-service/meet-nick-meyers

http://blogs.usda.gov/2015/05/07/lead-climbing-ranger-thrives-on-his-job/#more-58299

Eric Falconer , Climbing Ranger

Eric grew up as a Colorado native in the Front Range. At age three, he started skiing and has never looked back. Eric's fascination with avalanches began while he attended Prescott College, and he then went on to become and adjunct faculty member instructing their intensive avalanche one block courses. As an educator for Prescott College and the Montana Wilderness School, Eric has also worked as a guide in Yellowstone National Park and on Mount Shasta. Having tasted the many flavors of the outdoor world, he is super excited to drop into a new line with the MSAC and climbing rangers, where he can keep his hands in the snow. When snow does not exist, Eric can be found playing music, harvesting hay on his fiances family ranch, riding his horse in the mountains, or attempting to trail run.

Sam Clairmont, Climbing Ranger

Sam grew up and attended college on Oahu where he studied Geology and Geophysics at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Shortly after graduating, Sam moved to Utah where he learned to ski and joined Snowbird Ski Patrol in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Spending my time in that canyon with some of the best ski patrollers in the world has provided incredible insight into the avalanche and climbing profession. He owe's much of his knowledge base to the Snowbird family. Sam has taken his AIARE PRO 1 and a Winter Weather Forecasting course.  Between winter seasons, Sam has worked with the Forest Service as a full-time climbing ranger on Mt. Hood in Oregon. Sam has been an EMT for 4 years, having worked for ambulance services, volunteer SAR organizations, Ski Patrol, and federal wildland fire crews. Sam is now a full time Mt. Shasta Avalanche Center forecaster and climbing ranger. When not working, he spends his time rock climbing across the United States, or searching for good surf on the west coast or Mexico.

Colleen Greene, Climbing Ranger

Colleen started with the Mount Shasta Climbing program in the Spring of 2023.  She grew up in Buffalo, New York with a deep admiration for snow and the outdoors.  Despite the snowfall of Western New York, Colleen did not find her way into mountain activities until she moved to California at the age of 23.  It was soon after arriving that Colleen decided to learn to snowboard.  She was instantly hooked and with plenty of practice, took to the board with ease.  This eventually led her to splitboarding which gave her the opportunity to explore many beautiful places in the west.  These experiences influenced her desire to learn the barriers that prevent people from recreating and find ways to make recreating outdoors more available to everyone.  In 2013 she received her master’s degree in Recreation from San Francisco State University with a concentration on women’s empowerment through outdoor adventure.  With her free time, Colleen enjoys spending time outdoors be it hiking, biking, or on a board.  She loves to read and volunteer with organizations and causes she holds dear.  Her favorite foods are Buffalo, NY classics and she loves Vietnamese soups!  

Cory Beattie, Climbing Ranger

Cory was born and raised in Montana building a connection to the land while skiing, camping, hunting, and fishing. When he took his first avalanche course at 17, he found a new passion for the study of snow. This propelled him to pursue a life in the mountains continuing his education in snow science and wilderness medicine. After a several seasons of skiing the remote ranges of Montana and working as a wildland firefighter, he obtained a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Montana. This led to the beginning of his career with the Forest Service in Montana, Utah, and most recently as a Snow Ranger in Wyoming. Beyond his work for public lands, he loves to spend his time reading by the lake with his dog, Fernando, trying his hand at film photography, studying maps, learning to surf, and getting to know the community. Cory is stoked to join the climbing ranger team on Mount Shasta and looks forward to helping folks navigate the mountain safely.