About Us
Red Cloud Mountain Guides delivers expert backcountry adventures, grounded in place. We combine personalized, safety-first adventures with immersive education in the geology, ecology, and cultural history of the landscapes we explore. With a commitment to high-quality instruction, deep local knowledge, and environmental stewardship, we guide with purpose.
The name Red Cloud is a nod to one of my earliest mentors—a legendary Eastern Sierra mountain guide who taught me as much about reading the sky as reading a topo map. He used to say, “Red sky at night, guide’s delight. Red sky in the morning, guides take warning.” That phrase stuck with me. It reminded me that guiding is equal parts joy and responsibility—and that the terrain, the weather, and the people we travel with are always teaching us something.
At Red Cloud, we keep things personal. That means small group sizes, thoughtful objective choices, and a focus on genuine, memorable experiences—not just the summit. We’re proud to offer rock, alpine, ski, and hiking adventures across the Sierra Nevada and into the wild desert reaches of Death Valley. Whether we’re moving across snowy ridgelines or descending a narrow canyon carved by flash floods, we aim to travel with purpose, awareness, and good company.
Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about us. We hope to see you in the mountains soon!
Cheers,
Larry and the Red Cloud team
Larry Gumina
Founder and Lead Guide
I grew up on the New Jersey shore, a lover of the ocean leading a life where mountains felt distant and foreign. Through the Boy Scouts of America, I was first introduced to the wilderness… weekend trips into the Appalachian Mountains of New York and Pennsylvania gave me glimpses into the wild. It was during those early hikes, setting up tents in the rain and warming up by smoky fires, that I fell in love with the vastness of the outdoors.
The deciduous hills of the Mid-Atlantic sparked a deeper desire to see even greater heights and more expansive views. “Go West, young man...” and I did.
That passion led me to study Environmental Studies, Geography, and Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation at the University of Colorado, Boulder. As I studied, I spent every spare moment exploring the Rockies, slowly learning the rhythm of the western mountains. That’s when the West opened up to me—and I never looked back.
Now, with over a decade spent exploring the western half of North America and nine years of professional guiding under my belt, I call Bishop, California, and the Sierra Nevada mountains my home. Still, my roots stretch wide—from college houses in Boulder, cabins and busses in and around Fairbanks, Alaska, a little apartment on the shore of Lake Tahoe, and my truck… my home has been the American West.
My guiding resume includes trips in the rugged Alaskan Range, Wrangell-St. Elias, and Brooks Range, as well as the Cascades of the Pacific Northwest, Sierra Nevada, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, and the Colorado River corridor. I’ve stood on summits in the volcano zones of Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador, and I’m always looking toward the next horizon.
Certifications & Credentials:
Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified
Completed the AMGA Rock Guide Course, Alpine Guide Course, and Ski Guide Course
AIARE Professional Level 1 Avalanche Certification
Leave No Trace Trainer
BS in Environmental Studies, University of Colorado, Boulder
Minor in Geography
Minor in Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation
Educator with Sequoia–Kings Canyon National Parks
Oliver Silverman
Backpacking and Rock Guide
Born and raised in San Francisco, my first experiences of the Sierra Nevada wilderness were on family backpacking trips in elementary school. I started planning personal trips in high school, spending my summers backpacking month-long sections of the Pacific Crest Trail.
When I began studying at UC Santa Cruz, I gravitated towards the Adventure Recreation department, where I became a student leader and learned the fundamentals of guiding. On these trips, I discovered the joy of getting to know people through shared outdoor experiences.
Over the past few years, I’ve worked as a backpacking, rock climbing, and raft guide in California, Arizona, and Montana. I have developed a strong ability to support those around me through challenging situations. As my passion for mountains and adventure grows, I strive to share my radiant joy and expertise with those around me.
Certifications & Credentials:
Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified
Certified Single Pitch Instructor
BS in Environmental Studies, UC Santa Cruz, CA
Brendan Curran
Rock Guide
Rock climbing and guiding has given so much over the past two decades. It’s allowed me to explore climbing locations across ten states and three continents. Through climbing my clients and I have experienced success, failure, and everything in between. I’ve made lifelong friends. Most importantly, it has taught me how to learn and continues to provide learning opportunities.
Accordingly, my guiding practice is centered on education and learning. I use rock climbing as a medium to help people learn about the local landscape as well as the landscape inside themselves.
Certifications & Credentials:
Current Wilderness First Responder and CPR certified
Certified Single Pitch Instructor
Master of Arts (M.A.), Applied Geography, New Mexico State University, NM
Undergraduate Studies in Mass Communications, Towson University, MD
