About.

Mark identified a need in the backcountry community for a full-scale festival production that champions clinics, socials, and competitions, all to deliver a stronger backcountry community. The Mt. Washington Backcountry Festival is the result and after 10 years we’d say he was right - for both the need and the outcome - as the festival has gained national recognition and is positioned as the premier backcountry festival in the Northeast.

Mark is a North Face athlete, an accomplished IFMGA guide, New York Times bestseller author, the owner and director of one of the premier guide services in the east (Synnott Mountain Guides), and a trainer for the pararescuemen of the US Air Force. He is also a longtime member of the Mountain Rescue Service (MRS) and currently serves on the board of Friends of the Ledges. He lives on a dead-end dirt road in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with his wife and four children.

Charlie started climbing around 1976 and has been guiding professionally for over thirty years. While he spends the majority of his time on his favorite cliffs and crags of the White Mountains, he has also been pretty scared in the Adirondacks, at the Gunks, and on innumerable bits of rock and ice throughout the continental US. Charlie has enjoyed many successful climbs in the Canadian Rockies, but also endured an equal number of epics there. He spent three winters climbing in Scotland, there was a trip to Ama Dablam, some forays to the Cascades, and visits to Red Rocks & Yosemite.

Over the years, Charlie remains most proud of his record in Alaska and has summited Mt. Hunter via both the West Ridge and the Moonflower Buttress. He managed the second ascent (1st alpine style) of Mt. Foraker's striking Talkeetna Ridge, and enjoyed climbs or attempts on Mt Huntington, Mt. Barille, the Moose's Tooth, and routes in Little Switzerland. With his longtime climbing partner and brother-in-law, it took Charlie three attempts to finally snag the first ascent of Mt. Russell's East Face, where the key to success turned out to be their descent by paraglider.

Charlie's passion for climbing education saw him joining the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) quite early on. He became an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor before they even called it that, and he was instrumental in building up the Accreditation and Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) programs during two terms on the AMGA Board of Directors. He remains one of a handful of SPI Provider Trainers in the country, and when you combine that role with his nearly three decades in management with the EMS Climbing School, Charlie has assisted dozens and dozens of climbers in their quest to become professional guides. Charlie has two wonderful daughters, is a championship curler, and a beekeeper.cription goes here

Ailie and Josh bring a deep connection to the Mount Washington Valley and a shared passion for the outdoors as co-directors of the Mt. Washington Ski Festival. Josh, a local who grew up in the Valley, is a seasoned guide with Synnott Mountain Guides, bringing expert knowledge of these mountains and a lifetime of experience skiing and exploring the backcountry. Ailie is a dedicated professional consultant for nonprofits, lending her expertise to community-focused causes and initiatives. Both have been integral members of the Valley, balancing professional and personal involvement to support the community they love.

From skiing, since they could walk, to enjoying any adventure the outdoors offers, Ailie and Josh’s enthusiasm and commitment to the Valley are reflected in every festival aspect. Their combined knowledge and dedication ensure a festival experience grounded in tradition and infused with fresh, local perspectives.