Andy is, by birth, a flatlander but his spirit resides in the untamed lands of the American West. Growing up in Wisconsin, where there is a shortage of terrain above 1,000 feet, limited his ability to climb mountains.

In his early 20’s he took to rock climbing on the techy quartzite at Devil’s Lake State Park. After learning how to climb – while fearing for his life on the runout, incipient crack systems at “The Lake” – he hit the road and eventually ended up in Las Vegas, Nevada where he began his career as a mountain guide. The sandstone walls of Red Rock curbed his appetite for runout climbing, but satiated his desire to climb towering walls. Although his experiences in Nevada were ultimately definitive moments in his career, the desert wasn’t his place to call home and he eventually made it to Longmont, Colorado. The Front Range is now Andy’s backyard and means for high-altitude enlightenment.

andyintruder

To Andy, guiding is the culmination of many years of experience working with youth and young adults in the wilderness as a camp counselor, and the passion, dedication and achievement he found in climbing. Andy is a spiritual climber and is ever searching the canyons of Rocky Mountain National Park, Zion National Park, Red Rock and every crag in between, for the answer to what it all means. He believes that the shared experience of climbing with a wide variety of people will also bring them closer to that answer, while delivering a safe, enjoyable and focused experience. Andy believes climbing in any form – whether it be top-rope cragging, classic multi-pitching in Eldo, or car-to-car alpine endeavors – is an absolutely joyful experience, that he wants to share with everybody.

Andy is an IFMGA / AMGA Mountain Guide, NOLS graduate, a Wilderness First Responder, and AIARE 1 & 2.

Testimonials

“Fabulous Leaders, Teachers, and Mentors to Our Son”

- Rhonda Davie

“I Learned So Much”

Spent this last week with First Descents and CMS, The Guides, Again, Little Bit, Double, Hans, (Bob Chase, Rainbow Weinstock, Mark Hammond, Andy Hansen) were absolutely amazing. I learned so much from these guys not only about mountain climbing but also about persistence and overcoming obstacles. They are the most professional, talented patient, skilled and fun people that I have met in many years. The guides are just amazing (yes I am repeating myself). As I reflect on an awesome week of climbing in Moab, UT, I keep coming back to what I learned from these guys. They have an absolute love and passion for what they do, and it comes out in the instruction and time and individual attention to each of the students separate skills sets. Everything they showed us was tailored to each student. (Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!) I have always had a love of mountains and after this week I also have a great appreciation of them as well. Thank you SO Much!

- CMS Client (Anonymous)

“Big Thumbs Up”

Thanks for accommodating our somewhat non-traditional group. Bob and Andy were fantastic, and that does not come just from me but from each and every person in our group. Getting through three days of instruction with an acute language barrier and having all of us come out with a great understanding of the topics taught is slightly amazing and it was due to Bob and Andy’s obvious professionalism and dedication. So, a big thumbs up from us here. We have already been touting the Colorado Mountain School as the way to go to other folks we have met. Thanks again.

- Kurt

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