Paul's career in outdoor leadership began in 1995, when he began working with adjudicated youth in the desert of southern Utah.  He started working with Outward Bound in 1998 and moved up to work with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in 2000.  With NOLS he ultimately worked 265 field weeks, as a mountaineering, rock climbing and sailing Course Leader in India, Mexico, Patagonia, and the Pacific Northwest - with expeditions to the Northern Icefield of Patagonia and the Waddington Range in British Columbia among other locations.  Paul also served NOLS as mountaineering Program Supervisor in the Pacific Northwest and Patagonia, and was an editor for the 3rd Edition of the textbook "NOLS Wilderness Mountaineering".  

In 2007 he started working with the U.S. Antarctic Program and with Alpine Ascents International.  With the U.S. Antarctic Program he worked in support of science as a mountaineer in a number of locations across the continent, including on Mt Erebus, in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, the Pine Island Glacier, Byrd Field Camp, WAIS Divide, the Pirrit Hills, the South Pole and the Antarctic Gamburtsev Province (AGAP).  Working as a mountaineer for the U.S. Antarctic Program, Paul has traversed more than 5000 miles across Antarctica in mechanised traverses, and ultimately worked as Lead Mountaineer for the USAP.  With Alpine Ascents International Paul has worked on Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Carstensz Pyramid, Denali (10 summits in 10 attempts) and Mt. Rainier (10 for 10 in 2018).  He is a staff trainer for Alpine Ascents and was Guide Manager at that company for two years.

Originally from Maine, Paul is based in El Portal (Yosemite) California. He is married to Dr. Breezy Jackson, a California native and PhD Wildlife Biologist employed by Yosemite National Park.  He is a former member of Yosemite Search And Rescue (YOSAR) where we was a Valley SAR-siter for two seasons before beginning guiding with the Yosemite Mountaineering School.  Paul has climbed El Capitan in a day multiple times by different routes, including the Nose and Tangerine Trip and successfully guided the Nose of El Capitan.

Paul was certified as an IFMGA guide in 2017 and serves as an elected member of the Board of Directors of the American Mountain Guide's Association.  After college, he was a Fulbright Scholar in (Germany 1996 - 1997) and speaks German and Spanish.

Certifications/Education:

• IFMGA/UIAGM internationally certified mountain guide

• AMGA certified Rock, Alpine and Ski guide

• Level III avalanche training certificate

• Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (Wilderness First Responder certification current)

• Bachelor's Degree in Literature