Founders and owners of Peakpowder Mountain Guides

Fred Bernard is a IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide, ski instructor, mountain bike instructor and Peakpowder President. He was born in Saint Laurent du Pont, in the heart of the Chartreuse mountain range, in France. Steep skiing in part of his DNA. His passion for riding steep lines started in the early stages of his guiding career. He spent several years guiding as part of the Stages Vallencant team before creating his own mountain guiding business. Fred has specialized in guiding clients in challenging terrain, skiing steep technical faces in high altitudes around the world.

Prior to becomming a mountain guide, Fred coached freestyle mogul skiing for five years and was recruited to prepare the French Olympic freestyle mogul team for the Salt Lake City Olympic games in 2002. His role was to work on the team’s physical and mental preparation.

His passion for the mountains continues to grow as he pursues his skiing objectives in higher altitudes. In 2005, Fred takes his shot at climbing Mount Everest, with a goal to ski its north face. His objective was to be lightweight and climb in an alpine style, without oxygen or Sherpa assistance, and ski from the summit. After making three summit attempts, bad weather, extremely high winds and terrible snow conditions, force him down the mountain.
With over 25 years of experience in the mountains, Fred has guided clients on summits around the world. He has climbed and skied in the mountain ranges of Europe, Nepal, Morroco, China, Canada, Peru, New Zealand, Iceland and the USA.
His work as a professional IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide is quite diverse. He has managed the safety of film crews, chosen location shoots for film and photo sessions, organized logisitics for corporate clients and much more. His list of references is available on request.

He strives to make each guiding day special. He wants clients to discover their potential. His goal is to have clients get the most out of their guided mountain adventure.

For the past few years, Fred is also busy with his passion for photography. You can discover his creative work on www.fredbernard-photo.com.

Achievements.

Born in the small town of Kapuskasing, Emily grew up in the North, surrounded by snow, cold temperatures and vast forests in the great Canadian outdoors. She has made Chamonix her base camp since 1994 and founded Peakpowder Mountain Guides with Fred Bernard in 2006. Part Canadian and part French, her roots extend from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other. Her love of adventure and mountains have taken her skiing, climbing and mountain biking around the world.  These mountain sports are an integral part of her daily routine which she shares with her family.

Emily is a certified BNPS French ski patroller, FFC mountain bike instructor, amateur skier and climber. She worked as a guide with Butterfield & Robinson, a leader in luxury and bespoke outdoor travel. This experience provided her with an excellent training, where understanding the importance of impecable logistics, attention to detail, and great organization is key. She worked in the hosipitality industry for many years, as a waitress, bartender, chef and manager, and certainly understands the importance of customer service. With fellow Canadian partners, she founded and ran the Micro Brasserie de Chamonix, a local Chamonix micro brewery, before joining Fred to create Peakpowder Mountain Guides. Although she is not a mountain guide, she plays an important role in day to day activity of the business as the office manager, working behind the scene. When you call or send an email, it is Emily that you will be speaking to. She handles the logistics, both in and out of the office, making sure Peakpowder adventures run smoothly.

Her passion for travel and adventure are part of her DNA! A spark was lighted on the 2005 Everest North Face Expedition, when she joined Fred Bernard in an attempt to climb with no oxygen and no Sherpa assistance. She  married  Fred Bernard in 2010. Together they have founded a family and have an energetic and athletic boy, Maïko, who keeps them fit and on their toes!

As a family, they explore the mountains of world, skiing, climbing and biking, sharing special moments and riding great lines!.