Hello, my name is Matthew Jones (he/him/his). I have been climbing for over 7 years and working with youth in the outdoor industry for over 11 years. I have traveled all over the country for sport, trad, alpine, ice, and mixed climbing.

Spenser fell in love with climbing in 2013. As a climbing coach, Spenser enjoys introducing new people to the sport, seeing progress being unlocked at all skill levels, and engaging with the local climbing community. Spenser coached soccer at an elite level for 4 years and has been coaching climbing at ARG for 6 years. You can regularly find him teaching our Learn to Lead Clinics and he is one of our Adaptive Night Instructors. Spenser is primarily a sport climber with most of his climbing being done in northern Utah and at Red Rocks in Nevada. Notable climbs include Sprout(5.13a), Space lord(5.12c) and The Great Feast (5.13c/d). Additional hobbies include: soccer, running, mountain biking, and anything outside.

Jeff began climbing during a school field trip to the Alaska Rock Gym shortly after it opened in 1995. Instantly hooked, it wasn’t long before he became an employee, and he has been directly involved with the gym for over two decades. Most of this time has been split between teaching and route setting, including serving as lead setter. Outside of the gym, Jeff particularly enjoys ice climbing in the winter and tackling multipitch traditional routes in the summer or in the desert whenever possible. Jeff has an in-depth understanding of climbing mechanics and how to effectively communicate them to those eager to learn. Whether you’re just getting started, looking to accelerate your progress, stuck at a plateau, or simply seeking tips, he would love to help. His specialty is technique instruction, focusing on efficient body positioning and movement. Regardless of the topic, his passion for the sport is contagious.