About Us
Martin and Lisa are very passionate about what they do - so much so that even when they're not working they often go skiing and climbing during their time off.
They are based in Chamonix but find themselves constantly seeking out new exotic, adventure locations. Most recently - Canada and Japan.
Martin Svensson is a Swedish qualified International (IFMGA) guide. He started out skiing in the Telemark region of Norway, neighbouring a small village called Rjukan where modern telemark skiing was born.
He has spent winter seasons in the French Alps since the beginning of the 90's exploring skiing's 'steep & deep' (La Grave ranks as one of his favourite powder stashes) and constantly seeking new climbing challenges. Martin is quite the technician with ropes, having had a thorough grounding working and training others in rope access. Prior to guiding he spent several years working for Petzl Sweden in sales and developing and teaching rigging and safety techniques for various industries such as telecommunications.
One of Martin’s weekend passions is fly-fishing for trout in the streams that course from the mountains he was skiing or climbing last week. Martin’s other interests include: climbing in all forms though especially bouldering and Yosemite style granite cracks. Oh, and surfing too!
Lisa Auer worked as a mountain guide for more than ten years up until the arrival of Olivia, the newest member of the CMG team. Since 2011 Lisa has stepped back from guiding and embraced the adventures of motherhood and, developing CMG as a business.
She first came to Chamonix in 1996 for the skiing and as she describes it "part of me never left". She has been going back and forth between the Alps and the mountains of New Zealand (where she qualified as a guide) for more than ten years. Lisa says of her mountain bases: "The European Alps are the ultimate playground for skiing and climbing and yet they will never be tamed. It's a complete contrast to the remotely accessed Southern Alps of New Zealand. New Zealand is very raw. You can get a sense of wilderness in the mountains and imagine what it was like to be a pioneer. But Chamonix is where I now lay my hat."
Lisa had skis on her feet by the age of three at Mt Buller, in Australia's Snowy Ranges and began climbing at the renowned trad-rock venue of Arapiles, whilst still at school in Victoria. As a member of the Australian Women's Ski Team her early skiing years were dedicated to racing - training and competing mainly in Austria. In Chamonix she dabbled with extreme skiing making several first female ski descents including the North Face of the Aiguille du Midi.
During her free time Lisa likes most of all, "...to seek out aesthetic granite lines to climb, and unhurried powder in obscure locations to ski with my husband Martin. And, more recently introducing our daughter to the wonders of our backyard."
Her other interests include photography, writing, surfing, gardening (if only she had a garden) and web design.