James Fuentes

James is from North Carolina. He is a civilian contractor at Nellis, where he supports the Air Force Weapons School. 

Once he moved to Las Vegas it didn't take him long to fall in love with the Southwest. He says, " There’s nothing like being out in the desert and the mountains. Technical scrambling is a great physical and mental challenge, and it’s always a rush to bag a new peak."

He has been hiking for six years, almost three years with the 52 Peak Club.

James has been a leader for about a year and a half and likes to lead hikes to Oak Creek Overlook, Juniper Peak, White Pinnacle Peak and Mummy Mtn in Mt. Charleston.

His advice to new hikers: Start with the easy stuff and work your way up in skill and experience. You’ll have a lot more fun on the exposed class 4 routes if you have the confidence and skill set to know you can successfully tackle