Wildland Guides

Corey grew up in rural Pennsylvania and moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado for college at the age of 19. There, he studied Outdoor Education and Sustainability and developed a love and admiration for the American West that had become his home. After four summers as a Trail Crew Leader traveling around Colorado and an Environmental Education summer camp counselor for kids, he stepped on up to the guiding world, landing in Alaska first, then in Yellowstone and RMNP with Wildland Trekking! The years of guiding and the folks he’s met along the way have provided so much richness and joy to his life that he continues to come back seasonally while working on his Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Missouri, researching the effects of climate change at upper treeline in the Southern Rocky Mountains.

Dara grew up hiking and biking with her family in the Shawangunk Mountains and learned early on that she enjoyed spending her days outside. After graduating from college in New York State she completed a semester long National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) course in the Rocky Mountains and realized she wanted to work in a field where she could share her love of the outdoors with others. Since then she has worked in environmental and outdoor education teaching hands-on science classes in central and northern Vermont. She is a fully certified Alpine Ski Instructor and loves to ski, preferably in the woods, and teach in the Green Mountains of Vermont. Dara recently completed a through hike of Vermont’s Long Trail and, she loves the simplicity of living out of a backpack and sharing that experience with others. On time off she can be found hiking and backcountry skiing with her two dogs or gardening at home in Northern Vermont.

Jack was born in San Diego, California but grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Phoenix, Arizona. He then moved up to Flagstaff to attend Northern Arizona University. Jack graduated with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management with an emphasis in Community and Commercial Tourism/Recreation. While in Flagstaff, Jack worked guiding all over the Southwest, in beautiful places such as the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Havasupai, Marble Canyon, Lake Powell, and all over Norther Arizona. Jack spends a large percentage of his free time participating in various outdoor activities such as backpacking, rock-climbing, mountaineering, and skiing. He believes spending time outside is essential for a healthy attitude and lifestyle.

Born and raised in the sprawling metropolis of Phoenix, Arizona, Josh learned quickly the value of wild spaces. He was lucky to spend his childhood exploring National Parks throughout the country as well as the cooler climes of Northern Arizona. Monthly family getaways to the forests and canyons of the Mogollon Rim fostered a love of wilderness that strengthens to this day. He made his first voyage to Havasupai with his Dad in sixth grade and blames 10 days on the river in 2009 for his current obsession with Grand Canyon. Josh graduated Arizona State University in 2010 with a Bachelors Degree in Sociology and Geography with a minor in Recreation and Tourism. Proximity to the Canyon allowed for many weekend sorties where he learned his time was best spent with others below the rim between massive stone walls. Josh is a certified Wilderness First Responder and enjoys creating safe, educational experiences and lasting memories for his guests in the outdoors. Currently, when not hiking Grand Canyon, he enjoys snowboarding, climbing, canyoneering, spending time with family and taking his dog Charlie on long road trips to beautiful locations in the western United States.

Rafi started backpacking early in remote wilderness areas in her home state of Idaho. A personal passion turned into a career when she began working in Outdoor Education in 2003. She earned a B.A. from Prescott College in Adventure-based Environmental Studies, and a Master’s a few years later in Experiential Education. For 20 years, she has been roaming the country and the world, saying yes to every outdoor adventure she encounters. Her favorite excursions are the ones that are long, arduous and remote. Rafi believes deeply in the power of wilderness to heal, inspire and connect. Rafi also founded a non-profit organization called Naretoi, that works with Maasai women and girls in Kenya. She spends 2-4 months a year in Kenya, and has climbed Mt. Kenya 9 times with a women’s cross-cultural expedition that she organizes annually. Rafi enjoys the challenges of the backcountry and finding new limits for her body and spirit, but she also loves to sit quietly next to a mountain creek with a steaming cup of tea and a piece of dark chocolate. Rafi is also an avid naturalist and birder!

Stephen grew up backpacking in the rolling Appalachian Mountains in the Eastern United States. Though the seeds that would one day grow to be his passion for the outdoors had been planted, it wasn’t until he discovered rock climbing in college that he committed himself to sharing his love for the great outdoors with others. He loves teaching, cooking, traveling, stargazing, and drinking coffee on crisp desert mornings. Providing his guests a memorable experience and promoting an appreciation for nature is his ultimate goal. Stephen is a Wilderness First Responder and an AMGA certified rock climbing instructor in addition to being a wilderness guide for Wildland Trekking.

Adam came to the American West from Michigan over two decades ago, where he quickly fell in love with long-distance trekking and big mountain biking and snowboarding. He has over 24 years of conservation leadership experience, including several years leading programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Adam enjoys connecting people to bigger conservation ideas and practices through direct and meaningful experiences in nature. Adam holds a PhD in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources (2010, Colorado State University) and still resides in south-central Colorado when not guiding in other regions.

Originally from Tampa, Florida, at 20 years old Austin left the flatlands to explore America’s mountains and never looked back. Since then he’s spent his time living and working all over the country to facilitate hiking experiences through gorgeous landscapes. His adventures include thru hikes of the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, Long Trail, and Hayduke Trail, as well as plenty of peak bagging and cragging. He also spent multiple seasons working as a Backcountry Caretaker in Vermont’s Green Mountains, doing trail work while offering encouragement and education about Leave No Trace practices to visitors in the backcountry. 

Along with plenty of time spent walking in the woods, he’s known to enjoy rock climbing, skiing, cooking, and photography. Whatever he’s doing outside, Austin uses his passion for the outdoors to bring joy and adventure to both beginners and experts alike, focusing on thoughtful and responsible recreation in our natural spaces. 

Brett is an outdoor enthusiast who was always interested in the relationships between working animals and their humans. He grew up in the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains of the U.S. Interior Highlands where he enjoyed camping, hiking, mountain biking, hunting with trained pointers & raptors, as well as scuba diving and spear fishing in some of the top fresh water lakes in the country. He is a master scuba diver, master falconer and certified naturalist. He also guided rafting and fishing expeditions on the first National River to be designated in the United States, the Buffalo River.

After college, Brett worked all over the U.S. as an electrical engineer/project manager before being transferred to Perth, Australia. While working abroad, he went on a 3 month trekking expedition with dromedary camels and fell in love with working camelids. Upon returning to his home in Colorado, Brett sought out to find the best working animal for packing in the Rocky mountains and after trying yaks, horses, mules and goats, he discovered that well bred Ccara llamas were the ultimate pack animals for the mountains. Brett now works for Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas, where he enjoys training llamas and teaching people about them while getting as many people out on trail with these amazing camelids as possible. When he’s not working or guiding, Brett enjoys fly fishing, hanging out with his dog and playing guitar where he currently resides in Idaho Falls, ID.

Bri has nearly 20 years of guiding and outdoor education experience. She has extensively explored the Southwest, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Pacific Crest Trail, and Appalachian Trail. Bri enjoys backpacking, rafting, rock climbing, and roller skating. She is passionate about bringing diverse groups of people together in wild spaces and awe-inspiring landscapes like the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Yosemite, and Escalante. A lover of all things colorful and bright, she applies her masters degree in health and wellness education through backcountry cooking skills, nature-based yoga and meditation offerings, and cultivating authentic community connections.

Growing up in Southern California, Carmelina’s love for the outdoors began at a young age. As a child she went on family camping trips in the San Bernardino mountains and San Diego beaches. As she grew, her love for the outdoors snowballed into her passion. She would spend her free time backpacking in the Sierra, eventually climbing Mt. Whitney, and in 2016 she thru-hiked The Colorado Trail. Carmelina has lived, worked, and played throughout California, North Carolina, and Hawaii. In the off-season Carmelina lives and travels internationally, slowly enjoying the food, culture, and climates of various affordable counties. Carmelina’s hobbies include hiking, backpacking, travel, and landscape photography.

At the early age of 18, Chris left home in Kansas to Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. By the end of this long journey by foot he would arrive at the conclusion that, for Chris, nothing but a life spent in the outdoors would ever be satisfactory. In 2020 Chris graduated from Prescott College with a Bachelor’s in both Adventure Education and History. As a trip leader on hiking and backpacking trips, he aims to provide guests with a safe and comfortable opportunity to form meaningful connections with natural spaces. Outside of work you might find him wrenching on bicycles, fishing, or polishing up his chess game.

Eddie Bowers is originally from Mississippi, where his love of the outdoors developed early while spending summers at “the lake” with family and friends. It wasn’t until 2003 that he discovered the beauty of the Western United States, and after that visiting as often as possible until moving west several years later. Eddie has since racked up well over a decade of full time guiding experience in the Grand Canyon and Greater Yellowstone area of Wyoming and Montana. Since 2015 he has been a program manager in the Yellowstone National Park area. When not guiding or running the Wyoming program for Wildland, he enjoys snowboarding and climbing Colorado’s famous 14ers. He is also a certified Wilderness First Responder.

James grew up in the Central Coast of California, playing outside and wandering through the woods. Over time, weekend camping trips gave way to backpacking trips as his passion for the outdoors grew. In the years since then he has worked in corporate team building, climbing and rappelling instruction, and got him start guiding river and backpacking trips for Northern Arizona University’s Outdoor Adventures program. In 2015, James graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management with an emphasis in Outdoor Education. When not in the field, James enjoys mountain biking and climbing around the Colorado Plateau.

Laurie grew up surfing on the Big Island of Hawai’i where her two children were born as well. She has been a fitness coach since 2013 and enjoys helping others maintain a balanced lifestyle between strength, diet, mindfulness and playing outside. Her first backpacking trip was in the Grand Canyon in 2014 where she fell in love with the adventure of finding beautiful places by foot. She enjoys long distance running such as rim to rim to rim in a day! The Colorado Plateau is a special place to her and she loves to share her knowledge on the unique history, geology and plant life found throughout the Southwest. Aside from running and backpacking, she enjoys working in the garden, raising chickens, surfing, paddle boarding, and most of all spending time with her family outdoors.

Magda grew up in Vermont, where she formed a deep love for nature, animals, outdoor adventures and sports. In college in Canada she studied Kinesiology and Psychology and played D1 soccer. She spent 5 summers living on a remote Alaskan glacier with 150 Alaskan huskies and guided sled dog tours. After college she spent a full year training an Iditarod race team in Willow, Alaska, where she greatly deepened her connection to and understanding of the Alaskan wilderness, and backcountry adventure travel. She then completed a Master’s degree in Sweden in Sports Science with her research focused on Iditarod mushers. Itching to get back into guiding work, Magda led bikepacking expeditions in the Southwest through Kroka Expeditions and now lives in the heart of the Rocky Mountains where she is part of the Wildland trekking team. For fun, Magda loves dog mushing, backcountry skiing, trail running, skijoring with her Alaskan huskies, rock climbing, and anything active and adventurous!

Matt grew up as a Midwesterner with a love for geology and the outdoors. His home state of Indiana fostered the start of those passions but the western US soon commanded his attention with its variety of terrain and extensive wilderness. At the age of 23, he made the leap out West and began studying geology at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona. His knowledge of geology now allows him to read and understand the landscapes before us today and teach others about how these incredible formations came to be. His passion for the outdoors is evident not just in geology, but in all forms of nature and through his many activities within it. Matt has spent several years seeking out remote corners of the Southwest through backpacking, canyoneering, climbing, and peak bagging. Seeing the beauty of the landscape around him during these adventures, he also became an avid landscape/adventure photographer and loves to capture guests’ experiences in these wonderful spaces. Today, Matt’s work as a hiking guide allows him to combine each one of his passions and teach others every facet of what makes the southwest such a wonderful place to explore.

Michaël started to work for a travel company in Iceland during the summer when he was 16. Over the years he got the opportunity to explore the country from the shores to the summits. During the winter, he used to be studying mountain geography at Université Savoie Mont-Blanc (France) where he got his Bachelors Degree, before joining a master program at the University of Iceland. As he moved to Iceland, he joined one of the units of the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue, and specialized in mountain rescue. He is also trained as a professional glacier guide level 1, and certified Wilderness First Responder. He is particularly interested in understanding the landscape and its processes, and he enjoys sharing his knowledge about Iceland. His favorite recreational venues are the unearthly surroundings of Vatnajökull ice cap and the colorful Fjallabak Nature Reserve. As one of Wildland’s main Iceland trekking guides, he truly loves to take people to forgotten paths and side-trails, and to give them a taste of Iceland’s delicious food culture to provide a multi-sensory travel experience.

Myriam Bishop grew up in the French Alps, and started hiking before she started school. Joining outdoor trainings available in the area, as well as Nature Conservation events, she entered an outdoor recreation program in high school. Caving, backcountry skiing, rock-climbing and then mountaineering were her favorites. She has a degree in Outdoor recreation and Tourism. She started guiding hiking and backpacking trips in Iceland in 2002 and hasn’t since stopped sharing her passion of the outdoors, showing off the beaten track’s nature marvels. She got addicted to travelling and has since explored and hiked on 4 continents, from Sahara sand dunes to Greenland glaciers, Hawaii, New Zealand or Alaska. Her never ending fascination for plants, animals, and landscape formation drew her across the Southwest a few times before she decided she had to settle here in order to explore and share this amazing Canyon Country. She has the European Mountain Leader and Wilderness First Responder certifications.

Noah grew up in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago. He went to school at Northern Michigan University. There he studied Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management Skills. He soon fell for the beauty of the outdoors in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula where he enjoyed getting outside surfing, backpacking, and climbing. After graduating Northern Michigan in 2019, Noah set out to backpack the Pacific Crest Trail. Noah Currently lives in Bozeman, Montana where he enjoys his time getting out backpacking or backcountry skiing in Montana’s Rocky Mountains. He is passionate about safety, adventure, and the pristine beauty of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for his guests.

Growing up in New England, Risa fell in love with the grandeur of the West through childhood camping trips with her father in America’s national parks. She attained a degree in Environmental Science from a small Vermont college in 2020, but perhaps more important to her were her summers in Yellowstone. Risa began guiding horseback rides in Yellowstone when she was 18 and was hooked! She has spent the past five summers guiding trips in the area, her favorite being the multi-day pack trips. Any day she’s not riding, you can find Risa out exploring new trails on foot. She loves the opportunity to spend more time backpacking and sharing the joys of the backcountry with new people on Wildland Trekking trips.

Ron Bubb has been living, working, hiking, backpacking, skiing, kayaking, and canoeing in the four corners region for more than 15 years. He has an MBA and worked in state government before leaving his home state of Illinois for the west in 1996. Since that time, he has opened and operated three outdoor gear shops in Durango and Pagosa Springs, Colorado and started guiding for Wildland Trekking in 2008. “I want to help people get into the backcountry. That’s what I feel I was put on this planet to do.” Ron lives his purpose by guiding trips in the Grand Canyon, Utah, Rocky Mountain National Park and Yellowstone.

Sarah grew up in Silicon Valley, earned a Communication degree from UC Santa Barbara and worked for nearly a decade as an Information Technology marketer. She discovered a love for backpacking late in life on an extended sabbatical, when she bought a one-way plane ticket to Chilean Patagonia to hike the famous “W” in Torres del Paine and explore the nearby region. Her three-month trip turned into three years and a career in the outdoors: she has now completed numerous 100+ mile section hikes, earned her Wilderness First Responder, moved to the Tetons, and begun working as a backpacking guide with Wildland Trekking and a ski instructor at Jackson Hole. She doubts she’ll ever get enough of beautiful mountain peaks, stargazing, and surprise wildlife encounters.

Wally Brandt was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. A graduate of Ohio University with degrees in Sociology and French, Wally spent his post college years living and shaping young minds in wilderness education and therapeutic programs, including living outside for a year practicing bushcraft. Wally has been guiding and exposing himself and others to the therapeutic benefits of Southern Utah’s national parks and public lands since 2015.

Angelique spent her younger years exploring the coasts and waterways of the Great Lakes in Michigan and Wisconsin, and spent some summers in the French Alps with her European family. After graduating with a degree in Sustainable Community Development from Northland College, Angelique started her westward exploration in search of bigger mountains and more adventures, eventually settling in South Lake Tahoe, California. She splits time as a backcountry ski guide, avalanche educator, and ski instructor in the winter months, and as a backpacking guide, youth outdoor educator, and natural resource restoration technician in the warm season. She loves to help others develop their technical outdoor skills, learn some natural history along the way, and share laughter whenever possible!

Ben grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. He has always held a deep love for the outdoors but during his university education studying Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado Boulder Ben grew into his great passion for rock climbing. Climbing has taken Ben all around the world but he still considers the Western United States home. Ben has a great interest and passion for the Colorado Plateau and all of the diverse ecosystems it has to offer. Though climbing is a primary passion of his, Ben loves to explore wilderness for the adventure of the experience whether that’s through climbing, biking, rafting, or simply romping through slot canyons. Aside from his outdoor pursuits, Ben has a passion for outdoor adventure film making and photography.

Brian has been exploring the great outdoors and chasing adventure from a young age. Originally raised in Illinois, he moved to Northern Arizona in 2004 after falling in love with the area. In addition to hiking and backpacking, Brian is an avid rock climber and spends a lot of his free time climbing with friends throughout Arizona, California, and the great Southwest. Prior to joining wildland Trekking, he worked in the Phoenix area as an Emergency Department Technician, EMT, and an artist. Brian finds great joy in sharing his adventures and stories with others and looks forward to meeting new adventurers and friends every day!

Dakota was raised on the trails of Northern Arizona. A Flagstaff local, Dakota was the child of an outdoor junkie and forest ranger and many a weekend were spent exploring the vastness of the Colorado Plateau with his dad. He fell in love with the rivers of the Southwest and began guiding white water rafting trips at the age of eighteen, spending the subsequent five years floating down river as much as possible. Though he still loves the Southwest’s scenic waterways, he has shifted his attention in recent years to exploring the many remote areas of the Colorado Plateau. When not guiding, Dakota likes to get back on the river, climb, and delve into the seldom traveled slot canyons of Arizona and Utah.

Daniel grew up in the Southern Appalachian mountains and enjoyed getting outdoors from an early age. After his first job in the outdoor industry as a raft guide in North Carolina he knew that he wanted to continue to help others connect to nature. He graduated from Western Carolina University with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management in 2016. After school he spent a season in Australia guiding wilderness expeditions for teenagers that included backpacking, rock climbing, and canoeing. Upon returning to the States he began working as a Wilderness Therapy guide in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. In 2018 he moved to Western Washington and continued guiding for at-risk youth in the Olympic Mountains. Near his home in Port Angeles, Daniel also guides sea kayaking tours and he has spent time working with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s youth and traditional culture programs. Daniel’s other passion besides the outdoors is playing music. He plays in a band in Port Angeles.

Doug is a Santa Fe native and was raised in New Mexico and Oklahoma. His first backpacking adventure was in the New Mexico mountains when he was 10 years old. A Grand Canyon guide since 2008 (with Wildland Trekking since 2009) he has guided over 175 treks into “the Canyon”. He is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and the Canadian Outward Bound Wilderness School and earned a degree in history from Penn State University. In addition to guiding for Wildland Trekking he coordinates the company’s Philanthropy Program, is a Santa Fe area tour/hiking guide and since 2008 has instructed field courses for NOLS. He is a passionate wilderness educator and enjoys sharing with others the unique natural and human history of the Colorado Plateau region. Doug resides in Albuquerque.

Jason is a lifelong outdoor enthusiast and counts hiking the highest peaks in South Korea and the continental U.S. as some of his favorite memories. Jason joined us after a long career in the Air Force and as a National Park Ranger, and considers being a Wildland Guide an achievement of one of his dreams!  He lives in Flagstaff and can be found hiking, skiing, exploring archeological sites, savoring exotic foodie favorites or chasing his girlfriend (she’s faster) on their mountain bikes all over the southwest.  He’s a world traveler and would love to hear your stories!

Jeanelle Carpentier, originally from Camano Island, Washington, was very fortunate growing up to have the opportunity to travel and spend endless hours outdoors with her family and friends. In 2009, she broadened her horizons and moved to New Zealand. Living overseas brought her a huge sense of clarity in her life and opened many new doors. Doors which would lead her now to over forty states, twenty countries, and studying abroad. She has been working in several national parks and residing in mostly small mountain towns for several years. Her passion is being able to share the great outdoors with others, and she loves meeting new people. She is thrilled every day to be working in one of her favorite national parks, the Grand Canyon.

Jessica grew up in Minnesota, gaining an appreciation for wilderness exploring the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.  From there she moved to Boston where she earned a double degree in Biology and International Affairs while learning about mountains from New England to Alaska to Costa Rica and China.  She has since been fortunate enough to turn her hobbies into her career, working as a wilderness technician, rock climbing coach, ski instructor, and ice climbing guide.  She moved to Montana in 2017 to enjoy all of those things in one place.  In her free time Jessica enjoys reading, running, and trying to keep her houseplants alive.

Jose grew up in the farming community of Huayllaccocha in the mountains near the Sacred Valley in Peru. He is fluent in Quechua, Spanish and English and holds a degree in tourism from Americana University in Cusco. He has been guiding tours and treks in Peru since 2006 and has been working with Wildland Trekking since 2015. He has an immense amount of knowledge – gleaned both from experience and from formal education – about the Inca, Machu Picchu, the mountains around Cusco, the Peruvian Andes in general, tourism and customer service. Jose’s hobbies include photography, birding, trekking, history and exploring new routes around the “Lost City of the Inca”, Machu Picchu!

Kieron is an all-season outdoor enthusiast. He juggles guiding cat-ski adventures and backcountry ski tours in the winter with leading our llama and backpacking trips in the summer. He spends his personal time hanging out with his bulldog, traveling, and participating in outdoor activities like climbing, rafting, skateboarding and snowboarding.  Kieron has a background in outdoor recreation, a bachelor’s degree in International Studies, a made-up degree in Fun and Safety, and has been working professionally in the outdoor industry for over 8 years. He grew up in rural Oregon and currently resides in the Tetons, where he loves sharing the area with visitors from around the world.

Laura grew up in Connecticut, spending the majority of her time racing sailboats, playing street hockey, and climbing trees. Her love for the outdoors has been with her forever, but this passion really began to take root when she moved to northern Utah to pursue a graduate degree in Geology. Once out west, Laura fell deeply in love with the wild landscapes of the Greater Yellowstone Area and southwestern Utah, spending most of her time climbing, backpacking, mountain biking, and backcountry snowboarding. She now resides in Teton Valley, ID with her partner and two doggies. Laura is super grateful for the opportunity to work with llamas in these beautiful areas, and loves to share her passion and knowledge for these areas with guests!

Marlo grew up with one foot in the rolling river valleys of Upstate New York and the other on the wooded shores of Maine. Her dad – an environmental studies professor turned park ranger – and her mom – a National Outdoor Leadership School alum – met while trip leading. Although they separated early, the outdoors was always a shared emphasis. With her mom most of the year, Marlo grew up unschooled and off the grid. During summers spent on her dad’s homestead, she helped teach college courses in sustainability. Although she majored in English and worked for several years in higher education, the wilderness remained a throughline. Navigating around the 9-5, Marlo discovered a love for backpacking, chipping away at several hundred miles of the Appalachian Trail on father/daughter section hikes. Eventually, vacation days were not enough. Following in her mother’s footsteps she enrolled in a NOLS course geared toward career transition. She came away cemented in her desire to introduce others to the backcountry and has been adventuring in the West since.

Michael spent his childhood camping, hiking, and exploring the great state of Arizona with his family. After leaving Phoenix in 2014, Michael attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and graduated with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management. With a growing passion to travel, he began exploring other states such as Alaska, Oregon, Tennessee, and California. While living in these places, Michael worked seasonally as a backpacking guide. Yosemite National Park and Grand Canyon National Park are two places that have made the most impact on Michael, as they are both incredibly unique and beautiful areas. Michael thoroughly enjoys being outside and always finds himself either hiking, backpacking, or mountain biking!

Mike grew up skiing and running in New Hampshire, and took up rock climbing as an adult.  On a road trip to the desert Southwest he discovered his truest passion – hiking. Only four months later he was thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and discovering what it means to be an ultra-endurance athlete. With a renewed sense of adventure, he has since cycled across the country, thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in only 2.5 months, and worked as a bike messenger in Austin, TX.  In addition to guiding for Wildland he is currently training to break the “Fastest Known Time” record on one of America’s long trails.

Born in Colorado and raised in central California, Samantha earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Education with an emphasis in Recreation from Chicago State University. She also received her Masters degree in Recreation Resource Administration from Southern Illinois University, and is a Leave No Trace Master Educator. Along the way, Samantha has designed and facilitated numerous recreation programs in a variety of settings. Early on, she knew she had a knack for working with diverse populations in the outdoors, and has realized this goal through her work as a guide for hiking trips in the desert of Utah. Living intentionally and doing everything with a meaningful purpose is how Samantha lives her life. In her spare time, she loves rock climbing, swimming, backcountry baking, and exploring Southwestern Utah

Born and raised in Florida, Stephen discovered the outdoors through obtaining the rank of Eagle through the Boy Scouts. The outdoors introduced him to Lady Adventure and he fell in love immediately. Lady Adventure took him to the ocean and taught him to go with the flow through surfing. When it came time to leave Florida, Stephen chased Lady Adventure out West. The deserts of Arizona taught him the meaning of wilderness and what it is to truly live. When not guiding guests in the wilderness, Stephen can be found climbing sandstone formations in Sedona, boating the Verde, backpacking the Grand Canyon and inquisitively exploring the world around him with his wife and daughter. His goal is to have a BESTDAYEVER every day.

Tiffany Cooper grew up in Mississippi where she started camping at an early age with her grand parents. Her love of the outdoors was born from weekend getaways to lakes and forests in the area where she grew up. In 1999 she graduated from Mississippi State with a Bachelor’s degree in Fitness management. After college she moved to Montana, where she was all about hiking and exploring Montana and Wyoming for over 2 years. It was in 2002 however that her life was forever changed – she moved to Arizona and started hiking the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau. “I fell in love with the Canyon and do not think I can leave. I have been guiding in the Grand Canyon and the Colorado Plateau now for more than 8 years {since 2004} and see no end in sight!”

Zach got his start hiking and climbing in the Green Mountains of Vermont, and studied civil engineering in the Adirondacks. After getting his degree, Zach went on to live and work seven years in the Indian Himalayas, teaching math and outdoor education at an international boarding school. He met his wife on a trek in Nepal and moved to China for two years before returning to the US to pursue a career in guiding and outdoor education.

Zach loves exploring new places and sharing the excitement of discovery with students and clients. In addition to backpacking, he is an experienced rock climber and mountaineer and has completed courses with NOLS, The American Alpine Institute, Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, and the AMGA.

When not exploring the outdoors, Zach is an avid baker and cook specializing pizzas and sourdough bread.

Brittney grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. With a degree in Psychology her early career was as a part of a clinical anxiety research team. It just took one backpacking trip in Yosemite, however, to inspire her to leave the cubicle world behind. Soon after, she was guiding for a wilderness therapy company in Utah. For two years she lived in Australia, leading teenagers on outdoor education backpacking expeditions. Her travels have mostly been through a hiking lens, having backpacked in Central America, Africa, Scandinavia, Spain, throughout southern Australia, and across much of the American west including a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. When she’s not on trail you might catch her wood carving, slack-lining, or whipping up a new recipe. Britt wants to share the magic of the wild! From dips in the alpine lakes of the Sierra Nevada to exploring deep slot canyons in southern Utah, her goal is for her guests to leave the wilderness as inspired as she was on her first trip.

Casey grew up in California’s Wine Country, but found a passion for adventure that was seeded early on during his family trips to ski at Lake Tahoe and explore the Pacific Coast. He graduated from Sierra Nevada College with a bachelor’s degree in Global Management and Outdoor Leadership. Since then Casey has been fairly nomadic, wandering around the American West as well as exploring numerous countries in Asia, Central America and New Zealand to ski, backpack, surf, climb, raft and scuba dive. Casey is a Wilderness First Responder, backcountry cooking aficionado and values a well-placed dad joke. He has guided rivers in the red rock desert of Utah and still guides rafting trips on the Salmon River in Idaho. When he is not traveling Casey has made his base camp in Driggs, Idaho living in the custom van he built. He is grateful for the chance to share his passion for the outdoors while exploring the Greater Yellowstone area on Wildland Trekking trips.

Originally from Nashville, Tennessee, Dearing has made Western North Carolina her home for over ten years. After completing her undergraduate degree in social work she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Costa Rica. It was there that her love of being outdoors, getting dirty, and hiking began. After graduating with her Masters in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin Dearing moved to Asheville to be closer to family and the mountains. In addition to being a hiking guide she is also a potter, which is another way she gets to make a mess and connect with the earth.  Dearing also loves reading, paddleboarding, listening to live music, and spending time with family and friends. In 2021 she thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail after completing various thru-hikes in England, Spain and France. She loves telling stories, connecting with new people, and sharing her love of hiking and backpacking with guests.

Hailing from rural Massachusetts, Jennie grew up exploring the woods in her backyard. These early experiences launched her into her career as a tour guide. She hiked, camped and led visitors from all over the world across Northern and Central America, from the salmon runs of Alaska to the blue waters of the Caribbean. Then, she took her adventures further afield, guiding intrepid travelers on three continents. Now she’s thrilled to return to one of her first outdoor loves, hiking the Colorado Plateau, where river-carved canyons and upended rock layers tell the story of distant geological upheavals.

Matt Durdel is originally from Toledo Ohio where his mom has been a naturalist for over 35 years, she raised him to have a deep love and respect for nature and all of its inhabitants.  Matt graduated college with a degree in Ecotourism and Adventure Travel, he went on to receive a plethora of certifications such as LNT Master Educator, Advanced Open Water Diver, Wilderness First Responder, Swift Water Rescue, and NAI Certified Interpretive Guide.  Since graduating he has worked as a Zipline Guide, a Camel Farmer, a Sea Kayaking Guide, and as a Caravan Guide at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.  Matt’s an easy going guide who’s main objective is to make sure everyone in the group has a safe yet fun and fulfilling experience. Whether this will be your first trip or your hundredth Matt will do everything in his power to make sure that your trip is as enjoyable as possible.  In his free time Matt enjoys astrophotography, rock carving, and painting.

Morgan grew up in Dallas, TX and lived in a home with a network of trails right in her backyard. Her love of the outdoors and the joy that comes with pushing limits and spending full days outside was born on the simple trails near Austin, TX where she attended college. She received her Bachelors of Music from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in Choral Music Education. Her journey into the outdoors was a bit less conventional, as she worked as an elementary music teacher for 5 years, escaping to the mountains in the summers to hike long trails such as the Colorado Trail, the Tahoe Rim Trail, the Oregon Coast Trail, the Wonderland Trail, and parts of the Yosemite High Route. Eventually, the call of the outdoors became so strong that she left her teaching career in pursuit of a career working with and inspiring others in the outdoors. She loves singing, yoga, playing with her dog, meditation, reading, and of course, backpacking!

Tashi was born and raised in Southern California. Her love for the outdoors was ignited by family camping and hiking trips in Sequoia National Park. She was introduced to Yosemite while taking an Outdoor Living class in high school. Her teacher’s love for Yosemite and the outdoors was shared every single day of the semester. Riding on her teacher’s inspiration she moved to Yosemite when she was 19 years old. After many years of living in the Sierra, numerous hiking miles, adventures and outdoor trips, she is excited to be sharing her love of the mountains and hiking with others. When she’s not hiking, you can find her researching for her next adventure, traveling the world, working in her organic garden, sewing hats, enjoying yoga and fixing something healthy and yummy in the kitchen.

Jacob grew up surrounded by concrete in Phoenix, Arizona, always yearning for forests, rivers, and mountains. Soon he moved to Flagstaff, Arizona to attend Northern Arizona University and spent as much time as he could wandering the woods. After completing a B.S. in Environmental Studies, Jacob pursued his childhood dream of becoming a firefighter. He worked as a wildland firefighter in the summers and for a Fire & EMS agency during the off season. After chasing fire, Jacob obtained a Masters in Sustainable Communities and found his calling in taking people outside. In addition to scholarly pursuits, Jacob is trained as a Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician. Recently, Jacob relocated to Asheville North Carolina to continue to tend his calling in helping others find deep connection with nature. He is often found backpacking, whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, gardening, bird watching, tracking, and bow hunting.

Alex grew up in Western Washington at the tail end of the 21st century. From a young age he delved into hiking, cycling, fishing, climbing and working on old cars. After studying Music Therapy at Marylhurst University in Portland he set out to explore more mountain ranges throughout the world. He worked as a backpacking and mountaineering guide for youth in Wyoming, Washington and Colorado as well as many personal trips over to the French and Swiss alps. In 2017 Alex worked as a climbing ranger for the North Cascades National Park and since then he has spent a month each season in either the Cascades, Olympics or Rockies recreating. Alex works currently as a carpenter and music therapist in oncology. When he isn’t in the thick of civilization he is out playing on one of our many volcanoes.

Recently returned to his childhood home, Darrek resides amidst the evergreens in Washington State, where he often explores his local Cascade Mountains and abundant surrounding national forests. His appreciation for the outdoors was developed in his formative adolescent years in the Rocky Mountains of Montana, where his love for backpacking and mountaineering began in ernest. He has spent much of his adult life working seasonally in the US national parks, with many fine and scenic places becoming his own backyard for a time. Eventually the love for the outdoors led him to tour-guiding and showing off the nation’s natural wonders to people from across the globe. When he isn’t working, he enjoys snowboarding in the winter, floating along rivers in the summer, and kicking back with a good book in his hammock whenever he can find the time.

Jane is an outdoor adventurer, enthusiastically learning from and connecting to the natural world. She grew up hiking and trail running on the east coast in Virginia and New Hampshire. She then earned a BA in PoliSci from San Diego State, calling Southern California her home for 8 years. Jane has also spent time in India and on Maui cultivating her yoga and meditation practice, as well as leading a country wide trip in India. Jane currently lives in Colorado. She has 450+ days as a wilderness therapy guide in the Utah canyons and Colorado mountains. From these years, she’s gained in-depth knowledge and understanding of these environments as well as interpersonal communication and leadership skills. She has hiked the Washington state section of the Pacific Crest Trail and guided wilderness trips along the Sierras section in CA. Her favorite backpacking trip is in the Maroon Bells/ Snowmass Wilderness Area of Colorado. Her strengths include patience, resourcefulness and physical/ mental endurance. She encourages people to experience the full spectrum of their emotions as they come, and to cultivate gratitude and curiosity. She especially loves to invite creativity and catharsis through bush-crafting, writing and dance. In her free time, she enjoys community meals, documentaries, ultra-marathons and Black Rock City.

Kyle Felts grew up in Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains and developed a love for the outdoors on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, and James River. He graduated from The Golf Academy of America in 2012 and worked in the golf industry for several years before leaving to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2014. After completing the thru hike, he realized how passionate he was about backpacking. In 2016 he traveled to the Pacific Northwest exploring several national parks and wilderness areas. He has now settled down in Asheville to guide in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Amanda was born and raised outside of Chicago, Illinois. She spent most of her time outside growing up. For college, she attended Appalachian State for Elementary Education and Sustainable Development. It was there that she fell in love with the lush green forests and abundance of water in the Appalachian mountains. She began exploring the area through backpacking, mountain biking, rock climbing, and floating down rivers in tubes. Since then, she has led backpacking trips in Colorado, California, and Utah. Her love for the Appalachian woods pulled her back across the country to hike the Appalachian Trail in 2021. She loves to share her love for the outdoors with others!

Although Anna was born and raised in Washington, D.C., she comes from a large California family and spent most summers of her life exploring her beloved Sierra Nevada. Between lots of childhood hiking to alpine lakes and a few formative years at a nature awareness camp in West Virginia, she developed a passion for wild and beautiful places, outdoor adventure and conservation. After graduating from Harvard University in 2007 with a degree in Visual and Environmental Studies, Anna was burning for adventure so she set off for a “stint” of traveling and seasonal work. That stint turned into a life of exploring and teaching in the great outdoors, including expeditions on desert rivers, backpacking trips in the mountains, and snorkeling and sea kayaking around various islands. In 2019, she completed a master’s degree in Community and Regional Planning at the University of Oregon, a wonderful program that allowed her to study such diverse topics as bicycle infrastructure, sustainable materials management and public lands stewardship. Passionate about sustainable living, she has studied, resided in and helped build a number of natural buildings and eco-communities. While not out exploring, Anna spends time working on homestead projects and cultivating community at her lavender farm in Eugene, OR.

Jen was born and raised near Birmingham, Alabama and earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Kinesiology from Auburn University.  Her love of hiking and camping started at 17 with a spontaneous 65-mile, 7-day hike in the mountains near Cimarron, NM.  Before college she interned for an outfitter where her outdoor passions grew deeper as she discovered rappelling and climbing.  Following her freshman year of college, she spent the summer in Africa (which included living on an island and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro).  Most of her college breaks were spent hiking and backpacking.  Immediately after college, she thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail (2200 miles) in 138 days.  Although her work as a DCA-based flight attendant for American Airlines soon carried her to many countries and opportunities for other experiences, her desire to be outdoors prevailed. She continued to add more miles to her long-distance backpacking list by completing the Colorado Trail and a thousand miles of the Continental Divide Trail. Jen lived in Montana for a couple of years where she worked at REI and a gym as a certified personal trainer. Most recently she worked as a wilderness therapy guide in Vermont.  In addition to hiking and backpacking, she also dabbles in: skiing, mountaineering, scuba-diving, and surfing. You can find Jen in her travel trailer headed for her next adventure.

Mark grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains where he spent his free time scampering about the pines with his friends and family. On a trip with his parents to look at colleges in Arizona he took his first step into the Grand Canyon and was instantly captivated. After receiving a degree in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from Northern Arizona University Mark took some time to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. This Journey from Canada to Mexico is what truly sparked Mark’s desire to share the outdoors with others. It wasn’t until after teaching middle school math and science for a few years that Mark began guiding rafting trips on the Colorado River and the San Juan river as a side gig. In his free time Mark can be found hanging with his family, exploring new places, seeing live music, playing guitar and mountain biking.

Nina’s love for the outdoors began in the rolling Appalachians of New England where she learned to hike and ski at a young age. Aside from being out in nature, Nina spent many years working in theater as a director and producer until her relocation to Utah. It was here that her passion for outdoor recreation really blossomed! Nina now spends her winters skiing and ski touring in the Wastach mountains, and working at Deer Valley Resort. In the summers, find her on the crag or on a number of southern Utah backpacking trips. Some of her favorite things include the smell of lavender, a campfire with good friends, and a refreshing dip in a lake. Nina is a certified Wilderness First Responder in addition to being trained in Avalanche Rescue and PADI open water scuba diving.

Growing up in Washington DC, the desire for travel and outdoor exploration took Paris at a young age. From the forests of coastal Maine to the Sierra Nevada mountains, from the Himalayan peaks of India to the thick rainforest of South Africa, Paris put all his energy into planning, funding and executing various trips across the United States and the world. He went to university at SUNY Plattsburgh and Majored in Expeditionary Studies. In his freshman year he enlisted in the New York Army National Guard and served for six years. For the last three years he has lived nomadically, currently in a van that he converted himself. He loves to hike, ski, climb, run and sail, and never misses an opportunity to get outside!

Andrea was born and raised in the city of Puerto Natales, Chile and is a descendent of the indigenous peoples of Patagonia. With many ancestors before her closely connected to nature, she inherited a bond with the earth and a desire to explore it. It was along this exploratory path that she began discovering foreign cultures and became fascinated with their languages. In University she studied translation and languages, including English and German. She has worked in the tourism industry in her home town for years as an English-speaking tour guide and has spent time in Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, Luxemburg, Check Republic, Hunger, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Every year, as she gains experience of her homeland and abroad, her thirst for knowledge and new experiences grows. She is extremely grateful for her roots in Patagonia and for the opportunity to share her history and the land where she was raised with each person who comes to Chile in search of an adventure.

Brooke has loved the outdoors since a young age. While growing up she would spend evenings after school playing in the woods behind her house in Indiana and family vacations visiting state and national parks. While attending Belmont University in Nashville, TN, she experienced the invigorating world of backpacking on a trip in the Appalachian Mountains. Since that first trip she was hooked. She has visited 40 National Parks, hiked the Camino de Santiago across Spain, and also worked guiding backpacking trips in the Smoky Mountains. She adores sharing her passion for the wilderness, the National Parks and Forests, local flora/fauna, and conservation with guests. In her spare time she loves spending time with her dog, hanging out on the water in any capacity, practicing yoga, and attending concerts. In addition to guiding, she’s also a Certified Yoga Instructor.

Emalee grew up in Olympia, Washington near the Olympic Mountains where her love of the outdoors and backpacking was initiated. After leaving for years to travel and work internationally, Emalee and a friend decided to combine their passion for both music and the outdoors and hike Continental Divide Trail while playing shows at venues along the way. After singing her way down the Rockies, she then returned to the Pacific Northwest to work as a wilderness therapy guide for a program that took groups of youth into the Olympic National Park for weeks at a time aiming to foster both practical skills and a connection with self and the natural world. While she loves the lush green of the mossy Pacific Northwest, she is also drawn to the colorful desert landscape, the shapes and shadows of the Southwest and all of its potential for outdoor play. She loves diving into new outdoor sports and activities, motorcycle rides, drawing, painting and sharing these joys with others!

Jessie grew up playing in the oak forests of Oklahoma. She has tremendous gratitude to her parents for sharing their love of our national parks snd wild places from a young age. After college, Jessie moved to Alaska to work in supply chain management. In Alaska, she discovered the joy of off-trail travel and backcountry skiing, and became enamored with snow science. Her longing to be outside as much as possible and make a positive impact on the world led her to quit her business career after 7 years. Since that time she has relentlessly pursued her dreams and lives by the motto that “life is too short to wish you were doing something else.”

Jessie has worked the last 5 years as an avalanche educator and observer, ski guide, and backpacking/hiking guide across Alaska, Utah, Colorado, California, and Arizona.  She loves sharing the history, geology, culture, and flora and fauna of the wild places she loves so dearly with guests.  She believes by doing so, an adventure through beautiful places becomes much richer and more meaningful. Her other core passion is empowering people through education to be on the sharp end, confidently making decisions whether in avalanche terrain, or navigating and route-finding off-trail.

Jessie is a cactus obsessed desert rat that loves warm sunshine, deep canyons, and wide open spaces, but conversely finds pure joy in skiing blower powder and being in the high alpine. When she isn’t backpacking and skiing, she can be found exploring the wide array of flavors of Mexican cuisine, reading a good book, observing and identifying birds and plants, mountain biking slick rock, or paddling a desert river.

Liz grew up on the coast in Connecticut, spending most of her time on Long Island Sound, where her appreciation for outdoor adventures began. Since graduating from Sewanee: The University of the South, she worked as a naturalist and outdoor educator in Charleston, SC where she guided multi-day sea kayaking and hiking trips throughout the Lowcountry. She decided to trade in her kayak for a backpack and lead multi-day backpacking trips in the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, and North Carolina with students. In her spare time, Liz loves to kayak, listen to live music, snap cool pictures of wildlife, or try anything that gets her out into some fresh air! Liz believes in the power that outdoor experiences can provide in facilitating a positive connection with people and wild places.

Matt Hergert grew up in Northern California, but has moved around a lot and lived in seven different states. In 2014 he completed an Outward Bound Instructors Course in sea kayaking and mountaineering in Washington. He then moved to Grand Canyon National Park where he was the lead guide for a bicycle tour company, working there for three seasons and traveling in the off-seasons. He has since guided kayak day trips and overnight trips on Lake Yellowstone in Yellowstone National Park, and kayak trips in Milford Sound in Fiordland National Park in New Zealand. Matt has been to 31 National Parks and is a wildlife and landscape photographer.

Nolan grew up in Salt Lake City, skiing, hiking, and biking in the Wasatch mountains. He loves adventure and the outdoors! He’s pretty much Solar Powered, so I spends most of his free time in the sun! He was in the Coast Guard and enjoyed helping people that couldn’t help themselves. After the Coast Guard he finished his Bachelors degree in Psychology and Criminal justice from Columbia College. Shortly after he eased his way into being a stay at home dad for 9 years, so he comes with a lot of patience! He loves to rock climb, surf, hike, bike, kayak, canyoneer, and anything else worth while to do in the sun. He’s passionate about health and wellness and is also a personal trainer. His truest happiness comes from sharing what he loves with others, especially his passion and love for this big beautiful wild world we live in.

Robert was born in Phoenix, Arizona but grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. An ACL injury playing high school football led Robert into the outdoor recreation of Tennessee. He developed a love for backpacking trips and biking. Robert received his BA in Marketing from the University of Tennessee, where he worked with museums and national battlefields to help develop green and sustainable technology initiatives to help the Park Service save money. This eventually led him to a career as a Trip Leader, which he has worked since 2014. Robert is a musician, a huge fan of football, and enjoys helping small businesses throughout Arizona with their marketing and community services, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic. He currently resides in Prescott Arizona.

Shayne Hall grew up in Tucson, Arizona where he found a passion for the outdoors during his first backpacking trip, a solo excursion into the Rincon Mountains. In 1998 he spent 105 days hiking 720 miles from the border of Mexico to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. While passing through the Canyon on this life-changing backpacking journey, he met a hiking guide who sparked his interest. In 2001 he began his guiding career. “I love to see people blown away by the intense beauty of the Canyon. Also seeing friends and families bond during their time in the Canyon is the most rewarding part of my job.”

Stuart first started guiding on the Green River below the Flaming Gorge Reservoir over 30 years ago. After raising a family there, he decided to make Saint George his next stop because of his love for the outdoors. Here he enjoys his favorite warm weather hobbies including mountain biking, hiking, golfing, and fishing. His nickname “Big Stu” was fondly given to him for more than just his stature. His outgoing personality, love for the outdoors, and his passion to share it with others are just a few reasons why “Big Stu” stuck. He looks forward to exploring the red rock desert with future friends.

Victoria is a Wyoming native that spent her youth exploring the Tetons and Wind River Range. She went to school at the University of Wyoming where she received her BFA in art and minors in outdoor leadership, environmental resources and art history. Since leaving college she has found her career in coaching while selling art on the side. She has been a youth cross country ski coach for four years and is currently completing her internship to become a professional coach that specialized in functional movement. Being outside and sharing the outdoors with others is where she receives much of her inspiration on how to help people move optimally.

Charles grew up just outside the San Gabriel National Forest, northeast of Los Angeles, where he spent his childhood hiking with the family’s Golden Retrievers. He traveled extensively with his parents stateside and internationally, with an emphasis on the deserts and red rocks of the Southwest. By the time he was 30, he had visited all fifty states and over a dozen countries. This thirst for adventure and new experiences brought him to Norway in the summer of 2009 for a month-long National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) Backpacking and Sea Kayaking program. It was this trip that confirmed his love, appreciation, and need for the outdoors. Music is the other half of his heart. Charles attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, graduating with a Professional Diploma in Professional Music. Charles is a Wilderness First Responder, and will be certified in Avalanche Safety (AIARE 1) in December 2019.  He is an accomplished indoor and outdoor chef. He also enjoys history, hiking with his Husky and off-roading in his 2003 Jeep Rubicon.

Erin was raised outside of Boulder, Colorado, and grew up hiking, snowshoeing, backpacking, and riding horses in the Rocky Mountains.  After college, she worked a variety of jobs ranging from sales, to non-profit support, to education, and more.  In 2020, Erin finally returned to her love of the outdoors and became an outdoor education instructor on Catalina Island.  She also spent a year working as a field guide for a wilderness therapy program based out of Colorado and Utah.  Erin believes that everyone, regardless of their personal backgrounds, can find a home and a place of learning in the wilderness.  She is passionate about guiding people to have fulfilling experiences in the backcountry while promoting responsible and sustainable recreation in our wild places.

Julie Jurkowski was born and raised outside of Chicago, but it wasn’t until she moved West in her early 20’s that she felt she had truly found her home. She has lead outdoor education and adventure trips with a number of companies over the past eight years. Many of these trips have been with at-risk youth as she believes whole-heartedly in the healing power of nature. She has hiked from Georgia to Pennsylvania on the Appalachian Trail and has lead trips in places from Alaska to Hawaii and North Carolina to Arizona. She has her graduate degree in Climate Science from Northern Arizona University and, although she is a Flagstaff resident, she is most at home in the backcountry and spends as many nights under the stars each year as possible.

Justin grew up in Idaho, spending much of his childhood in the great outdoors. He has lived in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming and has enjoyed hiking and camping in all three states. He also has a love for animals, raising horses, llamas and goats on a hobby farm with his family. Justin has worked with children and teenagers as a special education teacher and a Scout Master for the past 13 years. He continues to share his love for the outdoors with his family, guests and pretty much anyone who will listen to him for more than a few minutes.

Sasha, who sometimes goes by her trail name “Sassy,” is a Pennsylvania native and a world wanderer. She has experienced nature as something spiritual from a very young age, and intense wanderlust since her teen years. Following work in education, travel sales, and international medical case management, she pursued a MA in International Communication in Europe. Not satisfied with the corporate environment, post-graduation she decided to soul search by embarking on several treks in Hungary, Croatia, The Netherlands, Germany, and her home state of Pennsylvania; totalling 1,400+ miles in solo long-distance expeditions. The desire to guide others through soul-filling experiences in the great outdoors then drove her to become a guide at therapeutic wilderness programs in North Carolina and Utah. Finally, she was drawn farther west, and is thrilled to share the incredible beauty and rich history of the Sierras with you. When she’s not out hiking, she enjoys vanlife and creating content for her YouTube channel.

Alexi is a self-described globetrotter, musician and bird-nerd. Alexi was born in New York City and raised in rural New England. He studied biology in university and went on to become a field ornithologist, banding birds and leading research crews in remote areas in the States and abroad. In between these jobs, Alexi backpacked through Oceania, Southeast Asia, South America, and the American West. The call of the canyons eventually drew him to Flagstaff, where he landed his dream job leading backpacking trips in Grand Canyon. When he’s not guiding, Alexi is picking his mandolin in Flagstaff or exploring the Southwest with his dog, Francis.

Bob Kraus was one of our first employees and worked with Wildland Trekking for nearly a decade. He passed away from natural causes at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on October 22, 2014 doing what he loved most in this world – introducing guests to the natural world. Bob was one of a kind; a guy you immediately liked, he had an easy laugh and an easy personality. Conversation with Bob outside, around a campfire, seemed the most natural thing in the world. He did things old school, kept things simple, and his guests fell in love with him for it over the course of days in the wilderness. We’ll never forget Bob and we miss him every day.

Cameron spent his younger years living in and enjoying the outdoors of Michigan and Arizona. After graduating from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Biology and Education, Cameron has spent most of the last 30 years administering many outdoor programs, guiding, working in outdoor film production, and teaching about environmental and outdoor education. Cameron is frequently seen skiing, hiking, climbing, skateboarding, boating and generally having a good time in the outdoors. Elements of conservation and experiential education are at the core of Cameron’s teaching and outdoor style.

Claire is an outdoor enthusiast from Illinois who finally found her calling as a guide after seeking a career that will not only maximize her time outdoors, but also her happiness via sharing her passions with others. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability and Geography from the University of Illinois in 2019 and her Master’s degree in Community Resources and Development (Tourism and Recreation Management) from Arizona State University in 2021. Growing up visiting national parks with her family fostered a love for the environment that only grew with age and gave her the itch to continue traveling and immersing herself in different environments, cultures, and experiences. She truly believes that travel is a key ingredient to lifelong learning which is why her favorite part of her job is teaching her clients new information and seeing them curious to learn more.

Dara Kelly is passionate about sharing her love of wild places. After doing an intensive, field-based semester with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School), she began seeking more rugged adventures. Dara spent five years working in outdoor education in Vermont before moving to the west coast. She has professional experience as a river guide, snowboard instructor, ropes course leader, and backpacking guide. Dara has made several excursions to Central and South America, where she enjoys exploring ancient ruins and camping along the Pacific Coast. She is currently living and playing in Flagstaff, Arizona and works for Wildland Trekking in Arizona, Utah and Wyoming.

Dean Kelly was born in Ireland but grew up in the Northeast. He earned a BA in Environmental Studies and Education from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pennsylvania. Dean was a science teacher in New York City for five years. He has remained in education in that he is now a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) instructor as well as a Wildland Trekking Company hiking and backpacking guide. Dean home base is in Flagstaff, Arizona where he spends his free time rock climbing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and running.

Karla grew up in Seattle very much a city girl. She had only been camping twice prior to her college years, during which time she volunteered her way onto a Grand Canyon river trip as a science tech. Immediately in love with the canyon, she finished up her degree in Environmental Science, packed up and moved to Flagstaff, AZ. Once there, she completed her masters in biology at Northern Arizona University, focusing on plant ecology in arid environments. She has continued to work as a researcher both above and below the rim for 15 years, while spending as much time backpacking and hiking the canyon as possible. Having made the transition away from research to being a full-time hiking and river guide, she is passionate about teaching her guests about the flora of the canyon. When Karla isn’t hiking in the canyon, you’ll find her gardening, skiing, planning an adventure with friends, hiking somewhere else in Arizona or enjoying a good beer and live bluegrass. She is looking forward to sharing her love for her favorite place on earth: Grand Canyon!

At a young age, Kelly fostered a love of the outdoors while exploring the creeks and lakes of the Missouri Ozarks.  Her favorite outdoor activities include hiking, floating, bird watching, fly fishing and rock climbing. After earning a recreation degree from the University of Missouri, she began sharing her passion as an outdoor educator in parks, national forests, and wildlife refuges. In 2021 she hit the road to indulge in adventures of backpacking and rock climbing throughout the Western states. This experience led her to seek opportunities where she could help others have amazing trips in the wilderness. Kelly looks forward to telling the stories of natural resources and human history that may otherwise lie hidden in America’s most amazing landscapes.

Michelle always enjoyed playing outside as a child, but truly fell in love with the grandeur of the wild while attending university.  She obtained a B.A. in modern languages and her teaching degree. This quickly developed into running outdoor education programs and therein led to hiking guiding certifications. Michelle enjoys adventuring through the terrain in many different seasons in many different means such as cycling, ski touring, trail running and rock climbing. Each experience offers a lesson and a reason to be grateful. Michelle lives intentionally, looking for beauty in all situations. She enjoys learning about plant life and goes crazy every time she sees wildlife, it never gets old. When she isn’t guiding, she is often training for her next trail running competition, whipping up a batch of cookies, or hanging out with her cat.

Mick has been an outdoor Adventurer for almost 40 years. Starting with boy scouts, and progressing to base jumping and paragliding treks around the world. Mick’s love for adventure, wilderness survival, and education gives him a glowing passion for the outdoors that he shares with guests to create memorable experiences.

Moshe spent much of his childhood in Israel where he first became enamored with the great outdoors.  After leading a wilderness program at a large summer camp for many years, he decided to pursue a B.A. in Adventure Education from Prescott College.  After graduating Moshe settled in Las Vegas, NV, and has led numerous expeditions in the American Southwest, Alaska, the Appalachian Trail, Tanzania and Israel.  Additionally he has spent time backpacking and hiking in India and Thailand, and has completed a basic mountaineering course in the Indian Himalaya. He has also attained multiple outdoor certifications, including Leave No Trace Master Educator, Utah Whitewater River Crew license, American Avalanche Association Level 1, and is a Wilderness First Responder.  In his spare time Moshe enjoys backpacking, rafting, skiing, Scuba/Sky Diving, and the occasional mystery novel.

Rachel was hiking as earlier as she can remember, and started backpacking in a club from her high school with a highly dedicated teacher; after graduating high school, she continued with the backpacking club as an alumni chaperone. She pursued hiking, backpacking, and rock climbing in her free time while she attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a B.S. degree in Environmental Science in 2018, and a M.S. degree in Environmental Science and Engineering in 2020. After graduating, she continued environmental science research with her thesis advisor remotely as a Research Assistant while traveling the US and abroad for backpacking and rock climbing, as well as learning to ice climb and surf. Rachel loves to recreate outside and to share her passion with others, especially those who may not be able to access the outdoors otherwise.

Roseana comes from a big family of laborers who worked under the harsh Arizona sun like her. Her abuelito, born under a Mesquite tree in Tucson, unknowingly planted her soul in the same Sonoran desert. She grew up feeding Javelina and getting stuck full of cholla cactus. Her purpose flourished as an Environmental Science student in Flagstaff, Arizona. The new ecosystems of pinon/juniper and ponderosa ignited her connection with nature and the desire to help others find their own. She fell in love with the Grand Canyon and soon thereafter, the wonderful community of Wildland Trekking. Her education has extended from the canyons, monuments, and First Nations of the Colorado Plateau, to Rocky Mountain peaks, deep seas, and rainforests all over the world. Her second love became the grizzly country of Yellowstone National Park, where she guides. She returns to guide in the Southwest every Spring and Fall to maintain a balanced seasonal migration.

Steve Klefstad fell in love with the Grand Canyon on his first rafting trip in the summer of 2002. Less than a year and a half later, he moved to the South Rim where he lived and worked for Grand Canyon National Park. A side trip took him to Colorado, where he spent two summers guiding rafting trips on the Arkansas River. The Canyon was in his blood though, so he returned to Arizona where he now leads backpacking and river trips throughout Grand Canyon and the Southwest. Thrilled to be guiding for the Wildland Trekking Company, Steve is looking forward to meeting you and sharing with you the Canyon that he knows and loves.

Carlos was born and raised in San Diego, CA where his passion for the outdoors was first ignited through his love of surfing, diving, and spearfishing. While attaining his Bachelors degree in the study of Global Heath and Development at the University of Arizona, Carlos took to the mountains and discovered his affinity with rock climbing, long-distance backpacking trips, and mountain biking. Some of his most cherished memories include going on adventure surf trips in Baja California, 3 months living and working in Guatemala, and rock climbing in the Cochise Stronghold in Southern Arizona to name a few. He is fluent in both English and Spanish and in the past, has logged experience working as both an outdoor educator and an outdoor adventure guide based out of Southern California. Carlos is a light hearted individual who is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge of the outdoors and is dedicated to making sure his clientele have a truly rewarding experience.

Jeevan Lama is an adventure enthusiast and a world traveler who specializes in Himalayan destinations including Nepal, India and Tibet. He was born near the Langtang region of Nepal in a place called Helambu. After finishing his high school graduation, he followed the path to build his experience in Adventure travel throughout the Himalaya. Jeevan studied outdoor education, leadership development and attended several conferences about Adventure Travel. He has been working in the field since 2005 and has a proven track record as a trip leader and tourism entrepreneur. He currently serves as a board member for TAAN, the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal. Jeevan started working for Wildland Trekking as a Nepal Program Manager in 2015. Jeevan is also actively involved in several charities and community projects, which support disadvantaged communities in Nepal. “Adventure is not easy at all, dare yourself to do something out of the ordinary.”

Hailing from the great state of Colorado, Liz has been exploring the mountains her whole life. Her early years consisted of playing in the dirt on the softball field, taking her playing to Lehigh University and then in Germany. Playing professionally was a great joy and the mountains continued calling. Weekend and vacation trips to the woods was not enough. In 2017 she spent a 6 month season living as a  backcountry trail crew member, building and repairing trails in the Sierras. That adventure took her to New Zealand where she lived and worked for a year learning the outdoor industry even better. She can’t wait to hit the trails and share this beautiful place with you.

Paulina grew up in Idaho, not far from the shadow of the Grand Teton Mountains, spending most of her time outside working with horses. Being so close to so many diverse wild spaces instilled a sense of connection to the land from a young age, inspiring her to pursue research, advocacy, education, and guiding. With a background in geoscience, climate science, and energy policy, respecting and protecting the natural world around us is one of her top priorities. Paulina is passionate about being able to share her knowledge of the land she knows and believes that by sharing time with others in those places, they too can find their own connection and sense of place. When off the trail, you can find Paulina hanging around horses, creating art, or planning her next adventure!

Tolman grew up in the Napa Valley and attended the California Maritime Academy thinking that he wanted a career in the merchant marine industry. After a short stint working on tugboats in Alaska, he realized that he needed to follow his dream of working as a backcountry guide. From Boy Scout backpacking trips to a NOLS Patagonia Mountaineering course, inspiration came from a young age to spend as much time as possible in the wilderness. In 2014, he finally took a big step towards his goal and took an interpretive guiding and bicycle tour job at the South Rim of Grand Canyon. Initially thinking this would be a single-season gig, he ended up living and working in the South Rim Village for five years. He fell in love with the canyon like so many before him, and he still has a hard time believing that he gets paid to share with others the wonders of such a place. With plans to settle permanently in the area, he purchased an off-grid property 25 miles south of Grand Canyon and is currently building a tiny home.

Wes was born and raised in the small town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. He spent his entire life exploring the outdoors of southwest Colorado where he became an avid outdoorsman. Wes graduated from Fort Lewis College with a degree in Environmental Studies and has his EMT-IV and WFR medical certifications. While living in Pagosa Springs, he has worked as a Deputy of Emergency Management, Wildland Firefighter, and EMT. As a deputy, his duties included, backcountry search and rescue, law enforcement, wildland firefighting, and management of county emergencies. Wes loved his many roles as a first responder and has decided to take his skills and knowledge on a new adventure to the Yellowstone area as a guide for Wildland Trekking. He is passionate about guiding, teaching people about the outdoors, helping people explore the format. On his free time Wes loves hiking, camping (car/backpack/camper/horse), horseback riding, climbing, biking, hunting, archery, skiing, SAR, and exploring the Rocky Mountains.

Adam (he/him) was raised in Eastern Canada among rugged coastlines and sugar maples, a settler in Mi’kma’ki. His father introduced him to the simple pleasure of exploring landscapes under your own power at the age of 11, both through bike and backpacking. For the past five years he has called Canmore, Alberta (Treaty 7 Territory) home, where he has enjoyed exploring and sharing the nooks and crannies in his own backyard by feet, hands and skis. Through his work as a guide and environmental educator, he seeks to cultivate enduring and reciprocal relationships between people and the places that we call home.

Adriana grew up in Northwest Montana surrounded by the mountains of Glacier National Park. Her love for the outdoors and hiking began at an early age and lead her to pursue a career sharing that enthusiasm with others. She spent several years guiding in Glacier National Park with the off season spent as a volunteer ski instructor. After that three amazing years were spent guiding in The Grand Canyon, as well as supervising a trail maintenance crew, where she enjoyed the satisfaction of making the rough trails as hospitable as possible for visitors. Adriana’s next adventure took her to Yellowstone, where she fell in love with the wonder of the park after spending a winter leading snowmobile tours there, and now calls this amazing place home. She has visited and hiked several dozen National Parks and can be found, skiing, motorcycling, exploring backroads, and mountain climbing in her free time. She can’t wait to share this amazing and beautiful place with you!

Andrew began his outdoor career at an early age in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where he built a foundation and love for skiing, hiking, and climbing. After graduating from high school, he went west to push further into nature. Since then, Andrew has worked in many fields of the outdoor industry, including snowshoe guiding in the high peaks of Colorado, wilderness therapy guiding throughout Utah, teaching wilderness medicine in the La Sal Mountains of Utah, and ski guiding in the Wasatch Mountains. Andrew calls the Wasatch Mountains of Utah home. He has a strong interest in wilderness or emergency medicine, works as an EMT in Salt Lake City and teaches First Aid, CPR, Basic Life Support, Wilderness First Aid, and Wilderness First Responder courses through the American Red Cross and the National Association of Search and Rescue. Andrew has a deep love for the pristine beauty of nature and enjoys sharing that beauty with others. When not guiding, he is chasing snow on a high peak, swimming in an alpine lake or capturing the beauty around him with his camera. He loves interacting with the outdoors in as many ways he can, and will most likely have a huge grin on his face any time he’s in the wild!

Chelsea is an Arizona Native, who grew up in the mountains of small-town Prescott, Arizona. This is where she learned early on about her love for the outdoors. Although much of her background is in Performing and Musical Theatre, she is rooted in the pine tree forests, Grand Canyon and the beautiful Sedona red rocks that have always been her backyard. Growing up with adventurous parents, she was fortunate enough to go on many family vacations around the world and probably one too many camping trips to the Grand Canyon.  Chelsea has lived, worked, and played throughout New York, Hawaii, Colorado, Costa Rica and of course Arizona where she currently resides and finds herself outdoor storytelling about the Sonoran Desert daily. As a member of the Wildland Trekking team, being able to turn her passions into a career has been the ultimate dream and she can’t wait to share her enthusiasm for wilderness with you! On the rare occasion Chelsea isn’t outside, you will most likely find her singing, teaching yoga, or spending time with her little French bulldog.

Born in North Dakota and raised in eastern Pennsylvania, one could say adventuring to new places was innate to Chris. While growing up, Chris was dedicated to soccer, which allowed him to travel all over the country. When he wasn’t playing soccer, his family would go on local camping and hiking trips. By following his passion for soccer, it ultimately led him into university, where he pursued a degree in Health and Physical Education, all while playing the sport he loved. After university, Chris moved up to Maine and started working as a PE teacher. During his time off from teaching, Chris would explore all over New England. Trips would range from climbing along the rocky coast in Acadia National Park to section hiking parts of the Appalachian Trail. It was at this time Chris decided to move halfway across the country to Flagstaff where he can chase a life of adventure. By applying his skills as a teacher, Chris hopes to educate others on areas that are so inspiring to him.

Connor grew up in the Front Range of Colorado and spends most of his time on some medium of rock, ice or snow! In addition to being an AMGA single-pitch certified rock guide, he is also a PSIA-certified ski instructor and especially loves working with competitive youth groups. His 8+ years of guiding have taken him all over the world, from rock guiding in Vietnam to leading trips in the Utah desert. Working for Wildlandcombines two of his life’s passions: spending time in the outdoors and cooking good food with good people. In his spare time, he is an avid rock climber, skier, and aspiring ultrarunner!

Having spent most of his life above 61 degrees north, Drew is most comfortable negotiating the adventures and challenges of life at high latitudes. He grew up in Anchorage and has sought solitude and adventure in wilderness for as long as he can remember. He has explored Alaska’s immense wild spaces by foot, skis and mountain bike, and his early career as a scientist, teacher and guide expanded his horizons from Himalayan heights to equatorial Africa.

After studying Aleutian volcanoes for several years as a geologist based in Fairbanks, Drew lived in Kenya and worked with WWF advising freshwater conservation projects around the Rift Valley’s lakes. Upon returning to Alaska, Drew worked for the National Park Service, exploring many of Alaska’s remote parks while working as a wilderness and environmental planner.

Drawn to teaching, Drew earned a master’s degree in education and embarked on his career as a teacher, coach and wilderness guide. He has led backcountry hiking excursions in Denali National Park and winter ski and snowcoach outings in Yellowstone National Park, as well as expeditions in Greenland. When not guiding, Drew lives in a cabin at the foot of the Tetons, where he’s constantly in search of any excuse to travel by foot through the backcountry.

Hailing from the ‘land down unda’, Dylan grew up exploring southeast Australia and took many trips overseas with his outdoorsy and active family. Dylan studied Physical and Outdoor Education in Melbourne, graduating in 2015. In that same year, he began working at The Outdoor Education Group as a Group Leader. Over the next four years Dylan led school students on one to three-week trips from hiking to white water rafting in a wide variety of environments. In 2016 Dylan completed a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. He has also been on hiking trips in Northern Scandinavia and Spain. He has a passion for sharing amazing experiences outdoors and fostering positive connections with the land. Dylan has now made the big move to the United States in search of new experiences.

Francisco was born and raised in Ohio, where he developed a love for the outdoors at an early age exploring the forests and rivers of the Midwest. After graduating from Miami University in 2007 with a degree in Marketing, he went on to work in Chicago, IL; Normandy, France; and Barcelona, Spain as a Logistics Broker. The fast paced life of sales just wasn’t cutting it and in 2014 he decided to sell almost all of his belongings and thru- hike the Appalachian Trail. A renewed love of life and adventure, and the confidence to tackle anything led him to complete the Triple Crown of long distance hiking; completing the Pacific Crest Trail in 2015 and the Continental Divide Trail in 2016. After moving to Asheville, NC to start a new life in the mountains, he knew that sharing his rediscovered passion for life and the outdoors as a backpacking guide was the only way to go.

Hussein is our Mt. Kilimanjaro – Lead Guide. He started working on the mountain in 2005 to 2009 as a porter. In 2009, after graduating from tourism collage, he started climbing the mountain as a guide. He has summited Uhuru Peak more the 125 times since he started climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro as guide. He has a Wilderness First Responder certification and says the most important items to bring on the mountain are good reliable gear and a positive mind. Hussein lives with his wife and 2 beautiful daughters at foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. In his free time, he loves to work on his farm, watch movies with his family and play soccer.

Jhona was born in Punta Arenas, Chile and raised in Puerto Natales, living almost all his life in Patagonia. He studied Tourism and Hospitality Managment in Santiago de Chile, learning all what he needed to know to work in the field that he loves, adventure tourism. Since he was young, he’s been working in Torres del Paine Natioanl Park as a guide assistant, porter, and in operations and logistics. He’s a nature lover and passionate proponent of sustainable tourism. He loves to explore the world, experiencing and learning about differents cultures, sharing beautiful moments with people from other countries. He believes wholeheartedly that the world is way too big to stay in the same place too often! When not guiding, he enjoys cycling, hiking and learning about Chilean folklore.

Mark grew up hiking and camping with his dad, road-tripping across the country to see the best of our National Parks. This love of nature led Mark to an 8-year career as an agricultural engineer with the USDA, working with farmers and ranchers to improve conservation on their land. As work took him to beautiful rural areas throughout Pennsylvania and California, Mark couldn’t resist the urge to find his way into the outdoors full time. Now, he is excited to spend every day doing what he loves: sharing his passion for adventure and conservation with anyone who will join him. Mark also works as a Volunteer Wilderness Ranger, trail crew member, and poison oak magnet in Big Sur’s Ventana Wilderness.

Quinton grew up on the West Coast of California, surfing and soaking up the sun throughout his childhood. He attended the University of California, Santa Cruz for undergrad, and immediately became fascinated with ecology, botany, and outdoor recreation. With a passion to protect the natural world, he moved to the Southwest for work as a botanist and a soil scientist. In the off seasons, he began working as an outdoor guide. He loves teaching others about fascinating aspects of nature, and inspiring in others a deep sense of wonder, curiosity and connection to the natural world. Quinton is a certified Wilderness First Responder, and highly values personal safety in the outdoors. In his free time, he enjoys fitness and strength training, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, canyoneering, snowboarding, and of course hiking!

Sara was born and raised in Calgary, AB and spent her childhood weekends hiking, camping, and skiing in the Canadian Rockies with her family. After high school, she moved to Canmore to train full-time for cross-country skiing. Two years later, she left competitive sport and focused her efforts on hiking, trail running, scrambling, and remote backpacking trips. She is also pursuing a degree in Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. Her passion is exploring the off-the-beaten-path corners of the mountains and she loves to help others build their confidence as they travel through the wilderness!

Scott Moore is one of our most veteran guides, and one of our core Yellowstone guides. He lives in Missoula, Montana and has been an outdoor leader for more than seven years. From the hills of Romania to the peaks of Montana and Wyoming, there is nothing he enjoys more than backpacking and hiking new, beautiful places with others. To mention just a few highlights, he has taught leadership for Outward Bound in Costa Rica, instructed at Outdoor Education centers, and rode the high seas on an EPA environmental survey ship. Scott guides for Wildland exclusively in Yellowstone National Park. In the early years Scott ran our Yellowstone program nearly single-handedly. Reliable, friendly, and knowledgeable, Scott is, and has been for years, an enormous asset to the Wildland Trekking team.

Thad Miller has been exploring wild places since his first “self guided hike” of the neighborhood at age 2, much to his mother’s displeasure. He grew up in Georgia but has lived in the Four Corner’s Region for over a decade. He has guided a variety of adventures from hiking and backpacking to mountaineering in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusettes, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska. He has spent the last 12 years ardently exploring the wild country of the Southwest both professionally and personally. When not guiding, he works as a paramedic and flight medic in Southern Colorado, which is where he calls home. Thad is an extremely thorough and knowledgeable guide, and is dedicated to making the trips he leads true peak experiences for his guests.

Carolina has been guiding professionally since 2006.  After chasing summer for upwards of ten years while leading trips internationally, she began to miss winter and the Rockies where she grew up. She opted for a change in 2018 and made Canmore, a town 20 minutes outside Banff National Park her year-round home. Since then she has worked marketing contracts for the ski industry in the winter months and guided over the summer months.  If you want to see her excited, just ask her anything to do with hiking, mountain biking or skiing in the Rockies and you will see her genuine pride in her home— a born and raised mountain enthusiast.

From a young age, Jenna appreciated the feeling of moving her body and the satisfaction that came from self-propelled activities. Feeding off of the energy of wild places, she has spent five months following the white blazes along the Appalachian Trail, two weeks hiking across Baffin Island, 15 days exploring the high altitude passes of the Nepalese Himalayas, and over 500 nights sleeping in her tent. She lives a life creating adventure and opportunity and is passionate about teaching others how to find and create their own adventure. Always in search of a new adventure she can be found anywhere but indoors!

Kyle Nush grew up in Round Lake, Illinois and developed a love for the great outdoors from going on family vacations to National Parks with his parents. Kyle graduated in 2017 from Carthage College with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science, Geography, Earth Science and GIS. Kyle has always wanted to be outside, so summers were spent on the East Coast guiding in the White Mountains for the Appalachian Mountain Club, or on the West Coast guiding hikes in Yosemite. Kyle is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Brendan worked for the Forest Service and the National Park Service before heading to Flagstaff to pursue a Master’s Degree in geography at Northern Arizona University. After a season guiding in Oregon, he was thrilled to return to the Southwest for his first season at Wildland. He spends a lot of his free time writing and working on turning his thesis about housing into a book. He has too much to say about this topic for a guide bio, but it’s something to ask him about on the trail! When he’s not hiking or writing, he can usually be found reading, playing sports ranging from tennis to basketball to disc golf, or entranced by the night sky. He’s originally from Iowa.

“…and always try to have (at the very least) one thing you love, one thing you have loved, and (perhaps most importantly) one thing you will someday love…” – Seth (Thomas, West Virginia)

Finn grew up in the Seattle area where a majority of his time as a youth was spent hiking, rafting, biking,and participating in the premier ultimate frisbee and jazz programs the area offered. Finn graduated in 2020 with a BS in Environmental science from Western Washington University and spent the next several years working various outdoors jobs. In the fall of 2021, Finn moved full-time into his beat up Ford Econoline and has been traveling the West in pursuit of some of the best rock climbing around. After a summer working with the US Forest Service on a wilderness trails crew in rugged central Idaho, Finn decided to pursue a career guiding where he could share his knowledge and passion for the natural world with others.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, Kasey grew up hiking, camping, and backpacking with her family and friends. In 2013 she graduated from Northern Arizona University with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management and a focus on Outdoor Leadership. Since then she has worked as a guide, director, and outdoor educator in Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and California. In her free time, Kasey enjoys traveling, climbing, paddle boarding, and backpacking. During the off-season, she focuses on one large outdoor adventure and spends the rest of her time in Phoenix with family.

Kyle was born and raised in New England. During his early career, studying neuroscience and researching in the Boston area, he found that he spent all of his time devising ways to leave the city. Often this meant exploring the White Mountains of New Hampshire. He spent most his free time hiking, skiing and biking in the region, and decided he’d rather explore the wilderness than continue his career as a researcher. In 2017 he made the decision to leave the city and hike the Appalachian Trail. The thru-hike solidified his desire to make a living in the outdoors, so he headed west to guide primitive backpacking trips with at-risk youth. He taught shelter building, wood carving, fire making and rock climbing in the Utah desert. When he isn’t guiding you’ll find Kyle skiing, mountain biking or rock climbing wherever the weather is cooperating.

Max grew up in Ohio, but an obsession with the mountains prompted him to pursue his college education in Colorado. He focused his passion for the inner workings of the natural world as an undergraduate studying ecology and geology at the University of Colorado, where he also developed a love for rock climbing. After graduating, Max traveled the world to climb, bike, and hike, but he always returned to the mountains and deserts of the American West, where the complexity and beauty of the land provides endless inspiration. A strong advocate for the transformative power of nature and human-powered adventure, Max loves sharing stories of the outdoors through writing, photography, and, of course, in-person with the guests on his trips.

Anna has called Banff home for the past 9 years, and still feels like she has only scratched the surface in terms of adventures to go on and exciting new places to discover. Working in different areas of the tourism industry in Banff nurtured a passion for sharing the enjoyment she finds in exploring the area with people who are visiting. When she’s not planning and guiding trips, Anna can still be found out in the mountains whether it’s on multi-day hikes, mountain biking, canoeing or rock climbing, there’s always more to discover! Anna’s favorite mountain is Castle Mountain, and her most epic adventure to date is the Wapta ski traverse from Bow Lake to the Great Divide Lodge near Lake Louise.

Bill was born in Houston Texas, but spent his childhood traveling through Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago and Canada. These raw experiences sparked his love for nature and earths wild places! He moved to Steamboat Springs, Colorado when he was 23 to study Outdoor Education and Sustainability Leadership which launched him into his guiding career. Bill became a Wilderness First Responder and spent a few years guiding for Open Sky Wilderness Therapy, which exposed him to the power of healing in nature. He’s now with Wildland Trekking leading trips in Rocky Mountain National Park, Flat Top Wilderness Colorado, and down in the canyons of Southwest Utah. During his free time, Bill loves to partake in various outdoor activities such as rock-climbing snowboarding, and backpacking, as well as loves to travel, cook yummy meals and spend time with his loved ones.

Dan grew up outside Minneapolis, Minnesota and started out his career as an aerospace engineer. He discovered his passion for the outdoors, however, by joining a search and rescue team in Northern Minnesota. Since then, Dan has guided mountain and trekking trips in both Norway and Nicaragua, and completed his wilderness emergency technician course in the Scottish Highlands. He loves to share his enthusiasm for hiking, rock climbing, and travelling with his guests and always has a funny story or corny joke to share.

Growing up in the countryside in Alberta, Jamie has been loving and exploring nature since the moment she learned to crawl. An avid hiker, camper, and explorer, she spent her formative years getting off the trail and in the forest as she could. Eager to share her love of nature with others, she began pursuing a career as an interpretive guide and documentary filmmaker while obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Alberta. Jamie went on to work as an interpreter with the City of Edmonton and as a documentalist with the Company of Women on the Screen. Soon, adventure called Jamie to leave Canada and begin a new career as a hiking guide in Chilean Patagonia. There she formed Indomita Adventures Patagonia, through which she offers hiking and cultural tours as well as free beach clean-up and interpretive environmental events. Dividing time between Chile and Canada, Jamie is an active member and instructor with the Interpretive Guides Association and an ACMG apprentice guide. When Jamie isn’t promoting conservation through her creative interpretation on the trail, she can be found doing improvisational theater, singing around a campfire, and going on long nighttime walks through whatever town she’s passing through.

Jeff (he/him) grew up in the Pacific Northwest (Suquamish, Snohomish, Stillaguamish & Coast Salish Indigenous Land). Having grown up with nature close by for most of his childhood, he has always felt like being outside was an important part of life. Early in his college career he was exposed to how the outdoors can be utilized as a space for reflection, growth, challenge and community. Since then, he has found the value of spending time outside in whatever landscape it may be – deserts, mountains, plains, forests, etc. He has spent the last 9 years working with Outward Bound leading multi week expeditions in the Sierra and Joshua Tree. During the last few years he has found a passion for thru-hiking and has hiked well known trails such as the Hayduke, Colorado Trail, Appalachian Trail and Continental Divide Trail. In his free time he enjoys rock climbing, spending time with friends, drinking coffee and eating pizza.

Josephat is our lead Safari guide. He has over 10 years of experience taking people from all around the world to Tanzania’s top safari destinations; Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Tarangire and Manyara. He has attended many first aid & safari guide training courses over his time in the industry. Most recently he attended a training lead by the Mweka Wildlife college. Bird watching and spending time with his family are a few activities he especially loves to do. He has 2 lovely daughters, Noela & Angel. He advises that a good pair of binoculars will go a long way to really help see wildlife while on safari and specifically for bird watching.

Eddie started hiking and skiing as a boy in the Adirondack mountains of upstate NY and this love of the outdoors that started early became a lifestyle.  As soon as he was able, Eddie moved to Colorado so he could spend as much time as possible hiking, biking and skiing the backcountry.  His first outdoor leadership job was was teaching cross country skiing at the Nordic Center in Beaver Creek and from there Eddie worked as a guide for Meet the Wilderness introducing inner city kids to the wilds of the Colorado Rockies.  Eddie has enjoyed many outdoor jobs over the years guiding trips in the US and overseas, serving as a ranger in Olympic National Park, and working as fire fighter/EMT at McMurdo Station, Antarctica.  Most of Eddie’s work is seasonal so he can spend plenty of time in the outdoors doing what he loves the most, backpacking, backcountry skiing and exploring the world on backroads and trails.  Eddie has managed to camp on all seven continents and loves sharing his passion for the outdoors with others.

Adrienne grew up splitting her time between Colorado and France, a combination which inspired a love for the mountains and a thirst for travel and adventure. Growing up skiing, camping, hiking and horseback riding, she later discovered backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, and yoga. Guiding and teaching these activities offered an avenue for travel and a means to share her passion for the outdoors – guiding horseback safaris in southern Africa, teaching yoga in Brazil, guiding hiking and biking in Arizona, and spending seasons as a ski instructor in Colorado. Horseback riding remains her primary pursuit, whether deep in the backcountry on horseback, teaching riding lessons for kids, or training young horses to be backcountry rockstars. Currently she summers in Colorado and winters in Arizona, maximizing the potential to get outdoors at every opportunity.

Brian grew up in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas, spending weekends and summers exploring the creeks and woods of the area. As a teenager, Brian began hiking and backpacking, finding a passion for wild spaces that has driven his life. After college, he moved out west, landing in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. In the years since then, Brian has developed a love of facilitating meaningful and educational outdoor experiences. For the past 4 years, he has worked as an interpretive guide, ski guide, and hiking guide. When not guiding, Brian is often traveling, climbing, hiking, or exploring wilderness areas all over the country.

Chandra is originally from Dhankuta, the eastern part of Nepal. He grew up in a family with eight siblings and his life was sometimes challenging. He used to walk two hours to school every day and after he finished his high school he went to Kathmandu in search of work. Through his friends, he found work as a porter for treks throughout Nepal. His first trek was to Everest Base Camp in 1996 with a group of American trekkers. After working as a porter and assistant guide for 14 years and studying Adventure tourism, Chandra became a certified lead trekking guide. Chandra is very experienced, compassionate, sincere and has a great sense of humor. He started working with Wildland Trekking in 2017 and has led hundreds of treks all over Nepal.

Chris hails from both southwestern Wyoming and northern Utah, where he spent as much time as possible hiking, biking, snowboarding, camping, fishing, and hunting. Upon completion of a distinguished career with the United States military in 2016, he returned to the Rockies to enjoy mountain life with the intent of helping people to connect with nature and the environment. He currently lives in Montana where he takes every opportunity to hike and backpack throughout the region, pursue fish with a flyrod, rock climbing, mountaineering, rafting, snowshoeing, and spending time with his dogs. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and possesses several additional rescue certifications.

Craig hails from the city of Rochester, New York, where he spent summers camping, trout fishing and hiding from the rain. He attended college there, too, where he wrote a lot of papers and learned about Shakespeare and Milton. Years after a relocation to North Carolina, Craig finally found his way west, landing in Las Vegas for some time, where he led trips in the Grand Canyon and southern Utah. Clearly born on the wrong coast, he moved to Truckee, CA to lead trips in the Sierra, snowboard and find a better work-life balance. Craig is a graduate of the National Outdoor Leadership School, a Leave No Trace Master Educator and sometimes he surfs, rock climbs and mountain bikes. He and his wife, Karen, travel as often as possible and tend to the needs of their Australian Shepherd, Ranger.

Emily (“Emrad”) grew up in a ski town in Colorado doing all sorts of outdoor activities. Once she graduated high school, she took a gap year and spent a year living and volunteering in India and Peru. It was through these experiences that she found her passion for adventure, connecting with others, and living outside of her comfort zone. She then went to college in Portland, OR and studied International Sustainable Development. After college she took a National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester for outdoor educators and found her love for the canyons of Utah. This is where/when she decided that guiding trips in the desert was her calling. It would allow her to help people to connect with nature in a meaningful and respectful way. While she is not backpacking, she loves to rock climb, travel, and draw.

Emily has been guiding backpacking, multi-sport adventures, and supporting youth-at-risk in wilderness settings since 2005. In the outdoor industry she has also worked as a Medical Case Manager, Field Manager, Assistant Field Director, and Regional Director. She earned a B.A. in Psychology from Prescott College with an emphasis in leadership and outdoor programming. She is also a Wilderness EMT. Emily loves the soul recharging power of the wilderness, the community created when groups travel together, and the growth that comes from outdoor excursions. For fun, Emily loves running, road and mountain biking, playing racquetball, cooking, and connecting with friends, family and new people. She has backpacked over 3,500 miles throughout the country and in New Zealand, including a thru-hike of the Appalachian and Long Trails. She currently lives in Durango, Colorado.

Like many of us, Helen first saw the Grand Canyon on a cross country road trip with her family. As the daughter of a U.S Army officer, she traveled the world living in places such as Hawaii and Europe. During her professional career she worked for Arizona Highways magazine, which gave her the opportunity to learn about the Grand Canyon from numerous photographers and writers. After years of driving between Phoenix and Grand Canyon just for a day hike, she took a big leap accepting a job with the Grand Canyon Association as Director of Marketing and Outreach and later as the Associate Director of Philanthropy. Living and working at Grand Canyon National Park allowed her the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding about the Canyon’s human and natural history. Helen has trekked internationally in Nepal and Africa. In 2016, Helen completed a 21-day, 240+ mile backpack on the John Muir Trail. Helen lives in Flagstaff with her husband Wayne Ranney, geologist, trail guide and author of “Carving Grand Canyon”.

A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Jake’s love for the outdoors started at childhood. Every summer he would head north and go hiking and camping with his dad and brother. After a 15 year career as a chef, Jake wanted something different. He quit his job, packed up, and headed west. Jake has been in California now for 6 years and has hiked and backpacked all over the state. His most notable and favorite hike was the John Muir Trail, which he hiked in only 11 days. Jake’s hope for the future is to one day become a park ranger.

Russell loves exploring majestic landscapes and sharing their stories with others. He grew up backpacking in Oregon when “rain pants” meant bringing an extra pair of jeans and vividly remembers the first time he had to navigate without a trail. Since then, he earned a masters in geology while exploring and reading Shackleton and Abbey in his free time before working for the National Park Service at Grand Canyon and Denali where he fell in love with ancient rocks, glaciers, and immense, un-altered wilderness. A stint as a professional geologist caused him to re-think his route and he now lives in Colorado with his wife Cassi, guiding and teaching outdoor skills. Russell feels most at home exploring areas where there are no trails and few trip reports, but also loves trail running, packrafting, climbing mountains, and philosophical conversations. He looks forward to learning about your journeys in the world and in life.

Savannah is a Midwest, small town gal who followed her passion for the great outdoors out West. Her interest in the natural environment and outdoor education began with her studies in Environmental Science and Sustainable Tourism. With a deeply developed love for conservation, exploration, and sharing the magic & beauty of the natural world with others, her travels took her around from Alaska to Costa Rica, and most recently on to Colorado. As a tour guide for Winter Park Resort, she leads guests on snowshoeing, ski-bikes, and uphilling tours in the winter season. Savannah is more than excited to be leading guests on hikes within beautiful SW Utah, to begin her career as a guide with Wildland Trekking. In her free time, she is out exploring hiking trails with her adventure dog Argo, or reading and relaxing in her hammock in the nearest green space.

Shane comes from an Arizona family dating back to 1918. He spent his youth outside with his dad and grandfather hiking, camping and exploring Arizona and the western USA. While spending much of his youth in northern Arizona on and near the Navajo Nation, his educational focus became Native American Anthropology and Religious Studies at ASU. He ventured into the art world, with a small ownership stake in a gallery, owned a construction business, and spent years in the motorcycle industry. A chance of a lifetime opportunity resulted in him spending years traveling the world- visiting, hiking and backpacking in 35 countries. At that point, the light came on and he sought work in the outdoor industry. Shane especially enjoys discussing gear requirements and the challenges of Wildland Trekking’s Level 5 backpacking adventures, which is his hiking passion. “As an athlete, I like pushing personal limits, and assisting our challenge-seeking guests to find that their ultimate adventure is extremely rewarding!” When not building trips for our guests, Shane is a competing trail runner, road cyclist and triathlete, and is out paddle-boarding or kayaking Arizona’s waterways.

Amanda grew up in Garland, Texas, where she spent her earliest years climbing trees and playing in the dirt. She graduated from the University of North Texas with a B.S. in Kinesiology. In the following months, she answered the call of adventure and moved to Utah to begin working as a Wilderness Adventure Therapy Guide. The outdoors soon became a way of life for her and in 2017 she walked 3,300 miles from Delaware to California. After traveling to Thailand and Canada, Amanda found herself in North Carolina where she currently resides. In her free time she can be found foraging herbs, rock climbing and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Amanda is an enthusiastic guide that loves sharing outdoor knowledge and fostering a connection between the guests and the natural world.

Betsy grew up climbing tall trees and letting her imagination run wild in the temperate coastal rainforests on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. The woods were alive and, in those years, seemed entirely magical. Early on, she developed a fascination with the old stories of peoples’ connection to rivers, forests, and the Earth. She studied Cultural Anthropology at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, where she received her B.A. in 2011. She spent time in other countries and worked seasonally in Utah, Arizona, and Alaska before spending a winter in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. A decade later the Rocky Mountain State continues to be her home base for an eclectic range of adventures, and her guiding career. In 2016 she volunteered as a Volcano trekking Guide in Nicaragua and knew immediately that she wanted to be a professional guide. Later, she went to work with teens in Utah’s Uintah Mountains and pinyon-juniper woodlands. A reverence for the wilderness and attunement towards others informs Betsy’s approach to guiding. She always puts people and safety first in the backcountry. In her spare time, she loves bagging peaks, writing poetry, stargazing, and traveling the world solo.

Chitra is from the Okhaldhunga Distric of Nepal, which is close to Mt. Everest. He spent his childhood in a small village and completed his high school education. In 1994, Chitra started working as a kitchen helper and porter on trekking expeditions throughout Nepal. After gaining a lot of experience, Chitra was promoted to assistant guide and later certified as a Lead Trekking Guide in 2007. In the course of his career, Chitra did several trainings on Leadership, Advanced First Aid and Risk Management. He has led expeditions all over Nepal, India and Tibet. He started working with the Wildland Trekking Company in 2017. Our guests speak of Chitra’s compassionate demeanor and remarkable ability to be calm in the face of adversity. Chitra is a wealth of knowledge and a valuable asset to everyone he meets.

Ilan has been camping and loving nature since childhood. An outdoor educator at heart,  he grew up in southern California desert chaparral. After many years working, learning, and guiding in that environment, he spent some time guiding in Japan. In addition to outdoor education and backpacking/hiking, Ilan has been a Sea kayak guide in the San Juan islands. He’ll take any opportunity to spend time outside!

JJ grew up in the flatlands of Ohio; despite being bound by a city, she always found the nooks of ravines & forests nearby to explore. Moving out west (initially to Oregon) allowed expansive exploration of the greater peaks & valleys, canyons & rivers of this land. Pursuing the passion of exploring more outdoor spaces in combination with sharing & leading others in these powerful experiences paved the way for JJ’s professional path. Since 2010 she has continuously worked for various organizations leading multi-day hiking and backpacking trips through many landscapes. The southwestern area of the United States beckons her as ‘Home’, from high up in the Elk Mountains of Colorado all the way down to the Colorado River beaches in the Grand Canyon. As an outdoor guide & educator, JJ thrives on connecting people with the rhythms & wonders of nature while in good company with themselves and others.

Jordan was born and raised in New Jersey but his true home would always be in the mountains. He spent many of his weekends driving to the White Mountains of New Hampshire in order to hike its 48 peaks over 4,000 ft. But these weekend trips did little to quell his thirst for adventure. In July 2019, Jordan grew dissatisfied with his job and life in New Jersey and knew he needed a big change, so drove to the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and started hiking south, eventually completing his thru hike through winter. Towards the end of his journey, he met his girlfriend, who invited him to thru hike the Continental Divide Trail with her. By December 2020, after 5 months of hiking and 3000 miles later, he had completed the trek from Canada to Mexico. Before accepting his guiding position with Wildland Trekking, Jordan also worked as a wilderness therapy instructor in Georgia. Some of Jordan’s other hobbies include ultra running, birding, and snowboarding.

Laine Smith grew up in Madison, WI. Exploring the forests and country around her home state was the extent of her wilderness adventures before moving to Colorado to earn her Bachelors Degree in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology and Environmental Studies. Her outdoor pursuits and passions have drawn her across the globe exploring mountains and oceans through backpacking, climbing, and sea kayaking. Laine has dedicated her life to Outdoor Education through organizations like Wildland Trekking, NOLS, Women’s Wilderness, Teton Science Schools, and United World Colleges. She thrives on sharing her passion for ecology, wilderness, and philosophy with younger generations and invests deeply in her participants. You can find Laine exploring the landscapes of Norway, canyons in Arizona or skiing up mountains in Montana in her spare time, potentially curled up with a good book and some tea in her sleeping bag.

After spending his childhood exploring the deserts near Phoenix, Landon moved to Flagstaff, AZ to pursue a degree in Forestry from NAU. He naturally drifted more towards the ecology side of the degree, and stayed for a Master of Forestry degree where he focused on biological soil crusts (AKA cryptobiotic soil, or “crypto”). At the core of Landon’s passion for learning about ecosystems is a deep personal relationship with them forged through years of outdoor recreation. Backpacking is the simplest representation of what Landon enjoys about the outdoors, but he also tries to weave the wilderness and multi-day aspects of backpacking into his other hobbies of mountain biking, backcountry skiing, packrafting, canyoneering, and climbing. Landon has always called the Southwest home but has expanded his definition of home to include Colorado, Utah, and California. He has a particular affinity for the Grand Canyon, San Juan Mountains, Utah deserts, and Sierra Nevada but has experience throughout the West and is excited to deepen that. Landon strives to share his knowledge about outdoor recreation and ecology with others, hoping to foster in them a love and care for the protection of these places.

Patty grew up in northern New Jersey and always had a yearning to move West! After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Environmental Science her dream came true. She began her career with the National Park Service as an emergency services Park Ranger. Her twenty-six year career included law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency medical services, backcountry management and visitor services. She served in Big Bend National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gateway National Recreation Area, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Rocky Mountain National Park and several other areas as part of a National Incident Management Team. After retiring in 2012 from the National Park Service, she began guiding hiking trips. Some of her favorite places to guide include Rocky Mountain National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Alaska. She is currently certified as an EMT-IV. She loves taking guests to National Parks, exploring and enjoying all the Parks have to offer. When not guiding, she enjoys birding, cycling, fly fishing, hiking and skiing, and traveling with her husband Tom in their camper van.

Rachel grew up in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Time spent outside hiking, camping and skiing were priorities in her formative years. She attended the University of Calgary completing an undergrad in Geography and Psychology. After school she moved to interior BC where she became a ski patroller, ski coach, hiking guide and worked at a variety of backcountry lodges. She has recently moved to Canmore, Alberta working as a hiking guide and a cabinetmaker.

Roger was born in the Cordillera Negra of Peru, three hours west of the stunning Cordillera Blanca mountain range. He began studying in public school when six years old with his five siblings by his side. In addition to studying, Roger spent much of his childhood helping on his family’s farm. One of his childhood hobbies was trout fishing in the high lakes and rivers around his hometown. At 16 years old, Roger left home and moved to the coast where he worked as a fisherman and finished his schooling. In 2003, Roger moved to Huaraz, the heart of the Andes and the capital of his native region in Peru. He enrolled in University and studied English teaching and tourism. Since 2005, Roger has been exploring, guiding and sharing his passion in the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash with people from all over the world. Roger is a certified high alpine mountaineering and trekking guide as well as Wilderness First Responder. You will not find a more articulate, patient and professional guide as Roger. We are incredibly fortunate to have him on team Wildland!

Sandy grew up in the green mountains of Vermont and her love of the outdoors bloomed early. She spent the majority of her time as a child ski racing, playing soccer, hiking and biking all over New England with friends and family. Sandy graduated Colby College in 2020 with a degree in Biology with a concentration in neuroscience. Her interest in backpacking and navigating the backcountry piqued when living in New Zealand while doing a semester abroad. She spent every weekend exploring and sectioning the southern alps of New Zealand with friends, and whatever could fit in a backpack. Sandy found backpacking to be extremely peaceful and healing, and after college, found Wilderness Therapy. She guided for over a year, taking students on various backcountry adventures, teaching them about the outdoors, and helping them to work through various mental health struggles. Sandy believes living and playing outdoors is instrumental in healing, growth and connection, and loves to share the benefits of spending time outside with new people on Wildland Trekking Trips.

Shane grew up in Santa Barbara, California where he found a love for the outdoors at an early age, rambling in the backcountry of the Coastal Ranges and along the shores of the Pacific Ocean. He attended St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico graduating with a liberal arts degree in philosophy. After graduating college he began a twenty year career in outdoor education and guiding, leading trips throughout the U.S. and across the world and specializing in multi-week expeditions. He has spent over 10 full summers in the High Sierra and adventured across New Zealand and Africa. Shane sources his life’s inspiration from nature and avidly pursues numerous outdoor pursuits, including surfing, birding, rock-climbing, mountaineering and fly-fishing. He has also nurtured a life-long passion for nature literature and poetry.

Tamara Sciacca is originally from San Jose, CA and grew up in Albuquerque, NM where her love of the outdoors was cultivated by spending as much time as humanly possible hiking, camping, backpacking, rock climbing, skiing and snowboarding. She attended Santa Clara University where she studied civil engineering and played soccer, and later earned a degree in Geology from the University of New Mexico. She has discovered her true passion in guiding, which she has been gratefully doing for over a decade on the Colorado Trail, in Rocky Mountain National Park, and in the Grand Canyon. She resides in Silverton, CO where she loves to spend her time off exploring every nook and cranny of the humbling and mighty San Juan mountains.

Originally from a small town in northeastern Massachusetts, Tommy grew up exploring the mountains of New England on his snowboard. He later discovered his passion for nature, hiking, and rock climbing in college at Clark University, where he studied Geography and Environmental Science and pursued research that utilized satellite imagery to support conservation and climate change initiatives. Living in Colorado further cultivated his love for exploring the backcountry and protecting these pristine and natural landscapes. Not only did he get to hike on the weekends but he also got to do it on the job while working for the Bureau of Land Management undergoing vegetation surveys. Learning about new cultures, food, languages and ways of life also greatly excites Tommy, and he enjoys attaining such knowledge through travel, whether it be domestically or internationally. His favorite travel experience to date was spending a summer road tripping around the Western US exploring the many national parks and living out of his car and tent. When he is not adventuring in the great outdoors, Tommy enjoys reading fiction, playing boardgames, exploring ways to live more sustainably, and questioning social norms.

Traci grew up building tree forts and playing sports in upstate New York. It wasn’t until 2012, when she began leading international teen service trips with The Road Less Traveled, that she really understood her passion for all things outside. Traci adores traveling and learning; she has backpacked Europe and Latin America extensively and speaks Spanish. She has worked as a full-time outdoor educator in New Orleans as well as spent 1.5 years as a wilderness adventure therapy guide in Utah. When she is not in the Utah backcountry, she can be found rock climbing, skiing, or catching a live music show in Salt Lake. Traci is a compassionate guide who prides herself on delivering a memorable trip filled with adventure, fun, and learning about the natural environment.

Danielle grew up in Connecticut, where she spent many days exploring the woods of New England, camping with her family, and fishing the lakes from her kayak. A few years after graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in Psychology, Danielle made the decision to live out her dream of moving to Colorado. She completely fell in love with the incredible mountains and deserts of the Southwest as she said yes to every opportunity for adventure that came her way, and then she turned those adventures into her career. She has been a volunteer naturalist in Southwest Colorado, a Wilderness Therapy Guide in Idaho, a Life Skills Mentor in Arizona, and a Llama Trekking Guide in Northwest Montana. Danielle loves to share her passion for exploring wild places with her guests and is immensely fulfilled by helping others to experience the backcountry’s unparalleled beauty. When she isn’t guiding, you can find Danielle learning a new craft, rappelling into a canyon, around a campfire with friends, or relaxing in a hammock outside of her camper.

Darren grew up all around the US due to his family being in the military. He grew up loving and respecting the outdoors and continues this respect with over 30 years of outdoor experience. He came to Southern Utah in 2001 and instantly fell in love. He is a certified wilderness first responder who has a passion for backpacking, hiking, canyoneering, and rock climbing. Currently, he is continuing his studies in Anthropology at DSU and guiding for Wildland Trekking, as he shares his enthusiasm for nature with like minded great people.

Growing up camping in the deserts and mountains of California, Hayley’s love for the outdoors started at a very young age. It didn’t take her long to realize that her passion for being outside and exploring nature was just as strong as her love for creating a sense of wonder for the outdoors with people around her. She spent 5 years teaching outdoor education in California and Colorado. She moved to Rocky Mountain National Park in 2013 and there was no looking back – the towering mountains and serene alpine lakes quickly stole her heart. Hayley started guiding hikes in RMNP in 2016 and has a wealth of knowledge of the animals and flowers that call the tundra and forest of the park home. Having hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and guided trips in the Sierras, Hayley’s love for backpacking is obvious and she can’t wait to share it with you! When she’s not guiding she can be found teaching ski school in Telluride, running, climbing, exploring the desert, and enjoying a good cup of coffee with friends.

Isaac Tapper grew up exploring the mountains and rivers of Vermont with his family. During college he began working in outdoor education and leading extended backpacking trips. After completing a degree in music he moved to the West Coast to continue exploring wild spaces. In addition to guiding for Wildland Trekking in the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone, he is an instructor for Outward Bound in the Pacific Northwest. He also has professional experience as a ski instructor, rock climbing instructor, and whitewater rafting guide. When not sharing his love for wilderness and adventure Isaac enjoys writing songs and cooking for friends. He currently calls Bend, Oregon home.

Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, Karina has been a hiking guide in Torres del Paine National Park for more than 10 years. After studying Commerce in University, she’s been a nomad at heart, passionate about traveling and mountain sports, such as climbing and ski touring. Charismatic, active and always keen on new experiences, challenges and adventures, she thrives in the guiding environment where she gets to meet new people and share powerful experiences with them in her favorite place on Earth – Torres del Paine National Park.

I was born and raised in a small town in Alabama. From hunting and fishing to off-roading and hiking, being outside was instilled in me from an early age. After graduating high school, I attended Auburn University for 4 years. During my time there, my fondness of the outdoors grew more and more each year. A core group of friends and I began traveling near and far, searching for our next dose of adventure. Backpacking in North Carolina, hiking 14ers in Colorado, skiing in Montana, scuba diving in the Caymans, etc. all became regular occurrences and staples of both my life and college experience. After graduating from Auburn, I spent a year working in construction management before I finally made a decision to stop chasing money and start living the life I wanted. Since that time, I’ve worked as a wilderness therapy guide in Vermont, a wilderness therapy guide in Alaska doing 47-day canoeing and backpacking expeditions, and as a professional guide for Wildland Trekking. When I’m not working, I spend most of my time scuba diving, mountaineering, ice climbing, rock climbing, and skiing.

Michaela grew up in the foothills of western Massachusetts where she spent her childhood exploring the outdoors by building forts in the forest and spending time by the brook close to her home. Her love of the outdoors blossomed into a lifetime passion when she embarked on her first backpacking trip in Maine in her late teens. Michaela pursued a Bachelors in Women’s Studies at the University of Massachusetts as well as two Certificates of Outdoor Skills and Leadership from Greenfield Community College and the University of Alaska Southeast. Her explorations brought her to Juneau, Alaska where she resided for four years while guiding on glaciers and teaching at the University of Alaska Southeast. Michaela has also worked for Outward Bound in Maine where she instructed backpacking and canoeing courses for young adults. Her passion for rock climbing and backpacking have brought her to destinations across New England, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, China, Guatemala, and southeast Asia. When she’s not climbing rocks or exploring new trails she enjoys eating ice cream.

For years Felipe spent his vacations acting on his passion for exploration: backpacking through Chile, Argentina, Perú and Bolivia. He specifically traveled and hiked a lot through Chilean and Argentinian Patagonia, and in 2010 he decided to leave his city career (as a counselor and life coach) behind and become a mountain guide and outdoor educator. Felipe drove his career towards the outdoors, focusing on the two things he most enjoyed: teaching and traveling. In the process he discovered mountaineering, and in 2012 he began instructing for the U.S.-based National Outdoor Leadership (NOLS), and then guiding trips for Wildland starting in 2018. He is formally trained in Alpine Mountaineering, Glacier Travel, Rock Climbing and Sea Kayaking. He has guided hiking and trekking trips in Patagonia, the Wind River Range and the Pacific Northwest. He his a certified Wilderness First Responder, Avalanche Level 1 Technician, speaks fluent English and has led more than 100 expeditions. He is most remembered by his guests and students for his sense of humor and problem solving in the outdoors.

I grew up in New England spending most of my time hiking, camping, skateboarding, and snowboarding. Having been snowboarding since I was 4 years old, I always dreamed of moving out west. After graduating from a Tech school to be an electrician, I decided it was time to make the move and landed in Bozeman Montana. Quickly I fell in love with the unique scenery of Yellowstone National Park and found myself going back more and more. Last year I decided to work as a tour guide in Yellowstone National Park and knew that I wanted to transition into providing guided hikes. When I’m not hiking around in the Park I am usually rock climbing, peak bagging, backpacking,  mountain biking, and snowboarding, ice climbing in the winter. On rainy days or rest days I find my self reading a book, planning the next adventure, or staying busy with some sort of wood working project.

Daniel hails from Michigan where he developed a love for the outdoors through outdoor sports, backpacking, snowboarding, hunting and fishing. After graduating from Western Michigan University he moved to Alaska where, when he wasn’t exploring the rugged backcountry he worked on a commercial fishing boat and at a remote salmon hatchery. He eventually made his way down to the PNW and got hooked on the Olympic Mountains of Washington.  Recently charmed by the sun, red rocks and teddy-bear cacti, he moved to the Southwest where he enjoys exploring Utah dirtbiking, canyoneering, and climbing big rocks. He is full of curiosity and loves sharing adventures with others.

Drew grew up hiking and camping as a scout in Texas. Dissatisfied with oil fields and cattle ranches, he was drawn to mountains and the ocean. He began his career in film and video production, interested in filming wildlife documentaries. Eventually he began life at sea, working in Alaska and the Caribbean filming shore excursions for cruise ships. Drew spent his days diving in coral reefs, trekking on glaciers, filming wildlife and interviewing guides and naturalists from all over the world. Inspired by those guides in Alaska, he moved to Flagstaff AZ where he could continue exploring national parks and wild places across the west. After a decade of working behind the camera, it was time to take people to these places in a more authentic way. Drew has found a new calling as a hiking guide, excited to share the places he loves – from the lush and green Pacific Northwest to the red rocks of the Southwest. In addition to a love for the outdoors and filming wildlife, he has a passion for writing, comedy and filmmaking.

Born and raised in Colorado, Floyd has a lifelong passion for his home state! Floyd has worked in Colorado as an Alpine and Nordic ski instructor and as an assistant with avalanche control. Floyd has a Master’s Degree in horticulture from Colorado State University and a strong interest in the wildflowers of the Rockies. On any hike, he is scoping out the berry patches. After a career in marketing, Floyd returned to his backcountry roots. He completed a thru hike of the Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trails, covering 500 miles. Other adventures include hut to hut backpacking in Argentina, hiking on a portion of the Camino de Santiago in Portugal and Spain, and exploring the countryside of Bangladesh. Floyd enjoys sharing his love of the mountains with everyone he meets, and feels a special connection with the over 50 crowd, encouraging and cultivating a vibrant lifelong interest in the outdoors and healthy living.

Growing up an Illinois flatlander, James used his imagination to create wilderness in the woods of his backyard. During a college backpacking expedition, he was exposed to Utah’s vast desert and mountain ranges. Inspired by the wild landscape, he found his life passion of introducing people to the great outdoors. He gained his BA in Outdoor Recreation from Southern Illinois University, and went on to work as a youth counselor for multiple outdoor education and therapeutic programs. Returning to Southwest Utah in 2013, he feels most at home exploring the deep slot canyons, and climbing the sandstone big walls in Zion National Park. James values leading people in the wilderness, because no matter how many times he has been to an area, he views it for the first time through the eyes of the people he is with.

Jeff was born and raised in New Hampshire and was introduced to the backcountry as a boy scout in the White Mountains. The scouting program led to the discovery of his passions for naturalist literature, rock climbing, river running, snowboarding and all things outdoors. A former business major and corporate employee, Jeff quickly realized the error of his ways and moved to northern Arizona in 2013 and began guiding 2015. He quickly found his calling in educating and entertaining new friends in the backcountry and is known to wax poetic as an armchair philosopher and afficionado for self-deprecating humor.

Jeremy is an avid outdoor enthusiast. Hiking, camping, fishing and sleeping under the stars is where life starts for him. He has completed  7 long distance hikes including the triple crown (Applachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide Trails) as well as the Te Arora, NZ , Colorado Trail, Benton Mackaye and the Manaslu Circuit in Nepal. He is from the great state of North Carolina where he first honed his backcountry skills in the Southern Appalachian mountains. For the past 10 years he has traveled the U.S. as well as many other countries, always inspired by the beauty that surrounds us. During these travels he has visited over 50 national parks. Striving to teach people the skills needed to complete a peaceful and rewarding journey is his passion. From Leave No Trace principles to animal and plant identification, he’s excited to be your guide and excited for the journey that lies before you!

Born in Dayton, Ohio. John found himself captivated by the mountains at an early age on family vacations to Colorado. Following his first multi-day trip in the boundary waters of Minnesota, John became dead set on spending as much time outdoors as possible. Moving forward John would go on to complete the White Mountain section of the Appalachian trail, backpacking the Alaskan backcountry, circumnavigating prince Williams sound in a sea kayak, and mountaineering the various Icefields of Alaska. Following highschool John traveled the world volunteering with various humanitarian programs from HIV/AID relief in South Africa to teaching in Northern India, cultivating a lifelong desire to help others, and spread joy wherever he goes. In college John would study Psychology and Philosophy at the University of Dayton, while still making time for the outdoors, leading sea kayaking trips in Seward Alaska and eventually moving to Utah to work for a wilderness therapy program where he has been for the past two summers. When not working you can usually find John climbing, skiing, or looking for some nice cliff jumping spots to beat the Utah heat.

Kinsey graduated from Oklahoma state with a Wildlife Ecology and Management degree. She started practicing interpretive skills in the education and great ape department at the Oklahoma City Zoo. She has lived the nomad lifestyle for for six years, mostly rambling through the Rocky Mountains and farther West. She has built out several vehicles to live in, including a short school bus. She loves foraging and learning about edible and medicinal plants and fungi. She is an avid birder and often spends time on the trail mimicking their calls. She enjoys being immersed in nature and sharing her passion and knowledge with others.

Michael Wichman’s first trip below the rim in Grand Canyon was in October 2004 and he hasn’t looked back since. He’s passionate about the Southwest, and especially Grand Canyon, with a love of hiking, climbing, and paddling on and below its rims. He’s dedicated to lifelong learning: an avid reader of all things associated with Grand Canyon, his favorite topics are geology, canyon inhabitants, and river stories. He also loves meeting new people — of all backgrounds, ethnicities, and origins. He finds shared group experiences extremely enriching especially when that experience is in nature. Michael earned a B.A. in psychology from UCLA, where he worked with children with Autism. He also studied at Northern Arizona University, focusing on Environmental Science & Policy in the Southwest. Michael looks forward to the opportunity to share an adventure with you!

Stuart grew up in southern Virginia between the coast and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Her passion for spending extended periods of time outdoors was fueled by a semester NOLS course in Chilean Patagonia. She continued to work in the outdoor industry throughout college as she earned her undergraduate degree in Studio Art: Integrative Design & Architecture from Colorado College. She has worked as a guide and field instructor across Alaska, Wyoming, California, Colorado, and Virginia, and spends her free time paddling in the ocean, climbing on rock, running on trail, reading or cooking. She hopes to eventually combine her love for outdoor spaces with a design practice to further the conservation and restoration of agricultural landscapes.

Zach grew up with a love of exploring the wilderness around his home town in Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Business Management, Zach chose to explore the American West by volunteering for several years with Conservation programs building trails throughout Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and Colorado. He fell in love with guiding and team building and took his skill set to working with struggling adolescents in Wilderness Therapy for three years. He has found a love for the desert in Southern Utah and is motivated to share the juxtaposition of peace and simplicity with the challenges life in the back country has to offer.

Katie grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada in a small town called Twain Harte. From a young age she started rock climbing and backpacking with her family and quickly gained a deep love for the wilderness and the adventures it offered. She left the mountains for the beach and attended the University of California Santa Barbara. During her 4 years at UCSB she was on staff for an outdoor club that further cultivated her passion for being an outdoor leader with other talented individuals. Once she graduated she couldn’t resist returning to the mountains, so she moved back near home to live in Yosemite for a season. While law school is a potential future dream she is thriving in the guiding lifestyle and loves sharing her knowledge of the outdoors with others.

Chris grew up playing in the woods of New England. As a youngster he hiked every mountain and ran every river he could. After completing his college education he moved to Arizona to pursue a graduate degree. In the deserts and canyons of the Southwest he continued to explore every chance he could. Chris has gained a deep sense of place and love for the southwest, from the high plateaus to the deepest canyons. He has worked as a guide, instructor, and teacher for many years and gets great joy out of sharing his love of nature with others.