|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
We're
proud of our crew!
This business takes pride in the cooperative nature in which it is owned
and operated. Our guides make wages that reward them for their wilderness
skills and knowledge and keep them coming back year after year. Our guides
are skilled and experienced professionals with a depth of outdoor knowledge.
They are seasoned travelers and instructors of wilderness skills who will
help you to meet any challenge. All are trained in wilderness first aid
and are certified as Wilderness First Responders.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
John
"Monte" Montepare
Monte first joined the KWG crew in 2004. A native of Summit County,
Colorado, he has been skiing and climbing since he was knee-high to
a grasshopper. Since coming to the Wrangell mountains he has expanded
his experiences in the mountains and explored the ranges surrounding
Kennicott and McCarthy. In May of 2007 he successfully summited Blackburn
(16,390) and skied the North Ridge back down to 7,000 feet with his
friends and fellow KWG guides Chris and Taylor. We're glad he'll be
continuing to add his skill and motivation to our roster in the years
to come. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Greg Runyan
While living in Alaska, Greg came to climb Mt.Blackburn in '95 and
has been coming to the Wrangell-St.Elias ever since. In recent years
he built a log cabin here and makes McCarthy his home. Greg spent
12 winters in Alaska skiing and ice climbing in the Chugach Mountains.
Spring usually finds him climbing and guiding the big mountains
of Alaska. Trips down south for rock climbing and guiding in Argentina
fill some of the other months for him.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Betsy
Bradbury
KWG experienced a true windfall in 2006 when Betsy, a 5-year rambler
of the Wrangell mountains, signed on as our up-and-coming expert guide.
She quickly proved herself to be a natural, particularly when it came
to client care and consideration. Her enthusiasm for exploration,
wilderness savvy, and rapport with people are unique and unparalleled.
Since first grasping an ice axe so many years ago she has become somewhat
of an addict and never ceases to surprise us. 2010 will be Betsy's
5th year on the KWG roster. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Taylor
Brown
Taylor started guiding at KWG at the age of 19 and has been pursuing
guiding as a career ever since. He is a EMT-IV, is Avalanche III Certified,
completed the AMGA Ski Guide course in January 2007, and has worked
for Alaska Mountain Guides. Originally from Summit County Colorado,
you can find him in the winter months with fellow guides Chris and
Monte climbing hard ice and mixed climbs in Vail and all over the
state of Colorado. Recently Taylor has been teaching the Outdoor Education
Program at Colorado Mountain College. Taylor's passion in life is
"skiing climbing routes," and loves to share his enthusiasm
and energy for the mountains with every one. KWG breathed a collective
sigh of relief when Taylor began building a cabin on his property
in McCarthy in 2005. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Chris Smith
Chris gained his wealth of climbing and skiing knowledge growing
up in Summit County, Colorado, where in the winter of 2006/07 he
served on the Copper Mountain Ski Patrol. He caught the Alaska bug
3 years ago in the Kennicott / McCarthy region and has become a
regular part of the local scenery. In 2007 Chris spent close to
30 days on the Nabesna Glacier, first climbing Blackburn with KWG
guides Taylor and Monte, and then guiding clients on Rime Peak.
More recent adventures include skiis and Ahtna peak, Regal mountain,
and most of the mountains in the Girdwood area. We're lucky to have
him on board, his enthusiasm for climbing and mountaineering is
very contagious.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Todd
Bogan
From biking the Alcan to big wall rock climbing & Alaskan heli-skiing,
Todd's outdoor experience has him primed and feeling ready for any
adventure, big or small. Todd's Alaska story began in 1994 spending
several years living the Alaskan dream in Girdwood, skiing and biking
whenever not scraping together dimes for rent. The past few years
he's been based out of Moab, Utah - coming to Alaska for the summer
tourism industry and to get his AK fix. Todd tells us his daily guiding
goal is to "show clients one of the most memorable days they've
ever spent in the great outdoors". 2010 will be Todd's 3rd year
with KWG. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Dorothy
Adler
Dorothy built her own cabin in the Wrangell mountains and has called
this area her year-round home for over 10 years. She has been in the
KWG family since the beginning. Dorothy is an accomplished high altitude
mountaineer, ice climber, and wilderness trekker, and is not afraid
to go skiing on a -50 F winter day. She has traversed Denali from
the West Buttress to Wonder lake, as well as participated in rescue
work in the Alaska range. She has been on Blackburn, Sanford, and
many other Alaska peaks. Her unique experiences and perspectives of
life in bush Alaska make her a guide that can offer an experience
like no other. Her recent adventure of motherhood has not slowed her
down very much, which doesn't suprise us at all! |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Jared Steyaert
Jared spent his first few years in the Wrangell mountains as the
manager of the local non-profit Wrangell Mountain Center, based
out of the old Hardware Store in McCarthy. This unique position
gave him the great opportunity to converse with experts in various
different fields, including botany, geology, and the natural and
cultural history of the Kennicott/McCarthy area. He's spent a few
winters skiing and climbing the mountains outside of Anchorage.
He's walked hundreds of miles in the Wrangells backcountry. He's
a top-notch rock and ice climber. He's a heck of a musician. There's
nothing this guy can't do! 2010 will be Jared's 2nd year with KWG,
and we're wondering why it took so long to get him on board....but
we're glad he's here!
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Mike
Murphy
Mike has 6 years of KWG managment under his belt and continues to
build the business while trying to balance office and wilderness time.
He and his wife have built a cabin on their 10-acre McCarthy aspen
grove and currently spend their winters in Anchorage. Arriving in
Alaska in '96, Mike has spent years exploring both the Wrangells and
the Western Chugach and enjoys sharing his enthusiasm and skills with
clients looking to raise their wilderness standards. He has spent
the past 18 months completing a masters degree in counseling psychology
and is eager to use his new skills within a wilderness setting. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|