Ricky HaroManaging Member
Hometown: Great Falls, Montana
Experience: 12 years as a full-time back-country professional. Ricky serves on the Board of Directors for the Wilderness Education Association, served as Past President, and chaired the Curriculum, Standards, and Accreditation Council. Certifications: Wilderness First Responder Instructor, Certifying Examiner-Wilderness Education Association. Hobbies: Orienteering, Mountaineering, Kayaking, Trekking, Adventure Racing, Long-distance running and eating Oreos. Education: MaED-Curriculum & Instruction, University of Phoenix; BA-Workforce Education/Program Development, Southern Illinois University; AAS-Survival and Rescue |
Josh WalkerManaging Member
Position: Managing Member
Hometown: Seneca, Oregon Experience: 12 years experience as a full-time back-country professional. He serves on the curriculum committee for the Wilderness Education Association and is a certified high-low angle rope technician, Wilderness First Responder Instructor, and ATV Instructor. Hobbies: Hunting, Mountaineering, Rock/Ice climbing, Sky- Diving, Mountain biking, Camping, Skiing, Horn- Hunting, Orienteering, Golf, and Wood-working. Education: Currently seeking BA in Forestry, AAS-Survival and Rescue |
Julie NeischDirector
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Experience: Growing up camping and hiking with my family ingrained in me a love of everything outdoors. In grad school, I led courses in caving and cave diving, which taught me how rewarding it is to share these experiences and skills with others. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend the last several years traveling throughout Europe, Asia, and Central and South America soaking up all the outdoor adventures these areas have to offer. Education: BSc in Marine Biology, MSc Wildlife and Fisheries. Dive Instructor, AIARE II, and Wilderness First Responder. Little Did You Know: My pediatrician gave my mother a copy of the book “Your Strong Willed Child” when I was 6 months old. My first job after college was working as a scuba diver for NASA, then I left to be a deckhand on private megayachts. I haven’t owned a car in 5 years. Lost my appendix in a small town in Thailand. Spent a year living in Peru and working as the Volunteer Coordinator for a non-profit. |
Cody Shotola-SchieweLogistics Coordinator/Lead Guide
Hometown: Portland, OR
Experience: 6 years of Backpacking, Climbing, Mountaineering and Skiing in the Pacific North West, South West and parts of Europe. Education and Certifications: Mazamas ICS, Wilderness First Responder, AMGA Single Pitch Instructor, AIARE Level 2, BA Sociology from the PSU. My Perfect Day: Climbing on some alpine ridge as dawn breaks, ski back down to the valley for coffee and a breakfast burrito, then soak in a hot spring with good people or a book. Talk To Me About: Art of all kinds, literature and poetry, ancient history, international culture, rainforest ecosystems, plants and fungi. On My Bucket List: Climb Ama Dablam and visit the source of the Ganges. |
Misha VanEatonAdministrative Assistant, Logistics, and Guide
Hometown: Portland, OR
Experience: A lifetime of jumping waves in the Pacific Ocean, wading towards waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge, and peering under rocks and nursing logs in the magical old growth of the Pacific Northwest. I’ve been hiking and skiing for as long as I can remember, backpacking for as long as I’ve had a driver’s license, and rock climbing, mountaineering, and cold water surfing since 2016. Education: Mazamas Intermediate Climbing School, additional courses in rock rescue and anchor building, and a BA in Sociology Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Level 2 Fun Fact: I always bring at least one plant ID book on trips and a library of field guides on backpacking trips! If you hang out with me on the approach, I’ll point out some plant parts for snacking. |
Daven BergGuide
Hometown: West Lin, Oregon
Experience: Specifically a PNW wanderer of 10 years backcountry traveling with 1000's of solo miles ranging 100-700+ miles a trip. Hill patroller and avy instructor with Mt. Hood Ski Patrol and instructor for REI Certifications: AIARE II, Wilderness First Responder and Outdoor Emergency Care Technician/Emergency Medical Responder Hobbies: Train running, camping, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering, snowboarding/skiing, ski mountaineering/splitboarding, mountain biking/road cycling, stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and fishing. Little Did You Know: Three years ago, I hiked 700+ miles throughout Oregon in search of fish and myself. I have a BA in Graphic Design/Minor in Advertising, which I chucked proceeding my hike in search of a career in the outdoors. FYI: I'm not a fan of digital distractions, but a huge fan of a good joke. |
Emily PulidoIntern/Guide
Hometown: Cypress, Texas
Experience: My passion for Outdoor Recreation started in college and since then I spend any free time I have rock climbing, whitewater paddling, or camping, but when I can escape the Texas heat I head straight to the mountains to bag some 14ers, snowboard and backpack. Education and Certifications: Pursuing a B.S. in Resource and Environmental Studies with a minor in Geology, a certification in Geographic Information Science and Wilderness First Aid. Fun Fact: If you're out on a trip with me, expect lots of geology facts and puns, it's going to ROCK! Little Did You Know: I didn't leave Texas until I was 15 years old and since then I haven't been able to stick around. |
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Henry HeymanGuide
Hometown: Boulder, CO
Experience: A lifetime full of outdoor adventure including; traveling the globe with a whitewater kayaking high school, skiing and mountaineering across Colorado and the PNW, backpacking through the jungles of Central America, and chasing the surf at whatever beach is closest. Professional experience includes 2 seasons of ski patrolling, 1 year as an REI Outdoor School guide, multiple years of raft guiding and kayak instruction, and a year spent developing and running my own adventure outfitting service in Panama. Certifications and Education: Wilderness First Responder, Outdoor Emergency Care Technician, AIARE PRO Level 1, ACA Level 4 Kayak Instructor, Swift Water Rescue Certification. BA in Entrepreneurship, University of Washington. Hobbies: Kayaking, skiing, climbing, surfing, rafting, mountain biking, mountaineering, backpacking, really finding any way to get outside and enjoy our public lands. I also enjoy playing with dogs, cooking a great meal, board games, and good healthy debate! Little Did you Know: I had half my liver removed and donated to my big sister in 2019. Here is a photo of me ski touring 3 months later, it’s a miracle what our bodies can recover from when you treat them right! |
Michael AlfonsoGuide
Hometown: Portland, OR
Experience: I grew up backpacking and camping with friends and family. In high school I discovered rock climbing and quickly fell in love. Since then I have climbed 30+ grade 3 & 4 walls all over North America. In college I was a student guide for the school outdoor education program and taught courses in backcountry navigation, snow camping, rock climbing, and high angle rescue. I also spent a season fighting wildfires for the U.S. forest service in remote wilderness environments in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Education and certifications: Wilderness First Responder, CWI-L, Outdoor Leadership Certificate from the University of Oregon, B.S. in Economics and Business management Fun facts: I have an extra lumbar vertebrae and the only thing I’ve ever dropped off a rock climb is my friend’s car keys (sorry Linn) |
Anastasia BendeburyGuide
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Experience: My thirst for the great outdoors is powered by the calm scent of Douglas firs, the crunch of welded tuff, and sunsweet blackberry brambles. I've climbed in places like the Owens River Gorge, Rumney, Yosemite, and the Shawnagunk Preserve in Upstate New York. I've summited mountains in three states, biked hundreds of miles in search of great adventure, and backpacked through the High Sierras. Oregon is just the next chapter. Education: BS in Biochemistry/Cell Biology, PhD in Microbiology Certifications: Wilderness First Responder, First Aid Fun Fact: On my off time I run Demystifying Science - a puppet show about two aliens, Micky and Quinn, who are on a mission to save humans from the chaos of misunderstanding. |