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Go into the mountains with something to learn, not something to prove.
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Learning Opportunities and Mentorship
For those with a desire to learn.
From taking your first steps into the backcountry to preparing for your guiding certification exams, I would love to help create an environment that allows you to explore and learn. Before I was a guide, I was a ski instructor, ski racing coach, wilderness leadership educator, and avalanche course instructor. I am most fulfilled when I am helping people learn. At an early stage of my career I was influenced by Winston Churchill's statement, "I am always ready to learn, but I do not always like being taught." I try not to "teach." Instead, I do my best to create a safe, yet inspiring environment; then I try to balance the amount of challenge give and support I offer.
To be more specific, here are some examples...
You are comfortable skiing most runs at most ski areas and enjoy skiing powder and you would like to take your first steps into the backcountry. The Chilean Andes (particularly the volcanoes in the south) have some great terrain for this. The lower flanks of the mountains are more gentle than the upper pitches. The snow is usually consistent and avalanche hazards are very predictable. Rather than spending your vacation time hustling from peak to peak trying to get as many summits as possible, we will stay focused on one area. This allows you to get comfortable with the routine of the day, the equipment, the weather and the terrain. You will spend each day learning new skills and as they develop we will naturally venture into more challenging terrain.
You have experience in the backcountry, you've taken an avalanche course, maybe you've participated in a guided trip and you would like to develop the skills to travel independently with more confidence. I would love to help! This means getting you involved in the planning and preparation that goes into a day in the backcountry. You'll look at the maps and the weather, assess the group and make a plan. And then you'll get out front and lead. My job is to allow you to learn (through success and failure) without letting you do anything too dumb. Undoubtedly, there will be less skiing than on a standard guided trip, but it's a good investment.
You have regular ski touring partners, maybe it's a group of friends, may it's a person you share your life with, and you want to work on the "human factors" like decision making in a group and effective communication in the face uncertainty. I would argue that being good at these types of skills is far more important than the more tangible skills that are the focus of most avalanche courses, etc. People don't die in the mountains because they identified a grain of snow incorrectly or screwed up a kick-turn; they die because they become blind to the hazards-even when they are extremely visible. Keeping everyone engaged and on the same page is extremely difficult and essential. I would be thrilled to work with your group on this. We can spend our time together where I am a member of the group, but not necessarily the leader on the mountain. But I will help create the structure for decision-making and effective teamwork. I will also make sure that we have effective communication throughout the day-from coffee at breakfast to beer on the tailgate.
You are preparing for your guide certification exams and would like some time "mock guiding" with feedback. I've worked with many guides over the years in this exact capacity.
These are just some common examples. If you have a desire to learn, then I would be happy to support you. It all starts with a conversation, so get in touch with me and we can discuss the possibilities.
To be more specific, here are some examples...
You are comfortable skiing most runs at most ski areas and enjoy skiing powder and you would like to take your first steps into the backcountry. The Chilean Andes (particularly the volcanoes in the south) have some great terrain for this. The lower flanks of the mountains are more gentle than the upper pitches. The snow is usually consistent and avalanche hazards are very predictable. Rather than spending your vacation time hustling from peak to peak trying to get as many summits as possible, we will stay focused on one area. This allows you to get comfortable with the routine of the day, the equipment, the weather and the terrain. You will spend each day learning new skills and as they develop we will naturally venture into more challenging terrain.
You have experience in the backcountry, you've taken an avalanche course, maybe you've participated in a guided trip and you would like to develop the skills to travel independently with more confidence. I would love to help! This means getting you involved in the planning and preparation that goes into a day in the backcountry. You'll look at the maps and the weather, assess the group and make a plan. And then you'll get out front and lead. My job is to allow you to learn (through success and failure) without letting you do anything too dumb. Undoubtedly, there will be less skiing than on a standard guided trip, but it's a good investment.
You have regular ski touring partners, maybe it's a group of friends, may it's a person you share your life with, and you want to work on the "human factors" like decision making in a group and effective communication in the face uncertainty. I would argue that being good at these types of skills is far more important than the more tangible skills that are the focus of most avalanche courses, etc. People don't die in the mountains because they identified a grain of snow incorrectly or screwed up a kick-turn; they die because they become blind to the hazards-even when they are extremely visible. Keeping everyone engaged and on the same page is extremely difficult and essential. I would be thrilled to work with your group on this. We can spend our time together where I am a member of the group, but not necessarily the leader on the mountain. But I will help create the structure for decision-making and effective teamwork. I will also make sure that we have effective communication throughout the day-from coffee at breakfast to beer on the tailgate.
You are preparing for your guide certification exams and would like some time "mock guiding" with feedback. I've worked with many guides over the years in this exact capacity.
These are just some common examples. If you have a desire to learn, then I would be happy to support you. It all starts with a conversation, so get in touch with me and we can discuss the possibilities.