Staff Photo Gallery

Dunham Gooding, AAI Director
With a career that began in 1975, Dunham has led courses and guided climbs in the Cascades, Canada, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Patagonia and has made ascents throughout North and South America with new routes in the Cascades and first ascents in Bolivia and Alaska. He oversees program and staff development for the Institute. Over the years, Dunham has served on wilderness management and wilderness policy task forces in this country and in Chile, as chairman of the American Climbing Sports Group, chairman of the National Summit Committee on Mountain Rescue, president of the American Mountain Guides Association, and president of the Outdoor Industry Association.

Guy Cotter, AC Director and Guide
While he handles a wide range of responsibilities as director of Adventure Consultants in New Zealand, our southern hemisphere alliance partner, Guy very much enjoys his extensive work as a mountain guide. An IFMGA certified guide, Guy has 30 years of experience and has led over twenty-three major expeditions around the globe including three ascents of Mt Everest. His recent exploits include Everest, Makalu, new routes on Mt Aspiring and the Balfour Face of Mount Tasman in NZ, an Antarctic Peninsula Expedition and riding a horse to Mustang in Nepal. He first climbed Mt. Everest in 1992, completed the Seven Summits in 2005, and was happy to lead his fifth Vinson Massif Expedition in 2006.

Michael Powers, Assistant Director for Staff Development
Michael oversees the hiring, training, and continuing education of climbing and ski guides at the Institute and also greatly enjoys his work as an instructor and guide. Among his other assignments, he looks forward to leading AAI's trips in the French and Swiss Alps each summer. He has led programs in the Cascades, Ouray, Joshua Tree, Red Rock, Alaska, Canada, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, France, and Switzerland. He is an IFMGA certified guide and has completed numerous rock and ice routes at a high standard in France, Switzerland, New Zealand, Nepal, Alaska, and the western U.S. He has also served as chairman of the AMGA Technical Committee and director of America's national guide certification program. Speaks French & Spanish.

Coley Gentzel, Coordinator of Domestic Programs And Guide
Advises climbers on trip selection, handles registration for Denali and the Alaska Range, domestic trips, and maintains AAI's database and web site. Coley has done numerous difficult ascents in the Cascades (including the first ascent of "It Ain't Over" on Pyramid Peak), the Sierra, and the Alaska Range (including the first ascent of "The Flame" on Peak 11,520). Additionally he has climbed throughout the Tetons, Yosemite, the Rockies, and Canada. Coley's training is in business with an emphasis on finance. AAI climbers have enjoyed his writing and reports on equipment, training, and, of course, alpine climbing. Guides in Alaska, Cascades, and Canada.

Jason Martin, Program and Expedition Coordinator
Advises climbers on trip selection, schedules guides in the Cascades, Sierra, and Red Rock, and also is an instructor and guide for AAI around the world. Jason is a playwright, screenwriter, film critic, and outdoor adventure writer. He authored the guidebook, "Washington Ice: A Climbing Guide" and has written for Climbing Magazine and the Northwest Mountaineering Journal. Jason has a background in education and has taught at both secondary and university institutions. AMGA Certified Rock Guide. Speaks Spanish.

Natasha Caldwell, Outreach Coordinator
Natasha advises climbers on trip selection and course preparation, coordinates our Red Rock Program, manages client accounts and represents AAI at special events. She enjoys rock and ice climbing, running marathons, skiing, and mountaineering. Her climbing pursuits have taken her to Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon, BC, Banff, the Cascades, Sierra and Red Rock. Natasha's academic degree is in human relations and personnel.

Ruth Hennings, Administrator and Program Coordinator
Ruth advises climbers on trip selection and registration, writes and compiles AAI's web-based trip reports, publishes AAI's enewsletter, and writes and edits articles for AAI's website and blog. She spends her free time climbing, hiking, snowboarding, running, cross-country skiing, and biking. Ruth has traveled several times to South America, most recently to Peru's Cordillera Blanca. Ruth's academic background is in demography and Spanish.

Dana Hickenbottom, Registrar
Dana advises clients on trip selection and handles registrations for the Cascades. He also performs other office tasks including database management, catalog mailings, rendezvous scheduling, and general office upkeep. He grew up climbing and hiking in the North Cascades and is happy to now call Bellingham his home. In his free time, Dana enjoys rock climbing, biking, snowboarding, surfing, and just about anything else that takes place in the great outdoors. He has traveled to Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama and is planning a trip to South America to finally master his Spanish. His academic background is in Recreation and Leisure Studies as well as Communication.

Emily Znamierowski, Executive Assistant
Emily assists the director, Dunham Gooding. She also works on coordinating international programs, website development, marketing, and general organizational logistics. She is passionate about being outdoors, and enjoys climbing, hiking, running, outrigger paddling, and surfing. Her academic background is in literature, history, and entrepreneurship.

Kim Carson, Art and Graphic Design Manager
Kim brings her creative passion for all things visual to the design and layout of the Institute's printed and web-based promotional materials, including AAI's web sites and its acclaimed E-newsletter. An accomplished drummer, Kim performs live and as a studio recording artist with a variety of regional bands and touring national artists. Her academic background is in psychology and graphic design. Her rare moments of "down time" are spent on a mountain bike.

Nancy Newstrom, Bookeeper
Nancy oversees all of AAI's accounting needs both in the guide service and in the Equipment Shop area. Though she is not a climber, she thoroughly enjoys climbing tales and is well read in expedition literature. She spends her spare time gardening, reading, and volunteering with Bellingham Friends of the Library.

Lisa Greif, Travel Counselor
Arranging travel itineraries for AAI climbers on both domestic and international programs occupies most of Lisa's time, but she also works with the hotels and transportation providers in the foreign countries where AAI operates, and makes travel arrangements for the Institute's staff members. She has extensive experience in the airline industry and has past experience working for an international tour operator. Her formal training is in tourism and travel administration.

Richard Riquelme, Manager of Equipment Services
Richard advises staff and climbers on their selection of personal equipment for domestic and foreign programs. Richard's climbing and skiing has taken him throughout Chile, Peru, and Argentina as well as to the US, Canada, and Europe. His academic training is in metallurgical engineering. He has extensive experience in search and rescue operations. Also guides for AAI and teaches AIARE avalanche courses. Native speaker of Spanish, fluent in English, and proficient in German.

Graham Hamby, Assistant Manager of Equipment Services
Graham advises climbers on their selection of equipment for domestic and foreign programs. He enjoys climbing and skiing and he has pursued these interests in the North Cascades, the Olympics, British Columbia, the Sierra, and Red Rock. Graham has previously worked as an environmental educator for the North Cascades Institute, as a field assistant for a US Forest Service bird monitoring project in Idaho, and as the manager of a nonprofit art cinema. Graham's academic major was international political economy and his minor was documentary film. In his free time -- while not climbing or skiing -- he enjoys birding.

Nick Webb, Equipment Specialist
Nick advises climbers on proper equipment selection for all courses. He grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming, but moved to Seattle to pursue a BA in Visual Art and position himself closer to the most glaciated terrain in the lower 48 states. Nick enjoys ski mountaineering on the local volcanoes and rock climbing when the deep Cascade snowpack finally melts out. When he is not in the backcountry, Nick enjoys carpentry projects and working on his Volkswagen.

Kurt Hicks, Guides Choice Program Coordinator
Kurt manages AAI's international Guides Choice equipment field-testing program. He has focused most of his climbing energy on Washington's North Cascades, completing difficult and classic ascents throughout the range. Kurt especially enjoys climbing waterfall ice in the Canadian Rockies and establishing new ice routes in the Northwest. His academic background is in Outdoor Recreation & Tourism, and he is currently finishing his Master's in Environmental Science.

Jeff Voigt, Equipment Specialist
Jeff has worked as an equipment specialist for AAI since 2007. He advises climbers on selection of equipment for domestic and international programs, and assists with the tracking and maintenance of climber and guide gear. He also teaches rock climbing classes and assists with Level 1 Avalanche courses. Jeff enjoys rock climbing throughout the Northwest, and has also spent time climbing in California and in the Southwest. Many of his ascents include technical glaciated peaks such as Rainier and Mt. Hood. Outside of climbing, Jeff spends his time backcountry snowboarding, learning to ski, and working towards a degree in Geology and Earth Studies.

All members of the AAI field staff listed here are full alpine guides and rock guides as well as climbing instructors. In addition to extensive and very diverse personal experience, they have received professional training in advanced guiding techniques and rescue. Collectively they have one of the highest levels of wilderness first aid and avalanche training among the world's international guide services. All have been certified as Wilderness First Responders, Emergency Medical Technicians, or the equivalent. Assistant instructors at the Institute, not listed here, receive instruction in first aid as well as professional guiding and rescue training.

Joseph Anderson, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Red Rock, the Sierra, and Canada, and teaches AIARE avalanche courses. Joseph has climbed throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in Alaska, India, Mexico, and Europe. He joined AAI with extensive rock and alpine guiding experience in the San Juans of Colorado. His formal education is in wilderness leadership and environmental studies. Speaks French.

Chantel Astorga, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Cascades, Red Rock, and Alaska. Chantel's wide range of life experiences include kayak guiding in Alaska, leading river rafting trips in Colorado, and working as ski patrol in the winters in Utah. Her climbing adventures have lead her to Alaska, the Cascades, the Sierra Range, and the Tetons. She's also spent time in the Himalayas and Patagonia, and climbing in Canada.

Jaime Avila, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. Jaime has successfully guided expeditions in every country of the Andes, including ascents of Aconcagua, multiple peaks in Bolivia, Alpamayo and Huscaran in Peru, several other lesser-known peaks in the Andes, and numerous ascents of all the peaks of Ecuador. His guiding has also taken him to Denali, and his personal climbing to a successful ascent of Ama Dablam. Speaks English and Spanish.

Andy Bourne, Instructor And Guide
Andy is a guide and leads trips in the Cascades, Sierra, Red Rock, Canada, and China. He has high altitude experience in Ecuador, Argentina, and China, and numerous ascents throughout the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Asia. His academic background is in marketing. Speaks Mandarin Chinese.

Gabe Coler, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Alaska and Red Rock. Gabe grew up climbing rock and ice in New England and since moving west, has climbed extensively in the western parts of the United States and Canadian Rockies. Gabe also has experience climbing in the French Alps. He is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and has an academic background in Economics from Whitman College.

Tim Connelly, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Joshua Tree, Sierra, Alaska, Canada, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, France, and Switzerland. He has worked many seasons in Antarctica and has climbed extensively in New Zealand, the Tetons, Wind Rivers, Chugach, and Cascades. Tim is an AMGA/UIAGM/IFMGA Certified Guide and has an extensive background in search and rescue and has worked with the Himalayan Rescue Association. Speaks Spanish.

Johnny Davison, Instructor and Guide
Based in Wanaka, New Zealand, Johnny guides in New Zealands Southern Alps and Alaska. He recently worked for the New Zealand Antarctic Program, and believes the setting and friendships forged in the hills to be one of the most fulfilling aspects of a mountain lifestyle. Johnny enjoys all styles of climbing, from water ice routes in the Canadian Rockies and alpine routes in the French Alps through to bouldering at Castle Hill at home in New Zealand. Other interests include yoga, cooking (most recently spinach and feta ravioli), and appreciating the experiences of traveling to amazing places around the world.

Lauren Ditolla, Instructor and Guide
Based out of Salt Lake City, UT, Lauren guides in Alaska and she has a strong passion for the mountains and places of of this northern state. She has climbed throughout North America, but enjoys spending the majority of her time in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. Every winter she skis the backcountry powder of the Wasatch. Lauren is also a mountaineering and climbing instructor for NOLS. She has traveled extensively in Asia, including Mongolia, China, Tibet, and Nepal.

Jeremy Ellison, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Canada. Jeremy's rock and ice climbing has taken him throughout the Cascades and other ranges of the West. He has also climbed internationally in ranges including the Himalaya, New Zealand Alps, and Ecuadorian Andes. Jeremy is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer. He has worked six field seasons with the U.S. Antarctic Program and joined the AAI staff after six seasons on Mt. Hood where he worked as lead guide for Timberline Mountain Guides.

Joey Elton, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Sierra, Alaska, Canada, and Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina. Joey has rock climbed extensively throughout the western U.S., enjoyed water ice in Montana, Colorado, and California, and climbed in Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and China. Joey's formal training is in wilderness leadership. He also enjoys whitewater kayaking. Speaks Spanish.

Mat Erpelding, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, and Red Rock. From the big walls of Yosemite and the desert Southwest to the high altitude peaks of Alaska and South America, Matt enjoys climbing on both rock and ice. Matt has extensive training and experience in outdoor education, works independently as a consultant for outdoor programs, and teaches our wilderness medicine courses and Wilderness Education Association programs.

Nacho Espinosa, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Ecuador. Trained by the French School of Guides (ENSA), Nacho has climbed and guided extensively throughout the Andes of Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. His numerous expeditions have included Alpamayo, Artesonraju, Nevado Cayesh and Chopicalqui in Peru, and the West Face of Huayna Potosi, Sajama, and Hallomen in Bolivia. He has a degree in anthropology from the Catholic University of Quito, and in addition to speaking Spanish and English, he also has a good level of ability with Quechua (Kichwa), the native language of the Incas.

Dawn Glanc, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Sierra, Ouray, Red Rock, Joshua Tree, Alaska, and Canada. Dawn has climbed rock and waterfall ice extensively throughout the western United States, with numerous waterfall ice ascents in Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. She is an AMGA certified Rock Guide. Her academic degree is in Outdoor Education.

Mark Grundon, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Sierra, Red Rocks, and Joshua Tree. His climbing has taken him from the Black Canyon of Colorado, to Alaska, Zion National Park, and climbing the big walls of Yosemite in one day speed ascents. He holds a degree in recreation and environmental studies, is a certified EMT, and Leave No Trace Trainer.

Mary Harlan, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock. Mary was a professional ballet dancer before her interests took a turn in 1998 and she found herself with a passion for climbing and the outdoors. She has spent much of her time desert rock climbing in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona, and is well traveled on glaciers and ice in the Pacific Northwest. Her climbing trips haven taken her all around the United States, as well as to Canada and Mexico. Mary has also been a snowboarding instructor for many years. Her academic degree is in international politics, and she has formal training in environmental education. Speaks French and Spanish.

Lyle Haugsven, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Canada, and Bolivia. AIARE avalanche Level 1 and Level 2 instructor. Lyle has a broad background in cold weather climbing developed during his years as a resident of Alaska. He has climbed and sailed in Chile, Argentina, Mexico, French Polynesia, and Europe. Lyle's academic training is in English, foreign literature, and communications. Speaks French and Spanish.

Kurt Hicks, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Red Rock, the Sierra, and Canada. Kurt has focused most of his climbing energy on Washington's North Cascades, completing difficult and classic ascents throughout the range. Kurt especially enjoys climbing waterfall ice in the Canadian Rockies and establishing new ice routes in the Northwest. His academic background is in Outdoor Recreation & Tourism, and he is currently finishing his Master's in Environmental Science. Kurt is a certified Leave No Trace Master Educator.

Paul Ivaska, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Alaska, and Canada. Paul has enjoyed numerous routes in the Cascades, Colorado Rockies, and the Sierra. He works as a ski instructor in the winter in Telluride, CO. Paul's formal education is in the medical field, and he worked for many years as a medic for the US military. Paul also enjoys ski mountaineering and ski touring. Speaks Lithuanian and Russian.

Frank James, M.D., Instructor & Advisor in Travel Medicine
A specialist in travel medicine, infectious diseases, and public health, noted for his research in vaccine preventable diseases. Frank has run an international travel clinic for many years and served as health officer and director of a county health department in Washington. He is the editor of the widely acclaimed book The Medical Consequences of Nuclear War and directed a Kellogg Foundation grant and demonstration project on improving community health through sports. He is an avid climber, skier, snowboarder, and mountain biker.

Erik Johnson, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Alaska, and Canada. Erik has climbed and guided extensively throughout Western North America with many difficult routes to his credit in the Cascades, Alaska and Sierra Nevada. He has also traveled and climbed in France, Thailand and China, and he has worked as safety officer in Antarctica. He is an accomplished photographer and received his degree in geology.

Mark Johnson, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Joshua Tree, Canada, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Mark has climbed and trekked throughout the U.S. as well as in the Andes. He has been noted for his difficult water ice ascents and alpine climbs in Colorado and the Cascades, but he has equally enjoyed his rock climbing in Colorado and the desert Southwest. His formal training is in music education. Speaks Spanish.

Alan Kearney, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Sierra, Joshua Tree, Red Rock, and Canada. Alan is an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide, a widely published mountain photographer, and an author. He has major routes and numerous first ascents to his credit throughout the U.S. and Canada as well as in Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Papua New Guinea.

Tom Kirby, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades. Tom has been climbing rock since 1980, first on crags in Virginia and New Hampshire, then eventually all over the western U.S., including the Colorado Rockies, the Tetons, and the Cascades. Along the way, he gradually added ice climbing and backcountry skiing to his repertoire. He has worked as a software developer, a teacher, and a timber framer. He holds a BA in English, the only language he speaks fluently - though he speaks some Spanish as well.

Gary Kuehn, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Alaska, the Cascades, and New Zealand. Gary is a dual United States and Australian citizen, and is currently based out of New Zealand where he works as a ski and summer alpine guide. A serious alpinist of over twenty years, Gary has made expeditions to the Karakoram, Antarctica, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, and Alaska. His ski mountaineering experience includes traverses both of Denali and the Patagonian Ice Cap as well as several extended trips to France, Switzerland, and Alaska. Gary has a Master's in Engineering.

Jose Landazuri, Instructor and Guide
Jose has been climbing and guiding for sixteen years. He has completed a series of challenging routes in the European Alps, while in Ecuador he has made 200+ ascents of Cotopaxi and 50+ ascents of Chimborazo. He has received technical training in Germany and now serves as an instructor in the Ecuadorian School of Guides. Native speaker of Spanish, fluent in English.

Kristen Looper, Instructor and Guide
Kristen guides in the Cascades, Alaska, and Colorado. She grew up in Idaho climbing the Sawtooths and since then has spent time climbing mountains in Alaska, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and the icefields of Canada and Ouray. Her educational background is at Depaul University, where she studied Shakespeare and Classical Theatre.

Peter Kuhnlein, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, and Canada. Peter has climbed in Alaska's St. Elias Range, Mexico, the Himalaya, Cascades, Canadian and American Rockies, the Sierra, and European Alps. He has an academic background in astronomy and physics. In addition to guiding, he works as a professional photographer. Speaks French and German.

Eric B. Larson, M.D., M.P.H., Instructor in High Altitude Physiology & Medical Advisor
Oversees AAI's research in high altitude physiology and response to high altitude illness and serves as the Institute's lead medical advisor. He is the author of Mountain Illness: Medical Problems of Altitude and Exposure. Eric is immediate past Chair, American College of Physicians, Board of Regents, and past President of the Society of General Internal Medicine. He is an accomplished ski mountaineer and climber with ascents throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Lee Lazzara, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Canada. Lee has climbed in extensively in the US and Canada, including numerous routes in the North Cascades, and has also climbed in the French Alps. Lee works in the winter on avalanche control and as a ski patroller at Utah's Snowbird Ski Resort. He is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer, and his academic degree is in English.

Aidan Loehr, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, the Sierra, Alaska, Canada, and China. Aidan came to AAI after ten years of working as a pilot in Alaska, and he now works part time flying small planes for delivery around the world (most recently to Tanzania and Jordan). He has enjoyed rock and ice climbing as well as doing big alpine routes in the Cascades, Alaska, and the Bugaboos. His academic background is in pilot training and photography. Other interests include ultra-running and adventure racing.

Michael Madden, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Alaska and New Zealand. Based in New Zealand, Mike calls the beautiful township of Wanaka his home. Mike is a passionate mountaineer, rock climber, and backcountry skier, and has climbed and skied extensively throughout the high mountains of New Zealand's Southern Alps. His favorite climbing memories include ice climbing in the Canadian Rockies and climbing and ski mountaineering in the Swiss and French Alps. Mike is also a keen sailor and originally discovered adventure at the height of a storm while sailing his yacht, Kairangi, single-handed and attempting to circumnavigate the Nth Island of New Zealand.

Phil Marino, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, and Canada. Phil has climbed extensively throughout the mountains of the western US, including big wall routes in Yosemite and the desert Southwest. He has made numerous rock and ice ascents in the North Cascades, focusing more recently on the range's spectacular ski touring. Phil's academic degree is in cultural anthropology, and he is currently working on earning a Penn State certificate in weather forecasting. He is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer and worked as a lead instructor and course director at Outward Bound before joining the AAI staff.

Jason Martin, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Sierra, Joshua Tree, Canada, Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Jason is a playwright, screenwriter, film critic, and outdoor adventure writer. He authored the guidebook, "Washington Ice: A Climbing Guide" and has written for Climbing Magazine and the Northwest Mountaineering Journal. Jason has a background in education and has taught at both secondary and university institutions. AMGA Certified Rock Guide. Speaks Spanish.

Forest McBrian, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Red Rock, the Sierra, and Canada. In addition to climbing in the Cascades, which he has done extensively on many of Washington's most renowned and imposing alpine routes, Forest has spent the last three years living and climbing in mountaineering's historic crucible: the French Alps. Forest's degree is in Communications, and he worked for three years as an instructor and staff trainer for Outward Bound. He is fluent in French.

Ian McEleney, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Joshua Tree. Ian has climbed throughout the United States including rock, water ice, alpine, and big wall ascents. His academic training is in Elementary Education and History. He is a Leave No Trace Trainer.

Steve Moffat, Instructor and Guide
Guides in New Zealand, Argentina, and Nepal. Steve has many years of experience guiding in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, Canada, the Andes, and Nepal, and he is an IFMGA guide. In his broad Himalayan experience he has climbed as both expedition guide and expedition leader. He has enjoyed leading climbs of 20,000-foot peaks like Island Peak and Cholu East as well as more challenging ascents such as 22,402-foot Ama Dablam. In 2006 he guided and summitted on our Everest expedition. Between expeditions, Steve enjoys a busy schedule of guiding New Zealand ascents, instructional courses, ice climbing trips, and ski tours.

Edison Oña, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Ecuador. In addition to being an enthusiastic mountain guide, Edison is a keen marathon runner and photographer. He has been guiding in Ecuador since 1994 and has more than 100 successful ascents of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. Among his many accomplishments was the first traverse of all the summits of Altar, the hardest peaks in Ecuador. He has also been leading expeditions to the southern Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. He was also the driving force of the first Ecuadorian expedition that succeeded on Everest in 2006. Speaks English and Spanish.

Viren Perumal, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, and Canada. Viren's climbing life has taken him throughout the Sierra, Cascades, Rockies, Tetons, and Wind River ranges, as well as to the mountains of the eastern United States and big wall routes in Yosemite. He has taught extensively in the outdoor environment, including rock and ice climbing, kayaking, rafting, caving, skiing, and field science. He is certified as an adventure-based counselor and as a Leave No Trace Trainer, and he has a master's degree in biology.

Mike Pond, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Canada. Mike grew up in New York, learing to ski, climb, and enjoy the great outdoors in the Adirondack mountains. Since then, he has traveled around the United States rock and ice climbing in many different areas including the Canadian Rockies, Joshua Tree, and Colorado. Mike's educational background is in expeditionary studies and Spanish.

Richard Riquelme, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Alaska, Canada, Ecuador, and teaches AIARE avalanche courses. Richard's climbing and skiing has taken him throughout Chile, Peru, and Argentina as well as to the US, Canada, and Europe. His academic training is in metallurgical engineering. He has extensive experience in guiding and in search and rescue operations, and he teaches AIARE avalanche courses. Native speaker of Spanish, fluent in English, and proficient in German.

Mike Roberts, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Alaska, New Zealand, Argentina, Antarctica, and the Himalaya. Mike is an IFMGA guide and has summitted Mount Everest and led expeditions to Aconcagua, Denali (11 ascents), Vinson Massif in Antarctica, Gasherbrum I & II in Pakistan, Cho Oyu in Tibet and Muztagh Ata in Western China. He has also managed to fit in 14 seasons mountain and ski guiding in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, 10 seasons in Antarctica as a Field Leader / Guide to the USA Antarctic Program, has worked as a professional ski patroller / avalanche forecaster and is a qualified physiotherapist.

Benno Schlauri, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Ecuador. Beno is a Swiss guide who has been living and guiding in Ecuador since 1994. He started skiing at the early age of 4 in Switzerland, was a member of the Swiss Alpine Club since age 14, and climbed extensively in the Alps throughout his teenage and early adult life. Since his arrival in Ecuador, he has continuously been guiding in most of the Andean countries of South America, but especially in Ecuador. Benno is one of the few guides who is certified by the ASEGUIM (the internationally recognized Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides) to lead ski descents in Ecuador and is currently one of the ASEGUIM instructors. He is happily married to Mariana, an Ecuadorian national.

Mark Sedon, Instructor and Guide
Guides in New Zealand, Nepal, China, Argentina, and Antarctica. Mark is another of our senior Kiwi guides based in Wanaka, New Zealand. He is an IFMGA guide who has traveled the world extensively, with ski seasons in Utah, Europe, Japan, and Canada; kite surfing time in Vietnam, Hawaii, Australia, and Ecuador; and big wall climbing trips in Yosemite, Zion, and Australia. Mark has led and guided several successful expeditions to Nepal and China including Cho Oyu, two trips to Ama Dablam, Lobuche East, Island Peak, and Mera Peak. He has also guided the volcanoes in Ecuador, Aconcagua, Denali, and an Antarctic Peninsula yacht-based ski and climbing expedition.

Angela Seidling, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Canada. Though the mountains of Montana are Angela's home turf, her climbing adventures have taken throughout the mountain ranges of the western US, as well as on Denali and in Peru's Cordillera Blanca. Her academic degree is in elementary education, and she has spent the last five years as a middle school teacher. Certified Leave No Trace Trainer. Speaks Spanish.

Scott Schumann, Instructor and Guide
Coordinates our wilderness medicine courses and Wilderness Education Association programs. Scott guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Alaska, and Canada. His climbing experience includes ascents in the Sierra, Cascades, Ecuador, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Alaska, and Canada. Scott holds a masters degree in recreation administration, is a Wilderness Education Association instructor, and is currently studying for his PhD at the University of Utah.

Dylan Taylor, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Sierra, Red Rock, Alaska, Canada, Argentina, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Chile. Dylan's climbing has taken him from the rock and glacier environments of the Cascades to craggy summits of the High Sierra, sandstone towers in the Southwest, the Italian and French Alps, and the remote alpine walls in Patagonia. He is an AMGA/UIAGM/IFMGA Certified Guide. Dylan has a masters degree in geology with a focus on the formation of the Cascades. Speaks Spanish.

Freddy Tipan, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Ecuador. Freddy is a UIAGM aspirant guide who is completing his guide's training at l'Ecole National de Ski et d' Alpinisme de France (ENSA). He was born in the foothills of Antisana, and since his childhood he has been hiking and climbing around the Antisana region. He has led many ascents in Ecuador, as well as in the southern Andes of Peru, Bolivia, and Argentina. Speaks English, French, and Spanish.

Ben Traxler, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades and Canada. Ben has made numerous rock, ice, and ski ascents in the Canadian Rockies and Bugaboos and throughout the western United States, including big wall routes in Yosemite. Before joining AAI's staff, Ben served as a climbing instructor and guide in a college degree granting program as well as for a variety of outdoor schools. He is a certified Leave No Trace Trainer, and his academic degree is in wilderness leadership and natural history.

Alasdair Turner, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Alaska, and Canada. A Scotsman by birth, Alasdair has climbed in the Washington Cascades for the last 15 years where, among his long list of achievements, he notched the first winter ascent of the Serpentine Arete on Dragontail Peak. Alasdair has ventured onto big walls and into mountain ranges outside Washington as well, making difficult ascents throughout Canada, Alaska, Wyoming, California, and Utah. His degree is in Chemistry.

Danny Uhlman, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, Alaska, Canada, and Bolivia. Danny has climbed alpine rock throughout the Sawtooth, Bridger, Teton, Sierra, and Cascade ranges and, in the winter, he pursues water ice in Maine, New Hampshire, and Montana. He also has experience climbing abroad in Argentina and throughout New Zealand's Mount Cook range. He has a degree in English.

Tino Villanueva, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Alaska and the Cascades. Tino is a northwest native and calls the Cascades his home. He is equally proficient on rock, ice, and snow, and he has traveled, climbed, and skied extensively in western North America from the desert rock towers of Utah to curtains of ice in the Rockies to steep couloir skiing in the Sierra. Tino's adventures have taken him as far as southwest China. His academic training is in Human Physiology from the University of Oregon. During the winters, Tino is a ski patroller at Crystal Mountain. He is a Wilderness First Responder, Outdoor Emergency Care provider, AIARE Level 2 Avalanche certified, and a Leave No Trace trainer.

Andrew Wexler, Instructor and Guide
Guides in Canada, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, and Nepal. Andrew equally enjoys ice and rock climbing, and he has done numerous big wall routes in Yosemite, Colorado, the Cascades, and the Bugaboos. He is also a keen skier and has spent many days swooshing throughout the Canadian and Alaskan backcountry. His academic background is in international political economy. Speaks Spanish.

Justin Wood, Instructor and Guide
Guides in the Cascades, Red Rock, the Sierra, Alaska, and Canada. Justin has climbed extensively in the Cascade and Olympic Ranges, and has also made ascents in the French Alps, Sierra, and at a variety of West Coast rock climbing sites. He came to AAI after years of instructing on glacier, rock, and ice and work as a climbing ranger in Olympic National Park. He has a degree in forest ecology, with a minor in cultural studies. Speaks Spanish and some French.