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.
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Kevin
Smith Kevin moved to Alaska long ago by way of Vermont and Utah, in search of bigger mountains and more snow. He first landed in Girdwood, where he spent many winters skiing bigger mountains with more snow. Kevin found & built a home in McCarthy and started climbing, backpacking, and guiding for KWG 13 years ago; while also ice-climbing, skiing & snowboarding everything in sight around Valdez and throughout the Chugach. Although he's summited many of the BIG ones (Denali, Blackburn, Marcus Baker … ) he mainly inspires us by prioritizing mountains in his daily life and never giving up on the dream. |
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Greg Runyan |
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Elizabeth
Horan Elizabeth originally hails from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. In 1991, Elizabeth moved to California to climb and trek its mountains and deserts. Once she had explored many mountains in the Pacific Northwest, she moved on to South America for its high altitude climbing and challenging terrain. Elizabeth's greatest enjoyment is sharing high mountain experience and helping others achieve their goals. She has successfully led clients to the summit of Aconcagua in Argentina and Denali in Alaska, and has been bringing her enormous amount of experience to KWG for the last 3 years. |
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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. |
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Chris Smith |
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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. 2008 will be Betsy's 3rd year on the KWG roster. |
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Matt
Smith Matt has built his home in Kennicott and splits his time between guiding and teaching climbing skills in the Alaska Range, the Chugach, and here in the Wrangell St. Elias. He is a 10-year KWG veteran and former manager whose expertise, knowledge, and skills are an invaluable asset to this company. In the winter of '06 - '07 Matt worked as a guide in Antarctica. He has worked with the highly reputable Alaska Mountaineering School in Talkeetna, and as a heli-ski guide in Valdez. Work aside, Matt and his wife Meghan have been further developing their Kennicott homestead and enjoy prioritizing wilderness exploration in their lives. |
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Meghan
Seifert Meghan is a native of Girdwood, Alaska and currently resides in Kennicott with her husband Matt. She is a professional and passionate climber and skier with experience in the Chugach, the Alaska Range (Denali), the Wrangell St. Elias, and elsewhere throughout Alaska. She first joined up with KWG in 2003 and has inspired us all with her work ethic, enthusiasm, and resilience. |
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Paul Hanis |
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Mike
Murphy Mike retired from a five-year term managing the daily operations of the guide service after 2006 and looks forward to once again spending more time in the field than in the office. Mike 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. |
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Zack
Barrett Zack came to KWG in the spring of 2006. A long-time McCarthy summer resident and winter Mt. Baker skier, Zack paid his KWG dues and earned his way onto the crew 2 years ago. His intimate knowledge of this area, and personal investment in the community, is a great asset to our company. Known in some circles for his skiing ability, Zack recently made a name for himself with a double-page photo in Powder Magazine. Zack is authentic McCarthy with a twist of Kennicott and we are glad he turned our way. |
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Brandi Mayes |
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Dorothy
Adler |
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John "Monte"
Montepare |
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Gabriel Hoy |
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Dave Williams
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Antoinette In 2006 Antoinette, or "Nettie," put in more hours watching the office porch and deck than anybody else. As a life-long Kennicott resident she is filling the unofficial position of Mayor, taking over for the previous cantankerous canine candidate, Rudy. She considers the whole town to be her domain but is usually housed and fed by 10-year KWG-er Dave, who still lives in the area. Nettie has logged hundreds of days on the surrounding peaks and glaciers, and may join you for the day if she is so inclined. We ask that you please not feed her....even if she demands food by jumping around and shouting "Roo!" You can pet her, but don't wake her up by surprise....she IS a Greenland husky...... |
