Our Guides

As far as we can tell, it’s almost impossible to not be smiling when you spend time with Betsy. She is always overflowing with passion and excitement about what she’s doing and the people she’s with, making it hard to not be affected by all that positive energy. Betsy’s thorough attention to every detail of a trip makes for unsurpassed client care. Her extensive knowledge of Wrangell St. Elias could only come from her 15 years of climbing, hiking, rafting and exploring in the area. It is her love for the valley and its community that convinced Betsy to buy property and build her own home in Kennicott overlooking the glaciers which she has been enjoying for so long. In 2011, after guiding for KWG for six years, Betsy became one of the proud owners of KWG and could not be happier with the crew she gets to train and learn with. Whether you go for a glacier hike, ice climb, or backcountry trip with Betsy, you’re sure to laugh, be amazed, learn something new, and have an incredible day! Betsy is Wilderness First Responder, Swiftwater Rescue and Rigging For Rescue Certified.

In addition to guiding, Jared has also been involved with many different television productions as a safety guide, logistics coordinator, and the occasional camera operator. Some of his credits include National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, and Discovery Channel’s Edge of Alaska and Ice Cold Killers. He has also worked with many international television and film productions.
His adventuring has taken him across the globe. He has climbed rock, ice and snow across the American Southwest, in SE Asia, Nepal, South America, Israel and New Zealand. He has also spent time Packrafting in the whitewater of New Zealand.

Jared is well-versed in small or large scale trip logistics, and uses his intimate knowledge of the area and creativity to act as KWG’s primary trip planner and coordinator. He is excited to help plan and stoke the fires of your 2016 trip. Jared is a Wilderness First Responder, Rigging for Rescue certified, and Swiftwater Rescue certified.

The third of KWG’s co-owners, Monte has been guiding in the Wrangell Saint Elias National Park since 2004. Wasting no time, he successfully summited Mt. Blackburn 16,390 ft, the Kennicott Valley’s largest peak, and descended by a new ski line in 2007. In years since, Monte’s enthusiasm for backpacking traverses has taken him to the farthest reaches of the park, logging innumerable off-trail miles in the backcountry both on his personal time and as a professional guide for KWG. Rounding out Monte’s climbing and backpacking experience is a degree in Outdoor Leadership with a minor in Theater from Western State College of Colorado.

Monte is known around the valley as a leader in innovation and exploration, pioneering backpacking routes and packraft first descents. He’s also wrote the packraft guide to McCarthy Creek and a guide to local bouldering. When he’s not in Alaska, Monte tours with The Moth telling real stories on stage.

Monte is a Wilderness First Responder, an AMGA Apprentice Rock Guide and is Avalanche II, Rigging for Rescue, CPR and Swiftwater Rescue certified.

Katy grew up in small-town Minnesota where her love for the outdoors began. She left Minnesota and spent nearly a decade working as an acrobat / high diver with big circus dreams that took her on adventures all over the world. In 2023 she decided it was time to return to the outdoors and joined the KWG family for her first season in the Wrangell Mountains. She fell in love with the Wrangells and is returning for another season to continue to share the magnificence of such an incredible place. When she’s not guiding or working in the KWG office, she can be found out on her own adventures, paragliding, cliff diving, cartwheeling across airstrips, foraging, writing, reading, and soaking up the beauty of the world around her. Katy has her Wilderness First Responder, CPR and Epinephrine certifications.

The Wrangells have been Avery’s home forever and thankfully she loves it because she’s been hanging out in this valley since she was 10 days old. Avery has spent time in the Wrangells every summer of her life. Her front yard is a glacial moraine where she learned to walk and hike. Avery has taken so much joy in bringing friends and family out into the wilderness, she has spent an unknown amount of hours in the mountains, on glaciers, and rafting the rivers of this area. Avery has many connections to the guiding world and community, her dad Howard Mozen started and ran a rafting company based out of Mccarthy for many years. As a 8 year old scrabbling about on the scree slopes with her little brother their nanny was none other than the future co-owner of KWG Jared Stayeart. Avery has spent multiple winters in Montana working on getting a nursing degree and hanging out in the mountains on her skis. She loves working with kids and taking them into the outdoors. You can often spot her on a hike spinning yarn out of raw wool with a drop spindle. Avery is so excited that she gets to work and play all summer in the home of her heart!
Avery is a Wilderness EMT and has her Avalanche Level 1.

Born in the lush green forest of the American south, Tyler has never been one to sit still. At 18 they left home to thru hike the Appalachian trail and hasn’t stopped walking yet. Educated as an Anthropologist, Tyler seeks to understand the connection between humans and the landscape; where environments meets culture. Called to the desert, Tyler moved to the Southwest and began a love affair with the Colorado Plateau and now the Sonoran Desert working in youth conservation, trail work, and now as a carpenter and guide. With their dog Mira riding shotgun Tyler migrates seasonally, from the Sonoran desert, to the Four Corners, and McCarthy, Alaska with detours far afield. Tyler is an ACA certified Packraft Instructor, Swiftwater Safety Certified and a Wilderness First Responder.

Mike grew up in Ski Racing in the tiny hills of NJ and racing triathlons in the summer. At age 17 he qualified for Team USA racing at the World Championships. His love for mountains brought him to Colorado for college where he got a degree in Outdoor Recreation Leadership. Mike came to Alaska for his first time in 2018 to intern at a heli-ski operation and fell in love with the mountains. He has been guiding in the Wrangells with KWG since 2019. He has passed and received his Professional Level 1 Certification through the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, and taken a single pitch instructor course through the AMGA.

In his off time he likes to Ski, Climb, Highline, Paraglide, Surf, Paddle, Backpack, Go fishing, Running, Biking…. Pretty much everything outside and Mikes got a Smile on his face.

Ry grew up in McCarthy and has been hiking and skiing in the Wrangells since he could stand up. Ry learned to self arrest when he was 10, using the prongs of a hammer on the steep bluffs of McCarthy creek. When he’s not out on the trail or organizing the yurt, you can find him building bike trails and working on his tiny cabin. During the winter Ry is a competitive nordic ski racer, and plays the violin on days when it’s above freezing. Ry is a certified WFR.

Sonai grew up in Western Massachusetts spending many days out hiking in the woods with her family. Since then she has spent time exploring a variety of places including New Hampshire and Vermont, parts of the American South and Colorado where she is currently going to college. Sonai is very excited to be joining the KWG team again this summer! Sonai is a certified WFR.

Originally from Maryland, Alissa did her undergraduate and graduate work on the East Coast. After owning a business for a decade in Washington DC, she decided to make a hard life pivot to pursue experiences that bring her joy – namely being outside in nature and sharing her knowledge with others as an educator, and she is over the moon excited to be joining the KWG family again this summer. In the winter, Alissa is a Senior Alpine Snowboard Patroller; Outdoor Emergency Care Instructor; and Mountain Captain at Smugglers Notch in Vermont where she helps teach medical, rescue toboggan, and avalanche rescue skills for the National Ski Patrol’s Eastern Division. In between seasons, you’ll find her traveling around the western US and Canada with her partner John and their dog Dozer; looking for ghost towns, fire towers, hot springs and other intriguing places to explore.

Lauren grew up in Anchorage, Alaska. Spending summers scrambling around the Chugach range and winters skiing to her heart’s content. Her lifelong love of the mountains brought her to Montana where she is working towards her bachelor’s in English at Montana State University. Lauren spends the winter months climbing an endless supply of frozen waterfalls in Hyalite Canyon and hunting for good snow wherever she can find it. Lauren spent her first summer in McCarthy in 2022 and was immediately enchanted with the mountains, glaciers, and everything in between. On her days off she can be found hammocking on the Root glacier, swimming in the freezing creeks and filling up notebooks. Lauren is a Wilderness First Responder and has her Avalanche Level 1 certification.

After spending most of his life in Mississippi, Cooper decided to go exploring in search of the biggest mountains he could find. Ever since moving to Bozeman, Montana, he spends warm days on rock, and more importantly cold days on ice up in Hyalite Canyon. In the past summers, Cooper has enjoyed time in the Tetons and most recently fighting wildfires in California. Cooper enjoys variety in life, working as a cook during the winters, learning new skills, and playing the guitar. Ask him to jam. During the school year, he studies Psychology at Montana State University. Eager to appreciate good places and good time with others, Cooper is excited to pursue guiding outside. Cooper is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest and going to college in Missoula, Montana has led to a lot of time in the outdoors for Wyatt. After years of personal trips, finding mentors, and ups and downs (mostly elevation), Wyatt has been guiding in Denali National Park during his summers off from school and is excited to help everyone enjoy the recreation opportunities of Alaska. He enjoys ice climbing, swimming, and type II fun. WFR, CPR, AVY 1 certified.

Raised under the shadow of Mount St. Helens, Aaron had the mountains instilled in him from an early age. Life then scattered him through Houston coasts, Georgia pines, Kansas fields, Québec cathedrals and Los Angeles streets until he found himself back in the Pacific Northwest. Aaron fought wildfires for the Forest Service and BLM throughout Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. He rode rural engines as a volunteer firefighter, fell trees, and wrangled Alaskan huskies in Seward. After moving up north he guided up the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Circle and the Arctic Ocean as well as Denali and Brooks Range treks. At the University of  Alaska Fairbanks he continues to grow his exploration skills with mountaineering labs, military‑science fieldcraft, kayak‑rolling clinics and glacier traverses. Between classes, he skis both cross‑country and downhill, skins mountains, ice‑fishes, chases auroras and climbs frozen waterfalls. Off‑trail you can catch him coaching boxing, salsa dancing, sweating through hot yoga, shooting with his Sony A7RIII camera, reading avidly and chasing soccer passes. Aaron is a Wilderness first responder, he has both his AVA Avalanche Rescue and AVA Avalanche Rec 1 certifications as well as his CDL with passenger endorsement.

Marguerite is in her first-year in Kennicott from Lafayette, Colorado, where she grew up rock climbing, skiing, and camping in the heart of the Rockies. She recently graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Human Dimensions of Natural Resources and a minor in Spanish. During her gap year in 2020, she worked as liftie in Steamboat Springs, and for the past two summers, she’s been raft guiding on the Poudre River. Marguerite is a certified WFR.

Finley grew up in Minnesota, spending time hiking around a family cabin on Lake Superior and going on extended canoeing and backpacking trips with a YMCA summer camp, eventually becoming a guide there. When not guiding, he enjoys running, biking, and skiing. Currently studying math and economics at Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, Finley is also a certified Wilderness First Responder (WFR).