Meet the team
Our team of ACMG and IFMGA Guides are ready to take you on a trip of a lifetime. Every Altus Guide is committed to top quality guest service with safety as our main priority. Our Guides have a passion for what they do and strive to share their passion with our guests.
Certifications: All of our Guides are ACMG and IFMGA Certified to ensure our guests receive the very best and most safe experience in the mountains. An ACMG or IFMGA Certification means you can be confident your Guide has the training to make educated and safe decisions. We encourage everyone seeking a guided mountain adventure, regardless of the guiding company, to ask whether a Mountain Guide Association certifies his or her Guide.
While the majority of our Guides are Fully Certified ACMG and IFMGA Guides, we do work with Assistant ACMG Guides under the diligent supervision of our Head Guides Ross Berg and Ben Johns.
Certification:
IFMGA / ACMG Mountain Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level 1
Sprat 2
Ross Berg
Born in Red Deer, Alberta, Ross discovered the mountains as a teenager visiting Western Canada's best winter destinations as a sponsored snowboarder. At the age of 16 he was introduced to rock climbing through a local Whistler guide. This experience completely captivated him and opened his eyes to the huge potential the mountains present. In the following years, he completed his certification as an International Mountain Guide. “I feel privileged to be able to work as a mountain guide and look forward to sharing the thrill of the mountains with my guests.”
Ross has guided, climbed and skied in the European Alps for the last several seasons. When he's at home he can be found working as a heli-ski guide in winters and climbing alpine rock routes in summer. @ross_berg_
Certification:
ACMG Ski Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
ACP Registered EMT-A
Sprat 2
Occupational First Aid Level 3
Ben Johns
Born and raised in Canmore, Alberta, Ben has been on skis for almost his entire life and it has been his passion since his introduction to ski mountaineering at the age of 10. By the age of 14 Ben had already completed the Wapta Ski Traverse and his first avalanche course. Long before graduating high school, Ben had decided that he wanted to be a Ski Guide. He takes great pleasure in sharing his love for the mountains.
Ben has accomplished numerous technical ski descents throughout the world including the Yukon, Alaska, Nepal, Patagonia, the Chilean Andes, New Zealand, Japan and even Mexico. Ben is also a certified rope access supervisor and a registered EMT with the Alberta College of Paramedics. When Ben is not skiing or guiding he can also be found industrial rigging and working in the film industry. @benwillski
Certification:
ACMG Full Ski Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Canadian Avalanche Industry Training Program Instructor
Wilderness First Responder (80h)
Robert Thor
Certification:
ACMG Ski Guide
CSGA Level 2 Lead Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Active Member
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
2- Time Olympic Snowboarder
Justin Lamoureux
Justin has spent over 25 years strapped to a snowboard and loves it more and more every winter. 2 Winter Olympics and a Canadian Olympic Record for this guy’s halfpipe performance (7th in 2010) along with finals in major slopestyle and big air events, a few years racking in top boardercross results and first descents in Alaska and around the world, Justin has literally seen it all.
Now the majority of Justin's riding time is spent filming on his split board (check out The Backyard Project) and working towards becoming a full Backcountry Guide. Equipped with a mechanical engineering degree, Justin has a deep understanding of the mechanics of avalanches. Always enthusiastic for a day of riding and guiding, Justin is a blast to ride with and is always ready with a useful tip to help you develop your riding skills. @justin_lamoureux
Certification:
AMGA/IFMGA Mountain Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Andrew Councell
Over the last 20 years, Andrew has climbed and skied around the world. His mountain craft began through gravity-fed snowboarding in Colorado but quickly grew to include climbing mountains as well. From Alaska to Pakistan and Turkey to Norway, the mountains and their seasons have shaped Andrew’s love for high and wild places. Having a passion for the mountains, Andrew gravitated towards guiding as a way to not only keep his own stoke alive but to share that passion with others.
Andrew spends his winters guiding heli-skiing, ski touring and ice climbing throughout western Canada. Summer’s rock and alpine pursuits keep Andrew busy all over North America. As a dual-citizen, Andrew works in both the US and Canada but now calls Squamish home where he lives with his wife, son and their yellow lab. @acouncell
Certification:
ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide
ACMG Hiking Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Active Member
CAA Operations Level 1
Avalanche Search and Rescue
Occupational First Aid Level 3
Holly Walker
Although Holly was born in Vancouver B.C. to a family of skiers and mountain lovers, she was swept away from Canada's West Coast at age 10 to lead a vagabond lifestyle all around the world. Now settled in Squamish, Holly is an ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide and shares a new appreciation for the mountains she grew up with. A past Freeride World Tour athlete, she now spends her winters guiding and ski patrolling in Whistler. She fills her summers leading hiking trips in her backyard- the mountains of Southwest B.C.
An explorer at heart, when she is not working it can only be guessed which mountain range Holly is wandering in with skis, boots, crampons, ice axe, mountaineering kit, camping gear and more. @hollyskiwalker
Certification:
ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide
ACMG Apprentice Rock Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Active Member
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Former Pro Snowboarder
Rupert Davies
Originally from Ontario, Rupert moved to the West Coast of Canada as a teenager and has since traveled the world as a Professional Snowboarder. Although his youth was spent filming snowboard videos getting radical in everything from urban settings to backcountry booters, Rupert maintained his fitness and became a passionate rock climber. As years passed, Rupert wondered if there was more to the mountains and began exploring the Coast Mountains on a split-board. His passion for these mountains and what they have provided him with is outspoken. In the last 5 years, Rupert has made a name for himself as a true professional. He spends his summers as a Rock Guide taking clients up Squamish granite and his winters in the snowy peaks, he is only one of a handful of certified Snowboard Guides in Canada. @rupert_davies
Certification:
ACMG Aspirant Alpine Guide
Canadian Avalanche Industrial Level 1
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Paul McSorley
For the last fifteen years Paul's passion for climbing has taken him to five continents and over 25 countries for work and play. With over a decade of professional guiding experience, Paul is in his element instructing in his home range or on a remote mountain peak. He has a penchant for establishing new routes and has made more than a hundred first ascents including two previously unclimbed Patagonian summits and "The Canadian Route" on Fitzroy's South face.
It is the interaction with people that Paul loves most about the mountain lifestyle. He speaks English, French and Spanish and values his friends more than any climb he's ever done. @paulmcsorley
Certification:
AMGA/IFMGA Mountain Guide
Occupational First Aid (80h)
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
AIARE Professional Member
CSIA Level 2 Ski Intructor
Julia Niles
Julia's grandfather sparked her love for sliding down snow on sticks. He was a mountain man and dragged her out on even the coldest days at a small skier owned hill in Vermont. She has been on the hunt for powder ever since. She was part of the first all female team to ski the Grand Teton, she has guided the highest peaks in North and South America, and her journey led her to become the fifth IFMGA certified woman in the US. She has taken her passion all over the world shredding first descents and composing her infamous poems. She is now happily Canadian settled in Squamish with an awesome husband and two mini-rippers. @julia.niles
Certification:
ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide
ACMG Apprentice Hiking Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Occupational First Aid (80 hour)
Professional Member: BC Teacher's College
Tim Ross
Tim’s passion for the outdoors started at a young age skiing Whistler Mountain. Having lived all over the world, Tim settled in the Sea to Sky corridor in 2006. Soon after he began his guiding career exploring the Coast Mountains as a Hiking Guide and later as a Ski Guide. Having skied for over twenty years, Tim took his first avalanche safety course and it changed the direction of his life. He now divides his time between his family and the mountains. For Tim, the best part about guiding is sharing the mountains with his guests. @whitegoatguiding
Certification:
IFMGA / ACMG Mountain Guide
Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 3
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level 3
Outdoor Emergency Care Technician
Crosby Johnston
Crosby Johnston has been a professional Ski and Rock Guide for more than a decade since the age of 20. He has made several first climbing ascents in the Bugaboos and has racked up millions of vertical miles as a heli-ski guide in the Cariboo and Monashees. Crosby’s knowledge and love of the mountains means that his guests always have an enjoyable experience. Regardless of what mountain adventure you choose, Crosby’s diverse skill set and experience enables him to cover all of the details, to ensure you have a safe, well-organized and fun trip that exceeds your expectations whether it is on skis or the rock.
Certification:
CSGA Level 2 Lead Guide
ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
ACMG Top Rope Climbing Instructor
Heli Ski US Guide Member
Brett Menter
Born and raised outside of Denver, Colorado. Brett expanded his childhood athleticism into the alpine world after a series of life challenges. From the high peaks of Colorado to big beautiful lines in Alaska, the thirst for more powder therapy didn’t stop. Snowboarding went from weekend trips to a full-time focus faster than he ever dreamed. His patience for the process of learning and what it takes to be a safe mountain traveler molded him into a passionate guide and teacher. Brett has found a home now in Squamish, BC and stays busy with a variety of work and play that bring a consistent flow of fresh air and good people. Wherever his guiding journey takes him, gratitude and kindness naturally join along. @bretton_menter
Certification:
ACMG Apprentice Snowboard Guide
ACMG Hiking Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association - Active Member
Occupational First Aid (80h)
Christine Feleki
Based in Squamish, Christine is one of the hardest working women in the industry. An apprentice hiking guide in summers and Canada’s first woman to be certified as a snowboard guide; no matter the season she is teaching safe backcountry travel. Christine is ahead of her game in so many ways, behind her friendly smile lies a calculated and driven mind that will get you to the goods without sacrificing a good time. Her passion for sharing the mountains with other inspired women is only outmatched by her ability to out-ride most of the guys out there. Whether you’re new or old to the touring world, she has so much to offer. @christinefeleki
Certification:
ACMG Full Rock Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Industrial Level 1
Occupational First Aid Level 3
Sprat Level 2
Kinley Aitken
Kinley began climbing in Squamish 15 years ago and has been proud to call the Sea to Sky home ever since. A full career of climbing adventures has taken her to such exotic sun-soaked rock destinations as Madagascar, Australia, and Mexico, as well as some of the highest and wildest peaks in North America, from the Southern US and the Waddington Range to Mt. Whitney.
With ten years of guiding under her belt, Kinley still loves the engaging work of an ACMG Rock Guide. Whether leading multi-pitch routes up the Chief or teaching high-level instructional courses to aspirant guides, she stays excited about her profession thanks to the variety of technical challenges and the personal connections she makes with a diversity of people.
When she’s not guiding, Kinley maintains that the perfect summer’s day in Squamish would be spent leisurely drinking coffees, cruising up perfect splitter cracks above the ocean, and spending the evening gardening with her two-year-old daughter in tow. @kinleyaitken
Certification:
ACMG Assistant Rock Guide
ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Industrial Level 1
CAA Active Member
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Tucker Roderick
Raised on a guest ranch in the Colorado Rockies, Tucker has spent his entire life leading people efficiently and safely through the mountains. While his early years were spent on horseback and snowmobile, he was introduced to rock climbing in his early twenties and has never looked back. He moved to Squamish with his family in pursuit of earning his ACMG Rock Guide certification and now dedicates himself to ensuring clients have the best possible experience on Squamish's magnificent granite. While he is constantly researching and staying on top of the newest rock climbing equipment, systems and gear, his client testimonies indicate Tucker is most passionate about helping people have an incredible time in the mountains.
When he’s not guiding, Tucker can likely be found ski touring with his young daughter in the Coast Mountain backcountry or sipping whiskey on alpine peaks with friends. @tuckeroderick
Certification:
ACMG Assistant Rock Guide
ACMG Apprentice Alpine Guide
Canadian Avalanche Association Industrial Level 1
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Drew De Panicis
Drew has been a passionate climber and mountain enthusiast for more than a decade. During his first visit to Squamish BC in 2008, he was captivated by the dramatic landscapes, the deep powder, and the endless granite rock climbs. Not long after that visit he made the west coast his home and never looked back. After years of climbing and sharing his passions with others, guiding seemed the natural progression. From long multi-pitch climbing and cragging to instructional courses, Drew is psyched to share experiences in the mountains and cater any adventure to the goals and objectives of his guests. @drewdepanicis
Certification:
ACMG/IFMGA Mountain Guide
CAA Professional Member
CSIA Level 2 Ski Instructor
CASI Level 1 Snowboard Instructor
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Monte Johnston
Monte is an ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide that works full-time skiing, mountaineering and climbing from his home base in Squamish, BC. After graduating university with an engineering degree, he found he wasn’t satisfied only chasing his passion for the mountains on weekends or in the evenings. This led him away from working behind a desk into a life of guiding and avalanche forecasting. Monte now spends his winters ski touring and heli skiing in BC with an international trip or two thrown in for fun. His summers are similarly spent sharing exploring the mountains of the world and sharing his passion for the outdoors. His personal favorite zone is the Tantalus Range, a snow, ice and granite paradise located on Squamish’s doorstep.
Certification:
ACMG Apprentice Ski Guide
Canadian Ski Guide Association Level 2
Canadian Avalanche Association - Professional Member
Canadian Ski Instructors Alliance Level 3
Non-Urban Occupational First Aid 3 (NUOFA 3) (100hr)
Michael Shynkaryk
Born and raised on a farm near Spruce Grove, Alberta, Michael discovered the mountains on family ski trips to Banff and Jasper National Parks. He fell in love with the mountains and left the prairies at age 18 to pursue an outdoor lifestyle in BC. He pursued guiding to share the experience and joy of skiing/snowboarding in the backcountry with others, bringing fulfilment to his work and life.
He has 18 years working experience in the ski industry in various roles from Ski Instructor, Ski Patrol, Ski School Supervisor, Avalanche Research Technician and finally, Ski Guide. He has racked up millions of vertical metres ski-guiding in the Cariboo and Monashee mountains of Canada, and the Southern Alps in New Zealand.
When he's not guiding, Michael works as a Geotechnical Engineer, and enjoys mountain biking, climbing, and kiteboarding near his home in Squamish, BC. @michaelshynkaryk
Certification:
Advanced Wilderness First Aid (80h)
Ba. Management - Dalhousie University
Canadian Après Association - Professional Member
Chloe Beange
Chloe grew up on the West Coast, exploring the coastal mountains since she was plopped onto skis at about the same time she learned to walk. After pursing an accelerated career in the Vancouver Tech industry, the weekend warrior in Chloe overruled and landed her in the Sea-to-Sky corridor. With a passion for creating positive connections between her people and the mountains, she enjoys guiding fellow mountain enthusiasts from behind the scenes of Altus.
Still Have Questions or Concerns?
Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns or requests on how we can make this the best trip ever!!!
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Altus mountain guides is a group of motivated professionals dedicated to providing our clients with outstanding quality in the mountains with safe adventurous trips. From our base in Squamish and Whistler BC we provide you access to the most amazing mountain experiences the West Coast has to offer. Our exciting itineraries showcase the Coast Range but reach beyond to the interior ranges of the Selkirkʼs and Purcellʼs and onto the Rockies. We also offer trips internationally from the historic and classic European Alps to the windswept wilds of Patagonia.