My Life in a Nutshell
I grew up along the edge of the American River Canyon in Auburn California; the only thing separating our front yard from the canyon was our small residential road. I was lucky to have a family that loved the outdoors, and canyon hikes and river outings were common practice, exploring the trails and hidden secrets of our “backyard”. I believe this is where my passion for the outdoors began, and despite not knowing it at the time, this passion would play a major role in shaping my future.
Beginning at Live Oak Waldorf School in Applegate California, my love for the outdoors was not only accepted but expanded. From nature walks to days spent learning to track and recognize the local plants, Waldorf may have not been a conventional education, but those years have grown to be some that I cherish most. During these years I began to figure out the hobbies and skills I enjoyed, and I pursued them with a driven passion. From mountain biking to juggling, from classical violin to slacklining I was always interested in the new difficult objectives. With each new endeavor I began to realize what all my activities shared in common, they all required complete focus in the moment. While playing the violin and mountain biking may seem to have very little similarity, I have now realized that all my passions include a near meditation like state of focus. Living in this fully in the moment stat of mind helped provide stamina and joy in all aspects of my life. The more I grew to recognize this about myself, I found I wanted to share the activities that gave me joy with others.
Naturally, with a love of outdoor activities comes a love for the outdoors on a whole. In high school I became the president of the schools Outdoor Adventure Club. While we did do the average high school club activities (hikes, car camping, and the like), I also learned how to plan, organize, and lead multi-day cross country skiing trips and remote backpacking trips. I learned how to demonstrate and teach the activities I had somewhat taken for granted which in turn I found strengthened my outdoor knowledge. I knew that sharing the joys of nature gave me purpose, but with the pressures of a college academic track, I often found myself side-lining these ambitions (even if others were supportive of them) for what I thought was the normal path for someone graduating high school. This lead me to applying to colleges and attending University of California Santa Cruz in 2017, and while I loved my classes, there was something missing, so after many discussions I decided to take sometime off school and pursue my passions of sharing what I love in life with others.
This led me to taking a semester off from school where I dedicated time to acquiring certifications, building my professional portfolio, and applying for work in the outdoor field. After a few months of work, I received a job offer to work at Camp Augusta (a summer camp based in the Sierra Nevada Foothills) as a Wilderness Trip Leader for their outdoor program. Just prior to arriving at Augusta, I took an AMGA SPI exam in Red Rocks NV to be able to receive Single Pitch Instructor Certification and was able to lead the groups multi-day backcountry climbing trips near and around Tahoe California. After a summer of action, I then had the opportunity to travel through Europe spending time in 8 different countries. I climbed on the famous cliffs of Siurana Spain, explored hidden secrets of Athens, Greece, and hiked the Cliffs of Mohr in Ireland along with much more. Post travels and work, I was stoked to pursue an education that was more in-line with my passions.
Quincy! Heard of it? Nested north of Lake Tahoe in the “Lost Sierra” lies this mountain town and Feather River College (FRC). I chose FRC because of the unique Outdoor Recreation Leadership Program it offered. From classes on reaction and leisure to attending white water guide schools, AIARE avalanche certifications, backcountry skiing, and much more it was an environment that truly allowed me to hone my skills guiding in the outdoors. After graduating from FRC's program, I have continued my passion for guiding in the outdoors. In the years sense, I have completed the AMGA Rock Guide course and am on track to continue through their rock guide program.