MEET OUR TEAM

Born from a love of wild and beautiful places, The Wildland Trekking Company delivers outstanding hiking adventures to the best desert and mountain regions of North America. Wildland Trekking is more than a business, it's a vehicle to make a difference in people's lives and in the world. This aim is reflected in our mission statement:

"To provide exceptional hiking adventures to North America's most beautiful and wild landscapes, and to contribute significantly to the conservation of these special places."

We have over 25 years of owner experience leading unique journeys that have lasting positive impact on people's lives and, as importantly, on the regions and cultures we visit. (Read more about our mission.)

Hiking and Backpacking Guide Qualifications:

• Wilderness First Responder or EMT medical certifications
• Extensive experience and proven competence with backcountry travel and guiding in area of expertise
• Association of Canadian Mountain Guides certifications (for Canada)
• NAU Backcountry Environmental Health Certification (Food Handlers Permit)
• Certifications in Leave No Trace outdoor ethics

On his first mountain climb near Yellowstone, at eight years of age, Scott Abrams decided anything worth doing is worth doing on foot. That decision, made 20 years ago, sparked a passion in him to extensively explore the fantastic mountain ranges near his hometown of Bozeman, Montana. Eventually his passion for hiking the mountains led Scott to a career working with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). His next leap landed him at the Wildland Trekking Company doorstep, where he now shares his love of hiking and outdoor adventure with all who are willing. Scott guides trips in the Grand Canyon, Utah and Yellowstone.

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Brad Ball, owner and co-founder, has over 25 years professional experience in wilderness and adventure travel. As a long time senior instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), the executive director of Sylvan Rocks Climbing School and Guide Service, and as a state, federal, and consulting forester, Brad has spent the entirety of his career in the outdoors. He is passionate about providing meaningful travel experiences that leave people with a sense of wonder with the natural world. Brad is also a strong voice for conservation, as it is a lifestyle and a mission for him. He is married and raising two young outdoor adventurers in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Eddie Bowers is originally from Mississippi, where his love of the outdoors developed early while spending summers at "the lake" with family and friends. It wasn't until 2003 that he discovered the beauty of the southwestern United States, visiting as often as possible until moving west several years later. Eddie has since racked up over two years of full time guiding experience in the Grand Canyon and Havasu Falls. He lives part of the year in Flagstaff, AZ and the other part in Breckenridge, CO where he enjoys snowboarding and climbing Colorado's famous 14ers. He is also a certified Wilderness First Responder.

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Ann Marie Bubb is an avid hiker, backpacker, climber, and skier. She has been living in Southwest Colorado for 15 years, exploring the wonders of the San Juan Mountains and the Colorado Plateau nearly that whole time. As long time co-owner of an outdoor gear store, Ann is an expert in almost all things outdoors. She also has a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois and has had guided trips in the four corners region. When not helping Wildland Trekking guests find, prepare for, and get the most from their trips - or out having adventures of her own - she can often be found enjoying local music festivals and time with friends.

Ron Bubb has been living, working, hiking, backpacking, skiing, kayaking, and canoeing in the four corners region for more than 15 years. He has an MBA and worked in state government before leaving his home state of Illinois for the west in 1996. Since that time, he has opened and operated three outdoor gear shops in Durango and Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Ron is also our main Canadian Rockies guide and is certified with the ACMG (Association of Canadian Mountain Guides). "I want to help people get into the backcountry. That's what I feel I was put on this planet to do." Ron lives his purpose by guiding trips in the Grand Canyon, Utah, Yellowstone and the Canadian Rockies.

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Doug Campbell is a native New Mexican who has been hiking the mountains and canyons of the southwest and rocky mountains for four decades. He is a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) instructor, Santa Fe area hiking guide, certified personal trainer and field instructor for wilderness and experiential education programs at two New Mexico high schools. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in history and enjoys sharing with others his enthusiasm and knowledge about the human and natural history of the Four Corners region. He feels that guiding others on their Grand Canyon backpacking adventures is one of the best jobs in the world. Doug resides in Albuquerque and hikes on his own every chance he gets.

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Sandra Corso was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Like most “Cariocas” (natives of Rio), she fell in love with nature at a very young age. Because Rio is surrounded by beautiful tropical beaches, islands, rainforest and mountains, it inspires many people with a deep desire to enjoy nature. As an adult she has lived in the United States for more than 20 years, leading 2-day to 30-day mountaineering, climbing and backpacking trips. Sandra is a senior Outward Bound Instructor and a member of the American Guiding Association, the American Alpine Club, and the New Mexico Mountain Club. When not guiding and instructing, Sandra enjoys adventures of her own - the longer the better - all over the world.

Scott Cundy, owner and co-founder, grew up hiking and backpacking with his family in New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. He's sure backcountry hiking is severely contagious and doesn't have any known cure, because once afflicted with it the constant desire to "get out" has plagued him his whole life. He has a degree in English and has worked in the adventure travel profession most of his career. He's ventured professionally to 13 countries throughout North America, Europe, the South Pacific, and Central America. For five years Scott also enjoyed facilitating leadership development seminars and workshops with two training companies, Odyssey Performance Enhancement Network and Klemmer and Associates.

Steve Cundy, owner and co-founder, worked as a natural resources specialist for federal and state governments before discovering his passion for leading people into wild places. After this revelation, he spent his working life as a wilderness counselor for at-risk youth in Utah and as an outdoor educator and hiking guide, before co-founding the Wildland Trekking Company. Steve is a personable and attentive owner and guide who is dedicated to seeing that his guests get as much out of their wilderness hiking experience as possible. Also an avid rock climber, he can usually be found scaling the cliffs of his usual haunts when not in the office or the field.

Kristen Driscoll follows her passion for guiding hiking and backpacking trips in the Grand Canyon and Havasu Falls when she isn't fulfilling her other career as a high school counselor. An Arizona native and an avid outdoorswoman, Kristen has more than a decade of extensive personal and professional hiking, backpacking, and rafting experience in the Grand Canyon, Colorado Plateau, and the Southwest desert. She has a Masters Degree in counseling and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

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Margie Erhart leads hiking trips for us in the Grand Canyon and in Utah. She has been a river and hiking guide in the Grand Canyon and on the San Juan River for years. She has hiked in several countries all over the world, including Chile, Burma, and Ireland. She is the author of five novels, countless essays, and her commentaries have aired on National Public Radio. She has been swinging a butterfly net since the turn of the millennium and has a working knowledge of the bugs of the Colorado Plateau. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona and teaches creative writing for the Navajo Nation.

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Shayne Hall grew up in Tucson, Arizona where he found a passion for the outdoors during his first backpacking trip, a solo excursion into the Rincon mountains. In 1998 he spent 105 days hiking 720 miles from the border of Mexico to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. While passing through the Canyon on this life-changing journey, he met a hiking guide who sparked his interest. In 2001 he began his guiding career. "I love to see people blown away by the intense beauty of the Canyon. Also seeing friends and families bond during their time in the Canyon is the most rewarding part of my job."

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Jill Hewins has been guiding wilderness backpacking, biking, hiking and travel journeys since 1986. In the outdoor adventure industry, she has worked as a Program Director, Trip Planner, Guide and Staff Trainer. She has a Masters Degree in Higher Education and certifications in Wilderness First Responder and Advanced First Aid. Jill loves bringing together groups of individuals for self-growth, play, laughter and adventure. She has been working at being a good yoga student for over ten years, and in her free time she is an avid cyclist, hiker and student of life.

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Chris Hoge developed a love of backpacking and climbing in the Appalachian Mountains of his homestate of Tennessee. After earning a B.A. in Recreation and Tourism Management from the University of Tennessee, he headed west looking for a change of scenery. His quest landed him in Flagstaff, Arizona where the Grand Canyon grabbed firm hold of him. “Any day that starts by waking up in the Grand Canyon has the strong potential to be one of the greatest days of your life!” Being as fascinated about the history of the Canyon as he is hiking inside it's towering walls, Chris has been teaching and guiding in the Canyon for over 5 years. He also migrates North to lead Yellowstone trips in the summer.

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Rob James grew up hunting and fishing in his home state of Mississippi and first felt strongly drawn to the West during a family vacation (Griswald style) to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks at the age of 10. After receiving a bachelors degree in education from Mississippi State, he set off to explore the west, moving initially to Montana. On a road trip to the Southwest he fell in love with the desert and it's had him in its grasp ever since. He's spent the last 9 years as a backpacking guide in the Grand Canyon, but does migrate north in the summer to lead Yellowstone trips for Wildland Trekking, not completely abandoning his initial love of the Northern Rockies. Rob currrently resides in Flagstaff, Arizona.

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Johnny Kalinowski grew up in the Chicagoland area. He discovered his love of the outdoors on hiking and camping trips to the sand dunes of Lake Michigan. His passion for backpacking began at age eighteen, and since then he has hiked and backpacked in twenty national parks and even more wilderness areas in the United States. Johnny has been working as a full time hiking guide in the Grand Canyon for over five years. "I am very passionate about the geology and history of The Grand Canyon and the best thing about my job is teaching others all I've learned!"

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Shelly Karlovetz grew up hiking in the mountains of Colorado and attended college in Wyoming, so she has never been a stranger to America's western wilderness. She has, however, ventured far beyond it, especially in 1996 when she hiked the 2,000 mile-long Appalachian Trail over a 6 month period. She says that it was on the 'AT' that she cinched the deal with being completely in love with hiking. Since then, she has completed several 100-mile thru-hikes in Colorado. Shelly helps with administration, occasionally guides, and assists guests in any way she can.

We joke that when Bob Kraus started hiking in the Grand Canyon it was only a couple hundred feet deep. As a 30-year veteran hiker of the Grand Canyon and other areas of the Southwest, Bob offers a rare wealth of knowledge and experience to his guests. He's a "Canyon Country Guru" that Wildland Trekking is privileged to have as part of it's staff. Bob is also a fly-fishing fanatic and Rocky Mountain expert, and escapes to the north in the summer season to lead backcountry Yellowstone tours and fly-fish between trips. Bob's guests are regularly charmed by his welcoming personality and astonished by his extensive knowledge of natural and cultural history, and we know you will be too!

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Wes Leland has been sauntering around the Colorado Plateau and its canyons, mountains and rivers for 30+ years. He has led and facilitated experiences for thousands of people from all walks of life. He is a trained naturalist, EMT, and Swiftwater Rescue Technician. He is currently an Instructor and Course Director for Outward Bound (21 years), a College Professor of Adventure Education (5 years), a Ski Intsructor (9 years), and a guide for The Wildland Trekking Company (2 years). He has climbed in Alaska and the Himalaya, run thousands of miles of whitewater (including “The Grand"), spent thousands of nights outside and has a few stories to tell! Wes is an invaluable addition to the Wildland Trekking team.

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Elaine Maier was raised in Arizona and has spent much of her time hiking and backpacking the Southwest. For over 20 years she has hiked extensively in the Grand Canyon. Elaine has been professionally guiding at the Grand Canyon for 8 years, spending 100-plus days on the trail each year. She also works as an instructor for the Grand Canyon Field Institute and now makes her home as a Grand Canyon resident year-round. She has also taught backpacking and hiking classes for several Parks and Recreation Departments in the Phoenix Area.

Scott Moore is one of our core Yellowstone guides. He lives in Missoula, Montana and has been an outdoor leader for more than seven years. From the hills of Romania to the peaks of Montana and Wyoming, there is nothing he enjoys more than backpacking and hiking new, beautiful places with others. To mention just a few highlights, he has taught leadership for Outward Bound in Costa Rica, instructed at Outdoor Education centers, and rode the high seas on an EPA environmental survey ship. Reliable, friendly, and knowledgeable, Scott is a huge asset to the Wildland Trekking team.

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Matt Nelson is a professional outdoor educator, hiking and backpacking guide and international adventurer. Guiding the Grand Canyon is one of his favorite occupations, as he absolutely loves sharing his passion for the Canyon with others. He also works as an outdoor education specialist for three high schools in Arizona, and has been the leader of Tucson’s Inner City Outings program for the past five years. Matt is also a nature writer and outdoor columnist for a variety of local, regional and national publications. An educator at heart, Matthew shares his impressive historical, botanical and environmental knowledge with everyone he hikes with.

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Russ Nordstrand studied Outdoor Recreation at Western State College of Colorado after moving from his home town of Seattle in search of some sun. He has spent the last decade exploring and guiding hiking trips on the Colorado Plateau and beyond including the mountains and canyons of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, California and Arizona. Russ feels truly at home in the wilderness and loves to share his passion for the outdoors with people from all over the world! Besides leading trips in the Grand Canyon Russ loves to surf and backcountry snowboard depending on the season! He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona and is a certified Wilderness First Responder.

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Asano Otsu was born in Kyoto, Japan but has found her true home to be in the vast wilderness of the American West. Over the past decade she has logged hundreds of nights under the stars all over Colorado, Arizona, California, Texas, Nevada, Wyoming and Montana. With a Bachelors degree in Outdoor Experiential Education, it has been her life's intention to work for companies like Outward Bound Wilderness and The Wildland Trekking Company. It's with these organization that she feels most able share her passion for wilderness with others. When not working as a guide in Yellowstone, Asano finds herself at home in Red Lodge, Montana, most often riding a bike or fly-fishing.

Rohan Roy can be found exploring the mountains and canyons of the Four Corners area with skis, bikes, ropes, backpacks, hiking boots, and running shoes. As a ten-year instructor and course director with Outward Bound, there is nothing he would rather be doing than sharing the beauty of the mountains and canyons with others. With a degree in Geology, he is particularly passionate about the natural history of the Grand Canyon. Though when not talking about rocks, he's not afraid to tell some of his many bad jokes. So Rohan may be gneiss, but don't take him for granite.

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Originally from Wisconsin, Becky Switzer has found her true home to be in the Yellowstone region. As a kayaking, hiking, backpacking, and climbing guide all over North America, Becky has lived her passion for sharing the outdoors with others. After finishing her Masters degree in Science Education at Montana State University, Becky found Bozeman, Montana to be an adventurous and fulfilling place to reside. Becky lives to ski in the winter and climb, bike, and backpack during the rest of the year. When she's not recreating and guiding, Becky teaches kids and coaches soccer.

Ryan Van Luit has always been easily distracted by the site and taste of wild edible berries and chose to embrace this early in life. Pursuing his passion as a wilderness educator and guide conveniently supports his berry foraging habits. Working with organizations including Outward Bound, The National Outdoor Leadership School, Outdoor Safety Institute, and The Wildland Trekking Company, Ryan has spent his career focused on leading and facilitating outdoor experiences for people of all walks of life. He loves to witness people find joy and connection in the beauty, challenge, and tranquility that every experience in the wilderness provides. Ryan lives a 1/4 mile from the longest undammed river in the contiguous 48 states, the Yellowstone.