Meet Ambassadors

Emily Sukiennik

Emily Sukiennik, age 25, started slacklining in 2009 and within months became the fourth woman in the world to walk the Lost Arrow Spire Highline in Yosemite Valley, Calif., 3,500 feet off the valley floor. This kicked off her career as a slackliner as she continued to excel in all three catagories of the sport: Tricklining, Highlining, and Longlining. In 2010 she won the Humboldt Classic Trickline Competition, Women's Category in Humboldt, Calif. and in 2011 she was a semi-finalist at the ISPO International Trickline competition in Munich, Germany. This year, she reached her goal of walking Dean Potter's 120’ long Highline in Moab, Utah and she also beat her personal Longline record by walking a 413’ line also in Moab.  In 2010, she collaborated with fellow slackliners Mike Payton and Frankie Najera on a DVD titled “Slackline 101” and is featured in newly released book titled Modern Slacklining by sister athlete Hayley Ashburn. As one of the few female leaders of the sport, Emily is also passionate about teaching others how to walk the line. Check out her blog at http://theascentofem.blogspot.com/

Christopher Wright

Rarely to be found without a pack, a rack and a rope nearby, Chris would probably rather be climbing or eating than doing just about anything else (except maybe skiing or cooking). Chris grew up in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania before moving to the Pacific Northwest where he has been climbing and guiding since. At home most of the time in Bend, OR, Chris is finally figuring out how to use the holds at Smith, and has climbed, guided, and established new routes in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, and climbed everywhere from across the US to New Zealand, Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico and Canada. Chris is an AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide, and holds a BFA from New York University. His climbing achievements include 5.12 rock, WI6 ice, M9 mixed, and everything from Yosemite big walls to first ascents on virgin Alaskan summits. His guiding career has taken him from Ouray to Denali, and up and down Mt. Hood nearly a hundred times. You can learn more about Chris and follow his adventures at Now!Climbing.com

Olivia Cussen

Olivia started guiding professionally in 2000 and in 2007 became the third American woman to complete her full AMGA certification becoming an IFMGA mountain guide. In addition to working year round as an alpine, rock and ski guide Olivia runs the Northwest Mountain School (mountainschool.com) with husband John Race. Always looking to keep things interesting Olivia enjoys ski guiding in Europe, leading expeditions to some of the worlds highest peaks (including Cho Oyu, Denali, Aconcagua & Kilimanjaro) and guiding technical alpine, rock and ice climbing throughout the US. When not playing in the mountains Olivia has developed an obsession with road biking in the summer and nordic skiing in the winter. In addition to her guiding credentials other certifications include WFR, US Avalanche II, AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Instructor and LNT Trainer.

Silas Rossi

IFMGA mountain guide Silas Rossi guides climbing and skiing trips throughout North America and beyond. He is owner of Alpine Logic, LLC and teaches professional guide training courses for the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA). His favorite destinations include the Sierras, Cascades, Canadian Rockies, Alaska, Tetons, Gunks, and a handful of areas around New England. While based in New Paltz, NY, Silas spends much of the year guiding and teaching around the country and abroad. Summers find him in the Tetons of Wyoming, with winters in New Hampshire guiding ice climbing, ski mountaineering, and teaching avalanche training courses. Fall and spring are a mixture of international destination ski and climbing trips, teaching rock and ice courses at Plymouth State University, and guiding in North Conway, Acadia National Park and the Gunk’s. Katahdin, Maine’s highest point and home to some of the biggest alpine terrain east of the Rockies, keeps Silas returning to Maine each winter. Climbing began for Silas while a civil engineering student at the University of Maine. Calculus didn’t stand a chance against the dramatic seaside cliffs near Bar Harbor, and that fall, after changing majors, Silas chose to combine his love for adventure with his desire to teach and began working as a professional mountain guide. Years later these same reasons continue to keep Silas seeking out high and wild places. While most of his time is spent climbing, skiing or en route to one of the two, Silas does manage to find time for a few miles on his motorcycle and to listen to each and every one of his rock star fiance’s latest hits. What’s Silas’ favorite Brooks-Range product? Field book organizers! You can’t help but be organized with these things.
www.alpine-logic.com

Mike Bromberg

Mike is an internationally licensed IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide. IFMGA Mountain Guide status is the highest level of guiding certification in the world, and is awarded to guides certified in the Rock, Alpine, and Ski Mountaineering disciplines through the American Mountain Guides Association. Mike began his guiding career after achieving a BA in Wilderness Leadership at Prescott College and has experience throughout the western United States, Canada, Alaska, Thailand, France, Italy and Switzerland. He chooses Crested Butte, Colorado as his home out of love for the wild backcountry skiing of the Elk Mountains and the tight-knit mountain community. While Mike's specialty is ski mountaineering, he enjoys guiding and instructing all forms of climbing and skiing as well as leading AIARE avalanche courses. His company, Mountain Pro Guiding, operates in some of the most exciting mountain venue.

Matt Schonwald

Matt’s addiction to travel and ski alpinism led him to start guiding and teaching in 1999. He has shared his passion for remote and wild mountains from Alaska to Antarctica. Matt holds certifications as AMGA Ski Mountaineering Guide, American Avalanche Association Professional Member, AIARE Level 1 & 2 Course Leader, Wilderness First Responder and Level III Avalanche. In an effort to help preserve wild places, Matt completed his MBA in sustainable business from BGI. When not out climbing or skiing for BC Adventure Guides Matt works on his own personal sustainability in Seattle with his wife and daughter. www.bcadventureguides.com

Larry Goldie

Larry Goldie is an IFMGA mountain guide and co owner of North Cascades Mountain Guides (NCMG) in Mazama, WA.  He has been guiding for almost 20 years and cherishes his time on skis above all else.  Larry works as a member of the AMGA American Mountain Guides Association) instructor pool, training up and coming ski guides.  He also works as an instructor trainer for AIARE (American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education) as well as leading NCMG’s avalanche classes throughout the Cascades.  Larry has also worked extensively on product development and testing with a variety of companies throughout the outdoor industry.  An aspiring writer, Larry’s words can be frequently found in Off-Piste magazine, Alpinist.com, Trails magazine, The Methow Valley News, and of course his website; www.ncmountainguides.com

Joe Stock

Joe Stock is an IFMGA mountain guide with a passion for mountain adventure in Alaska. He has been climbing and skiing around the world for 26 years with significant time alpine climbing in New Zealand, rock climbing in Australia, ice climbing in Colorado, mountaineering in the North Cascades and ski mountaineering in Alaska. Joe has an undergraduate degree in geology and geography from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and a graduate degree in watershed science (snow science focus) from CSU in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to guiding, Joe works as a writer, photographer and hydrologist. He lives in Anchorage with his wife Cathy. Visit his website at: www.stockalpine.com

Adam George

Adam grew up in New Hampshire and discovered his love for the outdoors in the White Mountains. He began climbing at the age of 15 and has devoted his life to this passion ever since. In fact, upon graduating high school, he made his first ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite at the age of 18. After graduating from Middlebury College in Vermont with a BA in Geography, his love for the mountains and adventure took him around the globe. Some of his trips include expeditions to: Alaska, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Greece, extensive climbing in the Alps and in North America. Adam is well versed in all disciplines of the sport having done one-day ascents of big-walls in Yosemite, test-piece Canadian ice climbs, many classic alpine routes in the Alps and difficult free routes. Adam has guided extensively in Europe and in the American west having worked for: Exum Mountain Guides, Utah Mountain Adventures, Alpine Ascents, San Juan Mountain Guides, Mountain Tracks, Mont Blanc Guides, ISM, Chamonix Experience and the German Alpine Club. Adam is a fully licensed IFMGA/UIAGM guide. Learn more at: www.intothemountains.com

Carlos Buhler

Carlos began his extraordinary career in American mountaineering at age fifteen on a National Outdoor Leadership School course in Wyoming. He was twenty-eight when he was invited to join the American expedition attempting the East “Kangshung” face of Everest, its last, unclimbed flank. His decision to join this effort instead of attending graduate school in Washington, D.C. launched one of the most exceptional pursuits in American mountaineering. Throughout his life, Carlos has spearheaded remarkable explorations, including seldom explored and remote valleys in the Himalaya and Andes mountain chains. Carlos holds the highest honors in American mountaineering, including the top award for mountaineering achievement, the American Alpine Club’s Underhill Award. For more information on Carlos, visit http://www.carlosbuhler.com and http://www.carlosbuhler.blogspot.com/