JOSHUA BARUCH
Owner, General Manager, Senior Educator and Senior Guide
Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides is owned and operated by Joshua Baruch. Joshua has been working in the outdoor industry for 21 years, with experience in outdoor guiding, healthcare, mountain rescue, transportation, and safety. Joshua has a tremendous passion for exploring the outdoors, a desire to promote exploration in others, a strong sense of responsibility related to mountain safety, and an uncanny ability to find the best local places and experiences possible.
Joshua grew up in Connecticut but spent much of his childhood ski racing in Vermont and backpacking/ski mountaineering in the Presidential Range of New Hampshire. His first backpacking trip was at age 7 with Mother, Heidi, and brother, Eddie, which included eight days and nights in the eight AMC huts around New Hampshire's Presidential Range. At the end of that trip, he was hooked by the mountains and what he had experienced on that trip. The next year he skied Tuckermans Ravine headwall for mothers day at age 8 and that tradition continued every mothers day for the next 8 years. Josh now lives in Boulder with his wife, Erica, son, Asher, and daughter, Lilah. When not working, Josh can be found on the many trails, peaks, and couloirs in Colorado’s front range mountains. Throughout the four seasons, the Baruch clan continuously explores the magnificent terrain, scenery, and wildlife of their incredibly extended backyard!
The most important thing is creating a safe, fun, and engaging experience to maximize personal growth, learning, and ‘thirst for adventure of some kind’.
Josh lives by four principles in the mountains and rivers:
1. Make sure your needs are being met.
2. The summit or destination is optional and getting down safely is mandatory.
3. Just because you love the mountains, does not mean the mountains love you.
4. We are the Stewards for future generations.
My goal is to create a safe, transformational, and amazing experience for all our guests!
OFFICE STAFF
TECHNICAL, LOGISTICAL & CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Anita Engel
Office Staff / Accounting Director
Tom Forestieri
Office Staff / OperationsTom grew up in Cleveland but spent his summers with his mom in Switzerland and his father in Italy. At a young age Tom learned how to ski, climb, bike, backpack and support his beloved Cleveland Browns. After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University he moved to Winter Park Colorado to further his ski education and spent the next 7 years practicing. Tom has worked in the outdoor industry his whole career and and is a master with a spreadsheet. He still spends most of his free time playing in the mountains and likes beer.
Shunnie Chen
GROUP SALES MANAGERShunnie is a native of Taiwan who grew up in New Jersey. He found his passion for the outdoors when he went on a backpacking trip in the Adirondacks at a young age. Since then, he’s backpacked, climbed, skied, and whitewater canoed in the Canadian Rockies. He thru-hiked the Long Trail in Vermont and eventually migrated to Colorado to pursue his outdoor interests. Shunnie has worked in various sales and marketing roles in the outdoor industry for more than 15 years. He had a short stint as an outdoor instructor for Project USE, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving at-risk youth and underserved communities in the NY/NJ metro area. He enjoys connecting people to the outdoors and helping them see the value and benefits of experiential education and outdoor adventure. He loves traveling and spends most of his time hiking, skiing, and suffering on his bikes. He also enjoys a good slice of pizza and beer.
Gabriela Peralta
OFFICE STAFFGabriela grew up as a child of two parents in the military and has lived all over the world. After graduating college at the University of Maine, she was unsure of what path to take but knew it would lead her outdoors. From here, she worked as an AmeriCorps trail crew member for Maine Conservation Corps and then EarthCorps in Seattle as a habitat restorationist. Her passion for outdoor recreation blossomed and brought her to thru-hike the People’s Trail in 2020 and then the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in 2021. Her hobbies include hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, alpine skiing, bouldering, and playing cribbage with friends at a brewery. With community being a core value, she moved to Boulder in January and began to work with Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides as a customer service specialist. She comes with an interest in getting folks outdoors, creating more accessible outdoor spaces, and continues to learn, obtaining her Wilderness First Responder and CPR certs. You’ll find her in the office with a smile on her face and a book in hand at every lunch break!
Tye Baruch
Therapy Dog / EducatorTye is Colorado Wilderness Rides And Guides and Colorado Wilderness Corporate And Teams official outdoor and therapy dog educator. Tye is a F2 Golden Doodle; thus he has hair instead of fur and has a non-shedding hypoallergenic coat. His father was a full poodle and mother a golden doodle. Like his roots, Tye has a gentle and calm, but appropriate energetic disposition. He is a quick learner and has mastered the “touch down shake” for Sunday football games, how to travel the multi-use trails of Boulder and how to leap to the rescue of swimmers or paddlers perceived to be in danger. Tye was born in the town of Herber City Utah and has spent the majority of his young life in Colorado assisting with outdoor adventures, facilitating leadership and team building events, and being a source of healing for many of our guests. Tye recently turned two and qualified for the service dog program based on his sweet disposition, good nature, and being a great healer. You will see him around our offices, on dog appropriate guided tours or at our education and training events. Organizations and clients can request to have Tye on sight to help promote healing, tranquility, and increased productivity or learning. Tye’s favorite activities include dawn patrols (chasing skiers up and down the ski slopes); any days in the snow or on the river; playing fetch with a ball; fly fishing ; or helping to bring love, compassion, and empathy to your day.
FIELD STAFF & GUIDES
OUR EXPERT GUIDES HAVE THE EXPERIENCE
Brad Kahland
Guide / EducatorBrad has worked as a Grand Canyon National Park Ranger, a Sea Kayak Guide in Monterey Bay and Tomales Bay, California, an Adventure Guide in Vietnam, Alaska, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., and a naturalist in Boulder, Colorado. Brad explored vast areas of Colorado working in wilderness-therapy programs for adolescents and their families, serving variously as a Field Instructor, Logistics Coordinator, Education Director, and Family Counselor. Brad was also a support team member of the Extreme Ice Survey, a global project documenting the rapid retreat of the world’s glaciers and leading to the film Chasing Ice.
Brad has a passion for sharing the outdoors and a connection to Nature with other people. Between guiding trips, Brad is usually hiking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, practicing Tai Chi, watching a mountain sunset with good friends, or planning his next winter trip to Mexico.
Chip Mitchell
GUIDE / EDUCATORI am originally from New Hampshire but have lived all over (NH,VT,OH,NY,CA) and I have lived in CO for 4 years now.This season I will be mainly working in the office to help book trips. When I get to sneak out of the office I mainly guide backpacking trips but also do some rock climbing, leisure tours, peak ascents, and teambuilding. I love getting out whenever I can. Personally, I love climbing and it is my main adventure sport. I have climbed since 2009 and am currently getting my prerequisites in order so that I can pursue my SPI (Single Pitch Instructor). I started guiding while in college for our outdoor programs in Vermont and did a lot of trips in VT and in the nearby Adirondack park in NY. Since school I have guided some shorter trips for Summer Camps and Education Centers in ME and NY and have amassed 8 years of experience facilitating groups in wilderness settings and education centers. Last year was my first year with CWRAG and I loved every minute of it. The last 3 years I have worked at Cal-Wood Education center guiding and facilitating groups of school-aged kids around its 1200 acre property teaching subjects from Fire Ecology to survival skills and beyond. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Adventure Education and Psychology and will be pursuing a masters in Wilderness Therapy through Naropa University starting fall of 2021. I have a Mental Health First Aid Certification and hold my Wilderness First Responder through Wilderness Medical Associates. I have done a lot of training in regard to group dynamics and processing. I really believe that great things can come from diving deep with a group and using what they bring to show them how rad they really are. I would say my guiding philosophy focuses on identifying the challenges we face during backcountry pursuits can help to give us confidence in the front country. Once you climb a “real” mountain you realize the mountains life puts in front of you are less scary and not there to make you feel weak but to show your true inner strength. I believe that “roughing it” is not what adventures are for. The front country world is rough enough, I believe that we go on adventures to smooth things out. Teambuilding is a huge passion of mine and incorporates it into every trip I lead or group that I work with.
Cindy Gagnon
Guide / EducatorCindy was born and raised in NH, and moved to Boulder in 1990. Her professional career began as a telecommunications engineer and her outdoor career as an Elite Ironman Triathlete. After racing triathlons for 18 years, Cindy expanded her horizons to the Colorado mountains. She joined the Colorado Mountain Club (CMC) to learn mountaineering and rock climbing skills. In 2005, Cindy left the corporate world to spend a year traveling in the mountains of Nepal and North America. She found her passion here, and shifted her professional focus to outdoor skills education, leadership, and risk management. Cindy also became involved in a community-based cycling group, leading bike tours throughout North America.
In 2006, Cindy became the director of the CMC Boulder Mountaineering School, where she managed outdoor education courses and instructed in all disciplines (rock, ice and snow). At the same time, she started to expand her professional outdoor skills by becoming a Ski Patroller, Ski Instructor and Avalanche Instructor.
Cindy joined CWRAG in 2008 as a hike, ski, rock and cycling guide. Her professional certifications include NSP and AIARE Avalanche Instructor, PSIA Level 2, WFR, and CPR. Cindy’s passion for the outdoors and energetic spirit drive every trip she guides — she connects with clients, which enables her to customize each trip to be fun yet challenging. Her adventurous spirit drives her own life, and has helped her summit 23,000-ft Himalayan peaks, backpack New Zealand, ski-tour the Canadian Rockies, and cycle Tour de France routes.
Daniel Delany
GUIDE / EDUCATORMy name is Dan, Daniel, Daniel Son, DANIMAL, fill in the blank…I have been passionately dedicated to the world of rock climbing for over a decade. I have gained experience and formal education through Prescott College, AMGA courses, multiple climbing and non climbing specific training programs, and years of teaching. I have climbed all over the country on every type of rock and style of climbing available, with continued pursuits and goals in place to further my personal development with rock climbing. I currently teach classes, private coaching, and guide rock climbing outdoors in various settings.
When I am not spending time on rocks I am cheffing it up in the kitchen, attempting to play my guitar, and gorging varied non-fiction and science fiction books. I am feverishly zealous about sharing this devotion to climbing with others, and am inspired daily by the people I am honored to work with.
Dave Hanson
Guide / EducatorDave has been working in the outdoor education industry for 6 years, following completing a degree in education in Denver, Colorado. After a first successful season teaching snowboarding, Dave knew he was in the industry he wanted to be in, and skiing, mountain biking, rafting, and climbing instruction/guiding soon followed. Training staff in many of these disciplines has shown Dave how to bring out the best in individuals as well as groups. With a long list of certifications (AASI Level 2, PSIA Level 1, TerraMethod Level 2, AIARE Avi 1, Swiftwater Rescue, Wilderness First Responder) and a degree in education (Metropolitan State University), Dave is no stranger to continuing personal and professional development. His philosophy is “Never stop learning, growing, progressing, and enjoy the ride!”
Gabe Chez
Guide / EducatorGabriel is originally from Arizona and has called Colorado home for the last 9 years. You can find him climbing peaks year round, skiing all winter, and backpacking or climbing all summer. After thru-hiking the Colorado Trail in 2016, he found his lifelong passion for the outdoors. Skilled in everything from backcountry cooking, wilderness survival, Colorado plants, ecology, and wildlife, Gabriel is at home anywhere outdoors. He loves bad movies, good sushi, and a nice cup of coffee.
With professional training including an AAS in Outdoor Education, Wilderness First Responder, AIARE Pro 1, Naturalist, SWRT, Leave No Trace certifications, as well as Search and Rescue coursework through the Mountain Rescue Association and FEMA, Gabriel is committed to helping others experience nature and the outdoors safely and profoundly.
Hayley Moser
Guide / EducatorA Minnesota native, Hayley grew up hiking, camping and fishing in the Northwoods where she fell in love with the outdoors. In 2011, she moved to Colorado to further pursue her passion for the natural world through degrees in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Atmospheric Sciences at CU. Hayley became hooked on the mountains (and warmer winters) and decided to plant her roots in Boulder.
She’s since become an avid climber and snowboarder, and has been further expanding her backcountry hiking and fishing skills. Hayley is a certified Wilderness First Responder and is also CPR/AED certified. When she’s not romping through the Colorado woods, Hayley can be found storm chasing on the plains or volunteering with wolves and other wildlife. She is excited to share her love and respect for the environment with others through guiding.
Jack Bruner
Guide / EducatorJack Bruner has been fly fishing for the past 54 years. That means that he started when he was eight. Growing up in Colorado and spending summers on the family ranch in Montana chasing trout was just what you did. Not only do trout fear his name, but Jack ties his own flies, builds his own bamboo rods, and just completed building his 30th wooden drift boat. He embodies everything there is about the sport.
Jack’s sense of humor, his ability to teach, and his knowledge of fish on the fly, make him the ultimate guide. There is no trip that is “just a trip” and there is no fish that is “just a fish”. He recognizes that nature has given us an opportunity to appreciate trout, mountains, rivers and relationships. His goal as a guide is to respect the client and do everything possible to give them the ultimate fishing experience, whether it is on a lake, in a boat, or wade fishing. And even if the day was fishing and not catching, Jack will make you laugh, have a beer with you , and let you know that some days the fish win.
Jessica Bailey
Guide / EducatorI grew up in Northern Michigan where my passion for the outdoors grew through recreating outdoors with my family. This is where I learned to camp, backpack, hunt, fish, kayak, and ski. After finishing a summer sea kayak guiding with Paddling Michigan at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in 2016, I moved to the city of Milwaukee to work in the mental health field. After two years I craved the outdoors and knew I needed to follow my dreams to incorporate the wilderness with my passion for helping improve people’s lives. I moved to Colorado in August 2018 to pursue a Masters in Transpersonal Psychology/Wilderness Therapy at Naropa University. Since then I have been exploring all of what the beautiful state of Colorado has to offer and learning as much as I can along the way. I am currently honing in skills in rock climbing, backcountry skiing, whitewater rafting, and backpacking. I am certified in CPR/AED & First Aid as well as Wilderness First Responder Certified. I am passionate about Leave No Trace principles and am an advocate for conservation and responsible outdoor ethics.
Jill Yarger
Guide / EducatorJill joined the guiding staff of Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides in the summer of 2014 and has enjoyed leading hikes, climbs, snow shoe trips, and hut to hut skiing treks, and helped companies develop their employees with outdoor based team buildings and leadership events. Her goal is to help her guests make the great peaks, meadows, and rivers of the beautiful Rocky Mountains accessible, and to discover new possibilities in themselves.
Jill moved to Boulder Colorado in 1990 from the flat lands of the midwest and never looked back. After a few initial unguided hikes resulting in becoming slightly lost and very wet and cold, she searched for and found the Colorado Mountain Club and over the next few years, took all the mountaineering training she could get her hands on. She went on to give back to the mountaineering community by teaching others in all forms of mountaineering, and leading hikes and climbs. When she saw some of her friends responding to help other lost and injured skiers and climbers, she discovered and joined the National Ski Patrol and the Mountain Rescue Association. She was an active member of the local Mountain Rescue Association (Rocky Mountain Rescue Group) and for 13 years helped injured and lost mountaineers return back from the trail to home. She is an active ski patroller and first aid instructor in the National Ski Patrol since 1996. It was an aerospace engineering career that brought Jill to Colorado, but it is the mountains that keep her here. Today the call of sharing her love of the mountains has drawn her away from the engineering world and into guiding people into journeying into the alpine nature, and returning safely.
Jill has done hikes and climbs in Alaska, Africa, the Italian Dolomites, Machu Picchu, skied in Canada, and descended canyons in southern Utah, but her outdoor home is Colorado. She hikes, rock climbs, snow shoes, bikes, kayaks, canoes, and skies all through Colorado discovering more wonder on every trip.
Joe O’Leary
Guide / EducatorJoe O’Leary began his guide career in 1993 on the rivers and trails of southern West Virginia after graduating from Purdue University with a BA in Kinesiology. He worked and traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada, and Central & South America before making Boulder, Colorado his permanent home in 2000. Joe joined the Colorado Wilderness team in 2017. As a Senior Guide, he specializes in mountain, river, and wilderness excursions, and he is a Lead Facilitator for our Corporate and Teams events. In addition to guiding and educating, Joe is a writer, editor, and nature photographer, and has enjoyed careers in brand marketing and hospitality. While Joe continues to enjoy the many challenges and benefits of adventure travel and recreation, by far his most important pursuit is nurturing lively relationships with his wife and their four children.
Joey Cararra
Guide / EducatorGrowing up in small-town Vermont, Joey was exposed to the world of outdoor adventure at a young age. Through is ultra runner dad, he was bred to move quickly and efficiently through the mountains. Joey is a climber first but loves skiing, mt biking, hiking, backpacking, and every outdoor activity in between and is capable of guiding most any discipline. Like most millennials, Joey started his climbing career in a gym but quickly progressed outside after completing a semester with NOLS in the Pacific Northwest. He now enjoys hard sport climbing and bouldering, sliding and rolling up and down mountains really fast and moderate adventure climbing. Joey sees the outdoors as the best place to learn about yourself through finding your limits, problem-solving, and the unique communication challenges that outdoor adventure provides. Joey is currently moving through the AMGA guide track and aspires to someday get his IFMGA pin. He currently lives in his van down by the river. (But it’s like a nice van so don’t feel obligated to offer him a bed.)Certifications- AMGA Assistant Rock Guide, AMGA Assistant Alpine Guide, AMGA SPI, WFR, AIARE II, Leave No Trace Instructor.
John Galloway
GUIDE / EDUCATORJohn was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. Growing up on the water, he got hooked on fishing for redfish very young. John knew he wanted to see and fish different parts of the world and had his eye on the University of Colorado Boulder since before high school. That is exactly where he went after graduating high school in May 2020. As soon as he arrived, he picked up a fly rod and began fishing the famous rivers of Colorado. He considers Colorado, Boulder more specifically, his new home and backyard. John has become an avid snowboarder and developed even more of a passion for the outdoors since moving out west. John wants to share his love for nature and show others how impactful and beautiful nature is.
Justin Studt
Guide / EducatorJustin was born and raised in Kansas City, MO, where he raced BMX bikes. After completing college in North Carolina, he moved to Colorado in 1999 and began his career in construction as an Operations Manager, managing 250 employees and over 20 million in sales annually. Outside of the office, Justin could be found climbing in Eldo multiple times per week. In 2007, Justin moved to Boone, NC to run a startup construction company. While he was building a company, he also took interest in emergency medicine, completing an EMT-Basic course and volunteering with a local rescue agency. He eventually became a paramedic,working on an ambulance part time. During his free time, Justin took part in the Boone mountain biking community, and was part of a team that built a county owned mountain bike park. Justin returned to Colorado in 2012, working as a ski patroller and paramedic, the start of his journey into avalanche education.
In 2019, he began volunteering with the Colorado Mountain Club, assisting with AIARE courses. Justin has been guiding mountain biking, climbing, and skiing full time since 2020. Justin is an AIARE Course Instructor, he holds a Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA) Level 1 certificate, an American Avalanche Association Professional Level 1 certificate, a Wilderness First Responder, Paramedic certificate, he is currently enrolled in multiple American Mountain Guides Association courses for 2021.
Kristen Felix
Guide / Educator
Phil Lloyd-Davies
Guide / EducatorPhil came to Colorado with a passion for the outdoors. He spent many years skiing, climbing, kayaking, hiking and biking primarily in Colorado and neighboring states. His current focus is mountain biking, teaching mountain biking skills, and skiing. Phil has been guiding for CWRAG since 2013, when one of his fellow guides told him he would get paid to ride his bike.
Phil enjoys sharing his knowledge of the local trails and proficiency of bike handling skills to provide the best outdoor adventure. On a typical ride, he can offer trails of varying difficulty to accommodate the client’s ability and comfort level. His goals for all adventures are safe, challenging and memorable fun in the outdoors of Colorado. Phil can customize a mountain bike trip for riders from beginners to advanced levels and provide professional instruction along the way as desired by the clients.
Phil’s favorite comment is: “No matter how many times I ride a trail, I always feel like the most fortunate person on the planet, to be living and working in this beautiful environment.”
An engineer by education, a volunteer Nordic Ski Patroller for over 30 years, an Outdoor Emergency Care (OEC) technician, a volunteer bike patroller, a professional bicycle mechanic and an International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) mountain bike instructor, Phil can easily manage all aspects of a memorable trip.
Sarah Bury
GUIDE / EDUCATORBorn in Southern Maryland, Sarah grew up hiking and backpacking the East Coast. Her love of all things outdoors led her to manage a local outdoor gear shop, where she facilitated outdoor education and training for backpacking, kayaking, SUP’ing, snowshoeing, fishing and climbing. Sarah first migrated west to Colorado in 2009, and fell in love with fly fishing the canyons and exploring the far corners of the state. She primarily spends her time fly fishing, skiing, trail running, and backpacking. Sarah loves the challenge and beauty that comes with all seasons in the outdoors, and especially loves sharing that enthusiasm with others through guiding.
Zach Weinzetl
Guide / EducatorZach has over 10 years guiding experience working for outfitters and lodges as well as wilderness programs. At Colorado Wilderness Rides and Guides, Zach primarily guides fly fishing. An avid outdoorsman and wilderness connoisseur, Zach spends most of his free time finding the off-the-beaten-path gems of Colorado fly fishing. Growing up in Western Montana, he has an affinity for connecting with nature and experiencing the natural world directly. For Zach, the experience of fly fishing is complete as soon as he puts on his waders, steps into the water, and looks up at the surrounding mountain peaks; catching fish only adds to the adventure.
As a guide, Zach tries to understand his clients’ aspirations and create an experience that they will be talking about for years to come. Zach has a BA in Contemplative Psychology from Naropa University and is an experienced rock climber, mountain biker, kayaker, back packer, and of course, angler. He has Wilderness First Responder medical training and takes pride in anticipating potential risks to help clients relax and fully enjoy their experience. It is Zach’s philosophy to always have a rod handy no matter where he goes. He and his fishing equipment travel everywhere together.