Archives: Instructors

Izzy Lazarus grew up in NYC, playing ice hockey and skateboarding to pass the time. In college, she discovered mountain sports such as rock and ice climbing and snowboarding. Over the last decade she has pursued her love for mountain adventures throughout all the seasons and across the world. She lives in Jackson, WY year-round … Read more

Akio Joy grew up near Lake Tahoe, California, where his passion for the outdoors started with skiing at a young age. He learned how to climb one summer and eventually became a climbing guide when he moved to Montana for university. Now, he guides rock, ice, alpine and ski full time in the mountains of … Read more

Liz King started exploring the backcountry on skis while in school at the University of Montana. Since graduating most winters have revolved around snow and Liz has worked as ski patroller, guide, avalanche educator, and NOLS winter instructor. She is currently the Preventative Search & Rescue Manager for the Teton County SAR Foundation in Jackson, … Read more

Backcountry skiing has been a big part of Mitch Dann’s life since he moved to the Tetons in the early 1990’s. He is a professional ski patroller at Snow King Mountain and a leader in their avalanche mitigation program. Trained as an engineer Mitch has a strong affinity for and fascination with snow science. He … Read more

Sam Galoob loves investigating the snow, surfing powder (and sastrugi), and most of all – teaching eager students. He has “nerded out” in the snow as an intern with the Chugach National Forest Avalanche Information Center, been an observer for the Hatcher Pass Avalanche Center and taught for the Alaska Avalanche School in Alaska; he … Read more

Bo Torrey grew up in the snowy finger lake region of central New York. After completing a degree in Adventure and Outdoor Education from the University of Utah, Bo worked with the Utah Avalanche Center for 7-years overseeing their education programs and helping to develop the use of social media as a tool to share … Read more

Gloria Roe grew up amongst the wind, waves, and mountains of Kodiak, Alaska. Lift access didn’t exist on the island so she spent her high school years trekking out the backdoor with her snowboard strapped to her back. It wasn’t until she made it to Montana that she realized there was a name for this … Read more

Mertaugh is a year-round guide based in Jackson, WY. From floating rivers in the summer in search of any and all fish, to backcountry snowmobiling and skiing in the winters, he has made a career of spending everyday outside in and around Teton County. Besides guiding, and teaching avalanche education, Mertaugh also instructs Swiftwater Rescue … Read more

Adam Davis started his career in the avalanche industry in 2014 as a ski patroller at Park City Mountain after earning an engineering degree from the University of Maryland. In the past eight winters, Adam has gained experience as an avalanche mitigator, educator, cat skiing guide, and DOT forecaster in the Wasatch and the Tetons. … Read more

Chris Benson is from New Mexico. He attended Western Colorado University in Gunnison and earned a B.A. in Geology. Afterwards, he moved to Crested Butte where he worked as a ski patroller and avalanche forecaster, in addition to instructing for Outward Bound and the American Alpine Institute in Alaska, Washington, Utah, Colorado and Ecuador. In … Read more

Another East Coast transplant, Dave Coyne found his way to his now home of SLC by way of Jackson Hole, where he spent 4 summers as an education ranger for the NPS. He began exploring powder-filled nooks of the Wasatch and learning about avalanches while patrolling at The Canyons over a dozen years ago. Over … Read more

Josh Lipkowitz spent his formative years in the hills of Western Massachusetts and the slightly bigger hills of Vermont. He isn’t quite sure if his first unassisted movements were on skis or on foot. His non-winter home is in midcoast Maine where he and his partner co-run a youth outdoor education company. He has spent … Read more

Mike Floyd is originally from Vail, Colorado, where he grew up in a skiing family. He spent his youth roaming around the Gore Range with summers spent canoeing in Ontario, Canada. An affinity for wilderness-based activities led Mike to teaching outdoor education. Mike’s love for the mountains ties closely to his lifelong fascination with maps. … Read more

Tim Matthews began his avalanche education with the Friends of the Utah Avalanche Center in 2002. During that course Brett “Kowboy” Kobernick introduced him to the Splitboard. Tim continued his personal avalanche education throughout the years leading to his interest in becoming an avalanche educator. In 2014, Tim began instructing courses with another avalanche education … Read more

Lisa grew up skiing on the east coast, and at an early age on a family ski trip to Colorado, she asked, who cut these perfect ski trails down all the mountains? Once Lisa graduated from Colorado College, she moved to Jackson Hole to pursue being a ski bum. Chasing her passions lead her to … Read more