Guides
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Guiding is based on one very important principle: EXPERIENCE. The collection
of individuals who are Sawtooth Mountain Guides are committed professional
guides with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for the area where they do
their work. As professionals, each individual has his or her own particular
background of experience garnered locally as well as throughout the far
corners of the world. We feel our staff is exemplary because of
their high standards for mountain guiding and safety. Each SMG guide is thoughtful and
considerate, leads an interesting life, and is a
a lot of fun as a companion with whom to spend time in the mountains.
All SMG guides are members of Sawtooth Mountain Guides Limited Liability Company, which is run by by managing members Kirk Bachman and Erik Leidecker. |
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Kirk Bachman Kirk has worked as a mountain and ski guide since the mid-seventies in the Sawtooths and Tetons. He first introduced the Mongolian yurt as a backcountry shelter to the mountains of North America and constructed the first "yurt hut system" in the Sawtooths. Kirk specializes in leading multi-environment trips mountain-to-river, and is also an avid sailor. Guiding internationally, his experience includes numerous mountain ascents and ski/snowboard descents throughout the South American Andes, exploratory Himalayan climbing, heli-ski guiding in Alaska's Chugach Range, and adventuring in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. Kirk is an AMGA certified alpine and ski mountaineering guide. |
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Erik Leidecker Erik grew up just south of the Sawtooth Range in Ketchum, Idaho attended the local private school--the one with the outdoor program--and was a member of the Sun Valley Ski Team. He started guiding in 1993 while attending Dartmouth College and has been at it ever since. In 2003 Erik purchased half of SMG from founder Kirk Bachman and today they jointly manage the business as a limited liability company. Before full-time outfitter work kept Erik on the phone or in front of the computer, he managed several trips to South America, some for guiding, some for pleasure, including one to Patagonia where he and his brother Matt summitted Cerro Poincenot in the Fitzroy Massif, Argentia. As per his operating agreement with Kirk, Erik spends the winter with Sun Valley Heli-Ski. He lives in Hailey, Idaho with his wife Gretchen and daughter Sascha. |
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Aimee Barnes Aimee first became involved with Sawtooth Mountain Guides in the mid-Eighties. She took a brief hiatus from full-time guiding to run the pro-purchase program for Black Diamond Equipment, but she came back, both to SMG and also to the Heli-ski industry in Alaska. Aimee is a past member of the US Women's climbing team and during her day she competed at the World Cup level. She has climbed extensively throughout the Western United States, Canada, South America and Southeast Asia, developing many new routes along the way. Aimee also grew up on skis and among her accomplishments include free-heel descents of the Ecuador volcanoes. |
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Josh Nielson As a native of southeast Idaho, Josh knows the City of Rocks like the back of his hand. A top-level rock climber, his natural ability extends into a calm and patient teaching style. Josh got his start in guiding and outdoor education through the oudoor prgoram at Idaho State University and his first year with SMG was in 1999. During the rest of the year Josh teaches middle-school in Pocatello, Idaho. |
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Pete Patterson Pete Patterson grew up in Ketchum, Idaho and has been skiing, kayaking, climbing and paragliding since just after the time he learned how to walk! Pete competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid where he finished fifth in the downhill. After retiring from ski racing Pete began his career as a mountain guide and has been going strong since then. In addition to Sawtooth Mountain Guides, Pete works for Sun Valley Heli-Ski and together with his wife Kim Jacobs they operate Mountain Spirits, an adventure travel company specializing in trekking in Nepal and exotic heli-skiing. |
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Marc Hanselman Like SMG's director Kirk Bachman, Marc Hanselman was born and raised in Idaho. He grew up in Sun Valley where with the help of the outdoor program at the Community School (a local private high school) Marc got an early start with adventure sports including snowboarding and rock climbing and he now has first ascents in Thailand, Japan, Australia and of course, Idaho. Marc got his start with SMG in 1993. Since then he has graduated from art school and lived for two years in Japan all the while maintaining his passion for both guiding and spending time in the mountains. Marc's calm demeanor is the cornerstone of his teaching style and it is effective in making our guests in the Sawtooths better climbers. |
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Taylor Everett Taylor began climbing when he was twelve as a student of SMG's founder, Kirk Bachman. Now he's back with SMG, this time as a skillful guide. Taylor is an EMT and wilderness first responder with a degree in Geology and Geophysics from Central Washington University. He recently purchased a house in Wenatchee, Washington, and works there in the winter months for the Mission Ridge Ski Patrol. A master of every possible variation of the telemark ski turn, Taylor is as comfortable on skis as he is on the rock. |
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Julie Meissner Julie is as versatile a backcountry guide as you'll find. Growing up on skis as a racer and coach, she has made a living as a backcountry ski guide, ski patroller, avalanche forecaster and backcountry chef and has been a Whitewater and Fishing guide for over 20 years. Julie heads up summer fishing and women's trekking programs. In 2000, Julie started up her own outfitting business called Sawtooth Fishing Guides which conducts half day, full day and multi-day fishing trips throughout the Sawtooth Valley and Stanley Basin area. |
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Steve Conger Steve joined the SMG team in 2002 as a backcountry ski guide and instructor in the avalanche education program. He is currently working towards a M.Sc. under Dave McClung in the area of operational decision-making in avalanche terrain (fancy words for avalanche forecasting). He is a long time educator, industry consultant, and the former lead forecaster for the Utah Department of Transportation—Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons. Steve is Publications Committee Chair for the American Avalanche Association and served seven years as Editor of the Avalanche Review. He is a Professional Member of the American Avalanche Association and Affiliate Member of the Canadian Avalanche Association. |
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Kellie Erwin A skillful climber and seasoned world traveler, Kellie’s roots and passion for guiding stem from growing up in Colorado and Idaho. She has worked with Sawtooth Mountain Guides since 1985. Kellie also has an extensive background with the Colorado Outward Bound School and has sixteen years under her belt as a ski patroller and avalanche forecaster. Kellie recently moved to British Columbia and has become an excellent paraglider pilot. |
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Jeff Rhoads Jeff has traveled the world earning a living as a mountain guide, expedition leader, and most recently, a film maker. He recently received a Hugo Award for a documentary on climbing Mt. Everest, which he summited twice within the span of a couple of days. Jeff started in outdoor education with the Colorado Outward Bound School and first guided for SMG in 1985. |
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