Ascending Path Guides- Read about the fantastic guides who you will share your Alaskan Adventure with.

We are an AMGA Accreditated Guide Service.

	Matt Szundy: Founder/Climbing Guide Matt has been skiing for 30 years and climbing for nearly 20. He is an Eagle Scout and first tied into a rope in 1987. In 1995, Matt founded The Ascending Path LLC and has been guiding full time ever since. Highlights of his experience include: Walls in Yosemite, M6 in Canada & 5.12 in CO and a 10-pitch first ascent in New Zealand (back in the day). He has mountaineering ascents in Nepal, Peru, Argentina, New Zealand, Antarctica and Alaska. Matt has climbed Denali 10 times (5 summits). He has WFR certs from SOLO and WMA, Avalanche 2, White Water Rescue 3 Technician, has guided and instructed for AAI, and is an AMGA Professional member. Matt has a passion for managing risk. He worked for 3 years as Field Safety for the US Antarctic Program. He was the SAR Team Leader for the USAP 04/05, attended 2 Rigging for Rescue Courses and volunteered for 2 seasons on Denali as an NPS Search and Rescue Ranger. He has worked on many climbing film projects and contracts his Field Safety services and Science Support to several organizations. Matt holds a BA in Philosophy. He reads a lot of Integral Philosophy and lives in Anchorage with his wife Heather and their poochers, Chaya.
	Heather Szundy: Owner and Climbing Guide Heather has been climbing and teaching for over 10 years. Her patience, keen observation skills and compassionate attitude lend very well to mountain skill instruction. She has a wide range of climbing experience from Aconcagua to Denali, desert rock to Alaska ice. Her technical climbing includes routes in the North Cascades, Bugaboos, Squamish, The Ruth Gorge and Joshua Tree to name a few...(Not to mention: Peru, Nepal, New Zealand, Thailand and Antarctica!) However, Alaska and its mountains have been her love since working at the base of The Alaska Range since age 15. She spent 2 seasons in Antarctica, on the secondary SAR team at McMurdo Station. Heather has WFR and Level 1 Avalanche Certs as well as a BS in Microbiology/Pre-med. She is the secretary/treasurer of AWRTA (Alaska Wilderness Recreation and Tourism Association), an Alaskan wilderness & eco-tourism advocacy non-profit. Heather runs our Office and guides often as well. Her passions include Yoga and Naturopathic Medicine; she lives in Anchorage with her husband Matt and their poochers, Chaya.
	Alex Wilson: Anchorage Office Manager Our new Office Manager in Anchorage comes from a mix of advertising/marketing experience as well as being a 1998 Olympian in Freestyle Skiing and 7 year member of the US Ski Team. He won a World Cup in Moguls in 1999 in Heavenly Valley CA. Alex moved up to Alaska after taking multiple trips to Alaska to visit his brother during backcountry ski trips. Alex is pursuing certification for Ski Guiding as well learning to balance a life of work and play in one of the world's best outdoor playgrounds. In the summer, Alex enjoys hiking, sailing, fishing, mountain biking and packrafting. Alex also does speaking engagements for children and corporations that focus on trust and motivation in a positive environment.
	Ryan Davis: Senior Guide Rock, Ice, Glacier and Ski Guide Ryan is an energetic and committed mountaineer. His passion is sharing his skills and knowlege of Girdwood and the Chugach with enthusiastic learners. He has worked as a professional ski patroller and Ski and snowboard instructor and it is an understatement to say that Ryan is a rippin' tele skier; this year he competed in the World Telemark Freesking Championships. He has worked as a Safety Coordinator for the Eagle Glacier Nordic Training Center, as a Helicopter Ski guide and has volunteered on Denali 3 seasons as a Search and Rescue patroller. His training and certifications includes: EMT II, PSIA Level I Adaptive Ski Instructor, OEC, WFR and Avalanche classes. Ryan lives up Crow Creek Road and is an outstanding chef.
	Louis Sass: Senior Guide Rock, Ice and Mountain Instructor In 1988 Louis borrowed an ice axe and began his mountaineering career at age 11. He received his own rope for his 15th birthday in 1992 and was leading alpine rock the next week. Since then, Louis has guided expeditions and lead courses extensively in the Alaska and Chugach Ranges, including Denali, Mt. Marcus Baker and many other peaks. He also guides and instructs for NOLS, AMS, the US Antarctic Program and has climbed in New Zealand, Canada and all over North America. Louis has a BA in Geology and holds certifications in Avalanche 3, EMT and WFR. A technical rock and ice specialist, Louis is about as solid as a guide gets. He Lives in Anchorage with his wife Bryn.
	Mike Roberts: Senior Guide Rock, Ice and Mountain Guide Mike is a good friend and an IFMGA guide. He has summitted Mount Everest twice and led expeditions to Aconcagua, Denali (11 ascents), Vinson Massif in Antarctica, Gasherbrum I & II in Pakistan, Cho Oyu in Tibet and Muztagh Ata in Western China. He has also managed to fit in 14 seasons mountain and ski guiding in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, 10 seasons in Antarctica as a Field Leader / Guide to the USA Antarctic Program, has worked as a professional ski patroller / avalanche forecaster and is a qualified physiotherapist. Mike teaches ice climbing and guides technical mountaineering trips for APLLC in the winters.
	Joe Stock: Senior Guide Rock, Ice, Mountain and Ski Guide Joe has been climbing and skiing for 20 years, mostly in North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. The list includes 6 ascents of Denali, 5.12 in Thailand, M6 in Colorado, and the Eklutna Traverse in 14 hours. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and a graduate degree from CSU in Fort Collins, Colorado. In 2003, he was one of two people to pass the grueling American Mountain Guides Association alpine exam, making him an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide. He has also passed his AMGA Ski Guide exam. In addition to guiding, Joe works as a hydrologist, writer, and photographer. He lives in Anchorage with his wife Cathy. Just Published: Read an article by Joe on a mountaineers perspective on Global Warming.
	Sherrie Soltis: Senior Guide Rock & Ice Instructor Sherrie was born in a log cabin atop of a hill in Chugiak Alaska. Her back yard growing up was the Chugach State Park. During her teenage years she fell in love with the mountains, wandering thru and skiing down them. She holds a WFR and graduated from Alaska Pacific University Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Counseling and Psychological Studies and a Minor in Outdoor Studies. It was at APU where she picked up her obsessive ice climbing compulsion. Sherrie has been ice climbing now for 10 years and leads water ice 5+. Sherrie has rock climbed all over the world: Thailand, New Zealand, Kenya, South Africa, and Argentina. She has guided Denali twice, Aconcagua, Mt. Kenya, Sport Climbing in South Africa, and on the Mendenhall glacier in Juneau. She has also skied the Orient Express on Denali. Sherrie loves taking people out and introducing them to climbing and the mountains. Being outside is her passion in life; it's what makes her truly happy. Sherrie is currently enrolled in a nursing program at UAA. Check out her blog of latest adventures!
	Bill Billmeier: Senior Guide Rock & Ice Instructor Bill has been an outdoorsman since as long as he can remember. He spent high school learning the basics of mountaineering in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and then thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1999 before moving to Alaska. He completed the famous Outdoor Studies program at Alaska Pacific University in 2003, where he graduated with honors. Alaska introduced Bill to climbing in general in all its varieties: glacier mountaineering, alpine rock and ice, sport climbing, snowy ridge climbing and all things in between. Bill loves exploration and discovering new climbs and areas, the process of which often finds him skiing through heavy brush, floating endless glacial rivers or crossing open water at forty below zero. Bill guides and instructs mountaineering for AMS and Mountain Trip, and has put in 9 trips on Denali's West Buttress, as well as many mountaineering courses in the Alaska Range and Chugach mountains. He holds certifications in WFR and Avy 1. He leads M6, long vertical ice and crumbly alpine rock if he can't find anything better. Most of all, Bill loves teaching people anything about climbing and he enjoys sharing his love of Alaska.
	Peter Gresham: Rock, Ice, and Glacier Guide PG started his climbing career on the basalt cliffs of eastern Washington eight years ago. He spent the last four years at Western Washington University, climbing and skiing in the north Cascades and Squamish. He moved to Alaska for the Outdoor Studies program at Alaska Pacific University in Anchorage, and to explore the remote mountains of the 49th state. Peter has a WFR, CPR, leads 5.11 sport routes and WI4. He is dedicated to the stewardship and preservation of our wild places. Pete was an Intern with Ascending Path and with his quiet and calm personality and excellent skills, has grown to become a very solid guide. He lives in Ancorage with his wife Anali.
	David Silverstone: Glacier Guide Dave Silverstone has lived in Alaska for five years, completing his undergraduate degree at Alaska Pacific University in 2008 majoring in outdoor studies and with a degree in Environmental Science. In 2007 he spent much of the summer conducting glacier monitoring research on Eagle Glacier, just north of Girdwood. Dave is currently pursuing a career in glaciology and has committed to two major research projects this summer in addition to guiding with The Ascending Path. These include working on the McCall Glacier in Alaska's Brooks Range, the only US glacier monitoring site in the Arctic, as well as on the nearby Eklutna and Eagle glaciers. Dave's mountaineering experience includes traversing the heavily glaciated Chugach Mountain range from north to south in 2005. Dave is certified as a WFR by WMI and also has Avalanche 2, CPR and Swift Water Rescue certifications. He is fully committed to the preservation of our environment and contributing to climate research. Dave is looking forward to enhancing your Alaskan experience this summer.
	Mark Allen: Ski Guide Mark is a Washington Native climbing since 1991 and guiding since 2001 and is an AMGA member currently is working towards AMGA certification. Mark holds both WFR and OCEC first aid certifications, is a licensed avalanche blaster, and has Level III AIARIE forecasters certification. His back ground list includes several first ascents on the alpine rock and ice of the North Cascades, ski descents of Denali and Vinson, attempts on unclimbed 20,000ft peaks in Sichuan China, and batmaning up walls in Yosemite. Working for IMG, AAI, Mountain Madness, North Cascades Mountain Guides (NCMG), and Antarctic Logistics and Expeditions (ALE) his guiding experience included Alpine, Ice, Rock, Expedition, and Ski guiding. Mark works extensively in the Cascades, Sierras, and Alaska Range with additional experience in Coast Range Canada, Red Rocks NV, and Joshua Tree CA. Internationally he has also led several successful expeditions to Aconcagua, Denali, Patagonia, SW China, Himalaya, and Antarctica. His academic background is in geology with an emphasis on mountain building processes.
	Todd Jensen: Naturalist Hiking Guide In 1993, Todd came to Alaska and started his own guiding company, renting canoes and guiding trips into the Kenai Wildlife Refuge on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. He has spent the last thirteen seasons working as a naturalist and guide in Alaska. His passion is to teach and share with others, the wild lands of the world. His adventures have taken him rafting, hiking and canoeing in most of Alaska's National Parks including, the Gates of the Arctic, Denali, Wrangel-St. Elias, Katmai and Kenai Fjords National Park. Todd's most recent adventures were 12-day journeys on the Kongakut River (the northeastern most river in AK.) and the Canning River (the western boundary of ANWR), rafting and exploring Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He graduated San Diego State University in 1986 with a Bachelor's of Art in Recreation Administration with an emphasis in Outdoor Education. Todd currently spends his winters in San Diego, CA where he continues to guide for his Alma Mater and lead trips into Baja, Mexico and will always seek out new and adventurous places.
	Beth Branson: Naturalist Hiking Guide It was in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado where Beth first explored the wilderness. Childhood hikes and camping trips evolved into the climbing of mountain peaks and back country excursions. An explorer by nature, Beth developed a penchant for examining the intricacies and oddities of the world. As a college basketball coach, she had a reputation for stopping the team bus to observe a coyote on the hunt for mice, or a red-tailed hawk plying the winds. She has worked as a teacher in both Colorado and Hawaii, and developed a curriculum based on observations and experiences in the outdoors. In Hawaii, Beth led her students on research dives, hikes on Hualalai Volcano, reforestation projects and camping trips near the summit of Mauna Kea for astronomy studies. Five years ago, Beth and her husband, Perry, decided to travel overseas during the winter, and make Girdwood, Alaska their summer home. Beth is eager to share her passion for the wild places of Alaska.
	Erika Veth: Naturalist Hiking Guide Erika Veth has been an avid outdoor adventurer since she hiked the Appalachian Trail as a young teenager during an Outward Bound summer program. Originally from New Jersey, she completed her BA in English Literature and Psychology from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and her MA in English from the University of Alaska Anchorage. During the school year, she teaches "Ecocomposition" at UAA and is primarily interested in sustainable living practices, birding, and plant identification. She enjoys XC skiing, backpacking and hiking, and biking. She is a certified Wilderness First Responder and has worked building and maintaining hiking trails for the past three summers. Erika will be guiding our Rainforest Hikes in Girdwood.
	Lara Applebaum: Naturalist Hiking Guide Lara grew up wandering around in the woods of Pennsylvania. While completing her degree in sociology and anthropology, she squeezed in as many hiking trips as possible in the Lower 48. After graduation, Lara worked for three seasons in Antarctica, continuing to enjoy hiking excursions there and abroad. Since 2005, she has been residing in and exploring the outdoors of south central Alaska. When not guiding with The Ascending Path, Lara is either putting her energy towards a second degree in graphic design at the University of Alaska Anchorage, working for the Chugach Forest Service, or taking photographs of wildflowers and other local flora.
	Cathy Wilder: Intern 2008 Summer Cathy is originally from Gainesville, Florida and decided to make Alaska her new home in the summer of 2007. After spending two months on the Appalachian Trail, Cathy moved to Alaska and began attending Alaska Pacific University to earn her B.A. in Outdoor Studies while also working on a minor in Environmental Science. Her love for the outdoors started as a youngin' camping and hiking with her dad in the Appalachian Mountains. Cathy has taken fun courses including rock climbing, ice climbing, WFR, and is now taking rigging for rescue. Also among her favorite hobbies are canoeing, backpacking, and interpretive dancing. She is in love with Alaska, and looks forward to all that it has to offer. Cathy will be our Yurt Logistics Coordinator this summer.
	Chaya Szundy: Mountain Dog Though fairly new to the climbing scene, Chaya has taken quickly to the activity. While this Husky mix prefers a good game of stick for Yummy Chummies, she nonetheless has several ice climbing and backcountry ski trips under her collar. She loves packrafting. A 2 time graduate of the Anchorage animal control center, Chaya holds certifications in Rabies and is an Anchorage Licensed Dog�. And yes she has her WOFR. Chaya recently founded the AMDA (Alaska Mountain Dogs Association) through which she intends gain dog access to National Parks and ensure lots of Salmon Chummies for all AMDA's. Chaya, (which means "shadow" in Nepali) will be supervising our Yurt this summer and ski-jouring daily in the winter. Guides are allowed to accept, and are grateful for gratuities.

THE ASCENDING PATH, PO BOX 102254, Anchorage, AK 99510-2254
Office: 907.783.0505 info@theascendingpath.com
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