Our Staff
Liam Irving
Liam is a highly qualified and experienced outdoor professional who has been working in the outdoors for 15 years. Liam holds qualifications in winter mountain leadership, rock climbing, canoeing, kayaking, mountain biking and many more. Originally from the west coast of Scotland, he is now based in Aviemore where he climbs, kayaks and surfs as often as possible.
Mike Brownlow
Mountain Instructor Certificate and IFMGA Guide. Mike is a highly experienced and qualified outdoor professional who has been working in the mountains and rivers for years. In addition to the Mountain Instructor Certificate, Mike has qualifications in white water kayaking, open boating and sea kayaking. He is held in very high regard within the industry and if you are lucky enough to be out with Mike you are sure to be left inspired.
Rocio Siemans
Mountain Instructor Certificate and IFMGA Guide. Rocio has a wealth of climbing and mountaineering experience and climbs to high grades on rock and ice, as well as being an excellent skier. Rocio has climbed and skied all over the world and her passion and knowledge for mountaineering ensure you will thoroughly enjoy her courses. She is also an ambassador for Adidas and DMM.
Nick Carter
Mountain Instructor Certificate. Nick has extensive experience as a climber and instructor. With the first ascent of 'Hung Drawn and Quartered' VII,8, new routes in the Peruvian Andes and the Khumbu region in the Himalaya, Nick's personal experience runs to a very high standard. As an instructor, Nick's passion and enthusiasm for mountaineering is contagious and you will leave a course delivered by Nick feeling inspired.
Kirk Watson
Mountain Instructor Certificate. Kirk is an experienced mountaineer and cameraman/ film maker who has mountaineered and made film in lots of interesting foriegn places, including a large amount spent in Antartica where he was guiding scientists and filming a huge construction project. His reassuring confidence and mountaineering skills will ensure you are kept safe and are able to learn as much as possible.
Andy Spink
Mountain Instructor Certificate and International Mountain Leader. Andy has twenty years of instructing experience and has spent time climbing throughout the UK, Alps and the greater ranges. His experience also sees him at the forefront of developing good practice on aspects within the outdoor industry. Andy has a huge passion for Scottish mountaineering whether its during the winter or summer, and can often be found exploring new climbs throughout the Scottish Western Isles. Andy's instructing and personal experience ensure a very high standard.
Kevin Rutherford
Mountain Instructor Certificate. Kevin has been climbing in Scotland, the Alps, Africa and Nepal for the last 20 years. He has worked as an associate instructor for various Outdoor Centres in Scotland over the past 12 years, including the National Mountain Centre, Glenmore Lodge. He has been trained and assessed under the UKMLTB and holds the Mountain Instructor Certificate MIC, the UK's highest instructional mountain qualification. He is a full professional member of AMI.
Mark Ker
Winter Mountain Leader, BASI Level II Ski Instructor & Mountain Ski Leader. Mark is another local and excellent guide who's outdoor passions are for skiing and canoeing, and who has spent a great deal of time exploring the Highlands of Scotland and the Cairngorms. Marks huge amount of experience and knowledge, combined with his excellent coaching skills, allow him to use the best locations and to deliver courses to a very high standard.
Jon Sanders
Mountain Instructor Certificate. Jon is an active climber who most enjoys multi-pitch rock climbing and Scottish Winters. Jon also holds qualifications in kayaking and mountain biking, and is a keen sea kayaker. Jon has been heavily involved in Tayside Mountain Rescue over the years so you know you are in expert, safe hands when you are out with Jon.
Ian Craigie
Ian holds the Mountain Instructor Certificate. Climbing and mountaineering are his passion, with many summer trips to the alps, climbing numerous 4000m peaks and with the aim of climbing some classic north faces and high ice lines, he enjoys pushing my own skills or sharing his knowledge with others. Ian has climbed and walked extensively in Scotland during summer and winter.
Graeme Douglas
Graeme holds the Mountaineering Instructors Certificate (M.I.C) the highest level mountaineering award in the UK and is a full member of the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI). He is also an International Mountain Leader, Mountain Ski Leader and has extensive experience mountaineering throughout the world. In addition, Graeme is a sea kayaking coach, raft guide, Swift Water Rescue Technician and is Wilderness First Aid trained. All this makes Graeme exceptionally skillful when operating in gorges, rivers, rock faces and mountain tops.
Ross Creber
An ex-professional cyclist who represented Scotland at the Dehli Commowealth Games turned climbing and mountaineering instructor. Ross holds the Mountain Instructor Certificate, Winter Mountain Leader Award and Ski Mountain Leader Award. Based in Aviemore and working primariy in the Cairngorms National Park, he also works at both National Mountain Centres passing on his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm. With years of experience on skis, ice and high mountains, Ross is most at home on rock with his favourite route being the uber classic E5 Right Wall in the Llanberis Pass.
Jess Knapman
Jess Knapman: Winter mountain leader, is a local guide who has been working in the mountains for the last nine years. She enjoys getting out in the hills both in summer and winter- whether it is walking, climbing or skiing. Jess has led expeditions abroad to a variety of destinations including Borneo and the Galápagos Islands. Her passion to share her knowledge and experience means that she delivers high quality courses and can tailor them to individuals.
Luke Partridge
Luke Partridge currently holds the Winter Mountain Leader award and is hoping to complete his mountaineering instructor award later this year. He is also a full member of the Mountain Training Association. Passionate about all aspects of the outdoors, Luke is just as happy on themountain as he is on the water, and is a qualified BCU coach and leader in both sea and whitewater kayak.
His adventures have taken him all throughout the highlands of Scotland, as well as the rest of the UK and European Alps.
Dave Chapman
Dave Chapman is a mountaineering instructor (M.I.C.) based in the Cairngorms. He spends his free time climbing, mountaineering, ice climbing and skiing! Dave has climbed all around the world including the European Alps, Canada, USA, Sweden, Norway and Poland. He holds the MIC and Winter ML . Dave is a qualified Wilderness First Responder and has several years of Scottish Mountain rescue experience. When not climbing mountains, he can be found climbing trees as a qualified tree surgeon!
Rory Brown
Rory Brown holds the Mounatian Instructor Certificate as well as qualifications in ski touring, mountain biking and paddle sports. He enjoys getting involved with a wide range of outdoor activities but mountaineering is his real passion, and has walked and climbed extensively throughout Scotland, as well as bigger trips to the Alps and Europe.
Simon Edwards
Simon Edwards has been working in the outdoor industry for nearly 10 years. He is an experienced and enthusiastic outdoor professional, who holds the Mountain Instructor Certificate and and has as a variety of paddle sport qualifications. He loves the challenges of the Scottish winter mountain environment and the opportunity to share is passion and knowledge with other people. Simon also loves to travel further afield and has led trekking trips to Ecuador and the high mountains of India.
Will Nicholls
Will Nicholls has been working in the mountains for ten years, teaching climbing and skiing. Summers are spent in Snowdonia, winters in Scotland, and the times between on trips. Will holds an Mountain Instructor Certificate and ski instructor qualifications.
Rachael Crewesmith
Rachael Crewesmith holds the Mountaineering Instructor Award and Winter Mountain Leader as well as being a tutor of the British Cycling Leadership Awards. She is a wilderness first aider and has walked, biked and climbed in Europe, Africa and the Himalaya but is always drawn back to the wildness of Scotland. Rachael has 15 years experience in coaching the best out of people and is equally at home on the hockey pitch as in the mountains. Inspired by the small adventures we can have every day, she loves sharing her knowledge and enthusiasm for the mountain environment.
Rich Parker is an MIC qualified Mountaineering Instructor, rescue and working at height specialist with worldwide experience over 30 years. He remains a committed enthusiast and is always keen to share what he’s learned so far. Rich comes from Skye but now lives with his wife Gill in Fort William.