MEET OUR GUIDES
Our guides are committed to providing an exceptional and rewarding experience for every client. With certifications from AMGA, AIARE, PMBIA, extensive medical training, self-rescue, and more, our team is among the most highly qualified in the region, ensuring you receive skilled guidance in every adventure.
Avalanche Education
Your SAFETY is our priority
What sets Apex Mountain School apart is our passion for teaching and sharing the excitement of alpine activities. Whether you’re joining us for an exhilarating adventure or an in-depth skills course, our experienced team provides top-tier instruction tailored to all ages, abilities, and fitness levels.
As a family-owned business, we take pride in fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where clients can feel comfortable and build trust with our guides. With certifications from AMGA, AIARE, PMBIA, and various medical and self-rescue trainings, our guides bring a wealth of knowledge to every trip and course.
Our love for the mountains is matched only by our love for helping others experience them—whether that’s through guided trips or teaching essential skills. We believe in empowering our clients with the tools and techniques needed to succeed on their own alpine journeys, making each experience both thrilling and educational.
At Apex Mountain School, our commitment goes beyond the technical skills we teach. We pride ourselves on the human connections we build with our clients, rooted in integrity, humility, and genuine care. Each member of our team brings not only expertise but also a deep sense of respect and warmth, creating an environment where clients feel valued and supported throughout their journey.
Scott Smith
Scott Smith
Scott Smith, founding Director of Apex Mountain School, guides private requests, oversees daily private and oversees course outings. He also instructs open-enrollment and private avalanche education/alpine trainings.
Max Pugh
Max Pugh
Max has successfully summitted and skied many technical lines in Colorado, ranging from Front Range classics to lesser known gems in the Southwest.
Jack Guay
Jack Guay
Stewart Birmingham
Stewart Birmingham
Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace
Toni Leskela
Toni Leskela
Elizabeth Schwab
Elizabeth Schwab
Elizabeth Schwab is an east coast ski racer turned backcountry skier. She has spent 5 winters teaching, skiing, and learning in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado. She also works on the ambulance crew in Silverton along with Search and Rescue.
Chris Berdoulay
Chris Berdoulay
Chris Berdoulay has been a longtime guide at Apex Mountain School. He loves spending time with his family, is an active volunteer with Vail Mountain Rescue Group and works on the ambulance crew. Traveling has led him to hike and climb internationally. This lets Chris learn about other cultures.
Jill Yarger
Jill Yarger
Although Jill was raised in a small Indiana town, she always has had a yearning for the rugged outdoors. As a kid, she savored the freedom that came from cross country skiing through the rolling forested hills and along the shaded creeks of the hard woods of the Midwest.
Eli Loper
Eli Loper
Eli Loper is a Colorado local; born and raised in Golden, Colorado. He spent his youth wandering the forest in the foothills of Denver. There he garnered his appreciation for being outdoors.
Ben Ammon
Ben Ammon
Ben Ammon was born and raised in Colorado and went to college at Western Colorado University in Gunnison, CO. There he studied Biology and Chemistry, was a Lead Instructor for Wilderness Pursuits, and was an active member of the Western Mountain Rescue Team.
Doctor Turner Lisle
Doctor Turner Lisle
As our Acting Medical Director, Dr. Lisle is a General & Trauma Surgeon whose practice focuses on the operative and non-operative treatment of abdominal, chest, neck, and pelvic pathology both electively and as part of traumatic injuries.
Andrew Keck
Andrew Keck
Andrew started skiing on the icy rolling hills of Pennsylvania. At first chance, he loaded all his belongings into an old pickup and drove to a somewhat random spot on a map in Colorado. Years later he would see “Aspen Extreme” and chuckle.
Devon Dennis
Devon Dennis
Devon Dennis grew up in Pennsylvania. There, he developed his love for outdoor activities through hiking, mountain biking and snowboarding.
Karin Pocock
Karin Pocock
Karin enjoys sharing her love of the backcountry with others. The mountains are an amazing classroom, and Karin has spent the vast majority of her life learning, growing, and being humbled in the mountain environment.
Kerry Hanes
Kerry Hanes
Kerry is a retired Air Force pilot, ski guide and avalanche instructor with over 25-year’s experience in adult education and expedition planning. He has a passion for ski traverses and ski mountaineering racing.
Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit is passionate about climbing and outdoor adventures throughout the Southwest. He spends his summers in Vail and winters in Phoenix AZ, where he was born and raised.
Kyle Juszczyk
Kyle Juszczyk
Kyle Juszczyk received a degree in Recreation and Outdoor Education from Western State Colorado University despite spending most of his time volunteering on the school’s rescue team and leading trips for their on campus outfitter Wilderness Pursuits.
Kylee Smith
Kylee Smith
Apex’s passionate team player Kylee Smith is a loyal member of the office squad at Apex Mountain School. A definitive “yes” person, she dedicates her inquisitive and creative nature to assisting with tasks varying from marketing efforts to filing duties.
Jesse Yelverton
Jesse Yelverton
Jesse began his guiding journey as a teenager navigating whitewater rafts down the great rivers around the west. When there aren’t snowy mountains to guide, Jesse instructs Wilderness Medicine courses and guides multi-day bicycle trips.
Erik Gomez
Erik Gomez
Contact Us
We’re Happy To Help!
Reach out with any questions
Address
40800 US Highway 6, Unit 7, Avon, CO 81620