Kat was grown and raised in the foothills around Komo Kulshan in northwest Washington state where her love and admiration for the natural world started young and wildly. She has a BA in Environmental Education and spent her formative outdoor leadership years working as an instructor for Outward Bound Colorado. She has worked with AMGA accredited guiding companies since 2016, including work on Denali, rock climbing in the Southwest deserts of the US, and extensively in the Cascades. Kat focuses her guiding efforts on working women-specific trips and seeks to empower her clients with as much instruction and education as possible.

Kat’s personal climbing ambitions include many of the Northwest’s classic moderate alpine routes. She spent a fall season in Yosemite enjoying some of the moderate big walls, including Lurking Fear on El Cap. She deeply loves glaciated volcanoes and the thrill of skiing deep powder or spring corn. In recent years, Kat has become a licensed massage therapist specializing in abdominal therapy. She and her partner live on their sailboat and are working to complete a sail around the Pacific Ring of Fire.

“Kat and Dani are great instructors and guides. It’s not often you can come across guides who have done this so many times that they don’t naturally lose their “patience” when rookies like myself are clueless!

They deserve recognition, not only for this trip but for their experiences and expertise. From a personal standpoint, I was naturally a bit anxious to meet on Day 1. I think we can all agree that the Gear Check phase of an expedition can be stressful for everyone… but I didn’t experience that. Not once did I feel like I wasted money or was dumb for not having something, which is a first for me.

Kat and Dani set an immediate first impression of understanding and an approachable environment. No one was uncomfortable with them, which speaks to their character and professionalism but more so to their personal and natural leadership ability.”

– Adam F.