Alpenguides - Our Camp Staff
The #1 reason to choose Alpengirl as your summer adventure camp; The Alpenguides!
Alpenguide duties go far beyond typical camp counselor jobs by providing wilderness medical care, evaluating and managing risks, leading adventure activities and by planning and preparing delicious meals with campers.
Your Alpengirl teen camp guides are seasoned outdoor women who have an excellent rapport with teenage girls, are experienced leaders in adventure travel, and are intuitive educators. These skills are combined with professional certifications such as Wilderness First Responder, Lifeguard, and Yoga. Alpenguides are positive and fun role models with superhuman powers!
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ZEAL Known Superhuman Powers: Zeal possesses the superhuman power to entertain. When fully energized she has a mushroom cloud of zeal surrounding her and attempts to involve those around her in it. The precise technology involved in this is a mystery. Abilities: Zeal, an innovative strategist, is engrained in the inner-workings of camp logistics and deadlines, but is also the pivotal influence that brings the fun and adventure of Alpengirl to life! Excelling as a wilderness leader and mentor - Zeal sets an exceptional bar for all Alpenguides - and holds firm to qualifications and credentials that make Alpengirl outstanding! A life-coach to all: Zeal gently enforces examination of Self and succeeds through a profound application of coercive grins, spontaneous and exhilarating silliness - and a solid base of influence to unveil hidden potential in Alpengirls and Alpenguides alike. Her sphere of inspiration is wide reaching - an exponential wave that CAN change the world - one girl at a time. History: The determined little girl that would become the inspiration and fun that IS Alpengirl is present in the heart of its life force. Zeal was born and raised in the Midwest (Iowa). Her propensity for the Rocky Mountain Region was realized at an early age through family ski trips and listening to John Denver tapes. She embraced the idea of living out her dreams in the mountains by choosing Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado, graduating with a biology degree in 1992. For the next several years, Zeal would find herself in pursuit of a platform for all of her education, work experience, life experience, and passion for the mountains. Alpengirl, Inc. (est. 1997) is a grand culmination of her experience as a Colorado teen camp leader, MountainFit Guide, USFS employee, volleyball coach, backpacking guide, BreaksAway Trip Leader, MSU Outdoor Leadership Instructor, Girl Scout Assistant Camp Director and troop leader, Youth Home employee, Big Sis with Big Brothers & Big Sisters, Bikram Yoga student and Red Cross certified Life Guard. Zeal volunteers as the PR Chair on the American Camp Association (ACA-Evergreen) board and is a member of the secret Alpengirl "A" team. Zeal has been leading Alpengirl trips and working from her home office in the little apple - Manhattan, MT for the past 12 years. Just about anytime, you can catch Zeal Blogging or Facebooking about Alpengirl to our girl summer adventure camp fans around the world. At the time of this writing, Zeal is busy coordinating logistics for our Summer 2010 adventures... Current Base & Operations: Manhattan, Montana. In her winter free time, Zeal can be found telemark skiing at Bridger Bowl, helping Joe with the construction of the NEW Alpengirl office, cross-country skiing with her dogs (Koda & Bynx), testing new Alpengirl camp gourmet recipes, visiting with secret Alpengirl "A" team members in far away places, enjoying yoga and pilates classes and soaking in hot springs. |
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Pig Pen Known Superhuman Powers: The passion and willingness with which Kelly embraces whatever life presents her, compelled her mother to bequeath her the nickname "Pigpen". (And we all know that endeavoring into a passionate life and taking on its inherent risks can leave one dirty, disheveled and occasionally in compromising presentation.) Along with the donning of her new title, Pigpen was equipped with an extra-sensory ability to determine good. With a barely discernable flick of her hand (often veiled behind a light veneer of dust), Pigpen makes right from wrong and light from the murky shadow! Abilities: Though occasionally unkempt, Pigpen is successful as a seeker of good - locating it in any situation. She welcomes any challenge cast her way. It matters not how dirty or complex the task, her attitude can brighten any difficulty and turn the most odiferous into the proverbial rose. In the face of adversity she seeks to understand the lessons within while donning her trademark smile and emitting inspiration along the way. History: Born in Ohio, Pigpen grew up with a strong connection to family and friends. She learned the importance of teamwork and supporting individuals' varied abilities through involvement in organized sports, like basketball, softball, swimming and golf, becoming a member of the women's golf team at Kent State University. At the age of 21, Pigpen began rock climbing, which influenced her to embrace the world of outdoor education. Graduating from Kent State with a degree in Recreation Management, Pigpen moved to Portland, Oregon where her love for the outdoors was truly realized, encouraging her journey back to school for pursuits of experiential and outdoor education. She spent a year completing an outdoor program that changed her life, becoming a NOLS Mountaineer Educator Course Graduate, a Wilderness First Responder, CPR/First Aid Instructor, Leave No Trace Master Trainer, Snowboarder, Rock Climber, and Backpacker, as well as a Leader, Listener, Friend, & Yoga student. Pigpen has always believed in following her heart and doing what makes her happy. Her favorite Rumi quote, "Let the beauty we love be what we do" has been her driving motivation and what has now brought her to Alpengirl. Pigpen has found inspiration by sharing her love of the outdoors with youth and helping them gain a sense of self confidence and empowerment. She feels fortunate to have had the encouragement and support from her parents to follow her dreams and hopes that she can inspire young people to do the same. She is holds certifications as a Wilderness First Responder/CPR, Lifeguard, CDL Driver, Leave No Trace. Current Base & Operations: Flagstaff, Arizona. In the past year, Pigpen has worked as a youth educator at the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies and has traveled Europe for 3 months - highlighted by trekking in Scotland on the Cape Wrath Trail. This spring, Pigpen can be found rowing boats on the Colorado and San Juan rivers in Arizona and Utah for Fort Tuthill and Grand Canyon Youth. |
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Sidesplitter Known Superhuman Powers: Sidesplitter has the superhuman ability to smile and laugh even in the most trying of circumstances. Abilities: Sidesplitter is known most fondly for her loud, infectious laugh which often comes out of no where and can continue for indefinite lengths of time. These laughing fits are often paired with streams of happy tears and an uncontrollable buckling over at the waist that those around her find hard to resist joining in on. Sidesplitter also has an incredible ability to inspire and motivate others. Her natural optimism and life philosophy that you can do anything you set your mind to, tend to be contagious and to cause those around her to set lofty goals for themselves. History: Growing up in the backwoods of New Hampshire, Sidesplitter has always fostered a love for the outdoors. Early on, her parents detected a special talent for making mud pies and also for endlessly entertaining herself in the woods. She still finds herself spending nearly all of her time outdoors, but has since extended her cooking talents to include a wide variety of camping dishes that you can actually eat! Sidesplitter was a competitive gymnast for eight years and played three varsity sports in high school (volleyball, basketball, and softball.) She went on to play softball for Cornell University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management and Marketing. She was also a 9-year member of the US Freestyle Ski Team and competed in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Since retiring from the US Ski Team, Sidesplitter has continued to make a living as a professional athlete touring the world doing photo shoots, appearances and product design/testing. Her formal photography training was done at the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, which she completed in 2008. Sidesplitter is Wilderness First Aid and CPR certified. Current Base & Operations: Jackson, WY. In her spare time, Sidesplitter enjoys traveling to the far ends of the earth that her skiing has not taken her (she only has three more continents left to hit) and working on her photography. You can check out her work at www.hannahhardaway.com (travel + documentary photographs) and www.hannahhardawayphotography.com (wedding + portrait work.) Her other interests include hiking, biking, yoga, pilates, rock climbing, backpacking and surfing. |
Alpengirl, Inc is an equal opportunity employer |