Kirk Bachman co-owner

Kirk Bachman has worked as a mountain and ski guide since the mid-seventies in the Sawtooths and Tetons. He first introduced the Mongolian yurt as a backcountry shelter to the mountains of North America and constructed the first "yurt hut system" in the Sawtooths. Kirk specializes in leading multi-environment trips mountain-to-river, and is also an avid sailor. Guiding internationally, his experiences includes numerous mountain ascents and ski/snowboard descents throughout the South American Andes, exploratory Himalayan climbing, heli-ski guiding in Alaska's Chugach Range, and adventuring in Alaska, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. Kirk is an AMGA certified alpine and ski mountaineering guide.

Erik Leidecker co-owner

Erik grew up just south of the Sawtooth Range in Ketchum, Idaho and started working for Sawtooth Mountain Guides in 1993 while attending Darmouth College, where he was an English/Writing major and a member of the varsity alpine ski team. He purchased half of SMG from current partner Kirk Bachman and now the two jointly run the company. In 2008 Erik passed his final AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) certification exam and received his IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations) "pin". This certification is the highest available for mountain guides world-wide and represents Erik's passion for guiding, his commitment to the profession, and his years of experience working in a variety of mountain venues. Erik is also a member of the First Ascent Ski Guide's Team and currently lives in Hailey, Idaho with his wife Gretchen and daughters Sascha and Svea.

Mike Hatch

Six year Sawtooth ski/backcountry guide and avalanche instructor with a loyal following of powder skiers and chute patrollers. Mike is a native of Idaho and has had a life-long passion for adventuring in mountains, deserts and rivers throughout the western US. Mike calls Stanley home, residing on a ranch with his wife, Jocelyn, and their newborn Chloe (congratulations!). Mike's passion for the winter backcountry has lead him to explore countless ski lines throughout the Sawtooths and Central Idaho Mountains. He is an American Avalanche Association Professional Member, and holds a BS degree in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana.

Drew Daly

Drew's fondness for the mountains is rooted in Vail, Colorado, where he grew up. He came to Idaho while earning a degree in geography from the University of Denver. After spending one summer as an intern and one summer as the SMG office manager, Drew is now a full-time summer guide. While pursuing a career as a mountain guide, he has spent two winters on the Sun Valley Ski Patrol. In May of 2009 Drew started an education with the American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) by taking a Single Pitch Instructor course in Boulder, Colorado. He will continue education in the AMGA rock, alpine, and skiing disciplines. If not guiding or ski patrolling, Drew is probably traveling the world or exploring the local mountains on his "real good alpine benders."

Steve Conger

Steve joins the SMG staff for avalanche education, namely for advanced courses instruction and planning. He began his ski touring in the Sawtooths during the early 1970s. Steve is a long-time avalanche professional and educator. He recently completed a M. Sc degree under Dr. Dave McClung's tutelage at the University of British Columbia with the Avalanche Research Group in key snowpack observations and avalanche forecasting. Steve now works with Ava Terra Services doing avalanche forecasting for Kicking Horse Canyon outside of Golden BC. He is the former lead forecaster for the Utah Department of Transportation-Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons and served the American Avalanche Association as Publication Committee chair for 10 years, 7 of which as Editor of the Avalanche Review. Steve is a Professional Member of both the American Avalanche Association and Canadian Avalanche Association.

Marc Hanselman

Marc Hanselman was born and raised in Idaho. He grew up in Sun Valley where with the help of the outdoor program at the Community School (a local private high school) Marc got an early start with adventure sports. Now he has first ascents in Thailand, Japan, Australia and of course, Idaho. Marc first started with SMG as an intern in 1993, but did not start guiding in earnest until 1999. In between he graduated with a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and taught English for two years in Japan. Marc is an AMGA Certified Rock and Ski Mountaineering Guide and continues on track toward full IFMGA certification.

Ryan Jung

Despite growing up in Anaheim, California (!), Ryan Jung has had a love for high places and adventure since an early age. He first started climbing in Joshua Tree, which naturally lead him to Yosemite Valley. Ryan spent a year living and climbing in "the valley" and honed both his big wall and free climbing skills on stone rivaled only by the alpine granite of the Elephant's Perch! Ryan has been guiding during the summer season for SMG since 2003, and came to us directly from an AMGA Rock Instructor Course. Currently Ryan spends his summers in the Sawtooths and the rest of the year in southern California pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Clark Corey

Clark is part of the winter guide team, as an Idaho Level 2 licensed guide and AIARE Level 1 Avalanche Instructor. His passion for the winter backcountry lead him to a record number of snowboard tours throughout the Sawtooths - where his descents in a single season, earned him the title of "Captain Coolio" and honorary status in the Chute Patrol. After several seasons in the Colorado San Juans, Clark loves the intermountain Snowpack. Clark is SMG Webmaster and IT consultant and has a degree in Computer Info Systems from Fort Lewis College. In the summer he enjoys exploring the Western US.

Taylor Ganz

Originally from Southern California, Taylor grew up spending family vacations in Sun Valley where she developed a love for the mountains at an early age. She earned a BA in physics from Lewis and Clark College, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Southern California where she was instrumental in building a student run outdoor program. Taylor worked as both horse packer and wilderness ranger in the High Sierra and guided trips throughout California before interning with SMG in the summer of 2009. Her passion for climbing, travel and adventure has taken her from Africa to South America, and when not climbing Taylor enjoys trail running, fly fishing, backcountry skiing and snowboarding and surfing.

Lew Peterson

Lew coordinates many of our backcountry activities within the Boise Area Mountains and nearby Bogus Basin. Lew has been a dedicated professional for over 20 years and has been associated with the avalanche education and backcountry skills programs for over 8 winter seasons. In addition to being a backcountry veteran, Lew continues to serve as the PSIA Nordic Chairman for Northern Intermountain Division Ski Instructors, where he "teaches" ski instructors how to teach. This talent stems from his passion for all types of skiing and riding: Alpine, Nordic, Telemark, and Snowboarding. His personal adventures and professional endeavors have included travels through the mountains of the western US, throughout the European Alps, New Zealand, and in the Andes of Chile and Argentina.

Aimee Barnes

Aimee first became involved with Sawtooth Mountain Guides in the mid-Eighties. She took a brief hiatus from full-time guiding to run the pro-purchase program for Black Diamond Equipment, but she came back, both to SMG and also to the Heli-ski industry in Alaska. Aimee is a past member of the US Women's climbing team and during her day she competed at the World Cup level. She has climbed extensively throughout the Western United States, Canada, South America and Southeast Asia, developing many new routes along the way. Aimee also grew up on skis and credits among her many accomplishments free-heel descents of the Ecuador volcanoes.

Josh Neilson

As a native of southeast Idaho, Josh knows the City of Rocks like the back of his hand. A top-level rock climber, his natural ability extends into a calm and patient teaching style. Josh got his start in guiding and outdoor education through the oudoor prgoram at Idaho State University and his first year with SMG was in 1999. During the rest of the year Josh teaches middle-school in Pocatello, Idaho.

Pete Patterson

Pete Patterson grew up in Ketchum, Idaho and has been skiing, kayaking, climbing and paragliding since just after the time he learned how to walk! Pete competed in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid where he finished fifth in the downhill. After retiring from ski racing Pete began his career as a mountain guide and has been going strong since then. In addition to Sawtooth Mountain Guides, Pete works for Sun Valley Heli-Ski and together with his wife Kim Jacobs they operate Mountain Spirits, an adventure travel company specializing in trekking in Nepal and exotic heli-skiing.