Professional Wilderness Guides
Our Passion is Adventure and Sharing it with You!
Our staff return to Alaska every summer to work in the pristine wilderness and to help others be able to experience this remote beauty. Technical know-how, wilderness medical training, and passion are just a few of the things we require from every guide. We recognize that the guide can make the difference between a trip being “average fun” and an “experience of a lifetime. ” As such, we invest heavily in our guides to make sure they are capable of leading a safe and enjoyable trip. The majority of our staff were born and raised in Alaska and have gained invaluable personal experience hiking, paddling, and climbing in our backyard; the Tongass National Forest, the Inside Passage, and the Juneau Icefield. This personal knowledge combined with years of training and safety expertise leads to the best adventure possible, from ocean to ice!
Guiding with expert knowledge and experience
Qualifications and Training
Prior to being hired with Above and Beyond Alaska, a lead guide must have at minimum a Wilderness First Responders certification to assess and manage medical issues in the backcountry and often hold an EMT license. They also have personal experience trekking on glaciers, sea kayaking, an ability to assess risk, manage clients, and an upbeat, positive attitude with a passion for the outdoors. At the beginning of the season all of our guides participate in our extensive in-house training. Each year our training covers: risk assessment and management, wilderness first aid, emergency response procedures, Leave No Trace ethics, the natural history for each trip areas, glacier travel, and kayaking and canoeing technical skills including rescue techniques. You can rest assured that you are in expert hands for your adventure.
Wilderness First Responder Certification
All employees need to have a First Aid and CPR certification
Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician
Throughout your trip, our guides are dedicated to:
Keeping You Safe
Safety is our #1 priority. Our guides have the training and experience to anticipate dangers and mitigate or avoid them. While every outdoor activity carries with it some level of risk, we have an impeccable safety record. We invest in the best and newest safety gear every year, require our staff to all hold First Aid & CPR certification, and extensive protocols for fast evacuations if anything was to happen. You have a whole team working together to ensure your safety and the highest quality experience.
Providing Instruction & Assistance
No experience is required for any of our guided trips! We will show and teach you all the necessary skills. Never been to a glacier? No problem, we’ll guide you via canoe or hike and explore the terminus of glacier safely. You’ve never been in a kayak? No problem, we’ll show you how to efficiently paddle and have you enjoying the scenery and wildlife while doing so. Never seen a brown bear? No problem, we’ll provide the guide who is trained in bear country. Joining an ABAK trip is the perfect opportunity to not only experience the best in the Alaskan wilderness but have a new adventure!
Enhancing Your Experience
By sharing their personal stories and knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the area our guides will help create a sense of place and enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of the unique environment you will be traveling through. Let us show you the rich and diverse ecosystem of Southeast Alaska that is interconnected from the towering peaks of the icefields to the ocean waterways of the Inside Passage. Have a particular subject you want to learn more about? Just ask!
Guide With ABAK
Want to be the leader hiking into the rainforest? Trekking to glaciers? And exploring the Inside Passage by kayak?
Shoot us an email today to find out more or if you are ready to apply, please complete the application by clicking the button below. Please note: you must have a current WFR or EMT certification to be considered for a guiding position but we love welcoming other team members who want to learn and experience the best industry in the world.