Tommy Gram-Ahlene

managing partner, Co-Owner
Lead Backcountry Guide & AIARE Instructor

Tommy is originally from Wisconsin but has called Chaffee County, Colorado, home since 2011. Tommy enjoys spending as much time outside as possible. He is a Ski Guide and AIARE Course Leader in the winter and a Whitewater Kayak, Packraft, Swiftwater Rescue Instructor and American Canoe Association (ACA) Instructor Trainer Educator in the summer at his other company, Whitewater Attainment. He also teaches wilderness medical courses year round for SOLO. Tommy is passionate and dedicated to a career in the outdoor industry. He has taught recreational backcountry enthusiasts and professionals how to stay safe, lead, and have fun in wilderness environments for over two decades.

Tommy holdsAmerican Avalanche Association (A3) Pro 1 and Pro 2 Avalanche Certifications, Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician (WEMT) Certification, and is an AIARE Lead Instructor. Additionally, Tommy is an Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities (SOLO) Lead Wilderness Medical Instructor and a Whitewater Kayak, Packraft and Swiftwater Rescue Instructor Trainer Educator for the American Canoe Association(ACA).

Spencer Herford

Spencer Herford

Backcountry Guide & AIARE COURSE LEADEr

Spencer learned to slide on snow growing up in Dillon, CO, and moved to Salida in 2019 with his wife and dog to spend more time outside. Spencer is a graduate of the Avalanche Science Program at CMC Leadville, and currently holds a Pro Level 1 and 2 Avalanche Certification, is a Wilderness First Responder, and is an AIARE Course Leader. Spencer would prefer that winter lasts 12 months every year, and is happiest boarding down wide open powder fields. He also likes to explore the mountains by mountain bike when the snow goes away, and will occasionally paint his days on the snow in watercolor.

Roger Coit

Roger Coit

Backcountry Guide & AIARE Course Leader

Some would say he’s getting too old for this, but Roger isn’t ready to quit yet. A longtime resident of Salida, CO, he’s been a wilderness educator, guide, and rescuer for over three decades. It may have all started with his love of rivers and whitewater and grew into a list of parallel careers on the snow, in the backcountry, and as a healthcare professional. He has worked extensively as a Paramedic, EMS administrator, Ski Patroller, and wilderness medicine instructor, to name a few passions. When snow is up in the hills, you’ll find him skiing with his friends and family or teaching a snow and avalanche safety course in the Rocky Mountains. Roger is an AIARE Curriculum Specialist and Pro Trainer. Additionally, he was the assistant professor of EMS and Outdoor Studies and the Program Director and founding faculty of the Avalanche Science Program at Colorado Mountain College.

Rhema Wiarda

Rhema Wiarda

BACKCOUNTRY GUIDE & AIARE INSTRUCTOR

Rhema was born and raised in Ontario, Canada. However, after falling in love with snowboarding, she sought Colorado’s big mountains and has called them home since she graduated college in 2008. In 2017 she ventured beyond the lifts into the backcountry, and the sport quickly became her passion. She is an AIARE certified instructor, Wilderness First Responder, and is an active Chaffee County Search and Rescue member. She is beyond excited to continue learning and growing in the sport alongside BVMA! Passionate about sharing the sport and her love for the mountains with others, she founded Women Who Splitboard, a local Colorado meetup group that desires to uplift and empower other women in the sport. When she’s not playing outside, doing art, or spending time with friends and family, she practices as a dental hygienist right here in the Ark Valley.

Jared Berman

Jared Berman

Backcountry Guide & AIARE Instructor

Jared is a ski guide and avalanche educator who has been with Buena Vista Mountain Adventures since 2022. Growing up in the rural parts of New Jersey, he began snowboarding in the small Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Jared moved to Colorado in the Fall of 2011 to pursue a career in outdoor education. While continuing to snowboard and learning to ski in the Colorado Rockies, he graduated from Colorado Mountain College with a degree in Avalanche Science. Jared currently holds both Pro 1 and Pro 2 avalanche certifications. He is also a trained Wilderness First Responder and an AIARE avalanche instructor. When not skiing or snowboarding, Jared enjoys spending as much time on the river as possible. In the summer months, he works as a river guide, instructing rafting, kayaking, and swiftwater rescue. Jared values his time in the mountains and finds meaning when he can share his passion for the outdoors with others. Jared continues to further his education in the outdoor industry and is always working towards advancing his career. When he's not working in the mountains, you can find him spending time with friends and family or at home whipping up a good meal.

Michael Abel

Michael Abel

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoe Guide BACKCOUNTRY GUIDe

Michael grew up snowboarding in the Appalachian mountains of Virginia before moving to Boulder in 2011 to start school at the University of Colorado. After a rigorous four years studying Environmental Science (cum laude) and Evolutionary Biology, Michael decided to move away from lab work and focus on what truly made him happy: the outdoors. Since then, he has become an avid split boarder, boater, and backpacker. His outdoor resume includes descents of many classic Colorado ski lines, a thru-hike of the Colorado Trail, time spent on the Weminuche and Wind River high routes, and trips down Lodore Canyon, Yampa Canyon, Desolation Canyon, Westwater Canyon, Labyrinth Canyon, Stillwater Canyon, and Cataract Canyon. Outside of guiding and instructing AIARE courses, Michael works on the Arkansas River as a River Ranger for Colorado Park and Wildlife and is finishing his last year of the Avalanche Science Program at Colorado Mountain College where he is working to earn his pro 2 and Snow, Weather and Avalanche Field Technician certificates.

Ryan Teter

Ryan Teter

Backcountry Guide & AIARE Instructor

Ryan was born and raised on the Colorado front range. He began climbing and mountaineering while in an outdoor education program at Red Rocks Community College. He decided skiing would be a far better way to get down from mountain climbs. Skiing quickly became his favorite outdoor activity and Ryan loves backcountry laps, huts, spring corn, pointing at things with his ski poles, and finishing dead last at Skimo races. He is AIARE Instructor, AIARE Pro 1, and Wilderness First Responder certified. He is also a Leave No Trace Trainer, US Army Level II Advanced Military Mountaineer, and American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA) Alpine Skills Course Graduate. In the summer Ryan tries to rock climb, mountaineer, trail run, fish, and camp. Ryan lives in Conifer with his wife, daughter, and dog.

Sally Cirincione

Sally Cirincione

Backcountry Guide & AIARE Instructor

Sally (she/her) has been working in the outdoor industry for more than 20 years and is passionate about helping people to learn, grow and build community through adventure-based experiences. She holds an AIARE Pro Level 1 Certification and is an AIARE Assistant Instructor, she is a Wilderness EMT and is also a wilderness medicine instructor.  She has worked for NOLS for over 12 years, was a skiing/snowboarding instructor at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, and facilitates executive leadership development programs. Sally has a Bachelor's degree in Recreation and Outdoor Education, Masters degree in Adventure Education and Psychology and a PhD in Education and Natural Resources. In addition, she has served as faculty/Department Chair at several higher education institutions including Western Colorado University and Red Rocks Community College. 

Bri Golden Copeland

Bri Golden Copeland

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoe Guide

Bri started skiing in Leadville, CO, while supporting and instructing youth and young adult backpacking and mountaineering courses throughout Colorado, Utah, and Alaska for the Colorado Outward Bound School. In her ten years as an outdoor educator, she has coached and directed after-school outdoor programs with Lake County Public Schools and provided ski instruction in Leadville. In addition to guiding cross country and snowshoe tours at BVMA, she leads the Youth Cross-Country Ski League in partnership with BVMA and BV Rec Department and is the Associate Program Director of Groups at the Colorado Outward Bound School. Certified as a WFR since 2014, Bri loves rambling through the mountains and the desert in all seasons, whether it involves running shoes, climbing gear, or ski boots.

Steven Gutierrez

Steven Gutierrez

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoe Guide

Steven grew up in North Carolina, backpacking, skiing, and fishing in the Appalachian Mountains. He moved to Colorado three years ago to further pursue mountain exploration and training. Before working at BVMA, Steven was a mountain bike and hiking guide on the Front Range. Now, he guides snowshoe and cross country skiing at BVMA and is certified in Wilderness First Aid and CPR. Outside of work, Steven can be found above treeline or on a bike trail.

Ben Wygant

Ben Wygant 

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoe Guide

Ben grew up in a small oil and manufacturing town north of Pittsburgh.  He learned to ski at 10 years old in the glorified corn fields of western New York, which ruined him forever having a real job. He has a bachelor’s degree in Adventure Programming, a master’s in Higher Education Administration, AIARE 1 & 2, LNT Master Educator certification, and Wilderness First Responder certification. He has worked for college outdoor programs, taught college courses, directed non-profits, tended bar, worked in commercial kitchens, written for newspapers and professional journals, and currently manages the Trailhead.  When he’s not skiing, mountain biking, backpacking, climbing, trail running, or fly fishing, he’s usually forcing his children to listen to punk music or reading a book about WWII.

Rich Morgan

Rich Morgan

Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoe Guide

Rich has spent close to 30 years exploring the Rockies. He is an avid winter sportsman with a love for A/T, alpine, and telemark skiing, as well as snowboarding, cross country skiing and mountaineering. In addition, Rich enjoys spending all seasons on two wheels. He is an accomplished mountain biker, fat biker, and dual-sport motorcycle enthusiast. Rich is also a lifetime birder, and loves spotting and identifying the local flora and fauna while on an outing. He enjoys photographing and documenting adventure and nature and you’ll often find him with a camera and a few lenses in tow. Rich has a BA in biology from West Virginia University, and he has also worked as an environmental and commercial real estate due diligence consultant since 2005. Rich welcomes the opportunity to share his knowledge of outdoor recreation, nature, winter backcountry travel, to anyone interested in improving their abilities and safely exploring all that the Colorado mountains has to offer.

Nick Rushford

Nick Rushford

Backcountry Guide & AIARE Instructor

Nick grew up skiing in the tight trees of Vermont before migrating west to Colorado and Utah's wide-open alpine. He splits his time between guiding, avalanche education, and working for the Colorado Outward Bound School as the Associate Program Director of Training. Nick is an AMGA Apprentice Ski, Rock, and Alpine Guide. He holds a PRO 2 Avalanche Certification and is an AIARE Course Instructor. Nick loves exploring the winter wonderland of the Sawatch Range but will occasionally escape to the desert to thaw out and climb some sandstone.

Devin Toll

Devin Toll

Backcountry Guide

Devin has been guiding for BVMA since 2015. He originally came to Buena Vista in 2009 to become a raft guide. Devin came for the Colorado summers but stuck around because of the Colorado winters. He started his guiding career with rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing trips in the Arkansas Valley. In the winter, he works full time as a ski patroller at Copper Mountain. When he isn't guiding in the winter, Devin is probably still skiing the mountains and exploring new terrain. He is twice as happy as the normal person when it snows because he loves to ski fresh powder and it makes him think about getting to kayak all that snowmelt come springtime. He still can't decide which CO season he loves most. Devin is a WEMT and is AIARE Level II Avalanche Certified.

Steven Smits

steven smits

Intern & CROSS COUNTRY SKIING & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

Steven grew up in Wisconsin where he began snowboarding and quickly fell in love with his biannual trips to the Rockies. In 2022 as a travel nurse he moved out to Colorado and decided to make the mountains his home. Since moving here he became an avid splitboarder in the Roaring Fork Valley. He is making a midlife career change easing his way out out of a 15 year career as an emergency nurse and wants to return to the world of outdoor education, of which he has extensive experience in rock climbing and whitewater kayak instruction. His other passions include mountain biking and expedition rafting with 4 trips down the Grand Canyon two of which as a trip leader. He is working towards a new career path in backcountry guiding avalanche education and wilderness medicine instruction. 

Nick Provost

Nick Provost

Intern & CROSS COUNTRY SKIING & SNOWSHOE GUIDE

Nick grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina where he earned a bachelor's degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Western Carolina University. Nick moved to Colorado in 2018 to chase snow in the Rocky Mountains and begin learning how to ski in the backcountry. This will be his sixth season skiing in the backcountry and he is excited to continue learning and to share

his passion with others. In the past, Nick has worked in other outdoors jobs including ski/snowboard instructor, ski patroller, and raft guide. He is a certified Wilderness First Responder and is preparing to test for his AIARE Pro 1 certification. Other outdoor passions for Nick include mountain biking, kayaking and trail running. When he is not playing outside Nick enjoys reading fantasy novels, playing guitar, spinning fire and playing chess. 

Chris Nicewarner

Chris Nicewarner

Founder, Co-Owner

Chris is the founder and co-owner of BVMA. His love of the winter backcountry grew out of his time training with the U.S. Marine Corps and various NATO soldiers in the mountains of Norway and the Sierra Nevada Range in California. Chris and his wife, Tina have a love of hospitality and sharing the beauty of the mountains with other people from around the world. When Chris is not in the backcountry, he enjoys hanging out with friends and family and consulting for a leadership development consulting firm called Silverstone Leadership Ventures. Chris is a Wilderness First Responder, is AIARE L2 Avalanche Certified, and is a graduate of several U.S. Military and NATO mountain training programs.

John MacKinnon

John MacKinnon

Former Co-Owner, Technical Advisor Emeritus

John helped launch BVMA’s AIARE avalanche education program in 2016 and has been involved with the company as a guide, avalanche instructor, and co-owner since then. While no longer an owner, John stays connected to BVMA as a technical advisor and friend.

John is an AMGA-certified Rock Guide and Ski Guide, an AIARE Course Leader, and has served on the AIARE Education Committee and AIARE Technical Committee. He has led numerous AIARE Instructor Training courses and has instructed PRO 1 and PRO 2 avalanche courses. He has also taught for Colorado Mountain College’s Avalanche Science Program and guided climbing and skiing extensively throughout Colorado and the Oregon Cascades.

John recently relocated to northern Vermont, where he teaches outdoor and experiential education at a small liberal arts college. He lives there with his wife, Reed, and two amazing daughters, Eleanor and Josie.