Ascend Wilderness Guides are Wilderness First Aid, CPR, and water safety certified as well as Ascend trained to make sure safety is priority on outdoor adventures. They thrive in the backcountry where adapting to changing conditions and group dynamics is critical to providing a meaningful wilderness experience. Our Guides are devoted to Ascend’s mission of providing opportunities for enhanced awareness of and connection to self, others, community and environment through wilderness adventures, environmental education and stewardship.
Learn more about our Wilderness Guides!
Lizzie Riggall
This is Lizzie’s 4th year with Ascend and she is so ecstatic to get to spend time with this lovely group of humans! When she’s not guiding with Ascend, Lizzie works as the Health Education Coordinator for Siskiyou County Office of Education. She loves having the summer off to enjoy and explore our beautiful Shasta-Trinity backyard.
Andrew Nelson
Born and raised in Humboldt County and being fortunate to soak up lots of quality time playing under Redwoods as a youngun, Andrew has had a love for trees as long as he can remember. This love matured in adulthood, finding tree work while living in Colorado and eventually settling into a life filled with time spent outdoors. Andrew has lived in Trinity County for many years and is very passionate about the mountains, waterways, flora and fauna of the Coastal and Klamath mountain ranges.
When he’s not leading trips for Ascend, you can find him caretaking a ranch and managing the vineyard on site, and doing tree work. Some other hobbies include reading, listening to and discovering new music, and playing Magic the Gathering. He is also a proud partner to his wife, Carly, and parent to their cat Zuzu. Andrew relishes the opportunity to take kids backpacking to hopefully inspire future outdoor enthusiasts.
Dave Johnson
A Trinity County local, Dave first encountered Ascend on a hike with his dad, running into Ascend Founder Scott LaFein on the trail. He would later sign up and attend his first pack meeting at 10 years-old, totally soaked after jumping into a creek beforehand. He would go on to participate in an Ascend trip every year until he graduated high school, becoming Ascend’s first Junior Guide and later returning as an adult to lead trips, playing games and creating space for the meaningful conversations and revelations that emerge around a campfire.
When he’s not playing games in the backcountry with youth and adults, Dave coordinates and supports crews for the Trinity County Resource Conservation District, works on his family’s land, and can be found exploring the vast dirt logging roads around Trinity County on his dirt bike. When asked what his favorite thing about Ascend is, Dave says it’s seeing how the kids shape their own experiences when given the freedom of undirected time outdoors.
Naomi Underwood
Naomi moved to West Marin County when she was 9 years old from Laguna Beach, in Southern California, where she was born. While in Marin County, she lived in Tomales Bay State Park, and later, on the ranch lands along the Point Reyes National Seashore where she was free to run wild and explore. There, she learned about the importance of preserving wild places and protecting endangered species of plants and animals.
She developed a sense of responsibility and love for nature early on, participating in walks led by naturalist Elizabeth Terwilliger, where she learned about the “magic” of the plants and animals they saw along the trails in the parks, and from the park rangers in the National Seashore as they rescued animals and birds caught up in plastic debris or oil and tar slick. On family vacations, her mother’s partner, who worked for the state parks, took the family camping and hiking in nearly every state and national park in California, teaching Naomi and her siblings the importance of Leave No Trace ethics.
Zach Sullivan
After performing a Search & Rescue for Ascend and being one of the most graceful humans through the process with our youth participant, we knew Zach Sullivan would be an AWE-some addition to our wilderness guide team! Originally from the backwoods of Mt. St. Helens in SW Washington, he currently lives in the East Trinity Alps near the Long Canyon trailhead. He enjoys skiing, backpacking, and volunteering with various local organizations. As a bonus, Zach is a nationally registered EMT and has tons of experience in the rescue and EMS fields. Fun facts: He speaks English & Thai, love cats, and collecting old glass bottles.
