Our Guides & Instructors
Owners & Operators
Hailing from the right coast of Canada, like many east-coast transplants, Smart came to Whistler with a ski-racing background and a hunger for deeper snow and even steeper descents.
In his formative Whistler years, Smart filmed with Warren Miller, judged Big Mountain Competitions, and skied Whistler as well as anyone. When he met Jill and the two brought high-level instruction and guiding to Whistler, Smart turned down the send-o-meter and helped grow and develop a guiding program that is truly unique, and still one of a kind to this day.
Peter Smart
When Jill moved to Whistler for a winter she said what most do—“one season, then I’m out.” Fast forward twenty five years, she’s still here running the best guiding and instruction business in town. Ah, the draw of Whistler. If she’s not deep in the email vortex making Extremely Canadian run like the well-oiled machine that it is, she’s out making powder turns. Don’t blink or you might miss her!
Jill Dunnigan
Coaches
Wendy Brookbank
When Wendy moved to Whistler in 1988 as a wide-eyed 19-year-old, she had no idea what her future held—at the time, she was enrolled at UBC on her way to a kinetics degree. Then, freeski legend Glen Plake enlisted the former ski racer to film with his legendary crew, and the rest is history.
Brookbank filmed with Warren Miller and became one of the founding members of the women’s freeski movement, and one of the first women to be a professional skier.
When Jill & Pete recruited her to be one of their first guides, Wendy wasn’t sure what to think, but when she heard ‘free pass’, she was in. With over 25 years of guiding experience and one of the best turns in Whistler to this day, you can’t miss Wendy’s beaming smile on the mountain—unless, of course, you blink.
Steve Mayer
Gus Cormack
There’s a reason that Gus Cormack ended up in Whistler, and it wasn’t by chance—after spending seasons in Jackson Hole, Fernie, and Revelstoke, Gus ended up in Whistler in what he describes as the “Aussie Skier Tractor Beam” (Gus is originally from Australia), but let’s be honest: how could you not?
With a background in ski racing and a sincere appreciation for powder, Cormack ended up in Whistler because it offers the best of the best. And once he started sampling the freeskiing opportunities, he realized it was the place to be.
Today, Cormack lives in the big-mountain haven of Pemberton, BC, and is one of our go-to powder hunters. Sign up for our Steeps Program and ask for Gus, you won’t regret it.
Jane Emerick
If the best skier on the mountain is the one having the most fun, then look no further—Jane Emerick is the one who owns that title. With a constant beaming smile, Jane can arc a turn with the best of em’, and she’s got the hardware to prove it—between juggling a Master’s degree and her 2 kids, Jane took home 3rd place at the vaunted Saudan Couloir Race in 2018.
If that’s not enough to convince you to get out for a day with Jane, just ask any of her former clients—she knows how to have a good time on the hill.
Aura Mullings
A true Whistler Local, through and through - Aura knows these mountains like you know your kitchen pantry. Born in the valley and raised by the steeps of Whistler Blackcomb, Aura is truly at home in the couloirs, chutes and bowls of the alpine. When off the clock you can find her shredding the backside of Whistler Peak in any conditions with a crew of die-hard freeskiers. She understands the ins and outs of these mountains like no other, lucky for you that means she’ll get you to goods and just the right time for endless untracked pow. At the end of the biggest of ski days, Aura will always have the energy to slip on her finest crocs and facilitate a quintessential Canadian apres. Once the snow dries up, Aura keeps the Whistler stoke going in the drops of the bike park and the white water rapids of the rivers.
Ben Bethune
Paul Dwyer
If you’re looking for the iron horse of the Extremely Canadian guiding world, look no further. Clarke, or ‘Clarkie’ as he’s known to most, has probably guided more days than you’ve been on snow in your life, and it shows.
Always in tune with the conditions, which runs are in good shape, and where the snow has blown in, Clarkie’s more than a decade long career of guiding makes him one of our go-to-guides, and he’s done his fair share of global expeditions as well, leading trips to Japan and France over the years.
If you’re looking for a good time and every secret stash on the hill, look no further—you’ve found your man.
Gavin Phillipson
Raised in Alberta but not firmly entrenched on the West Coast, Curtis is one of the many Whistler transplants who got here and simply couldn’t leave. And for good reason. After growing up ski racing and conquering the slopes of Mt Norquay, Whistler quickly became the ultimate playground.
His long list of coaching accolades (CSIA Level 4, CSCF Coach 1 to name a few) is surpassed only by his love for the outdoors, and sports in general. If Curtis isn’t on the hill, he’s almost certainly playing hockey, fishing or getting after it in any way possible.
Sam Watson
Who hates summer? This guy. Why? We’re not too sure. I mean we’re winter people but only a fool wouldn’t take a long hot summer to drain the knees and let the abused feet recover. Sam though, he hasn’t seen the temps above 20C in 4 years. An Aussie import, perhaps an adolescence heavy on the UV went to his head. All that time on snow has really paid off for this stylish devil though, being the youngest CSIA level 4 in the history of the system. What what. Certified rippah, you’re going to want him beside you on the chair. Joining the Extremely Canadian team in 2022, he’s quickly flying up the ranks with the hidden bag of coach tricks and backpocket terrain stashes.
Darryl Bowie
At 15 years old, Steve Mayer was chasing his ski-racing dreams living in France. A slalom specialist, Mayer’s technique was never the problem—but his size seemed to limit his ability to reach his top speed.
So what did he do? He looked up. High in the alpine of the French Alps Mayer saw steeps that wouldn’t hold back his need for speed, and he came to a realization— if it’s steep enough, everyone goes the same speed.
Since then, Mayer has hunted steep descents all over the world from La Grave to Hokkaido, Ryksgransen to Cerro Casto, and Alaska to British Columbia. Today, he’s one of the most technically sound guides who knows the mountain like the back of his hand.
Stephen Clarke
Favourite Excan memory: Garfs with Rose
Sick Bird Award winner at Wrangle the Chute (look it up, it means some gnarly a** sh*t went down) and top 5 Canadian on the FWQ tour in 2022. Fun fact for the ladies, he’s a known connoisseur of long snow-pony rides on a bluebird powday. From ski racing to big mountain skiing, surfing, kiting and….painting, Ben is exactly who you want directing you to the best of the steep and deep. Be kind to him and he’ll let do his best Bob Ross impression, guiding you through painting fresh turns on our hometown white canvas.
Born and raised in Orangeville, Ontario, Paul moved out to Whistler in early 2002 to help find direction in life. After one winter, he found it: downhill.
Spending summers planting trees all over Canada’s west coast, Dwyer dedicated his winters to skiing, and skiing only. Twenty years later, things haven’t changed much. Spending plenty of time on snow each winter, Paul now dedicates his spare time to his other profession working as a Certified Athletic Therapist specializing in rehab and injury prevention.
According to Paul he’s stayed working for Extremely Canadian for one reason: “Because it’s by far the most fun thing to do”. So if you’re looking for fun, look no further—Paul’s your guy.
Blake Rowsell
Can be trusted with children. As long as trust means sending a 10 year old down West Cirque on a storm day and living to tell the tale. You, the lucky reader however, will be happy to know that Blake can also be trusted with adults. With ExCan and Heliskiing being his double edged sword in the winter, this Bruce Wayne of a teacher/ski guide is here to deliver deep thoughts and deep turns. On his endless pursuit of knowledge, Blake will enlighten your mind on the chairlift, and your thighs on the descents.
Finn Target
There aren’t many skiers coming out of Scotland, but don’t be fooled —the ones who do seem to shred harder than most.
After growing up skiing the hills of Scotland, Target moved to France where he spent a few more seasons honing his skills. Now, he lives in Whistler, where his favourite part is that “hyperactivity is acceptable.”
If you’re looking for a bit of a rush, look no further as Finn lives by the motto of Shane McConkey: “Just ski down there and jump off something for crying out loud!”
If you’re looking to take a step outside your comfort zone, Finn is an absolute technician when it comes to getting the most out of your skillset. Oh, and he plays the bagpipes. Why not go for a ski with him?
Suzie Black
Let me tell you folks, finding the simplest route up the toughest peaks? That's my specialty, believe me. But let me tell you what my real, tremendous super power is: having a great, fantastic time. That's what I'm all about, folks Folks, let me tell ya, I love it when that big ol' mountain shuts down due to some weather. While some folks skedaddle or hit the bars, I'm over here lovin' every minute of lap after lap on the lower half. I've been comin' to this mountain for 25 years now and I'll be darned if I'm not still finding new lines to shred. Never gets old, I tell ya!
You heard it from the legend Suzie herself. Suzie refused to have someone else write her Bio, hopefully that gives you more insight into the kind of day you have ahead of you!
Harriet Parnis
Harriet hails from the surrounds of London, going from skiing the dry slopes of the UK, to ripping the European Alps, to shredding the steeps of Whistler for the last fourteen years. Since 2014, she has been with the Extremely Canadian team and is known for building the confidence of the guests she guides so they can tackle terrain and reach heights far beyond their expectations. Being an instrumental coach and guide for the Women’s We Rise event, she specializes in ensuring that the extreme side of skiing is able to be accessed by all, inspiring everyone that they have potential to ski like her. You’ll find Harriet ripping the alpine no matter the conditions from chalky snow in West Cirque to deep pow in Saudan Couloir, she can make it all look exciting.
Rory Hackett
Rory Hackett might be from the UK, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t tick all the boxes of being “Extremely Canadian”. Growing up, Rory’s Canadian-born father brought him skiing in the alps and from that moment he was hooked.
At least hooked enough to dedicate some time on the dry slopes—where he eventually earned a 3rd place in the Indoor Slopestyle Championships and the “Best Crash” award for British Skiing.
In the summer. Rory coaches in the bike park, honing his skills in instruction and enjoying the summer sun—but always keeping an eye on when the snow will fly next.
Ash Jones
The worst part about learning to ski on dry slopes is when you crash, you get crazy burns. The best part? That Ash Jones doesn’t have to do it anymore. Growing up in England, it was the only option for the die-hard skier, but when the opportunity arose to hop across the pond, he leaped at the opportunity.
After a few years in Quebec, Ash headed west and ended up on our roster of coaches. He currently holds a level 4 certification in instruction (the highest one can achieve), and in the summer he works as an examiner for PMBIA, teaching instructors how to be the best instructors they can be.
His work in the mountain bike world, coupled with his experience in coaching for the Whistler Freeride Club, makes more coach who excels in communication on our roster, a key skill in guiding clients through complex terrain. While Ash didn't grow up with a typical skiing background, he’s earned his place in the world of ski instruction—and we couldn’t be happier to have him on our roster.
Carlene Loughlin
Our best version of a silent assassin, Carlene might be quiet, but her skiing sure isn’t. Born and raised in the Coast Mountains, Carlene has been on skis since she was three years old. While attending University she was a stalwart on the Freeride Competition Tour, ranking first overall in North America in the Junior Women category.
More recently, she starred in the winning Intersection film from Los Amigos, where local teams are pitted against each other to film the best skiing and riding in the Whistler area each spring.
Carlene is an avid skier, biker, can solve a Rubik's Cube in under 2 minutes, and can ride a 5 foot tall unicycle—need we say more?
Chris Winter
There aren’t many coaches who epitomize what we do at Extremely Canadian better than Derek Foose. The founder and head coach of the Whistler Freeride Club, Foose is wiser than most when it comes to progression, and his knowledge of the terrain at Whistler Blackcomb is unmatched.
A former professional skier himself, Foose starred in Warren Miller’s “Children of Winter”, but his career has grown plenty since his days on screen. Along with being an announcer for the Freeride World Tour, Foose spends his summers behind the microphone for Crankworx Whistler, along with fulfilling his duties as the Coach Advisory Board Chair for the IFSA.
There isn’t a part of the industry that Foose isn’t deeply ingrained in, and we couldn’t be happier to have him on the team.
Derek Foose
The renaissance man of Extremely Canadian, you might find it tough to hear all of his stories in one day—but if you give him a nudge, you might get a few—stories of his pioneering of mountain biking trails in Whistler, his days filming skiing with Teton Gravity Research, or a tale of one of his biking adventures in Iceland.
Winter has been around for a while, but he won’t tell you—he’ll just show you. If you want a day of guiding to the best spots, he’s your man. Looking to work on a specific entrance to an alpine bowl you haven’t conquered? He’s got that too.
Chad Sayers
If you’ve picked up a ski magazine in the past twenty years, you’ve more than likely seen this man on the cover. While Sayers spends most of his winter travelling the globe filming for movies and shooting with some of the world’s best, he calls Whistler home.
He’s skied in far out locales from Baffin Island to Iran, but his home base of Whistler is where you’ll find him between his travels. Having ticked off more than 60 countries around the world, Sayers has mastered terrain navigation in the deepest sense.
We’re lucky to have an experienced traveller on our roster, and trust us—if it isn’t his skiing and instructional skills that impress you, you’ll definitely hear a good story or two.
Curtis Pisesky
Jamie Bull
Doesn't matter what state the water is; frozen or liquid, pow or chopped, Jaimee can shred it. As the Open World Championship Record Holder and 2x Waterski Pro Tour Champion, the athletic prowess of Jaimee stands out when she charges down the gnarliest lines on the mountain. She joined the Extremely Canadian team in 2022/23, but Jaimee is no stranger to Whistler’s steeps. She grewup checking off Whistler Blackcomb’s biggest lines with our long-term guide Wendy, on a steeps clinic when she was a teen. Jaimee was inspired to continue to push herself on skis in the mountains while competing on the water, so that she could one day join the Extremely Canadian team and show the thrills of Whistler's terrain to others.
Here at Extremely Canadian, Daryl Bowie is known as a bit of a silent assassin—while he may not look the part, Darryl is an absolute shredder on ski’s. Coming to the forefront of skiing in the hot-doggin era, Bowie played a pivotal role in the development of freestyle skiing, and his skills haven’t worn off one bit.
One of the wisest coaches on our roster, a day with Darryl will be filled with expert terrain navigation, unmatched technical advice, and maybe even a touch of ski history if that’s what you’re into. We’re lucky to have a legend on the team, and we suggest you get out for a day with him as soon as you can!
Jean-Fred Tremblay
Born and raised on the icy slopes of Mont Sainte-Anne, Jean-Frederic fell in love with skiing at a young age, but it wasn’t until he spent a winter in Austria that he fell in love with big mountains. When he returned to Quebec, he had a plan—get out to British Columbia as soon as possible.
A year round ski racing coach, Jean-Frederic lives and breathes ski technique. When he’s not skiing, or coaching skiing, he’s mountain biking or surfing.
He’s a certified level 2 CSCF, he won Coach of The Year in Quebec in 2012, and if that’s not enough to convince you to get out on the hill with him, here’s another accolade that might draw you in: he’s never been beat in a limbo contest. Think you’ve got the back bend to beat him? Let’s see it
Matt Mohr
One of the many talented Australian’s who has chosen to call Whistler home, Mohr grew up surfing but a little resort called Smiggins Holes in New South Wales got him hooked enough to spend a season in Austria, where he really caught the bug.
After “a girl and 2 huge mountains” brought him to Whistler, his natural talent on a surfboard quickly translated into skiing, and all other types of mountain sports. While he doesn’t have a sense of smell, his depth of knowledge and experience navigating the slopes of Whistler Blackcomb help him sniff out fresh snow and steep lines with the best of ‘em.
A level 4 ski instructor and a level 100 all around good guy, now’s your chance to ski with Matt—we suggest you take it.
Ricky Lewon
Rick has some history with this crew, donating 23 of his best working years to the ExCan dynasty. From teaching Steep skiing on Whistlers gnarliest lines to exploring the best terrain worldwide on many Extremely Canadian World Tour Trips. Maybe we should start paying him? We thought about it, but figured he’s still got his purse from the glory days ski racing on the “Wide World of Sports” TV show. Hailing from North Bay, Ontario, Ricky started ski racing at the ripe age of eight. He spent many years competing on the Pacific Western Airlines (PWA) pro tour, mastering the art of skiing fast and partying hard. Once he had given up the ski racing dream, he moved to Japan where is spent a few years before settling down in Whistler. He balanced his time between owning/operating a tuning shop in Creekside and racing in the weekly Kokanne Race Series. Let’s just say, he’s kind of a big deal. I mean, he said it himself three times in his interview for this bio, so we’re a little scared of the consequences if we don’t say it.
Credentials: CSCF
Marc Cousineau
Have you ever had an experience so great that afterwards you’re sitting there on the tailgate in the parking lot thinking to yourself “Wow, I’d really love to do that for 30 more years”. Well, it seems that’s what Marc was thinking after his first day of coaching skiing back at Camp Fortune in Ottawa. After dominating the race circuit in Ontario, he set out to pass on his unique set of skills to future generations, first locally, then to the other fortunate humans of the world who managed to cross his path. NZ, Chile, France, Austria, Switzerland, Colorado, New England are just a few of his alma maters. Now, a Pembertonian of 10 years, he’s not only blessing our clients with his wealth of local knowledge, but also passing the trade secrets on to his three lucky kids.
Rob Boyd
Simply put, Rob Boyd is a Canadian ski-racing legend. In 1989, he became the first Canadian to win a World Cup Downhill on Canadian soil. While that achievement tends to get the most accolades, he also took home multiple wins away from his home slopes.
After retiring from ski racing, Boyd hasn’t slowed down—while coaching for Extremely Canadian, Boyd works as a real estate agent and is a poster boy for the past-paced Whistler lifestyle, spending his spare time boating, hiking, biking, and building.
While the ski racing legend doesn’t eat McDonalds anymore, he does claim to able to eat a Big Mac in two bites. If you’re looking for a fun day on the hill with coaching from a true expert, look no further.
If you’ve ever skied on Whistler Blackcomb’s infamous Peak Chair, you’ve likely seen Gavin Phillipson. Splitting his time between the infamous Whistler Freeride Club and the Extremely Canadian Steeps Program, Gavin knows the mountain as well as anyone—and he’s here to show you a good time.
“If I had perfect conditions every day, I could ski the Peak Chair for the rest of my life and be pretty content.”, says Phillipson. “Outside of that, Blackcomb has so much great terrain to offer. Spanky’s Ladder and Chainsaw Ridge are probably my favourite zones over there.”
Whether it’s Whistler or Blackcomb, Phillipson knows a thing or two about working through complex terrain, which is why he’s one of our go-to-guys.
Snowboarders
Master trail builder, Olympic halfpipe coach, professional snowboarder, Dan Raymond’s list of accolades go on and on, but all you need to know is that if you’re looking for a good time, look no further.
Dan always had his eyes set on coaching, joining the competitive halfpipe circuit to hone his skills—that turned into a 8 year career which ended after a near miss of qualifying for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
For the next 6 years, Dan coached talented athletes in the lead up to the 2014 Sochi Games. After a whirlwind career of travel and competition, Dan has settled down in Whistler—but that doesn’t mean he’s slowed down. Dan spends his summer building some of Whistler’s most iconic mountain bike trails, and his winters leading Snowboard Freeride Clinics and finding the best snow on the mountain.
Dan Raymond
After a brief foray into the snowboarding world, Extremely Canadian took a break from leading snowboard clinics—that is, until Jeff Slack came into the picture. A lifelong snowboarder with a deep passion for powder, and sharing his favourite sport, we owe a lot to Jeff. After working collaboratively with founders Jill Dunnigan and Pete Smart, Jeff played an integral role in bringing back the program, which made it’s way back to Extremely Canadians portfolio in 2016.
Lead guide and architect behind our current Snowboard Freeride Clinics, Jeff is one of the most well-respected snowboard instructors at Whistler Blackcomb with 15 years of experience spreading the love of sliding sideways.
On his off days, you’ll find him exploring every corner of Whistler Blackcomb and crushing the steeps like not many other boarders can.
Jeff Slack
Sandy Ward
Sandy Ward has worked with the best of the best from Chamonix to Perisher, but none of those places have a lick of thunder on her hometown.
When we say local, we mean the real deal. Born and raised Lil’wat, Sandy is one of the founding members of Indigenous Women Outdoors. This force of a snowboadrer is changing lives both on and off the hill, and you’ll want to watch out for her clips in Redbull TV segments and beyond. Sandy is currently working on becoming a certified ACMG, starting with being able to instruct AST 1 courses. She has a passion for educating locals and tourists of the surrounding mountains traditional names. Book a day with her and you’ll surely learn more than snowboarding.
Andrew “Dahj” Purvis
If you were around Whistler for the 98/99 season, you were in for a treat, with the resort breaking all kinds of snowfall records. Dahj was, and since then he hasn’t looked back. After spending one of the most memorable seasons hunting for snow, he hasn’t lost the scent—if there’s a fresh patch of snow in the trees, tucked away in an alpine bowl, or even on the side the trail, Dahj knows where to find it.
With over twenty years of coaching snowboarding all winter and riding the bike park in the summers, Dahj is one of our most experienced snowboard coaches, and his ability to break down the little nuances in your riding will bring you to a level you didn’t know you had.
Wondering about his nickname? Well it started with Daddio, and it got to Dahj on what he describes as a long road—with plenty of stories along the way.
ACMG Guides
It’s a shame we only have a few paragraphs, because telling the story of Keith Reid truly deserves a novel. Born and raised in North Vancouver, Reid cut his teeth pioneering first ascents in the rock climbing world, but turned his attention to skiing around the age of twenty.
One of the most accomplished mountain guides in North America, Keith has skied in every condition imaginable, ticked off descents all over the world, and once held the speed record for the coveted Spearhead Traverse.
Our lead guide and head of the backcountry program, if you have the chance to go on a backcountry day with Keith, it’s an opportunity you won’t want to miss—if there’s fresh snow out there, Keith’s gonna take you right to it.
Keith Reid
Point out a sliver of snow anywhere in the Coast Mountains, and it’s more than likely that Alex Wigley has gone down it on his skis. After a few years of competitive ski mountaineering on the Canadian National Ski Mountaineering Team, Wigley earned his ACMG ticket and is one of the younger guides in North America, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t well versed in the language of the mountains.
Wigley has multiple speed records on iconic BC ski traverses, and has skied more daring lines in the Sea to Sky corridor than you can imagine—and he does it all with a smile on his face.
In the backcountry, following him is like watching a mountain goat perfectly navigate terrain in a manner that is so natural he almost makes it look easy. Head out for a day with Wigley and you’ll understand what we mean.
Alex Wigley
Chelsea might be our youngest ACMG guide, but that doesn’t mean she’s not wise. After moving from Ontario to Whistler at the ripe age of 19, Chelsea cut her teeth and learned priceless navigational skills on the Freeride Qualifying Tour, ticking off big traverses in the Whistler Backcountry, and exploring the resort while honing her skills.
After a slew of injuries halted her career, Sullivan switched her focus to backcountry exploration and hasn’t looked back since. With a nose for fresh snow and youthful energy to match her desire for perfect conditions, you won’t be disappointed by a day in the backcountry with Chelsea.
Chelsea Sullivan
A recipient of the elusive Mug Stump award for a first ascent in Patagonia, this landmark achievement is just the tip of iceberg in a long list of accolades and accomplishments for Jamie Selda. As accomplished of a rock climber as he is a skier, Jamie spent his formative years climbing and skiing hundreds of peaks across the world, bagging first ascents in the rock climbing world, and generally getting after it in every way possible.
Jamie now calls Squamish and the surrounding Coast Mountain Range home, but settling down and ticking off his greatest achievement by becoming the father of three doesn’t mean he’s slowed down–if you’re looking for beta on the snowpack, tips on what to ski or ride, or a good story, look no further–Jamie Selda is your guy
Jamie Selda
If you look up the term “mountain man” in the dictionary, you’ll likely see a photo of Michael Horst. The IFGMA-certified mountain guide has ski in more countries than you can count, and he’s even logged descents on Antarctica.
Originally hailing from Washington, Horst has lived in British Columbia for 13 years now, and he hasn’t wasted any time. Horst has climbed multiple 8,000 meter peaks (including Mt. Everest), explored mountains on every continent, and started a family along the way.
For Horst, there is no off-season—he’s dedicated his life to the mountains, ski guiding in the winter and rock climbing all summer. If he’s lucky, he’ll sneak to the coast for a surf when he can. To experience what it’s like to travel through the mountains with a seasoned veteran, we recommend booking a day with Mr. Horst.
Michael Horst
Javier Munoz Santos
Tim Ross
How long does it take to become a local around here? Vancouver born and 20 years in Squamish, we’d say Tim is playing it pretty safe on that one. And safe is what you want in your backcountry guide. As an ACMG Ski, Rock and Hiking guide, you’re going to want to throw this local boy in your checked luggage and bring him home with you. Tim’s perfect day in the mountains; 30cm of fresh blower and sunny. With comments like that, we can probably all agree he’s a keeper.
If there was a PhD in the Whistler Lifestyle, Javier Munoz Santos would have earned it twice over. An avid mountain biker and skier, Javier has turned his passions into a profession in the most literal sense.
Starting with a degree in Biomechanics and Psychology of Sports from the University of Grenada, Javier has a long list of accolades in the world of sports instruction and guiding. A bike guide in the summer, in the winter Javier splits his time between the backcountry and steeps program, working as a tail guide with plans to become a fully certified ACMG guide in the near future.
While Santos could likely work any job he wanted to in the industry, we couldn’t be happier to have him on our team.
AST Instructors
All our AST 1 instructors have successfully completed their Ops 1, are active Canadian Avalanche Association members, and shadowed a previous AST 1 course .
Matty McRae
What stands out first is Matty’s smile—but trust us, he’s much more than a gleaming set of pearly whites. Hailing from Quebec, Matty moved west in search of deep snow and big mountains.
After spending the past few seasons immersing himself in the Coast Mountains and obtaining his Avalanche Operations Level One from the Canadian Avalanche Association, Matty has become one of our go-to instructors for AST Level 1 courses.
Matty’s depth of knowledge is exceeded only by his enthusiasm, making him both an effective and memorable instructor in the world of Avalanche Safety Training, and we’re lucky to have him.
Steve Leclair
Originally from Prince Edward Island, Steve Leclair is undoubtedly Extremely Canadian’s resident “Most Interesting Man in The World”. Working full time on the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Leclair’s hobbies range from ski touring to mountain biking, and even some competitive sailing along the way.
To top it off, Leclair is also a volunteer for the Whistler Search and Rescue. With a wealth of knowledge in so many different worlds, Leclair is a pleasure to join for a day on the slopes, and his ability to manage risk while having a heck of a good time is truly a perfect encapsulation of what we stand for here at Extremely Canadian.
Mathieu Jolicoeur
“I live in the forest in a house that I built.”
Just one of Mathieu’s answers to our interview questions, and probably the only one we really needed. Hailing from the Eastern Townships of Quebec, you know this guy knows how to lay the skis on edge. What you don’t know, is he has almost entirely dismissed this edgy prowess in exchange for the passion of deep coastal pow. Now a wizard with laying his shovel edge into a snowpit, he specializes in teaching AST courses, arming new backcountry hooligans with the tools to succeed. Now a 22 year Sea to Sky local, you know he’s the guy you want leading your group.
Mitch Sulkers
Spend a day in the backcountry with Mitchell Sulkers and you’ll learn more than just the snow conditions. Sulkers’s is well-known as the godfather of alpine stewardship in the Whistler community—in a short walk in the backcountry you’ll get everything from an important history lesson on Whistler to and in-depth snowpack analysis, and everything in between.
Perhaps nobody has spent more time in the Spearhead Range than the venerable Mitch Sulkers, and it shows. His knowledge of the terrain is second to none, and if you’re going to take an AST Course, there’s no better person to do it with than one of the most well-respected mountain men in the Sea to Sky.
Behind the scenes
Claudia Lamontagne
Yes, you read that right. Her last name translates to “The Mountain”. Coincidence? Absolutely not…this girl has made it well know that she was born of the mountains. True story, Claudia was hired in the middle of a powday in Whistler bowl by Peter as she shredded past all the mere mortals. He stopped her in her tracks and after an acclaimed exchange of unfathomable sums of gold and silver her allegiance was secured. A Quebecer from Mont-Ste-Anne at heart, her ski racing foundation has obviously translated very well for her to the peaks of Whistler. Claudia spearheads managing the backcountry programs and with a Business degree in her back pocket you can have confidence she does this very well (as she does most things).
Rose Plensky
Born and raised on Vancouver Island, you wouldn’t know that Rose has only lived in Whistler since 2017. Ticking off iconic lines like The Coffin, Rose has made a name for herself on the Extremely Canadian team with her quick progression and hard-working nature.
On the hill more days than you’ll ski in the next ten years, Rose is a die-hard skier who knows when and where conditions will be best. If you’re out for a day with Rose, you won’t miss a spot of untouched powder.