Our Staff: Adventure Tour Lead Guides/Trip Leaders

We take pride in having the best guides in the business. All of our previous clients will tell you our guides enhanced their experience more than they thought possible. We have nearly 30 experienced guides on staff. All guides must learn our 50 page guide manual, complete an apprenticeship, all are CPR / First Aid certified and many have advanced training such as Wilderness First Aid, Swift-water Rescue and National Outdoor Leadership School degrees. Our guides are teamed to maximize their individual expertise ensuring your every need is satisfied. Our guides are at your service 24 hours a day for the duration of the trip. They will be eager to answer all questions, solve any problems, and keep your adventure fun and worry-free.

Josh Kloepping - Trip Leader
Josh comes to AOA from Texas and is a graduate of Texas State University where he majored in Marketing. Before coming to AOA, his passion for exploring the world led him on adventures through North America, Central America, Europe and New Zealand. His love for the outdoors keeps him active in hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, snowboarding and mountain biking. Josh has successfully completed the N.O.L.S. (National Outdoor Leadership School) course and the N.O.L.S Southwest Outdoor Educator course and is now certified a LNT (Leave No Trace) Master. He also holds certifications in Wilderness First Aid, CPR and Swift Water Rescue. He loves to share his sense of adventure and the outdoors with others.

Denny Brua - Trip Leader
Denny's first career was with 84 Lumber where he worked for 26 years, retiring as Chief Operating Officer in 1999. He has worked as a guide for AOA since 2001. Denny guides more tours for AOA than any other guide, in fact he probably guides more tours than any other guide in the Southwest! His years of experience and personality ensure that he can relate equally well with corporate executives and kids on their first mountain bike tour. When not leading hiking or biking tours for AOA he has completed numerous tours including Seattle to Washington DC and Seattle to San Francisco.

Nick Martin - Trip Leader
Nick is a graduate of Oklahoma State University where he majored in both Marketing and International Business. Following graduation, Nick spent two years in the pharmaceutical sales industry before succumbing to his passion for adventure and love for the outdoors. That passion brought him to Arizona where he joined the AOA team in 2006. Nick is an avid snow skier and enjoys rock climbing, hiking, mountain biking, and recently taking up SCUBA diving as well. His adventurous spirit has led him to running with the bulls in Spain and skiing in the Swiss Alps. Nick also has a great motivational spirit and enjoys helping others achieve outdoor goals beyond their expectations. He holds certifications in CPR, First-Aid, and Wilderness First Aid.

Maryanne Mason - Trip Leader
Maryanne grew up in Washington and moved to Arizona when she fell in love with the desert and the Grand Canyon.  She is an avid rock climber, hiker, explorer and mountain biker.  Prior to working for AOA, she guided for three years while at Pacific Lutheran University.She also worked summer camps for four years in Washington where she instilled a sense of adventure and an appreciation of the outdoors in the kids. Her vivacious spirit and thirst for exploring makes every trip exciting.  Her energy is contagious which helps her solve almost any problem. REI Adventures has recognized her trip leadership skills by selecting her as one of only six guides worldwide for 2010 Guide of the Year.   She is also a certified EMT and Wilderness First Responder.

Dave Sas - Trip Leader
Dave, an Oklahoma native, graduated from Central University of Oklahoma with a degree Business Administration and Accounting. He is a Vietnam veteran with a Purple Heart, Bronze Star with valor from the 101st Airborne Division, Long Range Reconnaissance. He is trained not only in first aid and CPR, but also in Wilderness First Aid and Swift Water Rescue. After owning his own accounting firm for 20 years he became a full-time river rafting, hiking, and mountain biking guide in 1990. Dave's enthusiasm is contagious; keeping every trip he leads upbeat and adventure filled.

Tricia Vamos - Trip Leader
Tricia's rural upbringing in northeastern Ohio taught her to love and appreciate the beauty of the outdoors - whether it was running around playing and riding horses in the woods, getting down & dirty planting her own garden, having fun as a camp counselor, or even teaching snow skiing - she has always had a passion for being outside. Since moving to Arizona in 1988, Tricia has explored in depth the West. While she holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration and has worked extensively in marketing, public relations, and event planning in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors, she has given up the desk for her current career in fitness and adventure. Whether it is for work or play, you can find Tricia running, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, snowboarding, skiing, golfing, and cooking her way through the day. She holds CPR, First Aid and Wilderness First Responder certifications. As a certified yoga teacher for the last 12 years, Tricia brings a unique and beneficial aspect to her guiding. She might even ask you to strike a tree pose overlooking the edge of a canyon!

Stephan Guenette - Trip Leader
Prior to joining the AOA team in 2007, Stephan spent the majority of his time living near the Canadian Rockies, where he graduated with honors from the four year Ecotourism and Outdoor Leadership program at Mount Royal College in Calgary AB. His endless sense of adventure has taken him on a 10 day expedition beyond the Arctic Circle in Baffin Island, on a 28 day paddling expedition in remote northern Canada, and on a three week, self-supported trip into southern Costa Rica. He is a proficient mountain biker, rock climber, paddler, swimmer, backcountry skier and ice climber. Stephan has a great passion for being in the outdoors and especially for helping individuals live out new experiences, and then watching them grow. Stephan's time spent as a swimming, skiing, rollerblading, and rock climbing instructor has provided him with the ability to effectively develop and motivate others. Through his many experiences, Stephan has created proficiencies at managing and speaking to large groups of individuals of all ages, and in French and English. Stephan is certified in swift water rescue levels 1 & 2, CPR, wilderness first aid, and is a certified lifeguard.

Dana Higginbotham - Trip Leader
Dana is an independent business man who is always looking for an opportunity to mountain bike or hike here in Arizona. Dana is an experienced hiker and mountain biker and has led trips and tours for AOA for more than ten years. Whenever his business and guiding commitments permit he is out riding and frequently competing in local mountain bike races.