About Wylark

Qualifications & Experience

From rock guiding to avalanche education to Leave No Trace programs, our guides and instructors are experienced and are qualified by external organizations to carry out their work to a high standard.

As a company, we have robust risk management practices in place. Our internal documentation is thorough and is reviewed regularly and compared with industry best practices. We conduct daily risk processes as well as field-based plans for when we are working.

Local knowledge

While we certainly welcome folks from all over the world, our guests and students typically live in Oregon and southern Washington; in or near Portland, Hood River, or Vancouver. So do we. We know the Mount Hood & Gifford Pinchot National Forests inside and out. We know the weekend traffic patterns to and from Mt. Hood, and all of the best access points for ski touring and rock climbing inside the forest.

We will put our detailed and intimate knowledge of our permit areas to work to make your experience as fun and productive as possible. We look forward to sharing our knowledge with you and inspiring you to achieve whatever you'd like to achieve.

Training

Our guides work within the Scope of Practice as set forth by the American Mountain Guides Assocation (AMGA), ensuring that they operate only in terrain for which they are trained and assessed. Our instructors are trained educators who are skilled in communication, pedagogy, and emotional health. After managing risk, your understanding of the material is our top priority.

Professionalism

Managing risk at a high level while providing an enjoyable experience is a serious endeavour but a true professional can accomplish it while also being fun.

Another important facet of selecting a guide is what their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) history looks like. Our guides have years of CPD under their belts from maintaining certifications and licensure in medicine and technical rescue to attendance at such prestigious events such as the International Snow Science Workshop (ISSW) and the Wilderness Risk Management Conference (WRMC).

Read about the ways in which we give back.

Social media

Yeah, we're still holding out. But we can certainly get you some great shots for your own stuff!