Wow – It’s June already, the month Western Spirit often refers to as our transition month. This is because we’re transitioning from our Canyonlands desert trips to our higher altitude summer trips up in the mountains.

In between our Spring and Summer seasons we always hold our annual guide meeting here in Moab, Utah. It’s one of the only times our full staff comes together for in person talks, meals, camping and rides. We bring in guest speakers and other outdoor educators, talk about new trips and equipment and let senior guides share knowledge with newer guides. We may stay up around the campfire a bit too late but after the three days come to an end we come away with a renewed sense of optimism and an eagerness to share our love of the outdoors with others.

No matter how much backcountry experience guides may have we always make time to review things like National Park regulations, trip safety protocols and vehicle safety. While certainly less glamorous then riding bikes these are some of the cornerstones of professional outfitters and part of what sets our company apart. Some certifications like Food Handler courses, CDL driving tests and First Aid courses are handled by third party organizations before the guides are even allowed to start working with us. One of the more challenging and committing certifications is the Wilderness First Responder that we require from all our guides. Wilderness first responder is abbreviated as WFR. Those with this certification are often called “Woofers”. The WFR was created with outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor professionals in mind. It’s the industry standard for most guide services and environmental education programs and typically taught by companies such as NOLS, WMA and others. Even though we carry cell, satellite phones and other PLB’s there’s no substitution for backcountry medical skills when situations arise.

Some of the more fun exercises we incorporate at our guide meeting include backcountry kitchen skills and who doesn’t love food! Whether it’s testing out new recipes, Dutch oven techniques or simply figuring out how to best keep the beer cold on a week long backcountry trip, it’s always fun gathering in the kitchen and sharing tricks of the trade. The favorite part still has to be when guides get presented with all their sponsorship gear. These come from relationships our guides and marketing team have nurtured over the years with select companies that want to support Western Spirit. Whether it’s new helmets and shoes from our longtime supporter Giro, custom guide packs from Camelbak or fresh rain gear from Showers Pass it’s a little bit like Christmas in Moab for a while. Add fresh tires from Maxxis plus some other goodies and guides leave feeling confident, appreciated and ready for a full summer of travel. Many of them will hit the road for several months and we won’t see them in person until mid September when we pick back up with Fall Canyonlands tours. Trained up, motivated and wielding a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm they’re primed to show you the best week of your summer.